*Works great with **Fastly.Cool** , exactly as described. Love the fact that it can push, pull, or exchange air with the push of a button. The remote is a nice bonus too!*
doing this has been a life saver. I have done it for almost 2 years. I battle allergies which makes my quality of life miserable sometimes with whole body aches. The quality of air in my home has increased considerably. Couple of points. No your fan won't over heat. I buy the top filter at walmart that is rated to trap virus and bacteria and never ever had a heating issue. I completely seal the filter to the fan with Electrical tape. Yes it a time consuming to remove and put on. But the results can't be beat. Yes it is loud. Some times I move it around just to hear the tv. So I take it to the room, then back to the living room etc. Filters last about 3 months, then I notice my sinus problems return. I replace the filter by how I feel. Like I said 3 months.
I thank you for the time and effort of testing this style setup. This method is widely used in woodshops and it’s nice to see how effective it is. A 2” thick filter adds more filter surface area without restricting airflow..
Came up with this idea by myself. Had a box fan and whenever I went to home depot I ended up throwing 10 bucks at a filter. Best money ever. I live in a desert and dust is worse than you can imagine. 2 days after dusting everything is covered. with this a couple days and the filter is pretty dark already. happy I finally did this helping my allergies is just a cherry on top.
Wall of text beware! I did some tests to see how much using a 1" filter impacts airflow and the benefits of thicker filters. I tested using two box fans, a cheap old Aerospeed model and a newer Lasko Premium Weathershield fan, using a cheap $10 wind speed meter measuring at the surface of the fan at the point of peak airspeed, set to High. Unfortunately I don't have a particle counter, I looked into getting one but they are pretty expensive. Aerospeed box fan: No filter: 10.2 mph 1" MERV8 filter: 6.3 mph 4" MERV11 filter: 8.4 mph Lasko Premium Weathershield box fan: No filter: 11.9 mph 1" MERV8 filter: 9.2 mph 4" MERV11 filter: 10.6 mph Thicker pleated filters have more surface area, so restrict airflow less and last longer before they need to be replaced. The 1" MERV8 filter should have a pressure drop of about 0.26" (@ 300fpm), the 4" MERV11 filter around 0.17" or so. Box fans are meant for free air so don't tolerate flow restriction very well, it looks like you want to keep the pressure drop under 0.20". If you don't want to fit a 4" filter (they do double the width of the fan), a 2" MERV10 filter would have a pressure drop of 0.20". Nordic Pure also sells 1" MERV8 "Tru Mini" pleated filters with a pressure drop of only 0.16". If you want to absorb odors Nordic Pure also sells filters "Pleated Plus Carbon" in MERV8, 10, and 12, which have activated carbon within the pleated material, improving surface area over the filters that just have a carbon layer behind the filter. They say there's no additional restriction from the carbon. I think my next set of filters will either be 4" MERV12 Pleated Plus Carbon, or 2" MERV10 Pleated Plus Carbon, depending on how annoying the thick 4" filters turn out to be. I like the Nordic Pure website because you can choose any combination of size and filter material you want, and the prices are very competitive compared to the hardware stores around me. I won't link it since I don't want this comment to seem spammy, but it's easy to find. You can also find their filters for sale on Amazon, sometimes on clearance at a very steep discount if you don't mind exactly the MERV rating you get. Tip: Make sure the filter is sealed air-tight to the fan with duct tape, dirty air will rush around even the smallest gap. Dirty secret: If you don't care too much about small particle performance, you can extend the life of your pleated filters by vacuuming them out weekly (do this outside). After awhile the electrostatic fibers will be completely coated so will stop attracting small particles, but the filter will continue to catch pollen and medium sized particles (most dust).
@@fedism I don't think that would work too well because it will be too hard for a box fan to move air through it. Something like a cheap MERV7 filter you find at a hardware store would be best. Just the most basic pleated (accordion-style) filter is best for this, the higher the filtration the harder for enough air to move through to effectively clean the room.
Particle counts went from 171,000 down to 2,100 particles per cubic foot of air in one hour in a 10x12 bedroom. This is a reduction of 98.7 % of particles in the air 0.5 microns and larger. This DIY system is as effective at cleaning the air of fine to large particles like mold, pollens, and visible house dust as HEPA air cleaners costing hundreds of dollars. My particle counter only goes down to .5 microns so I have no way of knowing how well the filter preforms at under .5 microns. I suspect performance would rapidly degrade as particle sizes got smaller.
+Rick Rude Thank you for posting this test! My nose is very irritable to any kind of dust particles and I've been blowing my nose like crazy lately so I was considering trying to make one of those boxfan air filters. Now I know I HAVE to do this soon :) Did you do any kinds of tests to see how fast the dust builds up after the use of the filter? Are we talking hours, days, weeks, months?
I have been running this for over a year with no over heating problems. You can't use any filter until it is 100% clogged or it will stress the motor and cause heating issues. Change the filter often. Do not use an additional pre- filter on the front or back. Also I used a mid level 3m filter with a rating a 1000. They go u up to 2800. Filters with the highest MERV rating might be to restrictive for the box fan motor.
Update started to replace filter every 3 months due to a large garden I planted next to my house. Pollen counts went through the roof and I notice the filter will start not being effective past 3 months with my over hyper sensitive allergies.
I use 2 box fans with 3M Filtrete Advanced Allergen 1500 filters with great results. These MERV 12 equivalent filters cost more but are very efficient and last longer. I also use a GermGuardian 4825 UV air purifier with it's moderately priced HEPA filter for micro particles. I run the fans on low, which does most of the filtering. Low speed also kicks up less surface dust and helps fans and filters to last longer. After about 30 minutes, I turn on the GermGuardian for finer particulates. This allows the GermGuardian's HEPA filter to last longer.
Awesome video - Really shows how well such an inexpensive fan/filter can work. I have a pellet stove that is basically a hot air pump that kicks up the dust one or two of these fan/filters will make my home much more livable.
I knew the combo works, but I never knew how well. 6 years late to this video but I want to thank you for sharing this video and this data. If those sensors are not too expensive I almost want one. :) Curious how well the box fan filter combo works when not taped (so small gaps are present). That's how I currently have my set up, but may just get some tape and get it taped up to force all of the air through the filter at least. I imagine it still works without the tap though because the gaps are fairly small and the airflow is greatly reduced after the filter is in place. I have mine set up with a 20x20x1 MERV-13 which SUPPOSEDLY is enough to capture "smog". Hoping it will help with the smokey air over here in California. Got the Box fan and filter combo for $28 with 6 MERV-13 furnace filters through some thrifty shopping on Craigslist LOL. They cost about double to triple what I paid for them off Amazon or at a local Home Depot.
This is really a fantastic video. I would like to share a few more ways one can significantly improve indoor air quality. Replace the vacuum cleaner bag (even if not full) (They work better when empty) and vacuum the whole house. Open the doors or windows so that all the dirt thrown back up into the air can go outside. Doing this on a rainy or windy day will ensure the clean outside air is even cleaner. Then take the vacuum hose and put in in backwards, or use a shop vac or a leaf blower and blow out the house. This will move the dirt around and out of hard to reach places like under beds behind refrigerators ect. Initially the house will seem dirtier, as all the hidden dirt is disturbed and comes out into the open, then vacuum the entire house again. While a bit unusual this approach has amazing results at getting dust and dirt out of the house quickly. Tackling a dust and dirt problem from multiple different ways can help, ultimately it all needs to get out of the air and out of the house.
Your data just convinced me not to spend $400 on a HEPA filter. Thanks. I am going to use your idea and construct one myself using 2 or a 3 filter design. Did you build these fans for health reasons and if you did have you noticed any improvements.
Been doing this for months now. The first thing I noticed was I didn't see little floaties in the air when the sun came up. After a couple of months I noticed I could breathe easier. A great idea! Edit: floaties not floated.
@@8genmilitaryfamusa671 The cheap filters work, but I found the medium priced ones to work the best, was around fourteen dollars for a two pack. Still using one in my bedroom and one in my plant room, you'll be amazed at how dirty they get! Best of luck!! 👍😁
@@8genmilitaryfamusa671 I use one inch, but two inch will work even better! May have to duct tape it to the fan if it doesn't suction properly! Let me know how it works out for you!!
I also did this through the filter by installing the filter behind the fan as opposed to in the front like others have suggested in other videos. Thanks for this test.
I did the same test using a wind speed meter, dylos a 1” filter and a 4” filter. I found the 4” filter cleaned just as good but allowed 4x the air through.
This has been soooo great. Thank you for this awesome work! I am using one of these DIY at home filters right now during the August 2020 California fires, and it its working great.
@@robertl.fallin7062 Yes that is following the Corsi-Rosenthal protocol MERV 13 four filter cube array furnace fan filter with the direction of air travel being pulled from outside of the fan cube to the inside of the fan cube array and then finally pulled and exhausted out of the box fan placed on top of the Corsi-Rosenthal MERV 13 filter cube array itself.
A practical question is - can you let it operating all the time in terms of noise? If so, I think that will be good for real life. If not, it's not that much helpful since the air quality will be bad again soon after you turn it off.
You are the real deal, thank you very much for this. You are doing the hard work and deserve more views, other people's videos were probably made after seeing this..
I'm betting you might be able to improve the airflow (and thus reduce the fan speed for the same effectiveness) if you give the filter a buffer zone. You might try adding a gap about 1 fan thickness or more and seeing how the effectiveness compares. This has been my experience with computer fan filtration. My hypothesis basically boils down to static pressure. Right on each side of the fan, there is a lot of turbulence. If you place the filter right behind the fan, you get the turbulence, but you don't get much of the static pressure. If you give it more distance, the airflow is calmer farther away, which gives you a better average of how the air is trying to move overall. This gives you more static pressure, which is what pulls the air through the filter in the first place. I could be completely wrong. It has just been my experience that a fan pulls air through a filter, say, on the other side of a computer case, rather than right up against it.
That might help air flow, since the fan does not pull through the corners of the filter. The square filter gets dirty in a circle where the fan pulls air. The corners are visibly cleaner.
This is correct. Also, the fan is currently pulling air in from the front, and circulating it back, rather than pulling air through the filter. A fan like this would only work, if it was inside a tube. It’s meant to blow air, not to suck air. So it will always get air from the easiest to reach places. In a tube, it has to pull from the filter, or no air would blow out.
Thanks for all your videos. I'm getting obsessed about having clean air in my apartment! I bought a dylos as well! Again, thanks for taking the time to upload these videos.
Thank you for the video. Since it doesn't take a significant amount of time to filter out the vast majority of particles, I don't necessarily need to leave the box fan running in a closed bedroom 24 hours a day. I could either manually switch the fan on 1-2 hours before going to bed, or put a timer on the outlet.
Painters tape would be much easier to remove than duct tape. Thanks for the video...bought 3 premium laskos and 6 Merv 11 filters for a big dusty apartment. Can’t wait to set it up.
For those of you that complain about the "noise levels" just clean the air when you aren't around..Absolutely.. its noisy... but you aren't in the TV room when you are sleeping, and you aren't sleeping when you are watching TV, unless the TV is in your bedroom.. Bottom line is its possible to clean the air in areas of the home that aren't occupied 24-7
Hi, I have just built one of this with the filter on the back and the air coming on the front is so little. I am sure that If I place the filter on the front there would be much more flow. Having it on the back will allow to a cleaner fan, maybe this is why all air cleaners have it on the back, but on the front you can probably accomplish the same at less speed, so in the end maybe it´s better? Thanks in advance.
This is amazing. I've been toying around with various fans/filters the last few months as I'm currently cleaning out the hoarder's nest my mother left behind. Was planing on making a more elaborate version for my workshop but after spending the last few days in the basement, wondering if running these overnight a few nights would do much to help the situation or, if once shut off, any dust remaining would just "re-fill" the air in a matter of minutes. Obviously, the situation will remain until it's entirely cleaned out but wondering if this might help ease the situation.
After a couple of months the filters start looking really dirty. It of course depends on your environment and usage. They can be blown off, and washed, but most people just buy a new one.
Nice job. Good to see some quantitative data being collected. From the datait looks like you had a 64% reduction in the initial particle count in about 12 mins; is that right? If so, the air in the room is being filtered in about that timeframe, which is pretty good. This is called the "mean residence time" of the circulation, so if you know the volume of the room with some accuracy, you can use that time to determine the air flow rate (in cubic feet/min) of the fan. Would be interesting to add another filter in series to see if the reduction in particle count was better or faster. Any idea on the spec on the filters?
my advice. Open your windows and put your box fans on the sill and blow the stale air out for several hours first then close the widows and then you use the filters on the back of the box fan in your desired areas. I use merv 12 with carbon filters on mine because I have a roof leak that the roofing company did not fix when they replaced the whole roof back in 2011.
I started doing this too. I have one my bedroom and one in the center of my house. I noticed the thick allergen ones work good for my mold issues but the mid range or cheap ones collect dirt on back fast. Never did a test
A few more tips that may help people: #1There is a product called "Filter Charger" that can be sprayed on an air filter it will help allow the air filter to capture more dust. (Filter charger is a spray that contains a water loving salt that basically covers your air filter with a bunch of tiny water droplets, because the salt pulls water out of the air, the water does not evaporate. The small water droplets help capture more particulates.) (Filter Charger costs about $20 a spray can is used by HVAC professionals when they put cheap filters in units.) It can be used on any filter. #2 WASH THE FILTER Almost all these air filters can be washed outside with a garden hose and rinsed off. Also can be cleaned in a shower or bathtub. Some filters are more resilient, some will come apart, if you are about to throw the filter out it can be worth trying it to see how clean you can get it. Like any time you are washing something, a mild soap can also help remove dirt. #3 Blow back the filter. Take the filter outside, and use a leaf blower, shop vac, or shop vac in with the hose in the outlet (to blow) and blow air through the filter. Blow it all both ways, doing this on a sunny day is helpful as the sun can let you see how much dust you are getting off the filter. Blowing the filter off regularly can significantly extend the filter life. Having used these filters during drywall work, I can get significant clouds of dust and is good to clean the air in a house.
Great video with actual hard data of how good it works in your room. Unfortunately, once it is turned off as you stated, the dust count returns to the beginning numbers in 15 minutes or so. One has to keep running them to be effective.
This is true but with regular use and regular wet moping, dusting, and vacuuming (with a sealed HEPA vacuum) there will be less dust to get re-stirred up when things are moved around. So baseline particle counts will still be lower in a home even if the air cleaner not used 24/7 then a home without any filtration.
I enjoy watching your videos, I have similar air purifier is to yours and also a laser particle counter. I was very surprised how effective this simple setup is. I have a multichannel particle counter it goes to .3 µm my own experiments have shown that the .3 µm particles go down quite considerably even with a course filter. Because compacting is one of the methods these particles are stopped. It is likely that your fan stops around 60% of .3 µm particles but as the air continues to recirculate through the fan the particle numbers get lower and lower. I enjoy watching your experiment , do keep it upn
+Dennis Johnson I am from the UK , I have many air purifiers, but not exactly like this , they don't sell box fans in the UK. point I was making was that if the point 5 Micron, count goes down then so will the .3 µm particle, if anyone is thinking of building a home-made air filter I would strongly recommend a centrifugal fan because they can handle more pressure which is required push air through a filter. as a general rule I recommend getting a fan which is rated at twice the CFM as you hope your filter to operate. If you want deluxe get a big powerful centrifugal fan and run it at a low speed for quiet operation.
Rick, my brother told me how he built one like this to clear the air when spraying or sanding inside a home to keep down the dust. I am glad to see how great it works. But now I am concerned that I live in a house where people smoke but not in my bedroom. What are your thoughts on getting rid of the smoke ? Thanks
+Bobby Holmes Smoking indoors will pollute the whole house. If someone in the house smokes....you all do. Get them to smoke outside, or at least in a bathroom with door closed and exhaust fan on. A furnace filter can not remove the smallest ultrafine smoke particles and none of the gaseous components. You would need certified HEPA or UPLA filters with large amounts of activated carbon to trap tobacco smoke/gasses/odors effectively. Even then some of the smoke will make its way into your lungs before if has a chance to get filtered.
3rd shifter huh? Great video man! I thought of this last night and looked up this morning, and here is your video! Awesome job, answered all the questions I had for the idea! I shall do this TODAY!!!
Thanks for the detailed test. I have one question though. Do electrostatic filters like the ones from 3M and Nordic Pure produce any ozone when they are used with box fan like you showed in your video? I was planning on getting a 20x20x1 Merv 12 or 13 filter to use with a lasko box fan for general use around the house.
No they do not produce ozone. Electrostatic air cleaners like the Ionic Breeze and the Orek units do produce ozone. The EPA advises against using any air cleaner that produces Ozone. Ozone is bad for the health of people and pets. It does not "clean up" the air as claimed.
It might not need to be damp. You want it to significantly reduce air flow out of the fan. but not get too close to blocking it completely. You could always fold the towel over to increase the amount of filtering.
When Covid hit there was a lot or research on the effectiveness of homemade masks. Short answer: any towel or fabric will do about 50%. It varies based on the thickness, quality and particle size.
You can further reduce your particle load by paying attention to the furniture in the bedroom! Particle board & damaged laminate could be sealed or covered.. Any idea about any or level of ozone generated?
Loved your test, Mr. Rude. It would also be very nice and much appreciated if you could do the same test with a Filtrete Basic cut to fit filter that is only $6 at Lowes and is washable and reusable. If that worked well it would be insanely cheap. Thanks.
There's also filters specifically made for box fans on amazon. They're supposed to be cleanable too so you don't have to replace them, but I have no idea about filter quality. They should pick of dust though if not the other stuff.
Seems like the air would move through the filter either way. But if it’s on the back it’ll keep dirt and dust from building up on the blades and grating.
+Jim Skowronski If the door remained closed then a couple of hours. When the door was opened and normal air mixed with it, the counts rapidly returned to near what they were. maybe within 15 minutes. How long air stays clean after filtering depends on how air tight the room is, how dirty the air that is infiltrating is and how much dust is stirred up from walking around or moving thing around in the home. Bottom line is an air cleaner must be run constantly to keep the air super clean. Particles are always being generated form many sources, including, skin cell we all shed. dust mite debris and fibers from upholstery, carpets and clothing. If you have several large air cleaners (I have 8 of them!) you can bring the counts down fast so you dont really have to run them 24-7.
+Rick Rude Great video! I have made two of these purifiers with Lasko fans, love them, but they are very noisy, even on low. Do you know of a quiet box fan or way to make them quieter? Thanks.
Thanks for the video. Have you tried to force the air from outside of the house through your filter? I think this might get rid of dust even faster. Force air in on one side of the house and force it out on the other end. Reduce the fan noise significantly as well by placing it outside of the house.
Mia I would only do that in cooler climates or times of the year obviously.. It's not practical for most of the year in my state which is either triple digits heat outside or gets freezing in the winter... You wouldn't bring any air from outside during these times..
cool thanks this is exactly what i needed to know. i just made one and figured it couldnt hurt. but obviously hoped for it to work. ive tried other allergen removal methods, but its never good enough. my boyfriends allergies are so bad and i have a dog, so he never comes over.
No. Works on the slower speed as well. The higher the fan speed, the more air that is moved, which of course speeds up particle removal. A typical box fan used 48 watts on low, 60 wats on medium, and 73 watts on high. On a low setting you should expect this to move 2/3 the air as on high. (as it uses 2/3rd the power). Running on low speed is great for noise.
Hi Rick In Miami cant find furnace filters so I installed 10 FPR 1” filter notice difference right away. Are there any drawbacks to the filter I used? Hope Im doing it right
AWESOME!!!! What about utilizing a 20x20x1 furnace filter with carbon? I smoke in my place (I know it’s nasty) I’m in the process (started 1 week ago) of scrubbing EVERYTHING including walls and going to get carpets and duct work cleaned and sanitized......how do you think a carbon/hepa filter on a box fan would function? Would their be a difference by placing the filter on the front? KUDOS TO YOU!!
👋 I know this is old but.. I wanted to know if I can turn this off when I’m not home?? I was wondering if anything will happen like more dust in the air.
A little late but the answer would be not really. You would create a pressure difference in your house so the air you're pushing out would get sucked into your home from other areas such as your fireplace or little cracks here and there.
Have you tried an activated carbon filter + merv13?, I'm planning to use your idea an add one of those filters used for kitchens and also place a UV-c light
Use a furnace filter by itself, adding any additional layers of filters will cause to much air resistance. Be carful with UVC light, any eye exposure can damage your vision.
no, this is the rick rude that used to pick a lucky lady from the crowd and give her a “rude awakening” (kiss) rendering the women unconscious from excitemen
As he mentioned in the comment above, if the door to the room is open for just 15 minutes, the full particle count returns. Otherwise it takes a few hours of the fan being off for the count to return. If you looked at the science of air quality, this is normal and natural and typical of almost all environments inside homes. Unless you have no fabrics or upholstery, this is what happens. Dust mites create dust, skin flakes off of the humans, etc.
I will be doing a test with a new filter soon. I will turn fan on with no filter check reading and then with the filter. Also I will clean the air and turn off fan and see how long it takes for particle counts to rise to baseline. I will test with an open and closed door. Any other suggestion's for a new test?
@@alphabromega859 the other option, is to severely limit the cooling of the motor since rushing fresh air will be stopped. This means the the motor will be working harder to suck in air, causing the motor to overheat and perhaps break or start an electrical fire. Your problem is well taken, however, but periodic cleaning of the fan etc might help.
@@michaelrespublica9498 try box fan and four filters in a cube configuration, cardboard base on bottom, you get 4x surface area, fan will not work harder as air resistance is lowered. Just built one using a cube configuration with 3M Filtrete 1900. It's drawing air through the filters and out the fan with proper sealing between fan and cube filters
Good stuff I have a couple of these running in garage. Anyone have recommendations on filters $100-500 for running inside that are " quiet" and actually filter out HEPA (smaller microns) I have just done a lot of paint sanding, construction during the day then come home and afraid I have a lot of that dust in my hair, tools, etc. I try to separate but a lot is even on my skin as I'm a handyman. I heard only HEPA will filter the low micron asbestos in air. I work mainly on 1920-1970s homes and often have to go to jobsites where people are sanding or removing demolition etc.
Have you tried mounting the filter in the front and running an air purifier test to see if there is any difference? Just wonder if the particle count would drop faster if the filter was place in the front of the box fan. Or how long would it take to get the same results on a low setting?
Just my thoughts, blowing air against a filter media would be like wind against the sails of a boat, in the extreme, air would flow around the filter media just like the sails while some air does pass through the media. It also depends on volume of air hitting the media, too much and above would happen. Too little then little to no efficiency is achieved. IMO, pull configuration is best but lower the air resistance by increasing surface area, sonic fan draws 1 unit of air through a single filter, but instead use a cube configuration where 4 filters are used and opposite side is cardboard base, same amount of air is drawn by fan but resistance is spread out to surface area of 4x filters so air flow into cube is increased, less work on fan motor. Just a thought
Intuitively one should directly place the MERV 13 washable furnace filter directly in front of the box fan's exhausting air stream in order to catch the maximum optimal directed air stream into the back of the MERV 13 washable furnace filter so that the box fan airstream is totally unimpeded and uninterrupted; it should be able to clean the air as effectively if not more than placing the furnace filter from in back of the box fan which would only interfere with the potential air stream that is used to directly cool the motor coils and brushes of the box fan.
Has anyone noticed humidity level while using these? I used one a while back pretty aggressively but I stopped using it because my room became so dry. I just replaced one problem with another. Thoughts anyone?
*Works great with **Fastly.Cool** , exactly as described. Love the fact that it can push, pull, or exchange air with the push of a button. The remote is a nice bonus too!*
This is an underrated video. Thank you so much for making this. Extremely useful and scientific. Thank you again, internet stranger.
doing this has been a life saver. I have done it for almost 2 years. I battle allergies which makes my quality of life miserable sometimes with whole body aches.
The quality of air in my home has increased considerably.
Couple of points. No your fan won't over heat. I buy the top filter at walmart that is rated to trap virus and bacteria and never ever had a heating issue. I completely seal the filter to the fan with Electrical tape. Yes it a time consuming to remove and put on. But the results can't be beat.
Yes it is loud. Some times I move it around just to hear the tv. So I take it to the room, then back to the living room etc.
Filters last about 3 months, then I notice my sinus problems return. I replace the filter by how I feel. Like I said 3 months.
thanks for the info my sister has allergies
Does ithave to be completely taped with no gaps? And does it have to be on full power?
I thank you for the time and effort of testing this style setup. This method is widely used in woodshops and it’s nice to see how effective it is. A 2” thick filter adds more filter surface area without restricting airflow..
I appreciate this video, because it added a level of credibility to this series of videos. Thank you, Mr Rude.
Came up with this idea by myself. Had a box fan and whenever I went to home depot I ended up throwing 10 bucks at a filter. Best money ever. I live in a desert and dust is worse than you can imagine. 2 days after dusting everything is covered. with this a couple days and the filter is pretty dark already. happy I finally did this helping my allergies is just a cherry on top.
Wall of text beware! I did some tests to see how much using a 1" filter impacts airflow and the benefits of thicker filters. I tested using two box fans, a cheap old Aerospeed model and a newer Lasko Premium Weathershield fan, using a cheap $10 wind speed meter measuring at the surface of the fan at the point of peak airspeed, set to High. Unfortunately I don't have a particle counter, I looked into getting one but they are pretty expensive.
Aerospeed box fan:
No filter: 10.2 mph
1" MERV8 filter: 6.3 mph
4" MERV11 filter: 8.4 mph
Lasko Premium Weathershield box fan:
No filter: 11.9 mph
1" MERV8 filter: 9.2 mph
4" MERV11 filter: 10.6 mph
Thicker pleated filters have more surface area, so restrict airflow less and last longer before they need to be replaced. The 1" MERV8 filter should have a pressure drop of about 0.26" (@ 300fpm), the 4" MERV11 filter around 0.17" or so. Box fans are meant for free air so don't tolerate flow restriction very well, it looks like you want to keep the pressure drop under 0.20". If you don't want to fit a 4" filter (they do double the width of the fan), a 2" MERV10 filter would have a pressure drop of 0.20". Nordic Pure also sells 1" MERV8 "Tru Mini" pleated filters with a pressure drop of only 0.16".
If you want to absorb odors Nordic Pure also sells filters "Pleated Plus Carbon" in MERV8, 10, and 12, which have activated carbon within the pleated material, improving surface area over the filters that just have a carbon layer behind the filter. They say there's no additional restriction from the carbon. I think my next set of filters will either be 4" MERV12 Pleated Plus Carbon, or 2" MERV10 Pleated Plus Carbon, depending on how annoying the thick 4" filters turn out to be.
I like the Nordic Pure website because you can choose any combination of size and filter material you want, and the prices are very competitive compared to the hardware stores around me. I won't link it since I don't want this comment to seem spammy, but it's easy to find. You can also find their filters for sale on Amazon, sometimes on clearance at a very steep discount if you don't mind exactly the MERV rating you get.
Tip: Make sure the filter is sealed air-tight to the fan with duct tape, dirty air will rush around even the smallest gap.
Dirty secret: If you don't care too much about small particle performance, you can extend the life of your pleated filters by vacuuming them out weekly (do this outside). After awhile the electrostatic fibers will be completely coated so will stop attracting small particles, but the filter will continue to catch pollen and medium sized particles (most dust).
ganjalogic I purchased a 10 fpr medical grade 1” filter for my boxfan. Not sure its a “furnace filter” is that alright?
@@fedism I don't think that would work too well because it will be too hard for a box fan to move air through it. Something like a cheap MERV7 filter you find at a hardware store would be best. Just the most basic pleated (accordion-style) filter is best for this, the higher the filtration the harder for enough air to move through to effectively clean the room.
ganjalogic We are very allergic and we tried yesterday seems to work pretty well I just hope that he does well with sucking stuff in
Thank you for the info.
Particle counts went from 171,000 down to 2,100 particles per cubic foot of air in one hour in a 10x12 bedroom. This is a reduction of 98.7 % of particles in the air 0.5 microns and larger. This DIY system is as effective at cleaning the air of fine to large particles like mold, pollens, and visible house dust as HEPA air cleaners costing hundreds of dollars. My particle counter only goes down to .5 microns so I have no way of knowing how well the filter preforms at under .5 microns. I suspect performance would rapidly degrade as particle sizes got smaller.
+Rick Rude Thank you for posting this test! My nose is very irritable to any kind of dust particles and I've been blowing my nose like crazy lately so I was considering trying to make one of those boxfan air filters. Now I know I HAVE to do this soon :) Did you do any kinds of tests to see how fast the dust builds up after the use of the filter? Are we talking hours, days, weeks, months?
Been doing this for over 1 year. Allergies gone... Works.. I use the top filter.. I replace it about every 5 months.
Is this safe as you're stopping air flow? Also will a purifier system in a closed box, hepa filter in a side and exhaust fan on the top be fine?
I have been running this for over a year with no over heating problems. You can't use any filter until it is 100% clogged or it will stress the motor and cause heating issues. Change the filter often. Do not use an additional pre- filter on the front or back. Also I used a mid level 3m filter with a rating a 1000. They go u up to 2800. Filters with the highest MERV rating might be to restrictive for the box fan motor.
Update started to replace filter every 3 months due to a large garden I planted next to my house. Pollen counts went through the roof and I notice the filter will start not being effective past 3 months with my over hyper sensitive allergies.
I use 2 box fans with 3M Filtrete Advanced Allergen 1500 filters with great results. These MERV 12 equivalent filters cost more but are very efficient and last longer. I also use a GermGuardian 4825 UV air purifier with it's moderately priced HEPA filter for micro particles. I run the fans on low, which does most of the filtering. Low speed also kicks up less surface dust and helps fans and filters to last longer. After about 30 minutes, I turn on the GermGuardian for finer particulates. This allows the GermGuardian's HEPA filter to last longer.
Awesome video - Really shows how well such an inexpensive fan/filter can work. I have a pellet stove that is basically a hot air pump that kicks up the dust one or two of these fan/filters will make my home much more livable.
I knew the combo works, but I never knew how well. 6 years late to this video but I want to thank you for sharing this video and this data. If those sensors are not too expensive I almost want one. :)
Curious how well the box fan filter combo works when not taped (so small gaps are present). That's how I currently have my set up, but may just get some tape and get it taped up to force all of the air through the filter at least. I imagine it still works without the tap though because the gaps are fairly small and the airflow is greatly reduced after the filter is in place.
I have mine set up with a 20x20x1 MERV-13 which SUPPOSEDLY is enough to capture "smog". Hoping it will help with the smokey air over here in California. Got the Box fan and filter combo for $28 with 6 MERV-13 furnace filters through some thrifty shopping on Craigslist LOL. They cost about double to triple what I paid for them off Amazon or at a local Home Depot.
This is really a fantastic video. I would like to share a few more ways one can significantly improve indoor air quality. Replace the vacuum cleaner bag (even if not full) (They work better when empty) and vacuum the whole house. Open the doors or windows so that all the dirt thrown back up into the air can go outside. Doing this on a rainy or windy day will ensure the clean outside air is even cleaner. Then take the vacuum hose and put in in backwards, or use a shop vac or a leaf blower and blow out the house. This will move the dirt around and out of hard to reach places like under beds behind refrigerators ect. Initially the house will seem dirtier, as all the hidden dirt is disturbed and comes out into the open, then vacuum the entire house again. While a bit unusual this approach has amazing results at getting dust and dirt out of the house quickly. Tackling a dust and dirt problem from multiple different ways can help, ultimately it all needs to get out of the air and out of the house.
Make a filter box out of cardboard. Tape the card board to the fan and then you can easily install and change the filter.
I'd love to see how far away you can take the meter and still get good results. In other words, how big of a room can one of these suckers clear?
Your data just convinced me not to spend $400 on a HEPA filter. Thanks. I am going to use your idea and construct one myself using 2 or a 3 filter design. Did you build these fans for health reasons and if you did have you noticed any improvements.
did this today, nose becomes clear when I turn it on at home amazing. I just bought top filter $15
Been doing this for months now. The first thing I noticed was I didn't see little floaties in the air when the sun came up. After a couple of months I noticed I could breathe easier. A great idea!
Edit: floaties not floated.
@@8genmilitaryfamusa671 The cheap filters work, but I found the medium priced ones to work the best, was around fourteen dollars for a two pack. Still using one in my bedroom and one in my plant room, you'll be amazed at how dirty they get! Best of luck!! 👍😁
@@8genmilitaryfamusa671 I usually buy Filtrete by 3M, anything above MERV 5 is good. 😁
@@8genmilitaryfamusa671 I use one inch, but two inch will work even better! May have to duct tape it to the fan if it doesn't suction properly! Let me know how it works out for you!!
I also did this through the filter by installing the filter behind the fan as opposed to in the front like others have suggested in other videos. Thanks for this test.
I did the same test using a wind speed meter, dylos a 1” filter and a 4” filter. I found the 4” filter cleaned just as good but allowed 4x the air through.
Nothing like a data driven test results. Epic test. Thanks for sharing it.
This has been soooo great. Thank you for this awesome work! I am using one of these DIY at home filters right now during the August 2020 California fires, and it its working great.
Make the four filter version using merv 13 filters , run the fan on medium 24/4 and the air will be so clean it will squeek!
@@robertl.fallin7062 Yes that is following the Corsi-Rosenthal protocol MERV 13 four filter cube array furnace fan filter with the direction of air travel being pulled from outside of the fan cube to the inside of the fan cube array and then finally pulled and exhausted out of the box fan placed on top of the Corsi-Rosenthal MERV 13 filter cube array itself.
Would highly recommend 20x20x2 filters. The air flow volume is significantly greater, and the fan noise is noticeably lower.
A practical question is - can you let it operating all the time in terms of noise? If so, I think that will be good for real life. If not, it's not that much helpful since the air quality will be bad again soon after you turn it off.
You are the real deal, thank you very much for this. You are doing the hard work and deserve more views, other people's videos were probably made after seeing this..
Thanks for video. Did it make any difference where you placed fan?
Thanks for sharing. Is the filter on the back of the fan 😁?
Would love to see how fast it goes back up after you turn it off. Awesome video 👍
Thank you! Those numbers are really impressive. Home made air filtration is a very cost effective solution!
I'm betting you might be able to improve the airflow (and thus reduce the fan speed for the same effectiveness) if you give the filter a buffer zone. You might try adding a gap about 1 fan thickness or more and seeing how the effectiveness compares.
This has been my experience with computer fan filtration. My hypothesis basically boils down to static pressure. Right on each side of the fan, there is a lot of turbulence. If you place the filter right behind the fan, you get the turbulence, but you don't get much of the static pressure. If you give it more distance, the airflow is calmer farther away, which gives you a better average of how the air is trying to move overall. This gives you more static pressure, which is what pulls the air through the filter in the first place.
I could be completely wrong. It has just been my experience that a fan pulls air through a filter, say, on the other side of a computer case, rather than right up against it.
That might help air flow, since the fan does not pull through the corners of the filter. The square filter gets dirty in a circle where the fan pulls air. The corners are visibly cleaner.
This is correct. Also, the fan is currently pulling air in from the front, and circulating it back, rather than pulling air through the filter. A fan like this would only work, if it was inside a tube. It’s meant to blow air, not to suck air. So it will always get air from the easiest to reach places. In a tube, it has to pull from the filter, or no air would blow out.
Thanks for all your videos. I'm getting obsessed about having clean air in my apartment! I bought a dylos as well! Again, thanks for taking the time to upload these videos.
Thank you for the video. Since it doesn't take a significant amount of time to filter out the vast majority of particles, I don't necessarily need to leave the box fan running in a closed bedroom 24 hours a day. I could either manually switch the fan on 1-2 hours before going to bed, or put a timer on the outlet.
Does the particle count "jump up" upon turning off the box fan? Or has it truly caught and removed the purported particles from the air?
Painters tape would be much easier to remove than duct tape. Thanks for the video...bought 3 premium laskos and 6 Merv 11 filters for a big dusty apartment. Can’t wait to set it up.
Amazing. I just installed these hvac filters on 3 box fans in our house.
For those of you that complain about the "noise levels" just clean the air when you aren't around..Absolutely.. its noisy... but you aren't in the TV room when you are sleeping, and you aren't sleeping when you are watching TV, unless the TV is in your bedroom.. Bottom line is its possible to clean the air in areas of the home that aren't occupied 24-7
Good video, especially quantifying the reduction in airborne particulates.
Way cool. Thanks for doing this. I wonder how effective it is with the fan on low speed. Any idea?
It will do the same but it will take longer to remove the particles but a box fan circulates air much better than most anything for the price
Hi, I have just built one of this with the filter on the back and the air coming on the front is so little. I am sure that If I place the filter on the front there would be much more flow. Having it on the back will allow to a cleaner fan, maybe this is why all air cleaners have it on the back, but on the front you can probably accomplish the same at less speed, so in the end maybe it´s better?
Thanks in advance.
This is amazing. I've been toying around with various fans/filters the last few months as I'm currently cleaning out the hoarder's nest my mother left behind. Was planing on making a more elaborate version for my workshop but after spending the last few days in the basement, wondering if running these overnight a few nights would do much to help the situation or, if once shut off, any dust remaining would just "re-fill" the air in a matter of minutes. Obviously, the situation will remain until it's entirely cleaned out but wondering if this might help ease the situation.
This is absolutely fascinating. Tell me, how long did that filter last (without cleaning it), before it starts to become... not so effective??
After a couple of months the filters start looking really dirty. It of course depends on your environment and usage. They can be blown off, and washed, but most people just buy a new one.
It's good you mentioned to be careful when changing the filter. Do it outside and put the filter in a plastic bag. The EPA, also, tells you this.
Nice job. Good to see some quantitative data being collected.
From the datait looks like you had a 64% reduction in the initial particle count in about 12 mins; is that right? If so, the air in the room is being filtered in about that timeframe, which is pretty good. This is called the "mean residence time" of the circulation, so if you know the volume of the room with some accuracy, you can use that time to determine the air flow rate (in cubic feet/min) of the fan.
Would be interesting to add another filter in series to see if the reduction in particle count was better or faster.
Any idea on the spec on the filters?
I did this and noticed a difference in smell within 45 minutes appreciate it very much this is very effective
+fak gooby This will clean the air of particulate pollution well but not odor or gasses.
+Rick Rude forgot to mention I used the activated charcoal filters that's what I meant about the smell
my advice. Open your windows and put your box fans on the sill and blow the stale air out for several hours first then close the widows and then you use the filters on the back of the box fan in your desired areas. I use merv 12 with carbon filters on mine because I have a roof leak that the roofing company did not fix when they replaced the whole roof back in 2011.
I started doing this too. I have one my bedroom and one in the center of my house. I noticed the thick allergen ones work good for my mold issues but the mid range or cheap ones collect dirt on back fast. Never did a test
A few more tips that may help people:
#1There is a product called "Filter Charger" that can be sprayed on an air filter it will help allow the air filter to capture more dust. (Filter charger is a spray that contains a water loving salt that basically covers your air filter with a bunch of tiny water droplets, because the salt pulls water out of the air, the water does not evaporate. The small water droplets help capture more particulates.) (Filter Charger costs about $20 a spray can is used by HVAC professionals when they put cheap filters in units.) It can be used on any filter.
#2 WASH THE FILTER Almost all these air filters can be washed outside with a garden hose and rinsed off. Also can be cleaned in a shower or bathtub. Some filters are more resilient, some will come apart, if you are about to throw the filter out it can be worth trying it to see how clean you can get it. Like any time you are washing something, a mild soap can also help remove dirt.
#3 Blow back the filter. Take the filter outside, and use a leaf blower, shop vac, or shop vac in with the hose in the outlet (to blow) and blow air through the filter. Blow it all both ways, doing this on a sunny day is helpful as the sun can let you see how much dust you are getting off the filter. Blowing the filter off regularly can significantly extend the filter life. Having used these filters during drywall work, I can get significant clouds of dust and is good to clean the air in a house.
Great video with actual hard data of how good it works in your room. Unfortunately, once it is turned off as you stated, the dust count returns to the beginning numbers in 15 minutes or so. One has to keep running them to be effective.
This is true but with regular use and regular wet moping, dusting, and vacuuming (with a sealed HEPA vacuum) there will be less dust to get re-stirred up when things are moved around. So baseline particle counts will still be lower in a home even if the air cleaner not used 24/7 then a home without any filtration.
Thanks for doing this test and posting it here. Good information here.
Have been using this for cat allergies. Also in the job site when cutting drywall. ( different fan of course)
I enjoy watching your videos, I have similar air purifier is to yours and also a laser particle counter. I was very surprised how effective this simple setup is. I have a multichannel particle counter it goes to .3 µm my own experiments have shown that the .3 µm particles go down quite considerably even with a course filter. Because compacting is one of the methods these particles are stopped. It is likely that your fan stops around 60% of .3 µm particles but as the air continues to recirculate through the fan the particle numbers get lower and lower. I enjoy watching your experiment , do keep it upn
+James What kind of filter do you use? I wonder if the course filter might be quieter and also have less air resistance? Thanks.
+Dennis Johnson I am from the UK , I have many air purifiers, but not exactly like this , they don't sell box fans in the UK. point I was making was that if the point 5 Micron, count goes down then so will the .3 µm particle, if anyone is thinking of building a home-made air filter I would strongly recommend a centrifugal fan because they can handle more pressure which is required push air through a filter. as a general rule I recommend getting a fan which is rated at twice the CFM as you hope your filter to operate. If you want deluxe get a big powerful centrifugal fan and run it at a low speed for quiet operation.
Rick, my brother told me how he built one like this to clear the air when spraying or sanding inside a home to keep down the dust. I am glad to see how great it works. But now I am concerned that I live in a house where people smoke but not in my bedroom. What are your thoughts on getting rid of the smoke ? Thanks
+Bobby Holmes Smoking indoors will pollute the whole house. If someone in the house smokes....you all do. Get them to smoke outside, or at least in a bathroom with door closed and exhaust fan on. A furnace filter can not remove the smallest ultrafine smoke particles and none of the gaseous components. You would need certified HEPA or UPLA filters with large amounts of activated carbon to trap tobacco smoke/gasses/odors effectively. Even then some of the smoke will make its way into your lungs before if has a chance to get filtered.
You would need a MERV 14 or higher rated filter and most likely keep your room closed.
3rd shifter huh? Great video man! I thought of this last night and looked up this morning, and here is your video! Awesome job, answered all the questions I had for the idea! I shall do this TODAY!!!
Thanks for the detailed test. I have one question though. Do electrostatic filters like the ones from 3M and Nordic Pure produce any ozone when they are used with box fan like you showed in your video? I was planning on getting a 20x20x1 Merv 12 or 13 filter to use with a lasko box fan for general use around the house.
No they do not produce ozone. Electrostatic air cleaners like the Ionic Breeze and the Orek units do produce ozone. The EPA advises against using any air cleaner that produces Ozone. Ozone is bad for the health of people and pets. It does not "clean up" the air as claimed.
@@rickrude6301 That is incorrect.Ozone is safe up to 50PPB from CARB and EPA
Small town store ran out of filters. Wrapped my box fan in a sheer window curtain. 1/2 hour later and no smoke smell from California fires.
Wow great! Since filters are hard to get ahold of, I'm curious how well a damp towel would work in comparison...
It might not need to be damp. You want it to significantly reduce air flow out of the fan. but not get too close to blocking it completely. You could always fold the towel over to increase the amount of filtering.
When Covid hit there was a lot or research on the effectiveness of homemade masks. Short answer: any towel or fabric will do about 50%. It varies based on the thickness, quality and particle size.
Now that's a real test!! Fantastic video!
You can further reduce your particle load by paying attention to the furniture in the bedroom! Particle board & damaged laminate could be sealed or covered.. Any idea about any or level of ozone generated?
I sent back the 400 dollar Alen Purifier and I'm using a box fan with a Honeywell filter the results are obvious.
Don’t care about VOCs?
@Mr. Deez Thats not how it works , VOC need carbon
Loved your test, Mr. Rude. It would also be very nice and much appreciated if you could do the same test with a Filtrete Basic cut to fit filter that is only $6 at Lowes and is washable and reusable. If that worked well it would be insanely cheap. Thanks.
Does the highest adjustment of speed help it get rid of particulars quicker or would that just be to have more suction and airflow?
There's also filters specifically made for box fans on amazon.
They're supposed to be cleanable too so you don't have to replace them, but I have no idea about filter quality. They should pick of dust though if not the other stuff.
Wow, I am very impressed.
Just had a thought, has the fan air movement affected your particle reader which relies on a steady flow of air?, need a baseline test without filter.
Serious question: filter on the back or front?
Back
Does it make a difference bc an equally convincing site insisted the air must be pushed through front?
Seems like the air would move through the filter either way. But if it’s on the back it’ll keep dirt and dust from building up on the blades and grating.
Great job Rick!
👍👍
How long does it take for the particles to build back up to the pre-filtering level if you turn the fan off?
+Jim Skowronski If the door remained closed then a couple of hours. When the door was opened and normal air mixed with it, the counts rapidly returned to near what they were. maybe within 15 minutes. How long air stays clean after filtering depends on how air tight the room is, how dirty the air that is infiltrating is and how much dust is stirred up from walking around or moving thing around in the home. Bottom line is an air cleaner must be run constantly to keep the air super clean. Particles are always being generated form many sources, including, skin cell we all shed. dust mite debris and fibers from upholstery, carpets and clothing. If you have several large air cleaners (I have 8 of them!) you can bring the counts down fast so you dont really have to run them 24-7.
+Rick Rude Great video! I have made two of these purifiers with Lasko fans, love them, but they are very noisy, even on low. Do you know of a quiet box fan or way to make them quieter? Thanks.
Thanks for the video. Have you tried to force the air from outside of the house through your filter? I think this might get rid of dust even faster. Force air in on one side of the house and force it out on the other end. Reduce the fan noise significantly as well by placing it outside of the house.
Mia I would only do that in cooler climates or times of the year obviously.. It's not practical for most of the year in my state which is either triple digits heat outside or gets freezing in the winter... You wouldn't bring any air from outside during these times..
Thanks for the video. I ordered filters and will be making one in a few days.
cool thanks this is exactly what i needed to know. i just made one and figured it couldnt hurt. but obviously hoped for it to work. ive tried other allergen removal methods, but its never good enough. my boyfriends allergies are so bad and i have a dog, so he never comes over.
ill come over lol and you can ride me like a horse
Rick Rude... one of the BEST reviews ive ever seen. I like most that ya sound like me lol, ya from east coast Canada or what
will this remove oil smell from the kitchen after frying?
No, its only for dust not odor.
Does it have to be on full power to be effective?
No. Works on the slower speed as well. The higher the fan speed, the more air that is moved, which of course speeds up particle removal. A typical box fan used 48 watts on low, 60 wats on medium, and 73 watts on high. On a low setting you should expect this to move 2/3 the air as on high. (as it uses 2/3rd the power). Running on low speed is great for noise.
Hi Rick
In Miami cant find furnace filters so I installed 10 FPR 1” filter notice difference right away.
Are there any drawbacks to the filter I used? Hope Im doing it right
Some vids show filters in front and heard that if you block air flow then the fan will shut off
AWESOME!!!! What about utilizing a 20x20x1 furnace filter with carbon? I smoke in my place (I know it’s nasty) I’m in the process (started 1 week ago) of scrubbing EVERYTHING including walls and going to get carpets and duct work cleaned and sanitized......how do you think a carbon/hepa filter on a box fan would function? Would their be a difference by placing the filter on the front? KUDOS TO YOU!!
Rick I thought you kicked the bucket.
That is a very nice and VERY pricey HEPA filtration system you have your box fan sitting on top of. :-\
thank you for this video. I seen it with the filter in front. still watching as I'm typing.let's see
thanks this is extremely informative. now i know i dont need to keep it on for long periods of time. saves energy
👋 I know this is old but.. I wanted to know if I can turn this off when I’m not home?? I was wondering if anything will happen like more dust in the air.
Excellent man. Really good test
Good video. Convinced me to make one today.
its getting colder -could this fan be placed with the fan facing outside in a window?
A little late but the answer would be not really. You would create a pressure difference in your house so the air you're pushing out would get sucked into your home from other areas such as your fireplace or little cracks here and there.
Have you tried an activated carbon filter + merv13?, I'm planning to use your idea an add one of those filters used for kitchens and also place a UV-c light
Use a furnace filter by itself, adding any additional layers of filters will cause to much air resistance. Be carful with UVC light, any eye exposure can damage your vision.
Rick Rude Thanks, then I'll go for the simple Merv13 20x20x1. Great video by the way
Just ordered a merv 13 with a 20 in box fan. Excited to start breathing better air!
Brilliant work!! Thanks for your study!
I wonder if you're the same Rick Rude I used to call to get ship status on orders. If so,
hi, it's Ann.
no, this is the rick rude that used to pick a lucky lady from the crowd and give her a “rude awakening” (kiss) rendering the women unconscious from excitemen
Wondering why the particle count in the room was so high to begin with? Does the air constantly get dirty if the air purifier is not on?
As he mentioned in the comment above, if the door to the room is open for just 15 minutes, the full particle count returns. Otherwise it takes a few hours of the fan being off for the count to return. If you looked at the science of air quality, this is normal and natural and typical of almost all environments inside homes. Unless you have no fabrics or upholstery, this is what happens. Dust mites create dust, skin flakes off of the humans, etc.
@@thisperfectworld So unless you plan to run this continuously its pointless
Excellent video
1996?
Good video thanks.
Put it in a garbage bag to take outside
I will be doing a test with a new filter soon. I will turn fan on with no filter check reading and then with the filter. Also I will clean the air and turn off fan and see how long it takes for particle counts to rise to baseline. I will test with an open and closed door. Any other suggestion's for a new test?
How about testing a cube configuration, fan, four filters on the side and cardboard base, 4x the filters & surface area
How can you tell if your fan is producing ozone? Is there a 'combustion smell'?
ruclips.net/video/NBdS8jiTM6E/видео.html
put the filter in the front of the fan in order to keep the motor cooler.
that defeats the point, itll get the fan dirty thus increasing workload on the filter and fan anyway
@@alphabromega859 the other option, is to severely limit the cooling of the motor since rushing fresh air will be stopped. This means the the motor will be working harder to suck in air, causing the motor to overheat and perhaps break or start an electrical fire. Your problem is well taken, however, but periodic cleaning of the fan etc might help.
@@michaelrespublica9498 try box fan and four filters in a cube configuration, cardboard base on bottom, you get 4x surface area, fan will not work harder as air resistance is lowered. Just built one using a cube configuration with 3M Filtrete 1900. It's drawing air through the filters and out the fan with proper sealing between fan and cube filters
Hi, can you provide that particle reader model number and software?
great video
Wow. That was amazing
6:15 says it all.
lul best way is to turn off the lights and use a flash light. And you will see the dust. Just like spider webs in corners.
Good stuff I have a couple of these running in garage. Anyone have recommendations on filters $100-500 for running inside that are " quiet" and actually filter out HEPA (smaller microns) I have just done a lot of paint sanding, construction during the day then come home and afraid I have a lot of that dust in my hair, tools, etc. I try to separate but a lot is even on my skin as I'm a handyman.
I heard only HEPA will filter the low micron asbestos in air. I work mainly on 1920-1970s homes and often have to go to jobsites where people are sanding or removing demolition etc.
Have you tried mounting the filter in the front and running an air purifier test to see if there is any difference? Just wonder if the particle count would drop faster if the filter was place in the front of the box fan. Or how long would it take to get the same results on a low setting?
my exact thoughts
Just my thoughts, blowing air against a filter media would be like wind against the sails of a boat, in the extreme, air would flow around the filter media just like the sails while some air does pass through the media. It also depends on volume of air hitting the media, too much and above would happen. Too little then little to no efficiency is achieved.
IMO, pull configuration is best but lower the air resistance by increasing surface area, sonic fan draws 1 unit of air through a single filter, but instead use a cube configuration where 4 filters are used and opposite side is cardboard base, same amount of air is drawn by fan but resistance is spread out to surface area of 4x filters so air flow into cube is increased, less work on fan motor.
Just a thought
Intuitively one should directly place the MERV 13 washable furnace filter directly in front of the box fan's exhausting air stream in order to catch the maximum optimal directed air stream into the back of the MERV 13 washable furnace filter so that the box fan airstream is totally unimpeded and uninterrupted; it should be able to clean the air as effectively if not more than placing the furnace filter from in back of the box fan which would only interfere with the potential air stream that is used to directly cool the motor coils and brushes of the box fan.
Has anyone noticed humidity level while using these? I used one a while back pretty aggressively but I stopped using it because my room became so dry. I just replaced one problem with another. Thoughts anyone?