Crank-free Dust Collector HEPA Canister Cleaning

[ChuckM]

We all know we should avoid cleaning our HEPA canisters with an air compressor gun. But cranking the handle a few times, as suggested in the manual, doesn't really remove all the dust clung on the filter. Not even one or two dozen times, I found out.

The solution? A concrete vibrator/vibrating motor. I learned of the clever idea from a woodworking friend who saw it in another woodworking forum.

110V, single phase, 90W from Amazon for $100 Cdn.  I think 70W should be enough and cheaper. Anything less than 60W may not be powerful enough. They should be available from other online sellers such as Walmart, eBay, etc. I can use a dimmer switch to adjust the shaking.

Happy shaking!

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[Crazyraceguy]

[member=57948]ChuckS[/member]  Mitering the corners is a bit over-the-top for the switch box  [big grin]
Great idea though. I like it.

 

[ChuckM]

Good eye! I didn't even notice the miter joint.

The box was put together many years ago, using scrap wood lying around. I suppose the miter saw was being used on some project, and so I just mitered it hurriedly without any thought. And I'm sure, being a simple shop item, the miters are not reinforced. I built the switch control for use with a palm router.

 

[Max Fracas]

[member=57948]ChuckS[/member], thanks for posting this. I just purchased a new dust collector, and this seems like a great improvement over the handles/paddles for cleaning the canister filter.

 

[kevinculle]

I just give mine a few whacks with a rubber mallet around the periphery of the top and bottom of the filter...seems to work OK.

 

[ChuckM]

A concrete vibrator costs only $50 US or so on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/BIZOEPRO-Concrete-Vibration-Vibrating-Vibrators/dp/B07VRSY2R1.

 

[ChuckM]

Update: I ran the motor without the dimmer control for 30 seconds. Through the plastic window on the bag, I saw tiny dust particles raining down during the shaking. So I guess, at least 3 to 5 minutes or even longer might be needed to shake all the dust out from the pleaded filter. When the spring returns, I plan to take out the bag and time the shaking to find out the ideal duration of shaking. For now, I'll shake the canister for 2 minutes after each use.

 

[ChuckM]

I just give mine a few whacks with a rubber mallet around the periphery of the top and bottom of the filter...seems to work OK.

Trust me. A few whacks won't be enough to really remove the dust particles on the filter, unless the dust collector is used minimally. The micron size dust is imbedded in the filter, and it will take a lot of manual effort to dislodge the majority of it from the filter.

 

[cdconey]

How did you attach this to your filter?  I saw there was a person selling a kit using these at one point with a bracket to go in between the dust collector mount and filter. 

You could also use a  'smart outlet' to set up a timer to run on a set schedule.  I do this on my air compressor tank blow down.  The controller for the blow-down is hard to set accurately, so I just use a smart outlet with a schedule to run throughout the day.

 

[ChuckM]

There's a kit for this? Do you have the link?

I bolted the vibrator on a plyboard predrilled with a hole that is slightly larger than the filter rotating shaft. After removing the handle, I slipped the setup through the hole onto the top of the canister, and held everything down with the handle and a pair of handle magnets on opposite sides to keep the vibrator from rotating.

I could've screwed some rare earth magnets to the base of the plyboard to hold down the vibrator. But whether it turn out to be better or worse is something I don't know for sure.

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[cdconey]

There's a kit for this? Do you have the link?

Unfortunately I don't have the link, from what I recall it was a machined piece of plastic which was inserted between the filter and dust collector mount.  My concern with that design is cracking over time from vibration as the motor was essentially on an offset platform to the side of the filter.

I've been skeptical of the internal paddles on filters on how they may effect overall filter performance on the life of the filter with the paddles striking the pleats and wearing on the coating inside the filter. 

Blowing filters out with compressed air also presents risk of damaging the filters.

I have two Oneida Cyclones with filters suspended from the elbow I've been looking for a solution for.  Maybe I need to take time and experiment.

 

[kevinculle]

I just give mine a few whacks with a rubber mallet around the periphery of the top and bottom of the filter...seems to work OK.

Trust me. A few whacks won't be enough to really remove the dust particles on the filter, unless the dust collector is used minimally. The micron size dust is imbedded in the filter, and it will take a lot of manual effort to dislodge the majority of it from the filter.

It isn't my objective to return the filter to as bought condition.  If I get 80% of the filter cake of dust to fall into the bag, I am more than satisfied.  I monitor my filters with 5"H2O Magnehelic gages to track restriction and take action when the filter restriction hits about 4"H20.  A judicious series of whacks about the filter periphery and I can easily get the restriction down to around 0.5"H2O and I'm good for another few months.

 

[ChuckM]

A few whacks and you get 80% of dust off the filter? Yours must be much superior than mine in the cleaning aspect.

Every time after I use the dust collector (hooked to the PCS table saw), I give the handle a dozen cranks or so, not just a few as given in the manual. But every time I clean the inside of the canister with low pressure air, the dust still keeps dropping off from the filter despite the regular cranking. Furthermore, dust comes down even after the air treatment when I turn the handle more. In other words, the cranking is not good at dislodging the dust from the filter (maybe removing 40% to 50% of dust after a couple dozen of turning after each use?).

I am going to give the vibrator/shaker unit a try, and see how effective it is. If the shaking works, turning the handle should not produce much dust. According to the woodworker who used the vibrator method for the first time, two gallons of dust were collected from the shaking.

 

[cdconey]

If the vibrating motor works you probably won't need to use the paddles. 

You should not be getting that much dust in the filter after each use. You may have an air leak if you are getting a significant amount of dust in the filter after a short use.

 

[ChuckM]

I haven't really started using the vibrating unit on the dust collector yet.

About the turning, I was referring to cleaning the canister with air once every 5 or 6 months and immediately after that, the turning could still dislodge some dust from the filter.

My bag is now 3/4 full, and I should be cleaning the unit soon, weather permitting (i.e. warm enough). I'll run the vibrator, with the bag removed and see how it goes.

 

[squall_line]

I'm definitely curious if this could/should be a viable option to install on a CT26 to use with a regular (non-HEPA) filter and a plastic bag for concrete work instead of investing in a CT36 AC.  I understand you have to shut off the vacuum for it to do anything, but I'd be curious.

I just have a hard time stomaching/justifying the cost of a 36 AC for the maybe two projects I would ever use it on, especially since I already have a 26 that is pretty much the perfect size for my needs (and the Nilfisk brand-engineered "family" of AC extractors don't go on sale for nearly as cheap as they once were).

 

[six-point socket II]

You won't even get close to the same cleaning interval with any manual solution, compared to the AC function.

Not to mention that your dust extractor is not going to be exactly happy when you strap a concrete vibrator to it and let it run ... Electronic boards, connections + vibrations = death. (Unless specifically made/designed for this operating conditions.)

It's my understanding that Chuck uses this solution to clean a filter cassette, and the filter cassette only - when necessary.

Using the original Festool filter bags and manual cleaning will already get you up to a certain point. If your projects involve extensive grinding, chasing, (...) of concrete/masonry or drywall sanding, AC is mandatory if you ask me. Otherwise you're never going to really control & contain the dust.

Also the blows that are dealt directly to the filter with either SC or AC filter cleaning are on a whole different level than vibrations.

If it makes sense to invest in an additional FT dust extractor with AC is something only you can determine.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[ChuckM]

This morning, I completed the last step of stock preparation of planing the ash boards (https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/various-woodworking-crafts-topics/scratching-my-head-about-this-chute-(3-d-printed)/msg709808/#msg709808) and took the opportunity of cleaning the HEPA filter with the concrete vibrator set-up.

At the start, saw dust raining down (the filter was "cleaned" (i.e. shaken for about 5 minutes) at the end of last woodworking session yesterday):
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After somewhere close to 15 minutes of shaking, only negligible traces of dust coming down:
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Total amount of dust shaken down:
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For maximum shaking effect, the vibrator shouldn't be bolted or clamped hard to the top of the dust collector.

Based on these observations, I'm convinced that for my filter:

1) Turning the paddles a few times to even a dozen times is not enough to really clean the filter, 
2) From now on, I'll shake the dust collector for about 10 minutes after each serious use of the dust collector, and
3) Every time I have to empty the collection bag, I'll let the vibrator run for 15 minutes or more.

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[ChuckM]

Who has the time to wait or the effort to time the shaker to run 10 or 15 minutes, or remember to turn it off after the working session is over and you're back in the house enjoying a cup of coffee or something?

I quickly fabricated a timer outlet for use with the vibrator (I found the timer at a dollar store for just $5 Cdn. Such bathroom fan or light timers usually cost $15 Cdn or more each at a hardware store like Home Depot):

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