Why is my filter leaking smell

coreywebster · Sunday at 11:52 PM

Another option is adding another filter.
They make inline filters.

So you'd have Filter>Fan>duct>InlineFilter>ExitVent

I think Can make them.
Obviously , like any fliter, it reduces airflow so you'd need the leg room on your fan to account for that.

Fish scale · 2025-05-19T03:13:26-0600

itsaliveterps said:
I don't have a choice 5% of smell is leaking outside from the vent I can't get a new carbon filter until another 2 weeks I can't afford to lose my project especially now but of course I don't want my bud to smell like ona gel... :/

If you can't afford to buy another carbon filter at the moment then just keep your windows closed in your house. That will help prevent the smell from leaking out. And put your ona gel in the room next to your grow

itsaliveterps · 2025-05-19T03:58:23-0600

Fish scale said:
If you can't afford to buy another carbon filter at the moment then just keep your windows closed in your house. That will help prevent the smell from leaking out. And put your ona gel in the room next to your grow

Its a wall vent that goes outside

Fish scale · 2025-05-19T06:36:20-0600

itsaliveterps said:
Its a wall vent that goes outside

It should be fine, as long as it's not too close to your tent. But if you are worried about smell leaking out of your tent you need to make sure your whole house is sealed to prevent any smell from leaking outside.

Smokenpassout · 2025-05-19T08:46:03-0600

If in doubt replace it. How many grows did you do with it? Did you wash the prefilter?, and yes it supposed to be on! A few tips from experience…..One I dont run carbon filters more than 2 grows, they lose maximum effectiveness by then. After that I will use them only for the minor smell of vegging and swap to a new one for those crucial weeks of flowering stinkiness. Also AC Infinity sells carbon filters, where you can replace the carbon with fresh carbon. Same as a new one, and cheaper in the long run. Also I find carbon filters 95- 98% effective, NEVER 100% but better than anything else! For that remaining 2-3% smell of sweetness, Id suggest Ona Gel placed away from grow, a good plug in, and a nice air purifier machine helps too. Cheers.

itsaliveterps · 2025-05-19T12:52:00-0600

Smokenpassout said:
If in doubt replace it. How many grows did you do with it? Did you wash the prefilter?, and yes it supposed to be on! A few tips from experience…..One I dont run carbon filters more than 2 grows, they lose maximum effectiveness by then. After that I will use them only for the minor smell of vegging and swap to a new one for those crucial weeks of flowering stinkiness. Also AC Infinity sells carbon filters, where you can replace the carbon with fresh carbon. Same as a new one, and cheaper in the long run. Also I find carbon filters 95- 98% effective, NEVER 100% but better than anything else! For that remaining 2-3% smell of sweetness, Id suggest Ona Gel placed away from grow, a good plug in, and a nice air purifier machine helps too. Cheers.

Hey man thanks for the advice appreciate it yes never truly 100% blocking smell especially during flowering but like you said 95-98% effective so buying a phresh carbon filter next week for now I've placed a ona gel into my extraction wall vent so it's continuously blowing air forwards away from my grow hopefully, but dis stuff is very efficient and effective not perfect but it's officially diverting that 5% leak until next week fingers crossed.

Smokenpassout · 2025-05-19T13:13:17-0600

itsaliveterps said:
Hey man thanks for the advice appreciate it yes never truly 100% blocking smell especially during flowering but like you said 95-98% effective so buying a phresh carbon filter next week for now I've placed a ona gel into my extraction wall vent so it's continuously blowing air forwards away from my grow hopefully, but dis stuff is very efficient and effective not perfect but it's officially diverting that 5% leak until next week fingers crossed

itsaliveterps said:

Hey man thanks for the advice appreciate it yes never truly 100% blocking smell especially during flowering but like you said 95-98% effective so buying a phresh carbon filter next week for now I've placed a ona gel into my extraction wall vent so it's continuously blowing air forwards away from my grow hopefully, but dis stuff is very efficient and effective not perfect but it's officially diverting that 5% leak until next week fingers crossed.

Click to expand...

Awesome yes, replace your carbon filter new. I have had success with Phresh and Ac Infinity carbon 4” canisters. Also splurge for a $60-$70 gallon of ona. Stuff is strong, so keep far away from your girls. When you have it to spare you’ll find it easy to keep plastic plates around the house with a good size scoop of it! Hitting areas around the house with extra freshing is nice around late flower too. Also, since your buying that new filter, it never hurts to consider sizing up your filter and fan, for more intake/outake/negative pressure. Like going up to a 6” from a 4” carbon fan and filter. better scrubbing more air exchange per minute.

ec121 · 2025-05-19T18:26:26-0600

itsaliveterps said:
Do you think that's why? It's leaking smell bcuz I haven't connected the ducting to filter & fan air tightly enough?

I mean it could be. If there's just a tiny cm gap between the duct and the shaft of the fan or the filter, then the fan is going to suck unfiltered tent air into the fan and out of the house.

In order for a carbon filter to filter properly, all air must go through the filter so both connections to the filter and fan must be airtight.

As weedstoner mentioned, with small filters and fans, you can probably skip the ducting and see if your filter shaft and fan shaft will connect together and then duct tape the shit out of it. I did that when I ran a 2x2.

1212ham · 2025-05-20T10:25:24-0600

itsaliveterps said:
But I thought the whole point of exhausting to the outside was to get rid of the hot stale air?

The goal is to control temp, humidity and co2.

Venting inside is common and many of us grow only during winter when that hot air feels good.

1212ham · 2025-05-20T11:13:59-0600

itsaliveterps said:
I'm using digital spyder farmer My fan setting is on level 7 is this too high?

Lower speed might help, depending on filter size and quality. There are always variables.

My controller is usualy set control fan speed to based on my temp and humidity settings.

Why is my filter leaking smell

coreywebster

Well-Known Member

Fish scale

Well-Known Member

itsaliveterps

Well-Known Member

Fish scale

Well-Known Member

Smokenpassout

Well-Known Member

itsaliveterps

Well-Known Member

Smokenpassout

Well-Known Member

ec121

Well-Known Member

1212ham

Well-Known Member

1212ham

Well-Known Member

Similar threads