Reloading Activated Carbon in Air Filters

[Mississip Hip]

I have a big ass 14" carbon filter that worked great when it was new....now it doesn't work so good.

I forget the brand....the typical grow store variety, metal with all the little holes.

These filters are pop riveted together. I can open it up easily enough and reload it and put it back together. It doesn't look like there is much to it...

Question: Is any Ebay activated carbon as good as the next for this usage? I haven't broken into the filter to check particulate size at this point.....I would match that for sure.

Anything else to look out for?

thanks homies

 

[sky high]

Yo bro.

Nope...not a lot to it. Buff off the rivets with a grinder/drill em out.....replace 'em with a 6/32 or similar nut/bolt configuration... All it is it a top /bottom cap.....and 2 layers of metal /nylon mesh with carbon sandwiched in between 'em.

Can Filters use the pelleted carbon....about the size of rabbit food pellets. they also have a thicker wall/more carbon than the Phat/Phresh filters do. Dat's why the fuckers weigh a ton....

Phat/Phresh filters use granular/angular/irregular carbon.....supposedly R-47 er something from Australia. This carbon has less airspace between the pieces and filters more thoroughly...thus the walls can be thinner and the filter ends up much lighter...and just as effective.

I have been looking for carbon myself. Kinda been waiting to talk to my hydro guy cus he has a link to someone i used to know in the game who now works for Phresh....and @ one time (as a store owner) I could source 50lb bags direct from the maker... but dunno what the game is now.

Saw small/pelleted stuff on ebay that I think will work well (smaller is better, IMO).....and that is prolly what I'll do if I can't hook directly/etc. 50 lbs for $150...free shipping ...definitely a decent deal.

wear a mask....do it outside if you can. It isn't super nasty....but it is easy to get a bit dirty and I'm sure the coal dust isn't good juju to breathe....

rock on

s h

 

[El Cerebro]

unless you have a vibrator table or something, huge pain in the ass and end result will not have same effectiveness due to lower pack density. repacking filters is hardly economical when you consider the time/hassle involved (done one, never again).

 

[sky high]

I gotta disagree about refilling, el...but to each their own. I have an old (2004 or so) "ProBio" (made by the same Co as the "Coliseum" and "Cage" grow systems of old) inline filter that has a 1+ inch round port on the top specifically for refilling it. A bit of light shaking back and forth...over and over...adding charcoal til full..is all it takes. I also have 3 Phat's of varying sizes...all of which have been refilled multiple times. Most people just don't take the time it takes to do it right, IMO....and I think alot of the talk of not being able to do it as good as the factory was born AT the factory because when the Phat/Phresh ("lighter") filters came onto the scene 10 years ago they were touting the refilling as a sales point.

Wish I still had the old "Phat" filter/Green planet literature I got very early on in their existence as a retailler that showed the "packing" machine they were using at the time.....

a.k.a......a young (aboriginal??) kid, a face mask.......and a rubber mallet... and a huge fuckin pile of carbon...

it ain't rocket science....but I also know how it is when yer rollin and it's faster/easier to just drop the coin and go rather than dick with it.

good luck how's ever ya roll...

s h

 

[Surfr]

Grow master has a thread somewhere on here with some good info in it. Pretty much you just need to wash your filter with a water hose and let it sit out in the sun. Apparently it will work as good as new. The charcoal just need to be cleaned off and dried.

 

[outwest]

Grow master has a thread somewhere on here with some good info in it. Pretty much you just need to wash your filter with a water hose and let it sit out in the sun. Apparently it will work as good as new. The charcoal just need to be cleaned off and dried.

You can do this instead of repacking it? Or you would do this after you've repacked it? I made the mistake of buying the HTG house brand filter and it's borderline useless. No good.

outwest

 

[Surfr]

You can do this instead of repacking it? Or you would do this after you've repacked it? I made the mistake of buying the HTG house brand filter and it's borderline useless. No good.

outwest

You just spray the filter down with the charcoal in it and everything. Grow master said to not spray it like a pressure washer but with a nice solid stream of water from the garden hose. Make sure you get all the charcoal nice and clean.

 

[outwest]

The guy at the grow store told me to replace it about every 3 years. . .sounds reasonable coming from a guy who wants to sell me one every year (I would assume). I washed it between runs as you described actually, but replaced after 3 years.

outwest

 

[putembk]

Don't know about rebuilding one of these things, sounds messy. I just replaced my mountain air filter with a can lite and I love it. It works so much better than the mountain air that I am venting directly into my basement therefore getting free heat. Will see how it works a little later in flower but at day 40 there is no odor coming out the vent, Had the mountain air for two years and am going to use as a scrubber during harvest and see if it will help clear the smell.

 

[outwest]

I run a scrubber in my trim room while trimming. Figure it can't hurt!

outwest

 

[sky high]

I never had any luck doing that. I tried emptying a filter out and washing/bleaching it... and a >shitload< of dirt/dust did come off .... but after reloading it was only a few months before the smell started to bleed through. It might work in a pinch...but for long term? I didn't see it in my attempt.

Word i heard is that to rejuv the charcoal you need about 1200F of heat. I have a small 18" x 18" kiln....but dunno if it's worth it to fuck with it...

Maybe washing one with a "Hotsy" steam-washer like they use on car engines/etc.. might work....but cold water from the hose? I wouldn't risk it, especially not in a non-med state when new charcoal is $150 and will allow you to refill most filters a couple of times.