Wet carbon filter, Knackered or salvageable???

[FlowerFarmer]

Interesting..

So we don't need to be changing filters every year or so? If this is true it is certainly not widely known. Everyone I know changes their filters every year or two side from the few who try to roll them around to squeeze some extra time out of them.

How do you wash them?
Just blast them with a hose or power washer?


You guys say to dry before you put back in use, but wouldn't the fastest way to dry it be to put it back in use and get some air flowing through it? Maybe blow air through it in the opposite direction of your normal use?

How do you dry a bunch of saturated carbon? Not so sure I'd be comfortable dragging my Can 150 out into the hot sun to bake it dry.

 

[doneit]

Yes flowerfarmer. just hose her down, not to much pressure is needed.

I let mine drip dry for a couple hrs then hook it back up and let the fan do the rest.

It is not know enough for sure.. it has been spread widely at other forums though, it is about time IC gets the word out.

 

[SMOKE-ONE]

High humidity, 70%+, is a filter killer, so I would assume getting the thing actually wet would be even worse.

Easy way to tell if you're good to go or not with it.
Hook it to the fan, and stand at the exhaust and smell it while it's running.
Old/wet carbon has a distinctive smell, you'll recognize it right away.
If it's still good you shouldn't really be smelling much of anything beyond a faint fresh/new carbon smell.

The last thing you want to fuck around trying to save a couple bucks on is your filter.
If I had the least bit of doubt about it I would get a new one.

Would a brand new phresh filter work for 1 cycle in high humidity?(70+)Would it not work from day 1,or just stop working over time?Im trying to complete 1 cycle in a high humidity environment,with a over sized phresh filter 14 in.Want to know if the new filter will kill the smell for 1 cycle,before I move to a dry climate.Trying to avoid buying a ozone generator,just for 1 cycle.

 

[Harry Gypsna]

You guys say to dry before you put back in use, but wouldn't the fastest way to dry it be to put it back in use and get some air flowing through it? Maybe blow air through it in the opposite direction of your normal use?

How do you dry a bunch of saturated carbon? Not so sure I'd be comfortable dragging my Can 150 out into the hot sun to bake it dry.

The filter is brand new, or it was.... I am hooking it up to the fan, to blow through the filter instead of sucking, with some duct at the other end and a small oil filled radiator next to the duct. Right now it is standing atop an upturned bucket right next to the central heating radiator waiting for the fan.

Thanks for the responses everyone.... I'll see how it goes and I'll test it out with something smelly before relying on it. I may buy another anyway as it never hurts to have a spare ready.
Toke it easy people

 

[Greenheart]

To those of you cleaning and reusing filters do you think a steam cleaner would give good results?

I recently shutdown after being gifted some PM infected plants and am cleaning or tossing and replacing everything over the next few weeks. Smell is of some concern as well as for health. I am hoping the old one can be salvaged until funds are acquired to replace it. I did buy a new prefilter for it.

 

[Nosmo King]

Activated carbon is cheap. Take it apart and put new carbon in.

Tip for packing...little at a time and pack it with a dowel. I use a rigid plant stake.

I have several filters one commercial a couple I made and I repack every time I reset my clocks.

Bonus points for reusing the carbon for a BBQ.

 

[Hammerhead]

Carbon for out scrubbers is not cheap. you need to use VOC for use in air. the carbon at the pet store is not the same stuff. we dont use that in our scubbers.

Guys I did carbon testing for years.. What we found was that if we took the carbon and washed it in RO/DI water we got 1.5 years more use from them. We spent allot of time testing this.

Wet Carbon is no big deal. it will not ruin it in anyway. Just run the in line through the scrubber to dry it. We use to increase the lifespan of our scrubbers by washing the carbon. after doing this we got 1.5 years of use from it again. we started the 2ND phase of the test to see if we could wash it a 2ND time and see how much more time it would work.


We never got there because the price of carbon got to high. it was cheaper to buy a new scrubber then it was to but new carbon and refill the old scrubbers. This test was dropped when this happened

 

[Nosmo King]

www.purifiernation.com/ $7.00 a pound.

www.alibaba.com/ $1000 a ton.


Just because someone else tried and failed doesnt mean it can't be done.

 

[Hammerhead]

Coconut Carbon it the best grade. this is what is in our scrubbers..

Im not talking out of my ass.. This was a large project with multiple people involved. I have already stated the price is why this project was stopped.
i would not use that 7$ per lb carbon in my scrubbers.. I could find many articles to back my opinion. I have said enough you do what you want. your going to do it anyway.


Bulk activated carbon is available for AllerAir purifiers in packages of 44 pounds. This solution is the most cost-effective for users who are more familiar with the inner workings of their purifier and those who have multiple purifiers.

Activated carbon is highly recommended for the removal of various airborne odors and gases, as well as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) like formaldehyde and ammonia. All high-end AllerAir purifiers feature sizable carbon filters.

AllerAir uses a special blend of coconut shell carbon which includes Zeolite. This increases the adsorption capacity of the material greatly. Installation is easy and instructions are included.

Specifications:
•44 lbs. of MAC-B activated carbon
•Special proprietary blend of carbon and Zeolite
•Coconut shell carbon removes a wide variety of odors, chemicals, and gases
•Easy installation with provided instructions
•Bulk carbon is non-refundable
•Carbon should last about 2 years with normal use depending environment in which it's used
•Custom sizes are available upon request


http://www.purifiernation.com/allerair-bulk-activated-carbon-44-lbs-p-177.html



Granular activated carbon (GAC)

Granular activated carbon has a relatively larger particle size compared to powdered activated carbon and consequently, presents a smaller external surface. Diffusion of the adsorbate is thus an important factor. These carbons are therefore preferred for all absorption of gases and vapors as their rate of diffusion are faster. Granulated carbons are used for water treatment, deodorization and separation of components of flow system and is also used in rapid mix basins. GAC can be either in granular or extruded form. GAC is designated by sizes such as 8×20, 20×40, or 8×30 for liquid phase applications and 4×6, 4×8 or 4×10 for vapor phase applications. A 20×40 carbon is made of particles that will pass through a U.S. Standard Mesh Size No. 20 sieve (0.84 mm) (generally specified as 85% passing) but be retained on a U.S. Standard Mesh Size No. 40 sieve (0.42 mm) (generally specified as 95% retained). AWWA (1992) B604 uses the 50-mesh sieve (0.297 mm) as the minimum GAC size. The most popular aqueous phase carbons are the 12×40 and 8×30 sizes because they have a good balance of size, surface area, and head loss characteristics.


Iodine number

Many carbons preferentially absorb small molecules. Iodine number is the most fundamental parameter used to characterize activated carbon performance. It is a measure of activity level (higher number indicates higher degree of activation), often reported in mg/g (typical range 500–1200 mg/g). It is a measure of the micro pore content of the activated carbon (0 to 20 Å, or up to 2 nm) by adsorption of iodine from solution. It is equivalent to surface area of carbon between 900 m²/g and 1100 m²/g. It is the standard measure for liquid phase applications.

Iodine this needs to bo 1050 or higher. you wont find this for 7$ per lb. number is defined as the milligrams of iodine adsorbed by one gram of carbon when the iodine concentration in the residual filtrate is 0.02 normal. Basically, iodine number is a measure of the iodine adsorbed in the pores and, as such, is an indication of the pore volume available in the activated carbon of interest. Typically, water treatment carbons have iodine numbers ranging from 600 to 1100. Frequently, this parameter is used to determine the degree of exhaustion of a carbon in use. However, this practice should be viewed with caution as chemical interactions with the adsorbate may affect the iodine uptake giving false results. Thus, the use of iodine number as a measure of the degree of exhaustion of a carbon bed can only be recommended if it has been shown to be free of chemical interactions with adsorbates and if an experimental correlation between iodine number and the degree of exhaustion has been determined for the particular application..


This has been talked about here at ICMAG for years.. All the info is already here just look for it. I stand by my comments. If you plan to refill your scrubber you need a min 1050 Iodine#. If I was going to buy any it would be this kind @1100 (mg/g) 50lb is 187$+ship+tax...


http://www.buyactivatedcharcoal.com/tech_data/granular_activated_charcoal/4x8_mesh/acid-washed

it has to be in smal powder for(I dont like it) very messy. I get gac that has very small pour size like this pic. You do not want Pellets it has a very poor surface area..

Good luck.. I Can lead the house to water but cant make them drink ..

 

[Harry Gypsna]

Coconut Carbon it the best grade. this is what is in our scrubbers..

Im not talking out of my ass.. This was a large project with multiple people involved. I have already stated the price is why this project was stopped.
i would not use that 7$ per lb carbon in my scrubbers.. I could find many articles to back my opinion. I have said enough you do what you want. your going to do it anyway.


Bulk activated carbon is available for AllerAir purifiers in packages of 44 pounds. This solution is the most cost-effective for users who are more familiar with the inner workings of their purifier and those who have multiple purifiers.

Activated carbon is highly recommended for the removal of various airborne odors and gases, as well as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) like formaldehyde and ammonia. All high-end AllerAir purifiers feature sizable carbon filters.

AllerAir uses a special blend of coconut shell carbon which includes Zeolite. This increases the adsorption capacity of the material greatly. Installation is easy and instructions are included.

Specifications:
•44 lbs. of MAC-B activated carbon
•Special proprietary blend of carbon and Zeolite
•Coconut shell carbon removes a wide variety of odors, chemicals, and gases
•Easy installation with provided instructions
•Bulk carbon is non-refundable
•Carbon should last about 2 years with normal use depending environment in which it's used
•Custom sizes are available upon request


http://www.purifiernation.com/allerair-bulk-activated-carbon-44-lbs-p-177.html



Granular activated carbon (GAC)

Granular activated carbon has a relatively larger particle size compared to powdered activated carbon and consequently, presents a smaller external surface. Diffusion of the adsorbate is thus an important factor. These carbons are therefore preferred for all absorption of gases and vapors as their rate of diffusion are faster. Granulated carbons are used for water treatment, deodorization and separation of components of flow system and is also used in rapid mix basins. GAC can be either in granular or extruded form. GAC is designated by sizes such as 8×20, 20×40, or 8×30 for liquid phase applications and 4×6, 4×8 or 4×10 for vapor phase applications. A 20×40 carbon is made of particles that will pass through a U.S. Standard Mesh Size No. 20 sieve (0.84 mm) (generally specified as 85% passing) but be retained on a U.S. Standard Mesh Size No. 40 sieve (0.42 mm) (generally specified as 95% retained). AWWA (1992) B604 uses the 50-mesh sieve (0.297 mm) as the minimum GAC size. The most popular aqueous phase carbons are the 12×40 and 8×30 sizes because they have a good balance of size, surface area, and head loss characteristics.


Iodine number

Many carbons preferentially absorb small molecules. Iodine number is the most fundamental parameter used to characterize activated carbon performance. It is a measure of activity level (higher number indicates higher degree of activation), often reported in mg/g (typical range 500–1200 mg/g). It is a measure of the micro pore content of the activated carbon (0 to 20 Å, or up to 2 nm) by adsorption of iodine from solution. It is equivalent to surface area of carbon between 900 m²/g and 1100 m²/g. It is the standard measure for liquid phase applications.

Iodine this needs to bo 1050 or higher. you wont find this for 7$ per lb. number is defined as the milligrams of iodine adsorbed by one gram of carbon when the iodine concentration in the residual filtrate is 0.02 normal. Basically, iodine number is a measure of the iodine adsorbed in the pores and, as such, is an indication of the pore volume available in the activated carbon of interest. Typically, water treatment carbons have iodine numbers ranging from 600 to 1100. Frequently, this parameter is used to determine the degree of exhaustion of a carbon in use. However, this practice should be viewed with caution as chemical interactions with the adsorbate may affect the iodine uptake giving false results. Thus, the use of iodine number as a measure of the degree of exhaustion of a carbon bed can only be recommended if it has been shown to be free of chemical interactions with adsorbates and if an experimental correlation between iodine number and the degree of exhaustion has been determined for the particular application..


This has been talked about here at ICMAG for years.. All the info is already here just look for it. I stand by my comments. If you plan to refill your scrubber you need a min 1050 Iodine#. If I was going to buy any it would be this kind @1100 (mg/g) 50lb is 187$+ship+tax...


http://www.buyactivatedcharcoal.com/tech_data/granular_activated_charcoal/4x8_mesh/acid-washed

it has to be in smal powder for(I dont like it) very messy. I get gac that has very small pour size like this pic. You do not want Pellets it has a very poor surface area..

Good luck.. I Can lead the house to water but cant make them drink ..

View Image

Hey there, thanks for the info.



Well I guess I should have been back to this thread before now. I got the filter dry. In the end, all I did was stand it next to the radiator and set up a little desk fan to blow the warm air around it. I periodically turned it around and it was dry soon enough.

The carbon used in this brand of filter is the same carbon used in Can brand filters apparently.

Regarding the size/texture of the carbon used, the top brands in the UK, like Rhino(formerly Phat) used crushed pellets.

It's still not in use. Don't ever expect the council to do a repair to their property in any reasonable amount of time. I can't grow until the last workman has been around. It's a pain in the arse. The council used to have all it's own tradesmen and things were done to a good standard, quickly. Now thanks to the miracle of the always perfect market, privatisation and outsourcing of services, all the tradesmen got laid off, jobs go to independent contractors whose employees have lesser pay and conditions and may be less qualified/experienced. Then you have to wait at home now for them to come and size the job up, then wait while they submit their estimate to the council. Months for a job that 10 years ago would have been sorted within 7 days of reporting it. Whinge over

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks for coming back on this Harry Gypsna. As well Hammerhead. Great info there. I am in luck I found a huge smoker bbq that will fit a can150 in it. That will be enough to fix my concern I think. Guess it will not hurt to give it rinse as well.

Bummer about the continual houseguest expectations may it get resolved soon hopefully since the nice weather will get the ants into construction mode.

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

For what it's worth, this is from the instructions to an ODORSOK AIR FILTER.

******************************************************

HOW TO RE-ACTIVATE YOUR ODORSOKSTEP 1: MACHINE WASH when dusty or if odor becomes apparent.

STEP 2: TUMBLE DRY when wet or if odor becomes apparent.

NOTE: Do not wash with soap or detergents. They will be adsorbed by the carbon cloth which will ultimately shorten the lifespan.

When used in high humidity areas, ODORSOK will need to be re-activated when saturation occurs (odor break through). Tumble drying (hot) or blow drying the ODORSOK will remove all moisture and re-activate the carbon cloth. This may be repeated as many times as necessary until the ODORSOK reaches true saturation from pollutants (approximately one year).

 

[growshopfrank]

I have refreshed a soaked canfilter by leaving it in a van with the windows slightly open on a hot sunny day.
if climate allows give it a try

 

[SeedsOfFreedom]

We just had 2 carbon filters get flooded out. It is good to see they should be okay. I will still test them, but it sounds alright according to this thread. Thanks everyone, saved me some time searching for info, and saved me several hundred on filters!

 

[JointOperation]

had this happen .. dried it out for a few in the hot sun.. without the prefilter.. and then tossed a fan on it.. pointing in. so its blowing air THREW the filter.. left it on for a day.. and it was fine..

wen i tried puttin the filter on the soaked filter it would barely move air. so i let it dry outside first .. i didnt wana stress my fan and destroy it..

but still have had no smells at all with it . so try it.. see if it works. i mean in all seriousness.. get some ducting.. and run it into a room that normally doesnt have any bud smell.. and have someone who isnt as used to the smell walk into that room .. if it reeks.. u might need a new filter.. good luck..