DIY Air filter / scrubber rebuild

[GeorgeCloney]

I'm the kinna guy that doesn't buy into people like HP,Cannon or Epson telling me that ink for my printer costs $300 a gallon!

Having said that,
I replaced my air filter in my tent this morning with a new unit.
The wife was starting to make the, you know....typical slow wife comments about the tent starting to smell.

I decided to open up the filter to see what kind of rocket science is involved. (what a joke!).

The replacement filters are very pricey for what they really are.
And there is absolutley no reason in this day and age that it should end up in the garbage for replacement.
I admit that the replacement charcoal is still relatively expensive, but less than a new filter by about 20%!!!!

Here is a site that I found that sells activated charcoal in bulk.

Activated Carbon & Charcoal | GC 4x8B | General Carbon Corp.

General Carbon's GC 4x8B Activated Carbon Spec Sheet. Vapor phase granular activated carbon derived from bituminous coal. High activity and surface area.

generalcarbon.com

I talked to Robert LeBlanc( who works at the Ottawa warehouse) before Christmas.
I think the coal in bulk was a really good deal.
The cost for shipping to you folks in the west may be a little prohibitive.

The issue right now is finding charcoal that is inexpensive and in a volume I can store in my shed/garage.
Any how,
For your amusement, here are a couple of pictures showing a filter being disassembled.
Reassembly should be just as easy.

The filter is actually double socked to keep the grains on coal in the filter.
My thoughts are that, even if I manage to get the rebuilt filter working at 85-90% with new coal.
There is a cost savings, and its 85% better than no filter in a tent,....right?

Comments as usual are more than welcomed.
GC

 

[OregonBlackBear]

Heya George, right there with you on the cost of a new filter and waste. If you want to save a dime on AC, try using aquarium AC that you get at the pet store or online. It's typically a fair bit cheaper than the high grade stuff sold for filters, but there's a couple of reasons. One is it's just ever so slightly less effective at scrubbing scent, but not really enough to matter. The other is it's dusty as all get out. If you just pour it in and fire up the filter it will fill your fan and grow room with unwanted carbon dust. I have found two solutions to this. 1) turn the fan around and blow through the filter for a day, do this OUTSIDE. 2) hook a shop vac up to the filter and suck the dust out. One tends to work best.

 

[GeorgeCloney]

I'm still shopping for charcoal at a decent price.
The aquarium stuff aint cheap.
So considering the cost saving over a new filter. I dont mind paying a little more.
Good advice about blowing & the shop vacc.

 

[karlkutta]

Guys, i am right there with you! i was looking into this, then bit the bullet and bought another filter, now i have 3 filters and I start feeling very dumb for doing it this way.
Back when I was looking into this I think i saw a swimming pool supply store in my area that may have had some activated charcoal/carbon. I will reach out to them and see what I can find out.

but, i did regenerate one of my filters, well, actually both. I took the carbon out, put it on a baking tray and put it on my grill outside (closed the grill as good I could). let it cook for an hour. I think it worked, but not quite as good as fresh carbon.

 

[GeorgeCloney]

@OregonBlackBear @karlkutta I think the challenge is to find AC at a decent price.
Buying in bullk form isn't obvious.
What I'm now thinking is shopping for an online retailer that sells AC for large scale aquariums.
Other ideas are welcomed..

 

[oldnewbdude]

I should have a good chunk of life left in my filter but I've already been thinking about how I'm gonna recharge it once it dies. Its a cheapo amazon deal but I was hoping in the future to "upgrade" it even with better carbon. Anyone heard of this stuff? https://www.sphinxfiltration.com/products/media/sphinx-odor-max/
Can't find a retailer for any of it but looks like an interesting alternative possibly.

 

[GeorgeCloney]

@oldnewbdude
(dude, I'm 55 and been growing for 3 years now).
So, if you don't know how to tap dance, or play bagpipes, and not into little boys).
We're gonna get along just ducky!

Extra thanks for the post on this product btw

I'm gonna contact them directly in the interest of testing their product (for product review here on the site).
My filter is empty and waiting to be filled and tested.
This would complete this post properly with a little credibility.
@St. Tom @Son of Hobbes ( you fellas see where I'm going with this right?)....advice gentlemen?

Cheers to all and stay safe.
GC

 

[oldnewbdude]

@oldnewbdude
(dude, I'm 55 and been growing for 3 years now).
So, if you don't know how to tap dance, or play bagpipes, and not into little boys).
We're gonna get along just ducky!

Extra thanks for the post on this product btw

I'm gonna contact them directly in the interest of testing their product (for product review here on the site).
My filter is empty and waiting to be filled and tested.
This would complete this post properly with a little credibility.
@St. Tom @Son of Hobbes ( you fellas see where I'm going with this right?)....advice gentlemen?

Cheers to all and stay safe.
GC

In fact I do not enjoy any of those activities so we're good. I reached out to them before the world ended but haven't heard anything back. I think it's pretty new. Let us know if you do. Seems they may be focused on the commercial sector.

 

[GeorgeCloney]

@oldnewbdude
I wanted to extend my appreciation for your find.

I tried writing to them this aft, and their web site is having issues.
You would be surprised the influence we have as a niche market.
Many people on the internet ( growers, like you and I), ...research our findings as being creditble on this site.
This is because, short of being a fraternity, we share a common philosophy on this site.
ASK, LEARN,SHARE,...REPEAT PROCESS.
Because of this shared belief, it makes us credible.

So, it is often in the companies interest to respond to a reasonable request to evaluate their product.

This gives them very good exposure as, now one of our own vouche for the products quality and price ( value by definition)!).
So when people say,...yah its so expensive,....many will repeat the same message.
You get what you pay for.
And this is what you can expect,...
Ask any Mercedes owner what he/she expects..
Get my point

 

[oldnewbdude]

@oldnewbdude
I wanted to extend my appreciation for your find.

I tried writing to them this aft, and their web site is having issues.
You would be surprised the influence we have as a niche market.
Many people on the internet ( growers, like you and I), ...research our findings as being creditble on this site.
This is because, short of being a fraternity, we share a common philosophy on this site.
ASK, LEARN,SHARE,...REPEAT PROCESS.
Because of this shared belief, it makes us credible.

So, it is often in the companies interest to respond to a reasonable request to evaluate their product.

This gives them very good exposure as, now one of our own vouche for the products quality and price ( value by definition)!).
So when people say,...yah its so expensive,....many will repeat the same message.
You get what you pay for.
And this is what you can expect,...
Ask any Mercedes owner what he/she expects..
Get my point

I see what you are saying. I hadn't thought of it this way. Being older and more stable, I'm more likely to chalk up the dough for proven equipment the first time myself. If this stuff really could cut 99.9% odors and pathogens plus double life expectancy, yeah could be real good. I researched the parent company, they have decades of experience with odor control for municipal waste water treatment facilities, so they likely know what they're doing in this department.