Carbon Air Purifier - DIY

Since I got so many requests for plans for my carbon air purifier I wrote this up. These plans are for the CF-705 can filter found here: http://www.wormsway.com/detail.asp?sku=CF0067

This is the smallest one they sell, so if you fave a larger room or a large space, go with an appropriate size can filter and alter the plans to fit the new size.

Materials and tools:

-1 filter - CF-705 - http://www.wormsway.com/detail.asp?sku=CF0067 - Mine have always come with cloth pre-filters, but if yours doesn't you can wrap a layer of cloth filter around the can and secure it with a few staples.
-1 flange that fits the can filter outlet snuggly (if it is a little loose you can wrap duct tape around the filter's outlet until it's a tight fit)
-4 panels of 1/4" particle board - 15" x 6"
-2 wood panel squares - 6 1/4" x 6 1/4"
-1 4"-5" 12v computer fan (if you go any bigger than the CF-705 use a more powerful fan)
-1 12v DC transformer - http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bi...NSFORMER_.html
- 1 small hinge
- 3"-4" circle cutter drill bit
- Drill
- Silicone
- wood glue or gorilla glue
- 2 wire nuts and electrical tape

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...rfilterall.jpg

1. Drill out a 3" - 4" hole in the center of one of the 6 1/4" wood squares.
2. Put a bead of silicone around the hole, and center the flange over the hole.
3. Use 3/8" wood screws to better secure the flange to the wood. If the flange you bought extends beyond the top, you have to cut some of it off in 4 sides ou use wider particle board and squares for the housing.
4. Cut the end off of the cord from the transformer and the fan, and strip the ends of the wires 1/2". There are sometimes extra wires on the fan, but you will only need two. These are usually black and red. Touch the two wires from the transformer to the fan wires until the fan motor starts to spin.
5. Once you know which wires to connect, use the wire nuts to splice the wires, then seal the entire connection with electrical tape.
6. Put a bead of glue around the hole on the side opposite the flange, and center your fan over the hole so that it's BLOWING OUT, not into the flange. Secure the fan with 4 screws.
7. Use wood glue to attach the 4 side panels together to make the housing for the filter.
8. Glue the top with the fan to the housing, with thte fan on the outside.
9 Use the hinge to attach the bottom panel to the housing. This is so you can open it to change the filter every 18 months.
10. Push the can filter into the flange, close the bottom and plug in.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ltersingle.jpg

Ozone generator DIY to follow

Thanks Jake...this is a very cool and easy DIY. I am going to shop locally to see if I can find a sutable filter.

Can't wait to see the Ozone Generator.

Quote:

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You must spread some reputation around before giving it to PythonWallace again

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Sean

I built one of these last week and it really works!!! I have just confirmed it. One of my girlfriend's friends came over and she said the smell was almost gone. I built it for a little over $70. I looked at buying one but they are $200-$300. I highly recommend you make one if you keep your snakes in the house. It gets rid of about 95% of the smell from my 48 snakes, 12 geckos, and 4 level rat rack.
I hung mine on the wall and I keep my ceiling fan on low to help circulate the air.
A++++ Thanks Jake!!! The only down side to all my animals was the smell but this has gotten rid of it.
Thanks
Trey

The website for the canister says it works for about 18 months... In your experience, is that pretty accurate?

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Originally Posted by Mitch21

The website for the canister says it works for about 18 months... In your experience, is that pretty accurate?

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18 months is fairly accurate, give or take a couple of months. These can filters can also be popped open so you can replace the carbon with a jar of activated carbon from Wal Mart for about $10. If you are clever, you can also build your own larger version using a 2.5 gal bucket and 4"-6" PVC using a drill, a poly fiber pre-filter and some mesh or vinyl screen.

Jake,

I think I can somewhat picture how your homemade 2.5g bucket idea would work...but just in case, I made a quick diagram to see if we're on the same page.

[IMG]http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k...arcoalPlan.jpg[/IMG]

So I've got the exterior bucket as the 2.5g bucket. It has holes drilled in it to allow air to pass through the activated charcoal. The PVC pipe is mounted to the center of the bucket. The space between the PVC and bucket is filled with activated charcoal. The PVC pipe is empty and also has holes drilled in it. And attached to the PVC pipe is a fan sucking the air through the bucket and out the 'top'. And some type of screening or cloth is glued to the inside wall of the bucket and on the outside wall of the PVC?

Is this pretty accurate? Or do there need to be any changes? Also, does the top need to be air-tight, or does the fan mount to the PVC pipe only have to be fairly airtight to maximize the air pull?

Thanks Jake!

That's about it. I would make it as air tight as possible so the only air getting pulled is forced to go through the carbon. When I first saw your post I thought you had the PVC filled with carbon, so I drew these up. I guess I should have read more carefully. Anyway, here's how I would do it. It's the same as your diagram, pretty much just adding a coupler and an end cap.

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...f084e9b525.jpg

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...865e4454de.jpg

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...28df2e2182.jpg

You would cut a 4" hole in the center of the bucket lid, drill a bunch of 1/2" holes in both the PVC tube ad the bucket, then glue the vinyl mesh around the outside of the PVC and the inside of the bucket. Put the end cap on the tube, stick the top of the tube through the 4" hole in the lid, and secure it in place, in the bucket, with the coupler. Glue the fan, blowing up, into the coupler with the leads running out to a 12v wall transformer. Secure a sheet of 9" tall polyfiber around the entire outside of the bucket for a pre-filter, then fill the bucket up with the activated carbon.

As always, great post!

Awesome. Thanks for the clarification Jake!

does this take care of rat smell or just reptile smell?