small room air filter- ??

MinnBobber

Well-Known Member
anybody have a recommendation for a AC air filter to run near my vape station??

Would like a small unit, quiet, reliable, but able to do a large family room.

FYI, my wife has the nose of a fricken bloodhound :)

I once went to another part of the house, touched one bud to test the humidity, and walked back.
When I entered the room she said, "were you smoking?"

any ideas are appreciated
 

ginolicious

Well-Known Member
Honeywell makes some great ones.

I’ve used this one for years. Filters are washable in the sink with dishsoap. The way the room smells when this thing is on is unreal. Three auto shut off timers. Also has three fan settings. It’s the first picture in this review article below. This article shows a few. I use and have the first one shown.

https://mattgadient.com/2010/10/15/review-a-couple-honeywell-air-purifiers/
 

Winegums

I make things from wood
Accessory Maker
The DIY way would be a large mass of activated carbon in a tube and a PC fan to drive air through it. Blow your exhaled vapour into the fan and the carbon should do the rest.
 

OF

Well-Known Member
The DIY way would be a large mass of activated carbon in a tube and a PC fan to drive air through it. Blow your exhaled vapour into the fan and the carbon should do the rest.

Activated carbon is the key. It absorbs smells and must be replaced (not washed out which only traps dust and particulates).

HEPA ratings on the filter part (also a trap, must be changed when 'loaded' is also very important in overall performance. I use this guy:
https://www.amazon.com/Holmes-3-Spe...2284040&sr=8-20&keywords=air+cleaner+purifier

And I also follow WG's advice and have a small box of activated carbon sheets stacked up wired to the grill with a tube extending out. If I want prompt, effective trapping of smells I exhale directly into the tube so the carbon can capture it as quickly as possible. No need to wait for the smell to 'wonder in'. The unit itself is under the desk, behind a bunch of books and other clutter.

No, I don't use the ionizer feature.

OF

Edit: A couple of details for your consideration? "Vapor" as we define it is not really a vapor (individual gas molecules), but an aerosol (fine particles suspended in the air like smoke or fog), typically in the 'few to a few dozen micron range'. Very fine, you need HEPA rated filters to trap them. Dust and pet dander filters won't cut it. You need finer holes in the filter than they offer.

Over time 'lingering smells' can evaporate from the particles to add to the problem of those in your exhaust and directly from the vape. That means an activated carbon surface to trap the molecules directly. This is basically the problem tobacco smokers face. Therefore looking for filter systems designed to attack those smells (like the unit above with the 'correct' filter) are the call. It's the filter(s) that count, not the box and fan that houses them.

Regards to all.

OF
 
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looney2nz

Research Geek, Mad Scientist
@OF

I have an Airpura 600 HEPA with around 25lbs of activated charcoal in it.
every 3-5 years (depending on use) replace everything but the case & motor, and vacuum it 2+x a month.

but it's a bigger roll around model, on casters (is fairly quiet on low speed in a bedroom, turned up on high, it will work on a large family room, a bit noisily).

I gave up on Honeywell or Holmes air cleaners, the price for the replacement items is highway robbery.
 

OF

Well-Known Member
I gave up on Honeywell or Holmes air cleaners, the price for the replacement items is highway robbery.
I won't argue with you there, filter replacement is dear indeed. The 'anti smoke' version is near as expensive as a new unit (with a 'normal' filter). I 'protect' mine with a couple of layers of the activated carbon foam used in larger filters cut to fit. It takes a lot of the particles and smell out and can be changed a few times a year with the main filter needed only annual changing.

I'm now on my third main filter, due for replacement around Christmas time but that means several years of service I'm happy with. FWIW I still have the original filter that I used for a week or two until the anti smoke one arrived. I expect I'll grumble again this year about the filter cost for a bit then decide it's part of the cost of doing business......

The goal here was "small room air filter", which I took to be physically small, not something as large as you're using. Could be wrong there? This one suits my needs, captures smell fairly effectively (especially if I exhale into the tube), takes up little space and that's 'hidden' in an otherwise unused place behind other stuff.

For bigger jobs, or cheaper operation, a bigger unit makes more sense?

OF
 

StickyShisha2

Well-Known Member
I like the large can filters and centrifugal fans that they sell at the grow stores. Certainly not your cheapest option, but the best odor neutralizing that I have ever found.
 
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