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View Full Version : Filters on an Atmos duo linked to Speedy 300



Steve Crawford
06-02-2014, 5:40 AM
Hi folks,

I'm getting really worried about the amount of life that the filters in an Atmos Duo filtration system last. If I have to replace them every 50 hours or so it will make my services too costly.

I got my Trotec system in early March and about 2 weeks ago it said my filter was at 100% and needed changing! I had done about 45 hours at the time, mostly on development of prototypes for products I mean to sell. I'm mostly working with wood and MDF with some acrylic. I blew out the filter with compressed air and when I put it back into the unit it was reading about 50%. I've now done only another 5 hours and it says it needs changing again!

I'm wondering about pre-filtration? Or adding a filter in the top of the Atmos? Or perhaps I'm doing something wrong! I don't really want to have to spend much more money... I'm worried my products and service prices will be driven up.

Henri Sallinen
06-02-2014, 5:52 AM
I myself am using a cylindrical 12€ car filter + some synthetic felt as a prefilter replacing the first filter entirely this way. I only have the HEPA and activated charcoal filter after my self made setup. I found out that the +100 € prefilter was not doing a good enough job to keep my HEPA as dust free as it should.

Dan Hintz
06-02-2014, 7:22 AM
MDF is one of the worst materials to work with when it comes to filtration... the resin makes for a nasty bit of gunk that will quickly fill the pores of your filter. You are definitely a candidate for secondary pre-filtration.

Brian R Cain
06-02-2014, 7:41 AM
MDF is one of the worst materials to work with when it comes to filtration... the resin makes for a nasty bit of gunk that will quickly fill the pores of your filter. You are definitely a candidate for secondary pre-filtration.

Agree entirely. The filters are only doing their job as they were intended. One thing that can help is to check which grade of pre-filter you have. Some filtration systems offer a range. The standard one is an F6 which will catch particles larger than a micron. Glues and resins can vaporise to particles smaller than this and give grief to the HEPA filter. An F8/F9 filter will generally catch these and extend the life of the more expensive HEPA filter, so if that's an option with the Atmos system, it will help, but still be an on-going cost you'll incur.

Brian J Rogalny
06-02-2014, 7:49 AM
Wait until you have to replace the carbon, $300/bag and you need two bags. Just replaced mine after 14 months.

Jiten Patel
06-02-2014, 9:39 AM
Brian, you can get activated carbon for wayyyyyyyy less than that from a third party. It's the same stuff too.

Steve Crawford
06-02-2014, 3:36 PM
Thanks for the replies guys, today I've blown out the filter again and it dropped down to 55% on 300cfpm and I've put two layers of cooker hood filters in the top section of the Atmos in the hope that this will remove some of the larger particulates before it gets to my main filter. I suppose the answer you guys are suggesting is a pre-filtration system... I'll have to look at the various options. Is it best to ask Trotec?

Jit could you possibly PM me the details on the supplier for carbon you mention please?

Brian J Rogalny
06-02-2014, 6:22 PM
Thanks Jit, I waited to long and then didn't have time to start looking. I will next time they are paying about $500 to $800 per ton from the sites I saw it on.

John Warren
06-02-2014, 6:45 PM
I personally don't have experience with this particular product or company, but based on Dan Hintz's thread about a DIY filtration system, I requested a quote from General Carbon last week and here's the response I got:


Good morning John,



Thank you for your email. Unfortunately we do not carry the C-30 pellets anymore. For laser engravers we suggest our GC C-40 pelletized activated carbon. This product works very well for your application. Please accept for consideration our price of $2.35/lb. for 55 lbs. of GC C-40 activated carbon. This product is in stock and available for immediate shipment. UPS will be about $45.



Following is its specification sheet:



http://generalcarbon.com/vapor-filtration/gc-c40-activated-carbon/



...



55 lbs for about $175 shipped (that shipping quote may be based on my zip code in southeast Oklahoma). Same company Dan had referenced in his thread but it seems the price has gone up some and the original pellets he used are no longer in stock there.

Jiten Patel
06-03-2014, 6:03 AM
Hi Steve,

I haven't bought it yet as I am just double checking if this will work. Am looking at this stuff. ebay.co.uk/itm/Activated-Carbon-Granulated-2-4mm-Aquarium-Internal-Filter-External-Filter-Media-/190962258244?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&var=&hash=item2c763cd144

Maybe others here can tell me if this will work?

Dan Hintz
06-03-2014, 6:11 AM
Jit,

That would work, but it's not ideal... with pellet form, you get a consistent size of granule, so no worries about settling, fume hogging, etc. In a pinch, though, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

On a side note, I couldn't figure out how much you received with that auction... I saw it came in a sealed poly bag, but not how big of one or how heavy. For a pound fifty, I imagine it's a quart or smaller.

BTW, may want to remove the hotlink to eBay before a mod gets it...

Jiten Patel
06-03-2014, 6:48 AM
Hey Dan,

Thanks mate - there are loads of pellets on Ebay so will have a look at those. The atmos I have has similar granules as the link I posted, that's why I went for those. They are offering a 25KG bag (approx 55lbs) for £75 which is around $120.

Are you saying something like this ? ebay.co.uk/itm/25KG-ACTIVATED-CARBON-PELLETS-FM028-KOI-FISH-WATER-DECHLORINATOR-PURIFIER-ACTIVE-/400603320374?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item5d45d19036

Mark Ward
06-19-2014, 5:26 AM
Hi Jit,
which suppliers in the UK do you get your filters from? My Atmos is nearly full on the filter (90%+) and 6% on the ActivatedCarbon so although the carbon is fine the filter looks like it will need changing soon.

Jiten Patel
06-19-2014, 5:54 AM
If you are talking about the actual main comfort box in the atmos, I get them from Trotec. I am talking to a supplier at the moment, Viledon. They make the thin mats that go in the Atmos and they also seem to be the supplier for the comfort box too as they have similar products to the comfort box on their website (cassette filter - maxipleat). The filter mat is A3/300S. I havn't had much time to actually pursue this and get a quote for both these, so if you do find out, I would appreciate if you could share the costs please.

Mark Ward
06-20-2014, 6:14 AM
It was the comfort box, however I do need to sort a pre filter too. I've ordered the comfort box from Trotec for this one as we really needed it, however will look for cheaper alternatives if possible. I have contacted Viledon to ask them the price of the filter mat A3/300S you mentioned and will let you know what they say.
I presume for the interim I'd be OK just sticking in something like this if I cut it down to size or is this not quite going to cut it? http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8421155.htm

Mark Ward
06-23-2014, 6:02 AM
Just wanted to check. I've just stuck in a brand new comfort box, is it usual for the Atmos to show it at around 35-40% filter for it or should it be dropping much closer to zero? :confused:

Jiten Patel
06-23-2014, 7:49 AM
35-40 seems a little high...mine are usually around the 20-30% mark

Mark Ward
06-23-2014, 8:14 AM
Yeh, I thought it maybe seemed a little high, will send Trotec an email. What Volume setting do you have yours set at? Mine is at 150, I did just drop it down lower and the filter % also dropped lower.
Hopefully I should have price later for you on the filters, I'll drop you a PM when they get the quote sorted.

Jiten Patel
06-23-2014, 9:05 AM
Hi Mark, I usually run it around 200ish depending on what I am working on. The filter drops massively in % if you have a vacuum table installed and have it on full vacuum.

Dan Hintz
06-23-2014, 12:25 PM
Hi Mark, I usually run it around 200ish depending on what I am working on. The filter drops massively in % if you have a vacuum table installed and have it on full vacuum.

This is due to the way in which these machines are measuring filter capability. It's a pressure/vacuum sensor between each stage. As a filter clogs, the pressure differential from one stage to the next will change, and a basic assumption can be made as to the cleanliness of the filter. If you mess with the pressure differential, the machine reads that as a dirty filter.

Mark Ward
06-24-2014, 3:51 AM
Aaah right, we left ours at 150 based on what the installer had left it set on. We don't have a vacuum table in ours. I should perhaps have a read up and see what pressure we shoudl be using for different materials then really I guess!

Does anyone know what grade the filters inside the actual comfort box are? That company you mentioned Jit does them ranging from grade M6 to F9, however I'm not sure they do the box in the size we might need.

Jiten Patel
08-07-2014, 3:37 AM
Hi Mark,

Did you get an update on the comfort box?

Steve Crawford
08-07-2014, 9:09 AM
I've just taken delivery of a new batch of carbon from Trotec for my system and each 'bag' is 9 kilos of carbon chips. So that's 18 kilos altogether. Strangely though even fitting these and a new comfort filter the system is still reading 30% used for the filter. It allows you to reset the carbon measurement, but that only ever went to 8% and of course is now back to zero.