Thanks. I figure to use one the same way, when to put on the respirator and when I can take it off. I see there is a flash deal for $30 for the next 2 days.
If I'm allowed to post it... https://www.banggood.com/PM1_0-PM2_5...ytogether-auto
[OP]
Member
Thanks. I figure to use one the same way, when to put on the respirator and when I can take it off. I see there is a flash deal for $30 for the next 2 days.
If I'm allowed to post it... https://www.banggood.com/PM1_0-PM2_5...ytogether-auto
Contributor
Regardless of what you get, set it up in the shop, inside the house, and outside the house first, just for a few minutes. That gives you a baseline or a target for your ambient shop air quality. Put your respirator on until your meter gets back down to the baseline number.
From spring through fall, the air quality in my garage shop is actually worse with the overhead door open than when it is closed.
I use a Dylos Pro and like Glenn said, it takes all the guesswork out of when to wear your respirator.
Last edited by Marc Fenneuff; 01-23-2021 at 4:17 PM.
Contributor
Banggood also has a version of the inexpensive one that can be connected to a computer for data logging that is only about $10 more, if anyone is interested in that.
Member
The one that talks to your PC is easy to connect with. I've got mine talking to a Raspberry Pi through node-red and will eventually set it up to automatically turn my air cleaners on and off.
Member
Nice! What kind of protocol? Is it just a free running serial stream? How did you sort out the data format? Was there any documentation?Originally Posted by Bert McMahan
Beranek's Law:
It has been remarked that if one selects his own components, builds his own enclosure, and is convinced he has made a wise choice of design, then his own loudspeaker sounds better to him than does anyone else's loudspeaker. In this case, the frequency response of the loudspeaker seems to play only a minor part in forming a person's opinion.
L.L. Beranek, Acoustics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1954), p.208.
Member
Unfortunately there was no documentation, but the comments on the Banggood site were helpful enough. I did NOT install the software suggested by Banggood since it seemed a little sketchy, though it's probably fine. It uses the CH340 serial chip. Windows drivers are available for that (I think you can install via Device Manager right click menu), or on Raspian you can run sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade and it'll install (I think those are the commands). It runs at 115200 baud, 8 bytes, 1 stop bit, no flow control. Normal settings.
The protocol leaves something to be desired. It uses JSON strings to communicate and there are no termination characters (ugh). When sending data you just send the string, no carriage return or newline needed. The commands I used were:
{"fun":"05","flag":"1"} (Starts serial streaming, defaults to once a second. Sends first sample immediately.)
{"fun":"05","flag":"0"} (Stops serial streaming)
{"fun":"01","sendtime":"020"} (Sets streaming interval to 20 seconds, change the 20 to whatever)
{"fun":"03","clock":"20-09-14 18:53:56"} (Sets the time on the device. Mine was close but not the right time zone, so I adjusted. I don't use the time reported anyway, but it was nice to set it on the display correctly.)
I didn't see a command to read one value on demand, so to avoid some annoying string parsing I just set the streaming interval to 20 seconds, then sent "start", read data with a 200ms timeout, then sent "stop". Basically only gave it enough time to send one sample. I set this to run on a trigger once every 5 minutes. You could adjust as you see fit. Right now I'm just monitoring the air in my house. When I get this implemented in my shop with automatic fans, I plan on using the Rpi to do my dust collector remote control as well, so I'll start the fans when the DC turns on, then monitor once every few minutes until the dust level settles down, then shut back off.
The data format coming back is also a JSON string formatted like this:
{"res":"4","y":"2019","m":"05","d":"17","h":"18"," min":"32"," sec":"41","cpm2.5":"0047","cpm1.0":"0028","cpm10": "0058","apm2.5":"0063","apm1.0" :"0034","apm10":"0067","aqi":"062","t":"24.1","r": "64"}
node-red has a JSON parser that can read that data stream automatically.
If you need some help setting up node-red let me know. I just now started with node-red, although I've used serial comms for years. It's not hard to set up but can definitely be confusing for a newbie. It took me a couple hours to figure out.
Last edited by Bert McMahan; 01-25-2021 at 2:20 PM. Reason: should be apt-get update, not apt update
Member
Thanks Bert! I was wondering how hackable it was. The JSON format would make datalogging straightforward.
I've been using the bare sensor that's in that unit for a while. It also has a serial output but it's a fixed frame format and needs some unpacking. I don't use a display, just a WiFi interface and send the data to a database.
Adding a WiFi interface on that USB port instead of a PC would be a simple way to have both a display and a remote datalog. And, that unit doesn't cost much more than the sensor alone.
Beranek's Law:
It has been remarked that if one selects his own components, builds his own enclosure, and is convinced he has made a wise choice of design, then his own loudspeaker sounds better to him than does anyone else's loudspeaker. In this case, the frequency response of the loudspeaker seems to play only a minor part in forming a person's opinion.
L.L. Beranek, Acoustics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1954), p.208.
Member
I don't have much to add information wise, but I also have the 1100 pro, and I am very happy with it.
It was quite surprising just how much ambient can change by day to day, and it showed me just how bad things can get when I am sanding or cleaning up and stirring things up.
Right now I have the large and small WEN air cleaners, and I have been thinking about replacing the small one with another large unit just to be able to clear out the particles that much faster.
Right now, I try to always turn them both on to high while I am doing any sort of work down there in the garage, and then when I am done, I set the timer for 1 hour. There have been many times that I'll look up at the monitor when I'm done with my work, and I'll wait in the garage for an additional 15-20 minutes to wait for the numbers to drop enough to feel comfortable taking off my respirator and go upstairs, and that is even with both air cleaners running full blast while I'm down there.
Member
How high do the numbers have to be to cause you concern? What's the threshold for putting on a respirator?
Beranek's Law:
It has been remarked that if one selects his own components, builds his own enclosure, and is convinced he has made a wise choice of design, then his own loudspeaker sounds better to him than does anyone else's loudspeaker. In this case, the frequency response of the loudspeaker seems to play only a minor part in forming a person's opinion.
L.L. Beranek, Acoustics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1954), p.208.
Member
I generally use 1k as my threshold, for the pro model the 'fair' range is from 300-1050 for the .5 micron reading.
What is interesting, is that sometimes ambient air quality is already over 1k sometimes!
Member
These things can be triggered by cooking (water vapor or organic, fat etc into the air,) or even by running a humidifier; the effect can be impressive. But these are not the dusts you’re looking for. :^)
In the wood shop, I start to get concerned if the half micron count goes over 100 on the Dylos, it’s usually lower.
Last edited by Doug Dawson; 01-25-2021 at 3:20 PM.
Member
That's a very low number. Why so low?
Beranek's Law:
It has been remarked that if one selects his own components, builds his own enclosure, and is convinced he has made a wise choice of design, then his own loudspeaker sounds better to him than does anyone else's loudspeaker. In this case, the frequency response of the loudspeaker seems to play only a minor part in forming a person's opinion.
L.L. Beranek, Acoustics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1954), p.208.
Member
Haha!
When I am doing some heavy sanding with the random orbital sander, even with the dust bag and the air cleaners going, the readings can get over 30k. The dust haze is definitely visible at that point though, so I don't really need the Dylos to tell me things are bad! I do have the Dylos counter less than 3 ft above my table, so it tracks changes very quickly.
It is impressive to get the readings below 100 consistently. I also have a fairly large garage, so the air cleaners can't change out the entire volume very quickly, though I do have the input of the cleaners directly over the table to hopefully draw the dust directly up as much as possible.
I've actually been thinking about bringing the Dylos unit upstairs and take readings in the different rooms - we have three decent sized HEPA air filters, and I want to see how effective they are, and if we should be running them on higher settings. I had done some quick readings when I first received it, and just turning on the ceiling fan more than doubled the particulate matter in the air. I set the unit in the outflow of one of the HEPA filters, and I think it was reading around 5 once it stabilized (which is still impressive to me, since the increased flow from the filter would artificially increase the numbers). I'm also interested in putting the Dylos at the HVAC vent to see how well the filter is working and the cleanliness of the ductwork after decades of use. Maybe I should just buy a second unit at this rate!
Member
Because I can do it.
I also do auto repair/restoration, transmission service etc in the same shop, and I hate having schmootz all over my tools and parts.
Member
I have Festool sanders running with a Festool dust extractor, the Jet overhead filter running nearby, and also a Powermatic electrostatic filter. It’s definitely doable.
I also have the Festool floor sweep etc.
The hand saws are the worst offenders.
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