Carbon filters and humidity

reddevil6

Active Member
Just wondering how bad does humidity effect the performance of carbon filters, an if it's been in high humidity do they work normal again after they have been dryed out?
 

printer

Well-Known Member
There should be no water retention if they dry out. I can't say anything on high humidity operation but I think as long as they are not damp the odor molecule should get trapped, but just a guess.
 

reddevil6

Active Member
Ok so it's been running in high humidity 60 - 85% for the last month or 2, I finally got a dehumidifer and wonder if the filter is going to be no good after that or once it drys out abit it start working again.
 

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
Ok so it's been running in high humidity 60 - 85% for the last month or 2, I finally got a dehumidifer and wonder if the filter is going to be no good after that or once it drys out abit it start working again.
What is the Maximum Temperature / Humidity I can run my filter at?
Your Can-Filter® can run at very high temperatures but it is not recommended due to potential overheating to any fans connected to the filter. Try not to run your filter for long periods at or above 70% humidity, the water molecules in the air start to get stuck in the carbon pore structure and slowly diminish the life of the filter.
https://canfilters.com/faqs/#question-what-is-the-maximum-temperature-humidity-i-can-run-my-filter-at

You shouldn't have any problems as long as you stay below 70% Relative Humidity. I try to keep my air around 50% start to finish veg & bloom for my particular setup.

When I do preventive foliar sprays every Monday my humidity spikes from 50% to as high as 72% for up to an hour and I've not noticed any ill effects from it. The carbon will dry back out just make sure to always use your pre filters and keep them clean.
 

printer

Well-Known Member
The smell molecule attaches chemically to the carbon. The water molecule can wet the carbon if you get below the dew point but it will evaporate off otherwise. I was unsure on the ability to capture smell though, I thought about it and was not sure if the humidity would get in the way of the molecule bouncing up against it. I don;t think so any more than you get a change in pressure on the filter. Maybe google carbon filter efficiency compared to pressure. Nah, as compared to the pressure drop on the filter with the fan a change in humidity should not do much.
 

piratebug

Well-Known Member
Any type of humidity will lower the effectiveness of a carbon filter, unless you keep the carbon filter heated with embedded heat strips like most industrial carbon filter have included in their design. But for a grow area, if you keep the airflow at 1/2 of the rated volume flowing through the carbon filter, even at 75% humidity without heating strips, the carbon filter will get most of the smells! But if you are in a place that you are worried about the smells, I would still have a ONA bucket at the end of the exhaust tube if I wasn't venting outside, and or high up!
 
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