Delta Air Cleaner model 50-875

[Rick Levine]

Ok, here's the issue. I purchased two of these air cleaners and hung one in my shop and the other in my soon to be darkroom (a finished but unused room). I've used the one in my shop for maybe a few days of work and the one in my future darkroom has only been turned on a couple of times for testing.

Both units from the start have shown the gauge mostly in the red. I removed the filters and blew them out with my compressor. I know the manual says not to clean the inner filter but as a test I did so and reinstalled both. The gauge moved almost into the green.

My question is: Were the filters bad from the start or is the gauge not a reliable indicator of the filter condition?

[Randy Denby]

Rick, this would be a tough question to answer . Without knowing what the gauge read with new filters, and your not having a way to read the static pressure drop across the filters, it would only be a guess. my guess is the gauge is probably not very accurate, but is an indicator that you can use to see when its time to replace or re-clean the filters. So....put some tape or a mark for where the indicator needle is now and watch for it to get back to where it was prior to cleaning. This will give you a way to compare .
When you do purchase new filters, make sure to calbrate the indicator needle to at least the middle of the green zone.
BTW, you will not hurt the motor or unit by running it while in the red zone, as the motor will actually be working less.
Also, I guess I should have asked this first..does the unit seem to be putting out a fair bit of airflow?

[Rick Levine]

I just checked the air flow and both units seem more than sufficient, much stronger than my wall air conditioner.

[Ron Williams]

I have that filter the indicator has never worked properly

[Rick Levine]

I think I'll be calling Delta tech support tomorrow.

[David G Baker]

Rick,
Do people still have darkrooms? I spent around 20 years in and out of darkrooms and have developed an ammonia thiosulfate allergy.
Thank goodness for digital photography.
I used a wall mounted box with three 16"x20" filters stacked on my air input and a light tight exhaust fan that would shut off just prior to the door being opened.

[Rick Levine]

Yes, David, some people do still have darkrooms. Someone has to keep the technology alive. If I recall correctly, ammonia thiosulfate is used in Rapid Fix. I don't use the stuff. I mix my fix from scratch using the F6 formula. It is odorless and not irritating like other fixers. I have you beat as far as time in the darkroom, it is close to 40 years for me. That's not exactly true. I haven't been working with my darkroom equipment for the last 6 or so years. It has been in storage waiting for my retirement from computer work. Next year though!

Oh! oh!, am I hijacking my own thread?:confused:

[Rick Levine]

I contacted Delta support and apparently this is not an uncommon problem. They suggested I calibrate the gauge by removing the screws on the cover and setting the arrow in the green when the inner filter is new. I hope I don't have to do this each time I change the filter!

[Jeff Raymond]

I've got the same one, but different color and it is called a Pioneer.

Does the same thing.

Don't worry about the gauges. Heck, do you look at the speedometer when driving?

Go build some stuff and have fun.

[Rick Levine]

Jeff,

Agreed.

(Also a Viet Nam vet with no apologies)