RL160 filter change
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I have a 2008 RL160 dust collector that badly needs new filters. I ordered the replacement filters months ago, and today (hopefully) is the day that they get installed.
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Along with the filters, Felder supplied a one page instruction sheet about changing the filters. They make it look pretty simple (though obviously very dusty). Besides the basic 8-step procedure outlined on the instruction sheet, does anyone have any other suggestions WRT accomplishing the filter change and/or anything else I should do at the same time, as long as I am up to my shoulders inside the machine?
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I recall seeing a post from David Best, describing an automatic cleaning system that he fabricated and installed… I really need to do that as well, but it will obviously require some planning. Has anyone else done something similar? My RL160 is located in the same building as my shop, but in a separate room accessible only from outside… this makes it a real pain, especially in the winter to get out there and clean the filters on a regular basis, so a switch activated filter cleaning system (with the switch inside the shop) would be a dream come true.
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Thanks In Advance-
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Gerry Kmack
Pagosa Springs CO
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开云体育Gerry, My RL125 came used so I did a complete cleaning as there was dust on the clean air side. This means opening the top cover as well which is not required to change the filter. The foam seal below the filter was completely compressed and disintegrated so I had to remove it and then clean the goo off to get to the clean metal. I used the following because I had it on hand. I used multiple layers. You could buy a thicker version. Light Duty Blended EPDM Foam Strip, with Adhesive Back, 2" Wide, 3/16" Thick, 50 Feet Long https://www.mcmaster.com/8694K74 Since mine isn’t RL160 I would let others talk about the specifics. It is lots of screws and bit confined but not complicated, just a mechanism to push the filter down to form a seal. Also check the force it takes to compress the foam (it isn’t a lot) so less is better because more can deform the filter itself. Lastly, if you replace the seal, make sure to adjust the viper height to ensure it is tickling the filter pleats. Imran Malik On Sep 21, 2024, at 11:36?AM, Gerry Kmack via groups.io <gerry.kmack@...> wrote:
? I have a 2008 RL160 dust collector that badly needs new filters. I ordered the replacement filters months ago, and today (hopefully) is the day that they get installed.
?
Along with the filters, Felder supplied a one page instruction sheet about changing the filters. They make it look pretty simple (though obviously very dusty). Besides the basic 8-step procedure outlined on the instruction sheet, does anyone have any other suggestions WRT accomplishing the filter change and/or anything else I should do at the same time, as long as I am up to my shoulders inside the machine?
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I recall seeing a post from David Best, describing an automatic cleaning system that he fabricated and installed… I really need to do that as well, but it will obviously require some planning. Has anyone else done something similar? My RL160 is located in the same building as my shop, but in a separate room accessible only from outside… this makes it real a pain, especially in the winter to get out there and clean the filters on a regular basis, so a switch activated filter cleaning system (with the switch inside the shop) would be a dream come true.
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Thanks In Advance-
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Gerry Kmack
Pagosa Springs CO
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开云体育Gary,You’re in for a lot of fun - that is a difficult and tiring job on your vintage of RL-160. ?Lots of disassembly required - 14” long fingers help. One thing you want to do for sure is to rip out and replace the gasket material that seals the filter to the machine chassis. ?You’ll probably discover that it’s rotted and in a disintegrating condition. ?Have a look here to see what I found: ?. ?I posted about one of the filter replacements in this post: ?/g/felderownersgroup/message/87565. ? I’ve done this filter change twice now, and the first time I used HD/Lowes stick-back foam, and that will not stand up. ?So the next time I got a higher grade foam strip material from McMaster to do the job and it’s held up well. ?This is the kind of stuff I used (may or may not be the specific product, but close): ? If you want to implement an autosweep setup, I recommend putting the pneumatic actuator inside the machine just above the debris bin. ?I put mine on the outside - details attached - and it works fine, but it would be a cleaner install to mount it inside the box if you are nimble enough to do that kind of work (I am no longer in that category). ?More details in the attached documents including parts, assembly, etc. ?Video on it’s operation is here: ? I have seen other posts here that have the actuators system inside the box, and some that even have time driven cycle controls using a PLC. ?There is also a long thread on modifications to improve (lower) the noise of the machine when running here: ?/g/felderownersgroup/topic/36265175#msg80377. ?There is stuff in the files section on this topic as well: ? Hope this helps. David Best DBestWorkshop@... https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpbest/collections/ https://www.youtube.com/@David_Best
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Imran & David,
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Thanks for the info!
Imran - several years ago you posted about checking the wiper height to be sure that the clean cycle was actually getting into the folds of the filter… I checked at that time and sure enough my brushes were barely touching. After readjusting, everything was greatly improved - probably extending the life of my filters by a year or more.?
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I should have guessed that there would be a gasket that needed replacement. I am ordering the stuff that David linked to, as it is .5” x ?.75”, which seems like it should be a reasonable fit.
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At this point, I have begun disassembling the RL. I removed the outside plate (at the end where the hose is connected), and removed the brushes. The next step SHOULD be simple: removing the brush frame through the end slot. However, because of the way that my RL is installed, I don’t have enough clearance to get the frame out… I have an idea, but it involves building a temporary ramp leading out of the closet that the RL is installed in, in order to roll the unit partially out, hopefully providing enough clearance. Ugh.
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David - I read your post about the 3 types of RL160s. Mine was made in 2008, so it should be the same as yours, but you stated that there are 2 cover plates, one on each end of the RL? Did I get that right? Is so I’m confused, because mine has a cover plate at one end (the end that the hose goes in), and nothing - no cover plate - at the far end.
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At the moment, a thunderstorm is rolling in, so I had to roll everything back inside & close up until the storm passes, which might be tomorrow…?
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Thanks again,
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Gerry Kmack
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开云体育Hi Gerry, I can’t trust my memory and maybe RL160 is different but I don’t recall having to remove the brush frame on RL125 to replace the filter. Or maybe you are doing this for saddique cylinder. I can check my manual in the morning as it includes RL160. As David said, I also have plates on each opposing side. David’s gasket recommendation is same material as mine, I just used multiple layers of what I had on hand. Imran Malik On Sep 21, 2024, at 3:26?PM, Gerry Kmack via groups.io <gerry.kmack@...> wrote:
? Imran & David,
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Thanks for the info!
Imran - several years ago you posted about checking the wiper height to be sure that the clean cycle was actually getting into the folds of the filter… I checked at that time and sure enough my brushes were barely touching. After readjusting, everything was greatly improved - probably extending the life of my filters by a year or more.?
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I should have guessed that there would be a gasket that needed replacement. I am ordering the stuff that David linked to, as it is .5” x ?.75”, which seems like it should be a reasonable fit.
?
At this point, I have begun disassembling the RL. I removed the outside plate (at the end where the hose is connected), and removed the brushes. The next step SHOULD be simple: removing the brush frame through the end slot. However, because of the way that my RL is installed, I don’t have enough clearance to get the frame out… I have an idea, but it involves building a temporary ramp leading out of the closet that the RL is installed in, in order to roll the unit partially out, hopefully providing enough clearance. Ugh.
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David - I read your post about the 3 types of RL160s. Mine was made in 2008, so it should be the same as yours, but you stated that there are 2 cover plates, one on each end of the RL? Did I get that right? Is so I’m confused, because mine has a cover plate at one end (the end that the hose goes in), and nothing - no cover plate - at the far end.
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At the moment, a thunderstorm is rolling in, so I had to roll everything back inside & close up until the storm passes, which might be tomorrow…?
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Thanks again,
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Gerry Kmack
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开云体育Gary my RL-160 was built in 2004 so there could be some differences with yours. ?The ladder frames that hold the filters do not come out on my machine unless you remove the entire upper unit with the motor and impeller - hence the two access ports. ?You can see both access panels in this photo series: ?David Best DBestWorkshop@... https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpbest/collections/ https://www.youtube.com/@David_Best
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Here’s a status update on my RL160 filter change adventure:
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- My 2008 RL160 is apparently different from all other RL160s that I am aware of. My RL has a single opening, on the narrow side where the air collection hose is attached.
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there any other 2008 RL160 owners out there? I’m curious whether anyone else has seen one configured like mine.
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(This is the backside - no access panel here)
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Filter Removal: Access to the filters is accomplished by removing this single panel, then 1st sliding the brush carriage completely out. Once the brush carriage is out of the way, the filter tray is released (by removing 4 socket head screws and two tensioning brackets). The filter tray then drops down into the space that was previously occupied by the brush carriage. Finally, the filter tray is removed by sliding it out, in the same way as the brush carriage. It’s actually pretty slick, and when the filter tray is out, the entire inside is easily accessible from the underside, making removal (and replacement) of the old gasket material pretty straightforward.
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One critical caveat, though: because the entire filter tray is removed by sliding it out the end of the machine, you must have at least 5 feet of clearance off that side (that’s how long the filter tray is). Because of the way that my RL160 was installed, I did not have that much clearance - not even close, so I spent a couple of days working out a solution to that complication.
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A surprise inside: Once I had removed the filter tray, I got inside. At the top of the newly-revealed cavity, at the far end (away from the the input hose), on the ceiling is an opening where the impeller is located.
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(This picture shows the assembly, after being replaced)
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The opening is covered by a 2 part assembly, consisting of a sheet metal disk with a hole in the center (that’s what you can see in the picture). Sandwiched between this disk and the upper panel is another component which has a sort of funnel in its center - the funnel fits inside the impeller.?
When I first saw this assembly, it did not look like the picture. For starters, several screws were missing. Even worse, the entire assembly was hanging down below the ceiling by ~1/16” - 1/8”. On closer examination, I saw that almost all of the remaining screws were either unscrewed, or barely hanging on.?
When I removed the assembly and got a good look at everything, I realized that the the self-tapping screws that were used to attach the assembly to the ceiling were identical to the ones used to fasten the access panel to the side of the machine. The access panel connection only involves 2 layers of sheet metal. The ceiling assembly involves three layers of sheet metal. The screws used to attach the ceiling assembly were too short.?
I actually couldn’t believe that it was still holding on. I ended up replacing all 14 screws with a slightly longer (+1/8”) and larger self-tapping screw.?
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Summary - Filter change is complete! ?Initial tests show that the dust collector is moving a LOT of air - And no detectable dust is being emitted out of the top of the machine (It was pretty bad before the change).
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Next action - David Best shared details of the pneumatic filter cleaning system that he designed and implemented on his RL160. I really like his design, and plan to implement it, or something very similar to it in the very near future. I like David’s design because it’s clean and simple, and does not involve extraneous electronics. I will post more on that when I get started on it.
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Thanks to all who provided help, feedback etc.
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Gerry Kmack
KmackStudios.com
Pagosa Springs, CO?
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开云体育Gary, thanks for the detailed follow-up. ?I have been wondering how your project was evolving.?Looking at and reading about how your machine is constructed, I would have to agree that it’s like no other RL-160 implementation I have seen. ?Congratulations on owning a unicorn - it will surely enhance the resale value. ?LOL I’m curious what you ended up using for gasket material. ?I’m also curious if you got the filter with the anti-static feature (which I put in last time and seems to have helped a bit with the WB fines not getting so packed into the pleats). With the funnel plenum leaking and loose, it’s amazing you weren’t getting more junk being blown out the top of the machine. ? I look forward to your filter brush automation project details. David Best DBestWorkshop@... https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpbest/collections/ https://www.youtube.com/@David_Best
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David,
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I’ve been awhile getting back to this. I finally have an opportunity to work on my dust collection system again, so here are a few answers to your questions, as well as a few new followup questions.
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You wanted to know about the filters that I bought & what gasket material I used when installing g the new filters:
I did buy the more expensive filters ($$$$), and they do seem to work well. I am getting better air suction from my RL160 now than even when it was new.
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The gasket material that I bought was from McMaster, per your recommendation. The stuff I bought was edpm foam, 3/4” wide x 1/2” thick. In my RL160, which appears to be a bit weird compared to what everyone else has seen, this gasket worked great - but - it was a real pain to install. I probably could have used a slightly thinner material, as it was a really tight fit. The 25’ roll was just about right - I had 2-3 ft leftover when I was done.
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Now I have a few questions about your design docs for the automatic sweeper.
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I have studied the 2 docs that you published, and noticed that there are differences between some of the parts listed on the design doc vs the actual order that you placed.
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1 - Most of the differences are in the connectors specified. I am guessing that you switched from 5/32” hose to 1/8” hose, which resulted in a bunch of the connectors being changed accordingly??
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2 - The first item listed on your purchase order, though, ?(“FTG Flow Control Valve”) has me confused. I’m not sure what these things do (2 are specified), but it appears from your design doc that they serve to connect the 1/8” hose to the cylinder - except these particular parts are listed as 1/4” on both ends?
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3 - Since your docs are 10 years old (!) it’s not a surprise that some of the parts are no longer available, but in those cases (the regulator & toggle valve in particular), they recommend substitutions which look close enough to work.
4 - FYI - After 10 years (again no surprise) the prices on everything has gone up… your invoice shows a total of $148, today’s price: $250.
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Automation Direct has 3D CAD models for most of these parts, so I am building a Fusion 360 design of the sweeper as I plan to build it. I am having to make minor mods to accommodate the way I am mounting the control system in my shop.
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Thanks once again for all of your help & advice.
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Best regards,
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Gerry Kmack
Kmack Studios
Pagosa Springs, CO
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Gerry Kmack
imran
David P. Best