Thread: Fletty's new shed WIP ....or is it a retrospective??

Thanks Ray but I've pretty much got it under control with a selection of plumbing fittings, casting resin and a simple MDF mould.

and what looks like a plastic food container

(Photo by Crowie from the sharpening GTG)

Great innovation.

How many other "sight glasses" do you have in the system?

Nah, I can't take credit for the sight glass/plastic food container I'm afraid. That, would you believe, is the standard Clearvue 150/2x100 adaptor!
The one in Crowies pic has 2 X 100mm blast gates. I also have 2 others without gates.
I must admit, whenever I am making dust, I do glance over to see the collected dust rushing through the 'sight glass' on its way to the filter ..... VERY satisfying!
It CAN also be a little embarrassing! When FenceFurniture decided to use my 'big' dust collector to clean the overhead microclene filter, the inside of the sight glass looked like a Simpson Desert dust storm!

fletty

Originally Posted by fletty

Nah, I can't take credit for the sight glass/plastic food container I'm afraid. That, would you believe, is the standard Clearvue 150/2x100 adaptor

Unfortunately that adapter has "turbulence reducing flow" written all over it.
While still not ideal anyone contemplating this in the future would be better off with a standard 6" Y with a 4" arm, and then add a 6" to 4" level invert to the 6" entrance to the Y

Pipe on line has the 6-4" Y's for $13 and the level inverts for $7.30 so the price saving over the Cleave product is also significant.
see STORMWATER FITTINGS - STORMWATER JUNCTION - Pipe Online - Retic Fittings , Plumbing Fittings, Reticulation Supplies supplied Australia wide

Putting a viewing window into ducting is pretty straight forward.
The machine screws are loctited in place and the seal is cut from a foam rubber mouse mat.
Impellerwindow.jpg

In v2.1 there was a short section of 125 mm pipe and flexible between the impeller and 150mm backbone. As this was 'throttling' the performance at all inlet points, it was worth trying to fix? However, l didn't hold out hope for a dramatic improvement as the duct from the impeller to the filter is still 125 mm and will be much more difficult to upgrade.
NCArcher found me a short length of 150mm electric conduit and it was a perfect fit for 150mm flexible and had a suitable sized bell mouth to let me fit it to the impeller flange.

image.jpg

On on the right is v2.1. On the bottom is the impeller flange, then 125mm flexible then 125 to 150 adaptor to enter the backbone. The circles drawn on the impeller flange are, from the outside, the outer diameter of the new flange, the diameter of the new cutout and the diameter of the ID of the new duct. On the left is the new v2.2. The net result was opening up the local minimum duct diameter from 115mm to 143mm which is a 54% increase in area!
After reassembly, I rechecked the airflow at the entry point furthest from the dust collector. V2.1 originally measured at 420cfm and v2.2 increased it to (only?) 435cfm.......

Fletty

At this point a 3rd printer would in hind sight have been an excellent addition to the workshop.

If you want a detailed answer you'll have to give me a few days to "hit the books" ,
but my initial assessment is that whilst the 115mm is a flow restriction, it's located in a transition zone and therefore has less effect than if it were further along the pipework.

Also, whilst you have upgraded the inlet side of the impeller, the restriction on the outlet side remains the main constraint.

I think I recall that the pipe between the impeller and the bag was 125mm.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

At this point a 3D printer would in hind sight have been an excellent addition to the workshop.

Originally Posted by ian

Also, whilst you have upgraded the inlet side of the impeller, the restriction on the outlet side remains the main constraint.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

I think I recall that the pipe between the impeller and the bag was 125mm.

yup

Thanks Alan and all its been greatly interesting to follow in Retrospective I think if I ever had the chance to do this I'd visit the nearest truck exhaust manufacturer

Originally Posted by fletty

After reassembly, I rechecked the airflow at the entry point furthest from the dust collector. V2.1 originally measured at 420cfm and v2.2 increased it to (only?) 435cfm.......

What diameters and lengths of ducting were in the pathway?

Did you measure the flow using the propellor type anemometer and holding it in front of the opening to the pipe?

Originally Posted by BobL

What diameters and lengths of ducting were in the pathway?

Did you measure the flow using the propellor type anemometer and holding it in front of the opening to the pipe?

Hi Bob, yes both measurements were taken with the propellor anemometer in the centre of the 100mm flexible attached to the furthest pickup point. Yes, there may be systemic errors but the measurements will at least be consistent. However, before I get around to mapping the system, I am still dabbling and this has resulted in today's mystery.
Here is a pic of yesterday's v2.2.....

image.jpeg

.... and this arrangement resulted in a very difficult assembly and the DC being forced too far to the right. The 150mm flex was fully compressed and therefore, I presume, presented a relatively smooth inner face to the airflow.
Today I tried v2.3 as below....

image.jpeg

...where the flexible section was moved to the vertical drop and the horizontal section shortened appropriately. The assembly was MUCH easier and the DC wasn't forced into the wall on the right BUT, according to measurements I took as I rushed out the door to take the grandurchins to the park, the flow was reduced dramatically (v2.1= 420cfm, v2.2= 435cfm, v2.3 = 390cfm)? As I had reused most of the components, the most significant differences are a shorter horizontal run and the flexible now being longer, vertical and not compressed.
So, when l get back from the park...

image.jpeg image.jpeg

.....I'll recheck the measurements, work out how to rotate the pics ....... and finish the SG2G shiraz!

fletty

cool cannon

Originally Posted by fletty

I'll recheck the measurements, work out how to rotate the pics ....... and finish the SG2G shiraz! fletty

God knows what will happen to the pics if the Shiraz gets first priority