Fume extractor advice for a 12 person LAB

[TheJulkka]

HEY!

i have been a lurker for a while on this forum and have gotten good suggestion form here, so at my workplace we are looking for fume extractors that we can just buy and install for our desks easily so no diy projects sadly

i figured that those flexable hose versions are the kind most useful for our type of work where we might have to move the hose around quite a bit.

do any of yall have experience with those bofa v250, jbc fume extractors, weller fume extractors are any of these types a worth buying?

sorry im new to this forum thing if i do something wrong.

[Jeroen3]

We have a weller box with 2 hoses. It is reasonable silent when you don't put it full blast.

You benches must support it though, they mount at the rear end of the table and when tables are against the wall they must come forward a bit.
You cannot mount it at the front or the sides, you won't be able to get the duct close to your work area, except hanging above it, and that works poorly.

It would have been nice if the remote switch was a potentiometer so you didn't have to get under the table to change the speed. (some people think full blast is "the only way")

[thm_w]

Looks like the bofa has a remote air control adjustment box, though its $1,100 for that unit. https://www.descoindustries.com/PDF/10350595-1209.pdf You haven't given a budget.
What existing irons do you have and do you care if they automatically control the extractor?

One option for a simple "dumb" control is you can get a load switch power bar for ~$20 that will switch on the extractor when the iron is on and using power. So you can have one main device (light a light, or soldering iron) and when you switch that on everything else comes on.

Whatever you do makes sure you check the cost of the replacement filters and how often they might be needed.

[TheJulkka]

yeah boss didn't say anything about a budget and sadly i have tried to get said information form him but he just said something good at a reasonable price for a company of our size.

personally i think the best way to do it is have one fume extractor like bofa or weller with two hoses for two people so we can limit the cost of the system per person.

bofa's systems look really good for the price or even jbc, do some of yall have experience with fume extractors that cost a couple of grand like jbc or bofa?

sorry about a late reply.

[AndyC_772]

I have a Bofa system, it's a flexible, semi-rigid type hose that clamps to the edge of my desk, which in turn connects to the filter / pump unit on the floor.

It works well enough. Most importantly, it doesn't get in the way when I'm soldering, so I do actually use it. Of course, it does actually filter the fumes out of the air, rather than just direct them away from the operator where they'd end up getting breathed in at a lower dose over a longer period of time.

The plastic of the hose has become rather brittle over time and I've had to reattach both ends. It's currently attached to the desk with help from some duct tape, ironically being used for exactly the purpose it was originally intended - and it works well enough that I don't feel any immediate need to replace the hose.

[jonpaul]

Electronic fumes of solder, flux, solder pot?

Chaemical, biological lab?

Amount of airfow?

Location?

We use small fans like Rotron or Hakko solder fume filters

j

[Berni]

We have a central weller fume extractor and filter unit that sits under a desk, then has PVC piping going under the desks to distribute the suction. Works well.

The way the extraction is brought up is that the desks had a large hole drilled in them that hole then leads into a thick flexible hose that is stiff enough to stand on its own.

[DenzilPenberthy]

I use the Bofa 250 in my lab at work. It works well.

I'd say that the two hoses really feed one solder station, rather than two. I tend to position one hose over my work and the other hose over the soldering iron holder.

One hose by itself won't capture smoke from both unless your iron holder is right next to your work which is often not convenient.

Filters are super easy to change. We augmented ours with an inline footswitch for the power cord so it is easy to turn on and off without having to crawl under the bench to the power switch on the unit itself. This one I think:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/foot-switches/1253709