Buying a AirCleaner thing/box

[Niel]

I am looking around for something to pick up the fine dust coming from hand sanding and spindle sander:
I also have other tools like band saw router table saw -bus i have pretty good dust collection.
So i have been looking at this thing .

AC400 Two Stage Air Filter with Remote, 3 Speeds and Time Delay

Woodworking Machinery and Accessories

www.recordpower.co.uk

Anyone use this or similar thing ?
All the Best
Steinar Nilsen
Norway

 

[eribaMotters]

I bought a second hand JET version, an AFS500 a fair few years ago. This was the final addition to my set-up as I also run a big JET extractor with a fine paper filter head for planer/bandsaw/circular saw/spindle/radial arm saw and Numatic vacuum cleaners with fine filters in them for routers, disc sander and secondary extraction on machines. Centrally mounted in my last workshop it did a good job in picking up fine airborne dust. The tell tale signs were a lack of dust sitting on cupboards and timber that had sat in racks for months on end.

Colin

 

[DBT85]

The record one is popular in part because its one of the only ones available. Just remember its supplementary to actual dust collection. The record iirc only goes down to 1 micron also.

 

[robgul]

I have the Record AC400 - certainly catches the dust in my single-garage workshop . . . not too sure how good it is with MDF as I try not to use that, or if I do I cut it in the "outdoor workshop" (trestle bench in the garden)
Mine is fitted in a cradle attached to the ceiling - the one small issue is that the remote to switch it on/change speed/time etc has a very narrow beam and requires precise aim to operate.


(The grey shrouds are my push-bikes hanging up - since the pic was taken I've insulated the ceiling and added plasterboard - making a new cradle for the cleaner)

 

[Ollie78]

I have that record one.
It does work well and I have had it for years. They are sold under many names, Axminster sell an identical machine and I have seen black ones and orange ones as well.
I noticed that a good bit of fine dust was actually escaping from the exhaust.
I now use an additional layer of the matting from my spray booth as a pre filter on the front for a bit of help. I vacuum this regularly once it changes colour.
Also a tack cloth over the exhaust port.

Ollie

 

[Keith Cocker]

I have the Record and it does a decent job. You will know this from the specs but even though I looked at them before ordering I was a bit taken aback by how big and heavy it is.

 

[Sideways]

Some of these boxes have a reputation for the speed control PCB failing. It's a common and widely reported problem. Replacements outside warranty are quite expensive if you can get one.
Look into thor filtration. The new name for what was Microclene.
Their designs are better in my opinion. I have disassembled both thor and the jet version of the machine you are interested in. The quality of the fan / motor is much better in the Thor and accounts for a large part of the price. The jet had overheated and was electrically dangerous.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Some of these boxes have a reputation for the speed control PCB failing. It's a common and widely reported problem. Replacements outside warranty are quite expensive if you can get one.

It's usually/often/sometimes fixable with a £4 capacitor and a minute of desoldering/soldering.

 

[AES]

I also have that Record AC 400. It's about 3 years or more old now, and I've never had a problem with it.

But if it's not quite clear please note, it's real purpose is to collect "general dust" (etc) hanging around in the air, it's NOT an extractor to be coupled direct to a specific machine/s. I use a movable Kaercher shop vac connected by flex hose to each tool as it's in use (small band saw, sanders, scroll saw, etc, etc) and the Record seems to pick up most of the light dust that escapes from those. AND when spraying (rattle cans) some small items in the shop I found the filter in the Record also turning the colour of the paint I was spraying, so it's doing "something"!

I'd personally recommend it (based on the above experience) but have nothing similar to compare it with.

HTH

P.S. Re the note above about failing PCBs, I seem to remember when looking at info before buying the Record, that it was only the Jet brands that suffered from PCB problem (though I could be wrong about that, as above, it's quite a time back).

 

[Lazurus]

Rutlands do a similar model i believe

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

P.S. Re the note above about failing PCBs, I seem to remember when looking at info before buying the Record, that it was only the Jet brands that suffered from PCB problem (though I could be wrong about that, as above, it's quite a time back).

Mine's a Jet and had the problem - only doing anything on High mode, and then it was barely ticking over. There's a big capacitor on the PCB that needs swapping if/when that happens.

 

[Oakay]

I have both the Record and the larger Jet one. Both good. Workshop is 60'x25'. The larger one is near the dust extractor to catch the dust caused by the shake-down etc. and it is where we do sanding and routing among other machine based work and the smaller one at the opposite end where we do painting. If you value your health, they are well worth having.

 

[Oakay]

Mine's a Jet and had the problem - only doing anything on High mode, and then it was barely ticking over. There's a big capacitor on the PCB that needs swapping if/when that happens.

Several years ago the pcb went on our record one but they were very good and replaced FOC. No problems with the replacement.

 

[thikone]

Some of these boxes have a reputation for the speed control PCB failing. It's a common and widely reported problem. Replacements outside warranty are quite expensive if you can get one.
Look into thor filtration. The new name for what was Microclene.
Their designs are better in my opinion. I have disassembled both thor and the jet version of the machine you are interested in. The quality of the fan / motor is much better in the Thor and accounts for a large part of the price. The jet had overheated and was electrically dangerous.

Happened to mine AC400 too. Not completely though, but it would only turn on at Low speed and when I try to set it to any other speed than it was on initially it will stop spinning until I press Off and On again.

It's usually/often/sometimes fixable with a £4 capacitor and a minute of desoldering/soldering.

Heh, I was investigating what was wrong and capacitors are always first to check in my list, but... unfortunately, I managed to burn the chip (probably MCU) with 24 volt injection in wrong place(?). It was MK3 board, which according to Internet is usually not burning to black color, unlike MK2 board did. I wish I were investigating it one month later and after I read your post!

Anyhow, I decided to take it in my own hands (despite 5 years warranty is still valid) and made a new design with Arduino Nano and small 5V PSU module. Now waiting on PCBs to arrive from JLCPCB (104.5 x 76.2 mm):



It uses the same remote, same buttons and behaves the same and should fit instead of original one.
But it could be programmed to do whatever I want.
Can even use Arduino Nano IoT with WiFi and Bluetooth and connect it to local network or even Internet. Endless possibilities!

 

[Oakay]

Happened to mine AC400 too. Not completely though, but it would only turn on at Low speed and when I try to set it to any other speed than it was on initially it will stop spinning until I press Off and On again.


Heh, I was investigating what was wrong and capacitors are always first to check in my list, but... unfortunately, I managed to burn the chip (probably MCU) with 24 volt injection in wrong place(?). It was MK3 board, which according to Internet is usually not burning to black color, unlike MK2 board did. I wish I were investigating it one month later and after I read your post!

Anyhow, I decided to take it in my own hands (despite 5 years warranty is still valid) and made a new design with Arduino Nano and small 5V PSU module. Now waiting on PCBs to arrive from JLCPCB (104.5 x 76.2 mm):

View attachment 121652 View attachment 121651

It uses the same remote, same buttons and behaves the same and should fit instead of original one.
But it could be programmed to do whatever I want.
Can even use Arduino Nano IoT with WiFi and Bluetooth and connect it to local network or even Internet. Endless possibilities!

I'm impressed!

 

[Niel]

Thank you all for kind and helpful information and tips.
I ended up buying an Axminster Craft AC 15 AFS air filter.
I have placed it hanging down from the ceiling - in four chains about 250 cm above the floor level:
It seems to me that it is working very good.
I stil use protection mask when working with tables - bandsaw - router - spindel sander - as long as the machines are running
And i still use the dust collector system .
But it is obvious that the air in my workshop is much much better than before. I have the airfiter running all the time at low speed - the sound is not a problem - and when I leave the shop i set it on timer to run for for two hours.
And i can see that the dust that is falling down after work - and lays all around - is now almost gone.
And the Remote control works without problems.
So - I am very very pleased.

 

[Jameshow]

Happened to mine AC400 too. Not completely though, but it would only turn on at Low speed and when I try to set it to any other speed than it was on initially it will stop spinning until I press Off and On again.


Heh, I was investigating what was wrong and capacitors are always first to check in my list, but... unfortunately, I managed to burn the chip (probably MCU) with 24 volt injection in wrong place(?). It was MK3 board, which according to Internet is usually not burning to black color, unlike MK2 board did. I wish I were investigating it one month later and after I read your post!

Anyhow, I decided to take it in my own hands (despite 5 years warranty is still valid) and made a new design with Arduino Nano and small 5V PSU module. Now waiting on PCBs to arrive from JLCPCB (104.5 x 76.2 mm):

View attachment 121652 View attachment 121651

It uses the same remote, same buttons and behaves the same and should fit instead of original one.
But it could be programmed to do whatever I want.
Can even use Arduino Nano IoT with WiFi and Bluetooth and connect it to local network or even Internet. Endless possibilities!

I put a 13 amp fuse in a plug the other day...!

Kudos!!

 

[Oakay]

Thank you all for kind and helpful information and tips.
I ended up buying an Axminster Craft AC 15 AFS air filter.
I have placed it hanging down from the ceiling - in four chains about 250 cm above the floor level:
It seems to me that it is working very good.
I stil use protection mask when working with tables - bandsaw - router - spindel sander - as long as the machines are running
And i still use the dust collector system .
But it is obvious that the air in my workshop is much much better than before. I have the airfiter running all the time at low speed - the sound is not a problem - and when I leave the shop i set it on timer to run for for two hours.
And i can see that the dust that is falling down after work - and lays all around - is now almost gone.
And the Remote control works without problems.
So - I am very very pleased.

We have ours up high because they are more out of the way, but we are lucky to have 11ft ceilings. You wouldn't want to be banging your head on one!