# Donaldson Truck Filter (as dust collector) Update



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Five years ago I posted this blog about changing my large dust collector at my home shop from bag to Donaldson truck filters. I have been more than pleased with the price and performance but I have been noticing reduced suction for the last while. 
Today I removed them and cleaned a massive amount of dust and I'm sure they would have worked nearly as new
........ but ….... I was a little rough on them and managed to deform them enough to warrant buying new ones.
All fixed now and I'm still a big fan.

*Here's the update*
When I wrote the original blog I wasn't able to find the part numbers of the filters I used. I now know them to be Donaldson P181016. My setup uses two and they are now $65 CAD. and available in stock locally. 
I will update the blog.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Your always a very creative thinker Paul ,well done.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Paul,

Had a similar experience using my thien chip collector and wondering where the vacuum had gone? tore apart the DC and found a thick coating on the inside of the exhaust bag while there was still very little in the plastic bag. Once clean suction returned.

Keep us posted.


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## Druid (Sep 30, 2010)

Hi Paul. I've been thinking of adding a vacuum gauge on my dust collector input so that I can get an idea of its performance level. Have you tried any sort of indicator on yours?


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Thanks for the update Paul. I re-read your whole blog series again. Superb.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

One of these days I'm going to discover what Donaldson part number is an exact match for the Wynn filters. The ones you're using seem like they have a significantly smaller diameter.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

*jonah*, on the off chance that you are looking for a substitute for the Wynn 35A (HF 2Hp dust collector), the Donaldson numbers are P181038 or EAF5038. I use a P181099 on my HF dust collector in my Az shop. It's a little smaller but half the price and allows many times the air flow that the old bag did.
There is a good discussion here http://lumberjocks.com/topics/181042

*John*, no I have never bothered to measure. I just notice when the suction drops off and do a cleaning. On this DC this was the first time in five years and I have no doubt that had I not deformed them by excessive bashing about the cleaning would have done the trick …...


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Paul,
While I use a Wynn filter after my Thein top-hat separator on HF-DC, I have been able to clean the inner dust layer off the filter by occasionally beating/tapping on the filter and MOSTLY using compressed air. I am careful to keep a safe distance from the filter media as to protect it from perforation by the air. What I find is that tapping after using the compressed air actually works rather well at knocking that dust layer free and into the collection bag below.

Looking at yours, I'm not sure I see any collection bag/container below your filters. Is that correct? Or am I looking at some kind of bucket container below the filters, for the dust to fall into?


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

*Mike*, that's how I clean the one I use in Az. 
These are up too high to reach easily that way so I took them down and tried something different. Air was likely a better idea.
I'm thinking something like a concrete vibrator would get the job done really well. .... just trying to think of something easier. 
This setup has ice cream buckets under the filters. If I ever see anything in them it means the chip container needs emptying.


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## eflanders (May 2, 2013)

Paul, Thanks for the part numbers. I just posted a tip on the H.F. dust collectors that I kind of stumbled across. I did a Wynn cartridge upgrade on my Delta d.c. unit awhile back and really love the added performance but cringed at the Wynn filter cost. Thanks for the Donaldson tip and part numbers!


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## Jason44 (Apr 25, 2018)

Hi Paul, This is a great design, which I'd like to emulate. One question: how did you connect the filter to the plenum box to make it air tight? Thanks.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

As I remember it is a close fit to start with sealed with duct tape. It's still working great although I have replaced the filter canisters once.


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