# Cartridge Pool Filters for Dust Collector?



## idunno (Mar 30, 2011)

Hi All,

I've been absent for a while, getting a chance to think more about my workshop again. I'm planning out improvements to dust collection, on a very limited budget. I've got a hand-me-down 1hp Ridgid DC-2000 dust collector, that I'd like to improve with a separator and some sort of filter instead of the bag it came with.

I'd love to get a Wynn filter, but the prices make me hesitant. I've been looking at pleated cartridge pool filters. They seem to have very similar construction and surface area to the Wynn filters, though of course with no data regarding air filtration. Has anyone ever heard of using these filters on a dust collector? Any reason you can think of why it won't work?

Part of why I ask about pool filters is they can be found at lower cost, and also financed at 0% through HD or others… I'm trying to limit direct cash outlay to just an Oneida Super Dust Deputy. I'm concerned about the pressure loss of a Thien separator, and don't really have time to mess around with building and refining my own cyclone.

Thanks in advance for your input!


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I would guess you won't get the high volume airflow through a pool filter. Water moves alot slower. I agree the bag filters are junk. The SDD will do a great job taking out the dust and chips.


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## EugdOT (Nov 17, 2016)

I'll be honest you can't put a price on health. Look what's going on today. I spent thousands on getting my wife PPE so she could safely work each day in the hospital because her hospital was either out or rationing supplies and didn't want her to get I'll because she was forced to reuse PPE. What's a hundred or two for something that's can only insure your health. Fine dust is not healthy


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

They might work, but who knows how well - and what would you have to do to modify it to work on your DC? At least a top hat, some kind of air-tight mounting arrangement and some expanded metal outer protection if you really want to do it right. Have you looked on your local CL or checked around the used market? I recently picked up a 1.5hp Jet with the 2 micron canister in almost new condition for $75. That was an unusually low price, I admit, but they do show up quite frequently in the sub $200 range. Less than buying the canister new, and you get extra parts along with it ;-)

Cheers,
Brad


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

Look at Donaldson diesel air filters. Checkout LJ Shipwright forum topic a couple of years ago for more info. Much cheaper than Wynn filters and are designed for air filtration.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Putting a dust deputy on a 1 hp Dust collector may not be a good idea. The dust collector has marginal ability and the dust deputy decreases performance. An upgraded filter is a good idea but have no idea if a water filter works with air.


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## idunno (Mar 30, 2011)

Hey everyone, thanks for the responses. My day got busy so I haven't had a chance to check back in. Yeah I guess the pool filters are a flight of fancy, was just curious about them as an easily financed option. I'll look more at the Donaldson option, and I'm seeing some other sources out there for air cartridge filters, like AirMax, and Air Cleaning Specialists. More research!

As far as picking up a used DC with filter for under $200, that seems like a pipe dream around here (near Boston, MA),but I'll keep looking.

I agree with concerns for loss of flow with the SDD… But I'm not going to hurl debris at an expensive filter without having a reliable separator in front of it. I've read accounts of folks having success with the SDD and a 1hp collector. I have no illusions that it'll be highly effective at grabbing all the fine particles, but I think it can at least do a reasonable job at chip collection. My plan is to get things set up with the DC I've got, a separator, and a filter, and see how things go. If I'm not satisfied with the performance, I'll then look at upgrading the DC. All that said, is there a separator you'd recommend over the SDD for a low powered DC?


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

FWIW:

The Donaldson P181016 recommened by Shipright is $73 on Amazon right now:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007A5XDCK

Personally I wanted the larger Donaldson P181038 Filter for my 1.5HP dust collector upgrade. It is $137 on Amazon right now. When I bought mine, it was on sale for $103. Which is common price from Diesel Truck parts wholesalers, where the part is used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KNINQH8/

Best Luck.


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## cebfish (Jan 15, 2011)

If you can find a place that does maintenance on heavy equipment they throw away old filters. That is where I got mine for free. Of course it took a little bit of work to clean the coal dust out of it before I could use it on my DC


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## idunno (Mar 30, 2011)

Thanks Captain! Great resources, and the link to your mods will come in handy. There's so much out there about dust collection, it's hard to find it all. I'm handy with electrical and electronics, but for some reason hadn't thought about the DIY route for the remote, might have to pursue that.

I've been reading a bit about vortex cones, but am skeptical… I'm sure they improve separation, but are they reliable enough to protect the filter? And does it reduce filter dust loading? That could save me the cost of the SDD, in terms of finances, air flow, and space (my shop is tiny). I just think about using my shop vac before and after adding the mini dust deputy… Shudder to think of constantly cleaning a giant filter on the DC.


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## squazo (Nov 23, 2013)

Are they the string type filter? I know some companies that run air at 200 psi but only at around 6 CFM through them, it works for that but is drastically different pressures and volumes


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

Here's something to keep in mind concerning putting a separator in front of a lower power DC. While a separator will reduce flow on any DC and make an undersized DC more so. You need to consider what happens after it's been used a while. Without a separator, the filter will clog much more quickly. So, sure with a new filter you'll get more airflow without a separator. But it is quite likely that with a little use, the system with the separator will have better airflow because the filter won't be clogged.

Pretty much any filter system that will trap fine particles must have stages of filtration. Whether that is a separator, or just several stages of filtration graduating from coarser to finer filters.

I have found my small Dust Deputy to work extremely well. I only have a shop-vac setup and with that, a bag in the vac and a HEPA filter in the vac, it works very well for a shop-vac setup. The DD gets 99+% of the stuff. The bag gets some. But the DD gets some much of the material, that what the bag gets is teaspoons of dust compared to 10's of gallons of chips and dust in the DD.

The HEPA gets that last bit of very fine particles.

I'm under no illusion that that system is strong enough to capture all the fine dust from my table saw. But I'm confident that it filters out what does get collected.

Bottom line, I think a cyclone separator and high quality filter are the way to go in any size system.


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## idunno (Mar 30, 2011)

I've been looking into the Donaldson Torit filters, and keep coming across a third party manufacturer, Clark Filter. Anybody heard anything about them before? Lots of places on the web selling them, even a few on Amazon. I'm looking at a great price on one meant to replace the Donaldson P190817, currently $114 shipped on Amazon. It's a filter designed for dust collectors, MERV 15 nanofiber, 254sf of filter area. Spec sheet here: https://www.clarkfiltersdirect.com/media/pdf/Tech%20Data%20Sheet%20NF20000.pdf

Thoughts? I'm close to pulling the trigger just to be done with that part of the decision making.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Clark filters are truly well made filters. They make/made for filters that were used on the PSI cyclones when they were sold (Penn State Industries) and are still available from them. I bought one from PSI to replace the OEM on an Oneida Cylone I used to have, and found it much more robust in construction, same filtration, and a hell of a lot cheaper than an OEM. The one I bought is a little larger than the one you have in mind (PSI sells that one as well, but it's more expensive from them). They are made in PA, and very good filters.


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