Where to put my air cleaner?

[Jason White]

I just got a new 3-speed Delta ambient air cleaner (model #50-875). My shop is short on floor space, so I'm thinking it might be best to hang it from the ceiling.

Any thoughts on where in the shop I should locate it for best performance?

Jason

[Joe Leigh]

Jason,

I had this question myself a few months back. Obviously centrally located is most logical but in reality it doesn't matter. These units provide 10-20 air changes per hour depending on size so as long as there are no airflow obstructions all the air in your shop gets cleaned many times over.

[Lee Schierer]

I located mine over the large out feed table on my TS where it isn't in the way. My TS is pretty much centrally located so the air cleaner ended up a little off center.

[larry cronkite]

I built my air cleaner into a multi-purpose cabinet on casters with many many 1" holes in the top and put in an auto-shutoff timer switch. I use the air cleaner cabinet as a sanding station, assembly table and a table saw outfeed table.

[Paul Wunder]

Jason,

Delta is not really clear about this. I have a JDS 750 and mounted it along the long wall of my shop with the intake side about 8 feet from the intersecting wall. The unit is mounted about 7 feet up from the floor. It has worked well that way. You also need to make certain that there are no obstructions along the intake or outflow. My reading has told me that was the best approach. You may also want to check the Grizzly site, for example, and look at the instructions for mounting their units. Their instructions are pretty thorough. That's where I got my guidance.

Paul

[Prashun Patel]

Mine's mounted close to the ceiling by my tablesaw since that's the worst offender for me.

Since I've been doing a bunch of hand sanding and rasp work indoors lately, I've discovered that a cheap 20x20 box fan with an air filter strapped to the intake makes a great mobile air cleaner. You can position it right next to your work. I also think the additional airflow helps more dust to reach the main air cleaner too. All this is to say, consider using a 2nd cheapo to assist your main.

[Van Huskey]

1/3 of the way down the longest unobstructed wall, about a foot off the wall.

[glenn bradley]

There is no such thing as an unobstructed wall in my shop. I could use some more wall as a matter of fact ;-) My ambient cleaner is above the rafters and below the joists, not quite centered. It is over my bench so I stand on that to remove the filters for cleaning or exchange.

[Neil Tsubota]

Any where you want it....but it is BEST if is close to the equipment that generates the most dust.

These units work on the principle of 'general dilution ventilation' . Make sure that you have an adequate supply of "make-up" air from the outside. Please check to be sure you are not "sucking-in" exhaust from an internal combustion engine. Carbon Monoxide is DEADLY, it has no odor, and is colorless, and tasteless. (Don't believe people who say that they can "taste" Carbon Monoxide.)

Be safe and dust free.

:)

[Don Alexander]

My ambient cleaner is above the rafters and below the joists

hehe Glenn i've gotta see how you did that :D:D

[Bruce Seidner]

As I have thought about and worked with this issue I think what is important is to get the filtered air out and as far away from the intake as possible. Otherwise one is re-filtering the same air rather than exchanging as much room air as possible.

The other issue is the density of the filter and if it is not getting the sub 10 micron fine dust you run the risk of just stirring the pot to no avail.

The worst dust offending activity I can engage in has nothing to do with jointers or miter saws. My broom creates more health risk when I sweep than any tool in the shop. This is a known and measurable hazard to your health. If ever there was a time to wear a filter mask, sweeping is it.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I located mine over the large out feed table on my TS where it isn't in the way. My TS is pretty much centrally located so the air cleaner ended up a little off center.


Bingo



1010101010

[Keith Weber]

I like mine over the extension table of the table saw, since it's out of the way, and is in a convenient location to turn on and off since the batteries went dead on my remote.

Keith

[Greg Peterson]

Keith - Do you do surgeries or woodworking in that shop? It's too clean.:eek:


But I like it. Wish mine was like that.

[Howard Acheson]

Here is some info that may help.

Here are some general rules based on Nagyszalanczy's "Workshop Dust Control" and some of my own experiences and thoughts.

The two most important criteria for an air cleaner are the CFM and the filters. You want a CFM factor that will clean the size of your shop and a filter that removes the particle size that you are concerned about.

To determine the size or required air flow, use this formula: Volume of your shop (Length x width x Height) times Number of air changes per hour (typically 6 - 8) divided by 60. This will give you an answer in Cubic Feet per Minute which is how air cleaners are measured. MOST AIR CLEANER MANUFACTURERS RATE THE CFM OF THE FAN ONLY, but there are losses due to the filters. If you are building your own or if the air cleaner you are purchasing rates only the fan, figure you will lose about 25 - 40% for filtering losses.

As important as the air cleaner size is how and where you mount it. Try to mount at about 8-10 feet above the floor (no lower than 6'or 2/3 of the floor to ceiling distance if less than 8' ceiling). Mount along the longest wall so the intake is approximately 1/3 the distance from the shorter wall. Mount no further than 4-6 inches from the wall.

The exhaust is the largest determiner of the circulation pattern. You are trying to encourage circulation parallel to the floor/ceiling so ceiling mounting is not recommended. Use a smoke stick (or a cigar) to observe and maximize circulation. Use a secondary fan to direct air to the intake if necessary. Also, consider that a standard 24" floor fan moves a lot of air and, in some shops, just positioning it in a doorway with a window or other door open can accomplish as much or more than an air cleaner. It's all in the circulation patterns.

The exhaust is the clean air so that is where you want to position yourself. Do not place the air cleaner over the a dust producer. That will guarantee that the operator will be in direct line between the dust producer and the air cleaner. The operator wants to be in the clean air stream. If the dust has to pass your nose to get to the air cleaner, you get no benefits. If you have an odd shaped shop, two smaller units may be better than one large one.

DO NOT RELY ON A AIR CLEANER TO ACT AS A DUST COLLECTOR. The purpose of and air cleaner is to keep airborne dust in suspension and reduce airborne dust as quickly as possible AFTER THE DUST PRODUCER HAS BEEN TURNED OFF.

Finally, if you are looking for health benefits, you will not find any air cleaner manufacturer that makes health claims because there are few health benefits. CATCHING DUST AT IT'S SOURCE IS THE BEST LONG TERM GOAL. Rick Peters', author of "Controlling Dust in the Workshop", makes the point that spending your money getting the dust at its source is a better investment than trying to capture it after it is already airborne. If the dust is in the air, it's going to be in your nose and lungs too. Robert Witter of Oneida Air Systems has noted that "overhead cleaners can only lower ambient dust levels AFTER THE SOURCE OF EMISSIONS IS SHUT DOWN, and they take several hours to do this. This is why they are not used in industry." The absolute best answer, if health is the primary concern, is to use a NIOSH approved respirator. The dust cleaner will help keep your shop cleaner but have minimal or no health benefits. OSHA takes this position too. They measure the number of particles per a volume and most air cleaners will not satisfy their specs.

[Bruce Seidner]

Howard,

You have given this some thought. I have not seen anything about "where" the small particles go after they are airborne. Because the small particles are talked about as most dangerous they are the prime target. I am thinking that sub 10 micron dust stays afloat longer than a 3" 2x4 cut off from the miter saw.

What do you mean by "You are trying to encourage circulation parallel to the floor/ceiling so ceiling mounting is not recommended." If what you mean is that you want dust to stay at its height and not settle to the floor below why would ceiling mounting not promote this? I might not understand what you mean by ceiling mounting.

[Chris Damm]

1/3 of the way down the longest unobstructed wall, about a foot off the wall.

This is the correct method.