Author Topic: Solder Fume Extractors  (Read 20945 times)

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Offline W8LVTopic starter

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Solder Fume Extractors
« on: August 17, 2017, 03:15:23 am »
I see Dave uses a "Pace" Solder Fume Extractor...
And I see, on the market, two basic types of extractors: The Computer Fan with activated carbon, which is cheap... And the "Hose and Box" types, which are HEPA and Carbon Filtered. And they are EXPENSIVE!

Looking hard, I only find Solder Fume Extractors in these ranges.

I'm going to assume that the HEPA/Carbon types are superior: Fine Particles removal (by HEPA) and toxic gas removal (by carbon). A Gas mask, essentially.

What I don't understand is how they should be so expensive. The cheapest "box and a hose" type I see is the "Hackker" job: Over Six Hundred US Dollars upfront, PLUS about One Hundred Dollars just to replace the filter... And that's just too much! I can buy HEPA/Carbon filters for home air units at Wally World for about ten to fifteen dollars for the home room air units at Wally World, and I've got this feeling that fiberglass pleated paper and charcoal just shouldn't cost a hundred dollars.

Certainly, there MUST be a cheaper box and fan type coming from somewhere, and I'm just missing it along the line. Does anybody know of one? 


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Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2017, 03:38:54 am »
The best fume extractor is the register for the return on a heat recovery ventilator or "HRV".


You'll never have to buy any filters, (just wash them every few months) and it will actually remove the fumes from your work area completely, replacing them with fresh outside air, unlike the fans that just move it around and dilute it and don't really extract anything.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2017, 02:11:49 pm by cdev »
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Online thm_w

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2017, 11:01:54 pm »
The best fume extractor is the register for the return on a heat recovery ventilator.

If you don't mind pumping fumes outside, its good yes. There are laws about doing this in certain countries, of course for hobbyist levels it will be fine.

What I don't understand is how they should be so expensive. The cheapest "box and a hose" type I see is the "Hackker" job: Over Six Hundred US Dollars upfront, PLUS about One Hundred Dollars just to replace the filter... And that's just too much! I can buy HEPA/Carbon filters for home air units at Wally World for about ten to fifteen dollars for the home room air units at Wally World, and I've got this feeling that fiberglass pleated paper and charcoal just shouldn't cost a hundred dollars.

Certainly, there MUST be a cheaper box and fan type coming from somewhere, and I'm just missing it along the line. Does anybody know of one? 

Because its a specialist product for an industry. Its also designed to run way more than a typical hobbyist would use it for.
If the walmart filters look similar to you, then use them. They clearly won't be as good but for you it might be fine. May have to adapt some duct work, if you want localized extraction (which is a lot of the cost on the pro units).

I did a school project where one section was measuring soldering fumes if you are curious: https://hackaday.io/project/21912-portable-air-quality-monitor/ (https://cdn.hackaday.io/files/21912937483008/Thomas_Portable_Air_Quality.pdf )
It would be about $100 to purchase your own measuring unit on aliexpress and do your own testing, but then you'd want the expensive unit to compare to.
Metcal box is $500, which is not too crazy.
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Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2017, 01:58:11 am »
Fantech (a Canadian company that is part of Kanalflakt which I think is Swedish or Finnish) makes some nice ones that cost a few hundred dollars. For a single room or a workbench area, their smallest unit would be fine. Dont get the kind with enthalpic cores (ERV) get one with an aluminum core. Its not a pollution device, its a way to have year round ventilation without wasting energy. They pay for themselves in energy savings, actually.

I have a feeling that if anybody buys one for a small area and its in a large home they are likely to like it so much they will wish they got a larger one for the whole house.

I have a return right near my upstairs workbench but unfortunately, this time of year the upstairs is too hot to hang out in without AC even with the HRV running full blast. It can get so hot up there I don't want to leave my electronics up there, even though its probably okay.

So, need to install some extra fans up there - But in another month it will be okay. A plus is though that even in midsummer the house usually stays cool enough (outside of the attic) to allow the AC to be on a LOT less. We run it in the winter too. It warms the incoming air with the outgoing air.


All thats involved in using it for soldering is simply siting your returns right next to your bench. Then fumes are sucked right in and exhausted outside.  No filtering necessary. The HRV does have some washable plastic filters, which don't need to be replaced, just rinsed off every month or two.  Also every once in a while I yank the core, bring it out in the back yard and power-wash it.

The core is a cube of aluminum folded in a sort of lanyard fashion. There are two air paths which carry air in sort of an X pattern so that the two air paths are separate but in such close proximity to one another, through this heat sink area, that they allow maximal heat exchange between one another. So, it will exhaust your solder fumes but thats just a tiny part of what it will give you. Really, I cannot see living in much newer housing without it because plastics, melamine, fiberboard, etc, off-gas a lot of fumes and its unhealthy.
« Last Edit: August 18, 2017, 02:13:00 am by cdev »
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Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2017, 02:29:18 am »
Panasonic makes a very small HRV for bathrooms and small homes, that only costs around $200. Basically its like a bathroom fan with two vents, that also warms or cools incoming air with outgoing air.  But the way its designed it may not be as good for exhausting solder air. Because it doesnt allow you to site your returns wherever you want. It builds them into the unit.

------------

This is the brand that I have.. have had for a long time. I basically found it to be a major help to my regaining my health.

>http://www.hvacquick.com/products/residential/HRVs-and-ERVs/Residential-HRV-ERV/Fantech-Residential-Heat-Recovery-Ventilators 


An HRV is not cheap but it will solve the problem totally, forever.

They have a small one that is cheaper, for apartments.

It will improve your health - by ventilating your entire house. It will pay for itself in energy savings.

Also, you'll never have to buy filters.

--------------------

Another option is simply an exhaust fan, but a strong one will depressurize your home and cause backdrafting of combustion appliances as well as pull allergens in through the dustiest parts of your walls. An HRV has none of those problems.

For whole house use I would urge people to consider a real HRV that can do 150 cfm or more. Make sure its easy to clean because otherwise they accumulate dust on their intakes from outdoors.

You can install filters on the intake for an HRV but there is a limit to how high the MERV value can get before it starts to unbalance the HRV.

There is NO need to filter out particles that are about to be exhausted outside.

-----------

In most cases, he activated charcoal is just for show because it wears out almost immediately. They dont use enough of it, also t would have to be kept in an air tight container until use.

Quote from: W8LV on Yesterday at 21:15:23
I see Dave uses a "Pace" Solder Fume Extractor...
And I see, on the market, two basic types of extractors: The Computer Fan with activated carbon, which is cheap... And the "Hose and Box" types, which are HEPA and Carbon Filtered. And they are EXPENSIVE!

Looking hard, I only find Solder Fume Extractors in these ranges.

I'm going to assume that the HEPA/Carbon types are superior: Fine Particles removal (by HEPA) and toxic gas removal (by carbon). A Gas mask, essentially.

What I don't understand is how they should be so expensive. The cheapest "box and a hose" type I see is the "Hackker" job: Over Six Hundred US Dollars upfront, PLUS about One Hundred Dollars just to replace the filter... And that's just too much! I can buy HEPA/Carbon filters for home air units at Wally World for about ten to fifteen dollars for the home room air units at Wally World, and I've got this feeling that fiberglass pleated paper and charcoal just shouldn't cost a hundred dollars.

Certainly, there MUST be a cheaper box and fan type coming from somewhere, and I'm just missing it along the line. Does anybody know of one?


« Last Edit: September 03, 2017, 02:02:58 pm by cdev »
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Offline nidlaX

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2017, 03:02:13 am »
I'm actually on the verge of rolling my own extractor with a larged sealed plastic container, carbon + HEPA filter, and centrifugal bath exhaust fan. See any pitfalls with this idea? The goal is to make el-cheap FA430 clone.
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2017, 04:01:58 am »
It would be very easy to modify a Honeywell HHT270WHD using a bit of sheet metal (incl. making, buying, and/or modifying a duct attachment) and some aluminum HVAC tape. Better yet, add some rivets and perhaps some caulking. If you'd rather find one locally, Home Depot carries them.

I mention this unit, as it's filter is rated for 0.3um particle or larger @ 99.97% clearance (what you need), and should be doable for ~$100 including a segmented intake duct (Loc-Line 80813, 2.5" vacuum hose kit*). This price doesn't include shipping or any consumables you need to make it, but that shouldn't be horrible at all.

There's less expensive hose available, such as dryer hose, the stuff used for dust extraction, or shop vacs. But you'd need some way to support it and connect a funnel or similar for an intake nozzle.

* They also offer this stuff in an ESD compliant version, but you'd have to buy the parts separately and make sure they're grounded.
 
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Offline nidlaX

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2017, 04:29:39 am »
That's a neat idea nanofrog. However, I would be concerned about whether the fan design in these units has enough static pressure to pull air through small restrictions. Also, the airflow through some of these units is quite low even on high.

That said, you probably can't do much better than these tabletop units in terms of space efficiency. I'm very interested in picking one up for experimentation.
 

Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2017, 04:41:37 am »
"activated charcoal" filters are not functional for removing toxic anything after they become overloaded, (fairly soon)-  they would be used up in no time. They are used as prefilters but other materials would likely be better.. i.e. its just for cosmetics.

A HEPA filter functions by filtering the indoor air over and over - of particulates-   

Not toxic gases. If there are toxic gases (as opposed to particulates) neither approach will remove them adequately. OTOH exhaust fans (like in a bathroom) will exhaust the fumes, pulling in makeup air through leaks in the building envelope.. (you should crack a window while using exhaust fans for best results) An HRV is actually two fans, one blowing in and one out, and a heat exchanger. If you site the returns well, and leave the HRV on while soldering, most/all of your fumes will get exhausted immediately whenever you solder. Also fresh air will constantly be brought in.

Sources: Discussions with indoor air experts.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2017, 04:46:42 am by cdev »
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Offline nanofrog

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2017, 06:33:00 am »
That's a neat idea nanofrog. However, I would be concerned about whether the fan design in these units has enough static pressure to pull air through small restrictions. Also, the airflow through some of these units is quite low even on high.

That said, you probably can't do much better than these tabletop units in terms of space efficiency. I'm very interested in picking one up for experimentation.
FWIW, the clearance rate is 55cfm. Ideally, I'd prefer 100cfm but I suspect it's going to be difficult to get it for that price point without completely building something from scratch (i.e. metal or wood box + fan + filters + ducting).

As I'm interested in this myself, I've been looking into it this evening, and found something interesting.

Zavasuction solder fume extractors from www.3dhose.com (warning, site is in Korean and no other language options it seems). They use a 24VDC laptop PSU so only require the correct power cord to get it running.  :-+ Some interesting accessories come with it, and there's even 5050 LED lighting built-in the intake.

Type A (available on eBay here for $132 shipped  :o)



Type B (not sure where to get one yet as I can't read Korean)



Another option would be to get a Quick 6101A1 (sign-up for the email notifications and they'll send you a code for 10% off, so $359.10 shipped). Though I suspect this is out of budget for most (even used ones are running too high, particularly if you need to buy any parts, such as new filters).

As a general rule, don't buy filters with the soldering company's label on them as they're just rebranded. Take measurements and find a suitable supplier. You can get a $100 filter for ~$35 this way last time I checked (it's been awhile).
 

Offline nidlaX

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2017, 11:48:08 am »
Zavasuction solder fume extractors from www.3dhose.com (warning, site is in Korean and no other language options it seems). They use a 24VDC laptop PSU so only require the correct power cord to get it running.  :-+ Some interesting accessories come with it, and there's even 5050 LED lighting built-in the intake.
Neat, although I would still prefer to exhaust the air outside at the end of the day. Time to message them on eBay.
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2017, 03:58:06 pm »
Zavasuction solder fume extractors from www.3dhose.com (warning, site is in Korean and no other language options it seems). They use a 24VDC laptop PSU so only require the correct power cord to get it running.  :-+ Some interesting accessories come with it, and there's even 5050 LED lighting built-in the intake.
Neat, although I would still prefer to exhaust the air outside at the end of the day. Time to message them on eBay.
I've already done so in regard to whether or not the seller can offer the Type B units and how much if it's possible.
 

Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #12 on: September 04, 2017, 03:44:14 pm »
We should all get together to design - ourselves, a heat exchanging, fume exhausting, balanced, fresh air ventilating fume extractor based on the HRV principle. Here. Using widely available parts.

I urge people here to consider this, because over years, various exposures add up. They have a cumulative, negative effect on our health. Fresh air is one of the most important things for your health in the final analysis. 

Exhausting solder smoke at the source and replacing it with an equal amount of fresh air is much better than simply swishing it around vigorously so it can pollute your entire home/workshop/office more evenly.

Also, with energy prices going up, something that helps conserve energy will also save each of us a lot of money.

If you don't want to do that, you should all consider simply buying a decent HEPA air cleaner. (I have a Honeywell brand one that works really well)  The filters cost around $60 and last around six months.

Note that activated charcoal in air cleaners doesnt remove toxic fumes in any meaningful manner because there isnt enough of it. The tiny bit or carbon in prefilters is likely saurated with VOCs from the air in a day or two and stops working. 

When activated charcoal is used to protect people's lives in respirators, there is a specific procedure that must be followed, and the filters are used up and must be replaced after a fairly short period of use. They are combined with HEPA filtration (magenta fllters) when they are used.  HEPA is for particles, not gases. Dust.

Volatile gases that are gaseous at high temperatures will condense out of the air when they cool and may well condense on the HEPA filter if the filter unit is near the source. (rather than inside your lungs.)

So that would be good, assuming its replaced regularly.

Allergies, which develop from constant overexposure, (Which then leads to something best described as Toxicant Induced Loss of Tolerance.) complicate everything.

Avoidance of exposure is the best prevention.  Nutrition matters too. Quite a bit.

Many toxic chemicals are broken down in the body by glutathione so nutritional strategies to improve your glutathione status (also called redox status) make sense, especially as we get older.

Taking n-acetyl cysteine (or "NAC" for short), helps improve the body's redox status.

Some other chemicals like n-nitroso compounds that enter the body from the environment are rendered harmless if they are quenched by ascorbic acid, i.e. vitamin C.

The best defense is keeping yourself healthy and fresh outdoor air is the best thing for that.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2017, 04:04:20 pm by cdev »
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Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #13 on: September 04, 2017, 04:11:26 pm »
I have an 80 mm 115 volt fan that pulls so much air and is so quiet it works really well for pulling away the smoke from soldering at its source. It's made by Mechatronics. It's a model UF80A12
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Online G0HZU

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #14 on: September 04, 2017, 05:29:00 pm »
At work we have various extractors like the PACE model and they are all very big, very heavy, VERY noisy and generally not very efficient unless you do all of your soldering in one small defined location. Unless you do the soldering in this tiny area the unit will fail to suck away the fumes. The intake noise of the hose and the noise from the vacuum motor really are a problem even in a large busy lab and no one likes to hear one of these things start up...

Here at home I made my own extractor many years ago and it vents the fumes outside. It took about 10 minutes to make it and it cost about £5 and it draws in the fumes at least as effectively as the expensive charcoal units but without all the noise. I salvaged a large PC chassis fan and put it in one end of a shoebox sized cardboard box. I cut a hole in the other end and wedged in about 2.5m of air con vent hose (cost £5). The box was hastily sealed using thick black tape for the prototype.

I then place the other end of the hose by my SMD workstation microscope and run the 12V fan at 16V to get some decent airflow. There is very little noise because the business end of the system (the fan) is outside the room because I wedge the box in a small vent window in my workroom. Obviously, I chose a box size that fitted here nicely. Because the extractor hose is wide it doesn't generate  the same intake noise as the PACE units. But it does manage to gather in the solder fumes OK.

When I first made it I expected it to be hopeless but it has remained like this ever since. I never bothered making a more refined version. There is some noise from the fan but it is less than the fan noise from a typical piece of test gear on a workbench (and it is 2m away from my head) and it doesn't have the loud/awful/frantic vacuum cleaner sound of the PACE type extractors. The other bonus with it is that the air con hose is very light and pliable and easy to move to a new location.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2017, 05:49:17 pm by G0HZU »
 

Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #15 on: September 04, 2017, 05:47:34 pm »
See the images in this screen capture of a Google search on heat recovery ventilator.

As you can see its not that complicated. IMHO these devices are overpriced for what they are.


But they are almost essential I think for anybody who solders.

They are just plain essential for new construction, too.

(Given the amount of fake wood products, plastic flooring and carpets, Ikea-like fake-wood furniture, and other fume-emitting junk in both new and remodeled homes today.)

An alternative to this which should work for a good chunk of the year - especially in mild climates, is a double window fan that has a setting to blow in and out at the same time.  Then you can affix a duct to the exhaust side so that the intake can be right behind your work area. Thats a simple solution, cost around $30 that in temperate zones will work well enough in all but the hottest and coldest months.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2017, 05:51:10 pm by cdev »
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Offline nanofrog

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #16 on: September 04, 2017, 07:56:20 pm »
FWIW, I found a source for an square aluminum HRV core on Alibaba (FOB price is $60 & MOQ=1; doesn't give the specs or shipping costs though, so the seller would have to be contacted).

Hexagonal galvanized HRV core (FOB $60, MOQ=1, size is 163mm x 163mm x 60mm; shipping unknown).

Basically just leaves DIY'ing up a box and adding a couple of fans (+ ducting of course). Personally, I'd go with squirrel types, but if you've something suitable on-hand, use it IMHO. Plywood is both easy to work with and inexpensive in terms of an enclosure.

Using what's on-hand is what got me started on the idea of converting a Honeywell HEPA air purifier. Mine's a round type for a large room, so I was going to wrap it in sheet metal & add ducting (filter change is from the bottom, exhaust air exits from the top). Simple enough, but it's really too large I think, even with two intakes as I'm also considering 2x solder areas; one for SMD while under a microscope, and one on the main bench (already have the tables/benches). The HEPA filter only needs vacuumed from time to time, but the carbon pre-filter is a consumable.
 
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Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #17 on: September 04, 2017, 11:28:43 pm »
Really, wow, I never would have thought to look there, but indeed, there it is.

Cool. well, thats the only part that seems hard to me to make..

Actually, the picture shows on the right a few others. The square one makes the most sense to me because - less air restriction.

A Honeywell air cleaner works fine as is.. as an air cleaner

The black prefilter is a prefilter to prevent the HEPA part from getting clogged up with large pieces of dust before its time. You can clean off the black prefilter - say once a month, I do that outside.. then dry it off and put it back..

HEPA works by taking the same air and running it through the filter again and again. To get dust out.

No reason you cant have both going, the HEPA filter for air inside your house and the HRV to exchange it with fresh, taking its exhaust air from where you are soldering..
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Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #18 on: September 04, 2017, 11:37:26 pm »
Plywood isn't good because its prone to getting moldy.. much more so than regular wood..   Composite wood products are even worse..  Plus they have a bad habit, if they get wet of catastrophically "delaminating".

An HRV has to have drainage for both the winter and summer if it gets really cold or really humid there (not so much the spring or fall, although then there are rainstorms and heavy winds which can sometimes drive rain almost horizontally.. )

Under both scenarios moisture can sometimes condense in the HRV core. Not a lot, but enough to make it moldy if it pools somewhere AND there is some kind of food for mold.. even just a thin layer of dust..

It doesnt take much to prevent this.. a small drainage tube that goes outsidein a way it wont/can't freeze up.

(Rarely a problem in Australia, thankfully for Aussies- but humidity outdoors, and air conditioning could cause problems..is it ever really really hot and humid in Australia, I wonder?)
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Offline nanofrog

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #19 on: September 05, 2017, 12:00:01 am »
Really, wow, I never would have thought to look there, but indeed, there it is.
First link that came up when searching the term HRV core:P

Actually, the picture shows on the right a few others. The square one makes the most sense to me because - less air restriction.
I suspect it would also be easier to implement inside an enclosure (just 2 baffles to direct the airflow).

The black prefilter is a prefilter to prevent the HEPA part from getting clogged up with large pieces of dust before its time. You can clean off the black prefilter - say once a month, I do that outside.. then dry it off and put it back..
Yep.

Commercial HEPA fume extraction systems I've seen use a pre-filter for dust, followed by a carbon filter, and finally the HEPA filter all stacked atop one another. The Honeywell just wraps the carbon pre-filter around the HEPA to simplify matters. No big deal to add some thin foam (stuff used in window A/C units), which is easily cleaned with a garden hose. And replace the carbon filter as needed (HEPA too if vacuuming it no longer restores proper airflow).

No reason you cant have both going, the HEPA filter for air inside your house and the HRV to exchange it with fresh, taking its exhaust air from where you are soldering..
This is the plan, so long as I can meet my intended budget to construct an HRV (hoping to keep it to ~$100 given what I have on-hand).

Regarding cores, it's my understanding the hexagonal type are more efficient than square units. That said however, I'm wondering if it will even matter given the hexagonal unit is made of galvanized steel vs. aluminum for the square core.  :-//
 

Offline cdev

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #20 on: September 05, 2017, 12:14:00 am »
Aluminum is better, in this context, I bet.

There are some (commercial) HRVs that run the air through two stages of heat exchangers..

The basic one like the one that I have is around 65% efficient, I think adding a second stage brings it up to around 80%.

You really will like it, I bet. I would get the cube. The more airflow, and the more proximity between the two flows, the better.

I really find it almost essential. Think of it as similar to the human (animal, etc) nose, which serves a similar function. (adjusting the temperature of incoming air)
« Last Edit: September 05, 2017, 12:18:51 am by cdev »
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Offline Brumby

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #21 on: September 05, 2017, 02:03:02 am »
In most of Australia, we aren't particularly concerned with dealing with extremes of temperature - well, mind-numbing cold anyway.  So whacking in an air-con was about as sophisticated as it got.  More recently efficiencies are becoming a subject to consider ... but (IMO) general thinking is still way behind the rest of the world.

Many years ago I pondered on the subject of thermal energy waste and bringing fresh air into a room.  I had some ideas and did some thought experiments ... and considered it as something worth doing.  I came up with a design which included dual fans and a few other features and thought it was worth a try.

Then, in a discussion far removed from my mental tinkering, someone used the term "HRV" which I hadn't heard before.  So I Googled it.

 :palm:

I knew I had a good idea.....
 
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Offline nanofrog

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #22 on: September 05, 2017, 03:07:10 am »
Aluminum is better, in this context, I bet.  ...[snip]...
I suspect your right.

Turns out that after further investigation, the hexagonal units are also using aluminum internally; the galvanized steel just makes up the structural portion the aluminum is fitted inside of. The baffling to direct the airflow isn't any more complicated either, so either type should pose similar challenges in construction. Ideally I'd prefer aluminum for the enclosure as well, but it's out of budget based on pricing I've found thus far. Not sure on say 18 or 16ga. steel and some urethane paint. Tooling and skill wise, I can weld, braze, or rivet steel. With aluminum, I can rivet; not sure about brazing it, and definitely can't weld it.

Moisture is a real issue for me, as I live in a very humid climate most of the year. I also run a window AC unit due to the equipment running (runs ~80F without the window unit in the dead of summer), which can exacerbate the condensation issue if I correctly understand what I've been reading.

Regarding enclosure size, it may differ from a square/rectangular core (very likely I suspect), but that will be sized to fit the core and fans (form follows function).

Then, in a discussion far removed from my mental tinkering, someone used the term "HRV" which I hadn't heard before.  So I Googled it.

 :palm:

I knew I had a good idea.....
Still... a good idea, is a good idea.  ;D And for something you discover is actually COTS, cheaper than cobbling one together on your own.  :-+

Lack of tooling is usually what causes me to slam on the brakes.  :(

As for feeling like you're in the stone age or whatnot, it's not that much different here. HRV/ERV systems are recent introductions. I can't recall when the codes kicked in, but I don't remember them being installed per code in homes built in the '90's (grew up in a family of electricians). As my current home was built in '56, it's not there. Not even after having to replace the entire HVAC system in 2010, as there wasn't the room to add one (budget either). It does have a HEPA system though, and the evaporation core is copper to raise the SEER value.
 

Offline nidlaX

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #23 on: September 08, 2017, 05:49:22 pm »
Zavasuction solder fume extractors from www.3dhose.com (warning, site is in Korean and no other language options it seems). They use a 24VDC laptop PSU so only require the correct power cord to get it running.  :-+ Some interesting accessories come with it, and there's even 5050 LED lighting built-in the intake.
Neat, although I would still prefer to exhaust the air outside at the end of the day. Time to message them on eBay.
I've already done so in regard to whether or not the seller can offer the Type B units and how much if it's possible.
eBay seller has added the Type B unit to the listing.

By the way, shouldn't this thread be under "Other Equipment and Products" for better visibility? I think many people would be interested in our discussion.
 

Offline nanofrog

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Re: Solder Fume Extractors
« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2017, 06:20:22 pm »
Zavasuction solder fume extractors from www.3dhose.com (warning, site is in Korean and no other language options it seems). They use a 24VDC laptop PSU so only require the correct power cord to get it running.  :-+ Some interesting accessories come with it, and there's even 5050 LED lighting built-in the intake.
Neat, although I would still prefer to exhaust the air outside at the end of the day. Time to message them on eBay.
I've already done so in regard to whether or not the seller can offer the Type B units and how much if it's possible.
eBay seller has added the Type B unit to the listing.

By the way, shouldn't this thread be under "Other Equipment and Products" for better visibility? I think many people would be interested in our discussion.
I just finished reading the reply message the seller sent me (BTW, they're 3D printed).  :-+

Type B set is $220 shipped, so not bad at all (I like the idea of getting it off of the bench top and this one looks to do the trick). Replacement filters aren't expensive either at $27.00 for a 3 pack.

Regarding the HRV, I'm thinking clothes dryer vents & ducting will take care of that part. Particularly 4" rigid aluminum flex duct for routing in my case as it will be vented from the top section of a window (and it's not expensive; $10 for an 8' length once stretched).

BTW, anyone found suitable fans?

As per moving this part to a new thread/s & section (Zavasuction in one, DIY HRV in another?  :-//), sounds like a good idea to me.

Mods, any input on this ^?
 


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