How long does a pleated paper filter cartridge last?

[rsser]

Mine has performed well 'til last year after several years of heavy duty.

Now I'm seeing wood dust around the workshop and in the shed in which the dusty lives at a surprising rate of build up.

Been pushing the batten cleaner regularly. Bags never over 1/4 full. Pipes are clear. Turning much more Radiata pine than usual though.

Puzzled.

[BobL]

Mine has performed well 'til last year after several years of heavy duty.

An interesting question indeed!
I have measured the efficiency of 10 PFs and of these 2 were what I would say are not performing to specification.
One was measured recently and is brand new - more about this in a post I am still working on - and one was about 5 years old.
The 5 year old one had several leaks around the seal and a new seal fixed it.

If you have leaks it should be possible to spot them as the form darker splodges at the leak point. Maybe take some close up photos of the seal and the look closely at the inside of the filter where the PF vanes are in contact with the filter medium.

Now I'm seeing wood dust around the workshop and in the shed in which the dusty lives at a surprising rate of build up.
Been pushing the batten cleaner regularly. Bags never over 1/4 full. Pipes are clear. Turning much more Radiata pine than usual though.
Puzzled.

Does your DC set up a lovely swirling action in the lower bag ? - you will tend to see this more with not much in the bag.

If so this action helps improved flow but actually generates (let me use a non-quantitative descriptor) HUGE amounts of fine particles.
I suspect that this combined with a leak will be more than enough to explain the fine dust around your shed.

Short of putting the DC outside or in a cupboard that vents outside, I can't think of anything to prevent, and would not want to, the swirling action.

Do you move your DC to your machines?

Care to take some close ups of your seal?

[RedShirtGuy]

Care to take some close ups of your seal?

closeupSeal.jpg

Sorry. Had to be done


Please continue...

[rsser]

Thanks Bob.

I hadn't thought about the cartridge seal and looking around it can see some dust tracks (at the seal/metal junction).

Will whack some duct tape around it.

Yeah, there's plenty of swirl!

PS, the dusty is stationary.