Carbon canister filter question.

I just bought and installed a carbon canister filter.
I live on 10 acres and am growing 8 plants in a 8'x10'x 6'-6" fully
insulated, heated/air con outdoor shed.

About 2 weeks ago you could start to smell the dank from
a couple of hundred ft away depending on the wind. My wife
wasn't too happy.....so in goes the filter. Its on the exhaust fan,
a 4" inlet into a drum type fan that's rated 200 cfm. The filter is
rated to a max of 250 cfm.

Its been literally minutes since the install and I'm just wondering.....
The white pre filter that wraps around the canister and held in place
with 2 bands........is that necessary?
Not sure why I would need it in my enclosed sealed room.
It seems to me its just another restrictive barrier.

Thanks for your answers in advance.

The prefilter keeps dust from clogging up the carbon pores.

Renfro said:

The prefilter keeps dust from clogging up the carbon pores.

Click to expand...

It should be noted that this 'pre-filter' should be washed from time-to-time, because the dust it does collect builds, and can lead to airflow restrictions over time (the dirtier the air, the more often the pre-filter needs washing).

Thanks so much!

spek9 said:

It should be noted that this 'pre-filter' should be washed from time-to-time, because the dust it does collect builds, and can lead to airflow restrictions over time (the dirtier the air, the more often the pre-filter needs washing).

Click to expand...

I like to suck mine clean with the vacuum nozzle between runs.

I doubt that small filter is going to be enough to make much of a difference for that size space.

fragileassassin said:

I doubt that small filter is going to be enough to make much of a difference for that size space.

Click to expand...

A 6" would be better suited but if all the air comes out of his existing small 4" outlet then why wouldn't his small filter make sure the air exiting it have it's stink removed?

I guess I'm thinking more total smell control vs scrubbing an exhaust vent. That was about the time I got home from the dispensary lol

PDRCanada said:

I just bought and installed a carbon canister filter.
I live on 10 acres and am growing 8 plants in a 8'x10'x 6'-6" fully
insulated, heated/air con outdoor shed.

About 2 weeks ago you could start to smell the dank from
a couple of hundred ft away depending on the wind. My wife
wasn't too happy.....so in goes the filter. Its on the exhaust fan,
a 4" inlet into a drum type fan that's rated 200 cfm. The filter is
rated to a max of 250 cfm.

Its been literally minutes since the install and I'm just wondering.....
The white pre filter that wraps around the canister and held in place
with 2 bands........is that necessary?
Not sure why I would need it in my enclosed sealed room.
It seems to me its just another restrictive barrier.

Thanks for your answers in advance.

Click to expand...

I think it prolongs the life of the main filter. I always run one! You are still gonna be able to smell the dank just not as much. I have two tents running carbons and prefilters on both and it still stinks out side.

Thanks for all the replies.
So today there is little wind and if I walk around the shed I can still get a faint odour.
BUT......SO much better, I can live with this.....next can I buy I'll get a 6"

Something I noticed.......the smell is way stronger in the winter.
My acreage is both pasture and heavily treed, and I think the summer
smells......trees, flowers, horse shit etc....mask the dank.
Probably something with the warm moist air hitting the cold dry air as well.

Thanks again.

PDRCanada said:

Thanks for all the replies.
So today there is little wind and if I walk around the shed I can still get a faint odour.
BUT......SO much better, I can live with this.....next can I buy I'll get a 6"

Something I noticed.......the smell is way stronger in the winter.
My acreage is both pasture and heavily treed, and I think the summer
smells......trees, flowers, horse shit etc....mask the dank.
Probably something with the warm moist air hitting the cold dry air as well.

Thanks again.

Click to expand...

I live on an acreage too where the wife raises chickens and it's windy all the time except on real cold winter days. Then the unfiltered air from my grow room will stink up the whole yard and hang around out there. Now that personal grows are legal in Canada I'm not too worried about the smell. You'd have to drive into my yard and get out of your car to smell it. Nearest neighbour is a half mile away.

I used to worry about the gas guy smelling it when he came to read the meter which is around the back of the shop very close to where my exhaust exits under the shop. A few years back they replaced the meter with one that they read from an airplane they fly around the area once a month. Not sure how that works as there are no wires going to the meter but the guy only shows up when we are late on our gas payment now so as long as we pay on time they never show up. Almost 20 years growing here and no problems so far.

Yes, you want the pre filter IMO. The purpose of the pre-filter is to keep dust from clogging all the pores & crevices of the carbon. If those pores get clogged, it won’t be able to filter the smell out of the air as well as it should (which is why I also recommend sucking in through the filter vs pushing air out of it. The pre filter doesn’t really serve its purpose if you push air out of the filter).