Finally made a little progress with the DC Install - We have suction!

[Doug Shepard]

I'm way behind on getting this beastie installed but as promised on earlier threads, I'm taking pics as I go. I hope to get the blower, cyclone, and other parts installed tomorrow. Here's a couple pics so far.

I'm using a double mounting board with vibration isolators in between to decouple the thing from the wall. I'm also using smaller isolators between the end brackets and motor mounting board. It may be overkill, but this isn't really something I want to find out later that I need. For about $25 the isolators seem like cheap insurance that I'm doing everything possible to stop noise and vibration from going through the wall to the family room.
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Getting the motor onto the wall bracket was fun. Due to interference with rafters, I had to remove the near end bracket, slide the motor and mounting board in from the end, then re-attach the end bracket. I had help but it was still a real workout. In hindsight it makes the decision to use bolts instead of screws look smart, but I wasn't thinking that far ahead at the time.
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[Mike Cutler]

Doug.

Looks like a nice setup in the works. Those concrete anchors had to be a little on the fun side.

[Lori Kleinberg]

Keep the info and pictures coming. I love watching
other peoples progress.

[Russ Massery]

Looks good Doug. I really like the idea of mounting it on the wall with isolators. Are you going with a switched remote? As others had said keep the pic coming......

[Doug Shepard]

Doug.
Looks like a nice setup in the works. Those concrete anchors had to be a little on the fun side.

They're actually not anchors but something called Tap-Cons that I'd never heard of. My dad had some extra ones so the price was right. Had to drill a pilot hole with a masonry bit but they then self-tap into the concrete. As long as you hit the webs inside the block you get the full length of the screw holding. I managed to hit the webs on 4 of the 5 holes. They pulled the board real tight to the wall and feel really solid. The top ones are just #12 3-1/2" wood screws into the 2x8 plate on top of the wall.




Looks good Doug. I really like the idea of mounting it on the wall with isolators. Are you going with a switched remote? As others had said keep the pic coming......
I'll definitely be going with a remote but don't have any of the parts yet for that part of the install. Dennis Peacocks web page has some pretty good info that I've been looking at for when I get to that point.

[Doug Shepard]

Just an update if anyone's interested. At Ed's urging, I started an album on ClearVue's gallery section where I'm keeping the install progress up to date. It's a little simpler to do it there without replies coming in between additional pics. I've got a few more pics to take after another hour or so of work this evening, but the gallery pics are pretty current.

http://gallery.clearvuecyclones.com/Dougs-Mini-CV1400

[Doug Shepard]

Still have a LOT more work to do on the install, but we have suction!! See the ClearVue gallery link on the previous post if you want a running progress report.

[Russ Massery]

Great to hear Doug. And it's Clearvue boy do you have suction.;)

[Chris Padilla]

Darn, I *knew* I shoulda kept my Nike shoe boxes instead of tossing them in the recycle bin!! ;)

Good progress, Doug, steady as she goes. I'm putting up my 6" PVC ducting right now. It is a slow and thoughtful progess so it takes time.

[Doug Shepard]

Russ/Chris (or anyone else for that matter)
Do you guys happen to know whether I should expect an increase, decrease, or no change in the volume level from the DC once I have the filters attached? It's pretty loud just running the Nike box test. I'll eventually have the whole thing re-enclosed in a closet, but am still debating whether I want to try (or need) the muffler thing between the transition and filters.

[Chris Padilla]

Put the muffler in.

[Larry Cooke]

They're actually not anchors but something called Tap-Cons that I'd never heard of. Doug,

I would be leery of using Tap-Cons for this application. My experience with them has been less than pleasant where there's vibration or moving parts involved. They tend to work loose in very short order. If it were me, I'd consider another fastener, like a lag or toggle bolt and use some blue loctite thread locker on them.

Your installation is looking good btw! Mine is still in the box :(. Need to get out in the shop and get moving but it's been just too hot for me lately...

Larry

[tod evans]

Doug,

I would be leery of using Tap-Cons for this application. My experience with them has been less than pleasant where there's vibration or moving parts involved. They tend to work loose in very short order. If it were me, I'd consider another fastener, like a lag or toggle bolt and use some blue loctite thread locker on them.

Your installation is looking good btw! Mine is still in the box :(. Need to get out in the shop and get moving but it's been just too hot for me lately...

Larry


doug, larry makes a valid point.....a few bucks spent on redhead anchors would be a wise move in my opinion.....02 tod

[Doug Shepard]

doug, larry makes a valid point.....a few bucks spent on redhead anchors would be a wise move in my opinion.....02 tod

Larry/Tod - unfortunately I would have to undo a lot of work at this point to replace the Tap-Cons. I do have #12 wood screws into the plate on the top of the wall. And hopefully the rubber vibration isolators I used would help kill the vibration through the mounting board. Are you telling me the Tap-Cons are definitely going to fail?

[tod evans]

doug, the only certainties are taxes-n-death but tapcons are my least favorite method of mounting anything to block. they may hold well for years or they may fail tomorrow? it`s a crapshoot....02 tod

[edit] after looking closely at your photos i think you`ll be fine....the wood screws are bearing the cantilevered weight and the tapcons are acting in shear unless the wood screws fail....you should be fine...02 tod

[Russ Massery]

Doug, I'm looking into making a muffler for mine. Right now my cyclone is vented outside. I ran it through the filters only one since starting it up. It's a little quieter but I still feel it could use a muffler. I'll only use the filters when I'm heating the shop. As others had said think out the trunk lines and how your going to use them. I'm still hooking mine up and the cyclone been in since May. Here's a pic of mine.

[Doug Shepard]

Doug, I'm looking into making a muffler for mine. Right now my cyclone is vented outside. I ran it through the filters only one since starting it up. It's a little quieter but I still feel it could use a muffler. I'll only use the filters when I'm heating the shop. As others had said think out the trunk lines and how your going to use them. I'm still hooking mine up and the cyclone been in since May. Here's a pic of mine.

Well it's good to know that it may be a little quieter with the filters. I keep measuring and I may not end up with a lot of options other than using the filters full time with no muffler. Trying to stuff this thing into the old furnace closet footprint is a bit of a challenge. Heightwise I've only got something like 8-10" between the transition and the filter stack, which just leaves enough room for building the cleanout. I've tried a few arrangements in that space to see if I've got enough room to build a plenum and put them side by side (which would allow enough room for a muffler) but nothing looks very promising there. I'm trying to enclose the closet with styro - 2" where I can make it fit, and 1" in other places. I'm hoping that will do the trick.
The good news is that the sound through the wall I'm most worried about (adjoining a family room) is a lot quieter than I thought it would be given the volume in the GaShop - and that wall doesn't even have styro on it yet.

[Justin Dreier]

The filters will bring the noise down very little. If you're enclosing the DC, then maybe you don't need to worry about it. I've found that most have been very successful with a muffler.

I didn't enclose mine and I'm not sure I could handle the noise without the muffler. A muffler does a great deal. Justin

[Doug Shepard]

Well just so I'm not working in the dark. I stopped at Radio Shack today and picked up a decibel meter. I want to know how much noise reduction I get from the styro. I'll also be able to re-check once the filters are in place so we'll know for sure what the difference is.
Just FYI, here's the numbers so far:

6 ft from the DC - no filters, ducts, collection bin yet installed.
101 dB - C weighting
97 dB - A weighting

6 ft from the DC through a 8" concrete block wall with 1.5" styro insulation, drywall, and paneling.
71 dB - C weighting
57 dB - A weighting
Hopefully 2" styro on the DC side of that concrete block will get these last numbers down significantly.

The C weighting is checking 32-10000 Hz and the A weighting 500-10000 Hz.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Jim DeLaney]

6 ft from the DC through a 8" concrete block wall with 1.5" styro insulation, drywall, and paneling.
71 dB - C weighting
57 dB - A weighting

57 dB(A) ain't bad. It'll be quieter than just about any tool you'll be using it with.

Turn absolutely everything in the shop off and I'll bet you still get something close to 40 dB(A).

[Julio Navarro]

Looking good Doug!!

I would be interested to know if you manage to get the noise level down with a muffler.

I've been contemplating one but I am not sure just how much help it would be.

[Doug Shepard]

I got to wondering a bit more about the whole muffler thing. What exactly does it do and how does it work? Since it's not looking real promising for me to fit one in, what would happen if I wrapped the transition with as much roll insulation as I can wind around it. Would that give me a "muffler"? Or somewhat aproximate one?

[Greg Peterson]

Doug,

Keep in mind that any fastner you use to secure the stryrofoam insulation will transmit some of the noise to the living quaters. If you can keep the insulating material from touching the adjoining wall that would help some. Otherwise, any noise (sound waves) will be picjed up by the insulating panel and transfered to whatever foreign body is physically adjoined to the panel.

Just my .02 worth.