Dust collector downstairs

W

Wallybomba

New member
2 story shop, upstairs wood shop, downstairs mechanical space. Dust collector will be downstairs and want to return exhaust air back to upstairs shop. On the suction side, I understand that I should have 5 ft of straight 6" before I can angle up. On the discharge side, can I turn the 90 degree transition up instead of down as is normally seen? I understand that this should be 8" material going to remote filter stack upstairs. If my filter stack is vertical, where do I put the clean out box? Will I have to first run the 8" up and then angle back down to attach the stack, and place the clean out box underneath? Can I run the filter stack horizontal and place the clean out on the end? Suggestions, please. Wallybomba
 
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Sorry about the delay but I've been busy. One way is to install the filter/ clean out stack vertically downstairs in a good size, reasonably sealed box and return the air from the box up through the floor to the shop. The box would need a removable panel to allow cleaning the filters. You would plenty of space around the filters and the plenum going upstairs would need to be 10 X 10 inches or so. I know this sounds unappealing but it is a safe approach. Some on this forum also have reversed the flow thru the filter using a box approach. I hope others on the forum respond to this post. The problem with running the filters upstairs is to prevent the fine dust from falling back down into the blower.
bababrown
 
DC downstairs

DC downstairs

Thanks for your response. Man, what an intriguing idea. Sounds like it would be a double plenum, the down plenum containing the filter stack and clean out box and the up plenum going to a floor register upstairs in the shop. Really like the space savings upstairs. Do you know of any plans or pics in the gallery? I would think the down plenum would need plywood or mdf. Would square hvac ducting be ok for the up plenum? Your idea has a lot of merit and solves several problems for me. What are you thoughts of splitting the return to route outside in good weather? Wallybomba
 
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I was imagining an MDF/plywood box with an inside height the same as the height of the filter pair. The filters would be sealed to the box and the blower would feed the filters thru the top of the box using the 90 degree transition that Clear Vue provides. The box would be wide enough that the plenum could be brought out the top of the box and fed up through the floor. The clean out would go under the box and it must be sealed to the filters and well sealed itself. It is very important to seal everything from the blower thru the filters such that the fine dust must go thru the filters rather than leaking into the closed space. I think the option of venting directly outside is a good idea. Several people on the forum have done this with manual diverters at the output of the blower. I think one does it by changing a hose connection. I vent a little air (about 200 CFM) out the bottom of the stack continuously. I did this originally because the CV1800 overheats my small shop but I found it a good way to continually dispose of the fine dust that otherwise collects at the bottom. I would use a large duct with a gate at the bottom if I had more headroom to blow the dust outside.
bababrown
 
Downstair filter

Downstair filter

That makes good sense. I need to figure out the sealing surfaces for either a vertical stack or two horizontal filter arrangement. Saw an interesting filter box in the gallery. I schematic of that arrangement would be very helpful. I just ordered a 30 gallon drum and once I get its height, want to design a filter/plenum to floor register/clean out box below. I'm thinking of using insulated hvac 10" in place of the plenum and running that to a large floor register. The bottom level is a mechanical space with air compressor, dust collector, and other metal shop tools. I'm thinking of putting on a removable cover plate to open up in good weather and to close when cooling or heating the shop air upstairs. Your opinion is already valued, your thoughts would be appreciated. Wallybomba
 
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10 inch insulated duct should be fine. I'm not sure what you mean by the removable cover. Is the downstairs area closed in? Or do you mean the opened cover would be to the outside? I would not vent fine dust into a closed space.
bababrown
 
I have a two car garage door that can be remotely opened whenever I'm venting on the bottom level. Happened to speak to another senior member like yourself that seemed to think it was ok. He said the very small amount of fine dust in normal usage would be small. I would put a replaceable access plate (hinged maybe) on the filter box I have yet to design. Leave it open in good weather and closed in hot/cold. Once closed, the return air exits the top into the 10' flex and up through the floor register. I know a good hvac guy and plan to ask him about a transition piece from the flex to the register. Do you know of any existing plans for what I'm attempting to do, or perhaps a better idea? Wallybomba
 
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