Cyclone noise

[Jim McCarty]

I'm planning on upgrading from my homemade cyclone with 2 hp import blower to either a Woodsucker, Oneida 2hp commercial, or a Bill Pentz cyclone. I have heard a few comments about the noise factor of some of these and would like to hear first hand how loud they are. I live in Orange County in southern California and if anyone in So. Cal. is willing, I would appreciate hearing your cyclone. You can pm. me or email me. Thanks in advance. Jim McCarty

[Brad Olson]

I have a friend with the Oneida and it is pretty quiest compared to a dual bag system. It is even quieter if you enclose the unit in a closet with return air to the shop. The noise is more of background rumble than anything else. You can actaully have a conversation with the oneida turned on. I would assume other cyclones are the similar in noise level, but have no experience with them.

[John Miliunas]

Jim, I love my Woodsucker, but I also love the fact that it's on the OTHER side of the wall, and NOT in my shop! They is noisy!:) :cool:

[Phil Winn]

Pentz designed unit with the 5--3hp motor---I used the insulation over the
duct from cyclone to filters-and it dropped the noise by a significant amount;
I then enclosed it with 1/2" ply and one can talk 4 ft from it.


Phil

[Frank Pellow]

I have Oneida 2hp Commercial and its LOUD. :( I don't know how loud, but much louder than I would like. Right now, it is enclosed on all but one side and the walls are stuffed with insulation and vented. I expect to build the remaining wall, with an insulated door, soon. :) I sure hope that that helps.

[John Miliunas]

One other thing about noise and such with the cyclones. One of the main reasons I picked the Woodsucker is because I knew beforehand that it was going to be in the garage, on the other side of my shop wall. I also knew that I would have to heat and cool my shop according to season. The real cool part about the Woodsucker is the way the filter and exhaust is configured on it. The exhaust is actually an 8" OD port at the top of the unit, after it's been filtered and any remaining dust particulate is already contained. A guy can then route that filtered air back into the shop without having to worry about hanging some huge filter packs physically in the shop area. Upon Larry's recommendation at Woodsucker, I picked up some insulated, 8" flex pipe, normally used for HVAC, exited the cyclone, made a 180* loop back toward the shop and put it through the wall, terminating at a vent cover. The insulated flex also acts as a muffler! You can easily converse and listen to the stereo, etc... anywhere in the shop with no problem and the conditioned air pulled through the cyclone gets returned to where it belongs.:)

[Jim Becker]

They all have some noise and some are louder than others. The best solution is a dedicated closet for the cyclone/blower (and your compressor while you're at it). I built mine using regular 2x4 construction with drywall on the shop side, fiberglass insulation between the studs and 1/4" hard-board peg board on the inside surfaces with the rough side to the noise. Return air is ducted back to the shop using a "folded horn" arrangement in a joist bay as shown in the diagram below. The reduction in noise is significant; so much so that when the blast gates are closed, the cyclone sounds about like a box fan on "medium" speed!

[nic obie]

Hi Jim,

My Pentz design/Echols kit cyclone that is powered by two 2hp blowers registers 82 dB at a distance of about 6 feet.

As I live in CA I mounted it outside under my eves with no return air. Inside the shop, with the blast gates closed all I hear is a hum not unlike the noise a clothes dryer makes.

[Jim McCarty]

Is the Woodsucker II significantly louder than the Oneida 2 hp or the Bill Pentz design? Has anyone heard them or compared them? I don't want to alienate the neighbors. I already have a 2 hp import and that hasn't bothered anyone yet. Thanks, Jim

[Jim Becker]

Is the Woodsucker II significantly louder than the Oneida 2 hp or the Bill Pentz design?
I have never heard the Pentz design, but I can say that the Woodsucker is louder than either of the Oneida systems I've owned or own...noticably so.

[Phil Winn]

That said, my Pentz design is the 5/3hp, the Woodsucker is 2hp,
and the Oneida is the 3hp; the P and O are very close at
82db and 83db, while the Woodsucker is 92db...

After I built the box, it dropped to 73db or so; depending upon
how clean the filter is etc..
Phil

PS: Always wear hearing protection!