About a month ago I got this King Canada 3/4 HP dust collector to use as my laser exhaust. http://www.kingcanada.com/Products.htm?CD=19&ID=12000 It is a lot more powerful (and unfortunately also way noisier) than the one that came with my system. I built a little doghouse for it outside and there is about a 6 foot run of 4" flex hose between the laser and the wall vent that the doghouse is attached to. The dust collector is attached to the other side of that vent. It worked really well, no fumes inside at all, but just in the last week it has started overheating after running for about 1/2 an hour. I didn't put any filters on it anywhere, so I am wondering if that is what is causing it to overheat...too much dust in there? I did try giving it a good blast of air with my compressor hose, into the vents on the dust collector but I didn't open up the motor or switch housing as it is hard to get at and I'll basically have to take apart the doghouse to get in there. I should have done a hinged roof...didn't think of that until now! I suppose it could also be not enough ventilation into the doghouse, but it is a cool day today and it wasn't a problem for the first few weeks that I used it, which is why I am wondering about dust. The blast of air didn't work because it just overheated again.
I have read a lot of the exhaust threads in this forum, but I couldn't find much about installing a filter that wasn't a big charcoal filtration system to remove fumes before venting. I live in a rural area with no neighbours, so I am not as concerned about the fumes going outside. (Although I know I shouldn't be venting "badness" out into the environment and I'll probably install a filtration system for that eventually!)
So, does it sound like it is dust in the motor that is causing the overheating? Should I put a filter in? And, if so, any suggestions on where I should put it within the system and what kind of filter? How do I install it?
Thanks!! Hopefully one day I'll be in the position to answer questions, but for now I'm still on the asking end.