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sauroman1
Emrys

Registered: 03/22/14
Posts: 203
Loc: Shangrila
Last seen: 1 month, 8 days
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Permanent or reusable HEPA filters – are there any good? HEPA-type is NOT real HEPA!
#26910028 - 08/31/20 03:32 PM (3 years, 4 months ago) |
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I have serious problems at home with mold contamination especially trichoderma probably because I did release them from contaminated cakes and over dated food. I even had to stop growing cubensis due to constant failures and switch to azures. I used a BAP412 purifier to clean air, made a completely enclosed box to keep roughly still air, sterilized all surfaces of course but that did not help. Later I built from the same purifier flow hood to inoculate agar plates and got a zoo of all sorts of molds. It was a second hand BAPF30 (99.95 % at 1.0 micron) filter which I attempted to clean what apparently doesn‘t work and is even damaging to non reusable filters. After doing research I found out that permanent HEPA type filters do exist which can be vacuum cleaned for further use what is great considering that replacement filters can be costly. So I was thinking of ordering a Bionaire BAPF40 filter until I noticed that their efficiency is only 98% at (2.0 microns). They also lack carbon filters unlike temporary versions. True HEPA filters must be proven to trap at least 99.97 percent of particles .3 microns in size. HEPA-type seems to be just a marketing trick, good thing I noticed this in time. It‘s pretty annoying how manufacturers cheat for fame and profit, for example I recently saw how marketing names such as MiniLED for newer type LCD displays are used to mimic superior inorganic MiniLED/MicroLED technology.
http://www.air-purifier-power.com/hepatypefilter.html
So this filter is useless for mushroom cultivation or can at least significantly reduce contamination in flow hood? RR mentioned that virii 0.12 size spores can still get through even the better quality HEPA filters. I saw Holmes makes very similar looking filters so I could check if they have genuine permanent HEPA filters.
Another issue with air purifiers is loosely sealed design,degrading performance by letting air bypass the filter. BAP412 air purifier filter has spongy rubber which sits loosely on the air purifier frame, created vacuum is the only thing pressing it. If that is not enough force I could somehow increase pressure or maybe even seal it with duct tape.
-------------------- "You come from realms of unimaginable power and light, and you will return to those realms.” ― Terence McKenna
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sauroman1
Emrys

Registered: 03/22/14
Posts: 203
Loc: Shangrila
Last seen: 1 month, 8 days
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Re: Permanent or reusable HEPA filters – are there any good? HEPA-type is NOT real HEPA! [Re: sauroman1]
#26920502 - 09/06/20 05:50 AM (3 years, 4 months ago) |
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So can someone advice something? I asked lab equipment sellers about reusable HEPA filters and one of them told such don't exist.
Bionaire advertises new BAPF50 filter which is both True HEPA and permanent but only Bionaire has them and they are out of stock. Bigger particles can surely be carefully removed using vacuum cleaner but those deeply penetrated smaller particles could be stuck and make it harder to push air or even displace fibers. Although HEPA woven fiberglass filters in theory could be cleaned using high temperature air or even chemical cleaning but this is just my thought. There are also non woven HEPA filters which even less obstruct air flow.
Or perhaps maybe newer cleaning methods that are good as HEPA exist? UV-C, ion, plasma, PCO and other newer cleaning methods can eliminate mold spores?
-------------------- "You come from realms of unimaginable power and light, and you will return to those realms.” ― Terence McKenna
Edited by sauroman1 (09/06/20 05:51 AM)
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RoscoeReturns
Crotchety chode man



Registered: 02/12/18
Posts: 1,738
Loc: State of Confusion
Last seen: 5 hours, 17 minutes
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Re: Permanent or reusable HEPA filters – are there any good? HEPA-type is NOT real HEPA! [Re: sauroman1]
#26920546 - 09/06/20 06:53 AM (3 years, 4 months ago) |
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HEPA filters are not reuseable. They are fragile, and trying to brush off or vacuum dirt out of them would damage the filter. Also as you mention, much of the trapped debri will not be removed. HEPA filters are expensive, but also quite long lived if you get ones actually designed for use in LF hoods or HVAC systems. You can not make a flow hood with an air purifier, filtered air is only part of the equations, and air purifiers don’t produce laminar flow. Buy or DIY an actual flow hood, or use a still air box. Anything else is going give you problems.
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sauroman1
Emrys

Registered: 03/22/14
Posts: 203
Loc: Shangrila
Last seen: 1 month, 8 days
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Re: Permanent or reusable HEPA filters – are there any good? HEPA-type is NOT real HEPA! [Re: RoscoeReturns]
#27006181 - 10/27/20 11:46 AM (3 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yes, HEPA filters suck, they need replacement, power consuming and noisy motor. There are new type photocatalytic and bipolar ioniser which can clean air even better HEPA, through I see mechanical filter are still preferred in LFH.
Why air purifiers wont work? I see DIY flowhoods are esentialy HEPA air purifier just placed in a box. What is use BAP412 air purifier with long duct or box, air shouldn't become laminar this way?
-------------------- "You come from realms of unimaginable power and light, and you will return to those realms.” ― Terence McKenna
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