HOMEMADE CARBON FILTER ~ DIY ~ J-angel style - GreenPassion.org - Dedicated to Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Education

jangel · #1 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 12:18 PM

I have made me a carbon filter, well, 2 actually. I didn't have the money to spend on 2 filters, and I could not find the carbon sheeting to make the kind I have seen illustrated in DIY's on ganja, so I made mine. I figured it was time when I went outside one morning and it smelt like I was in the middle of a field of marijuana in my driveway. Not smart. First I went down and turned off the ventalation until I had this fixed. Nothing is worth getting popped!

Soooooo she racks her brain, does research ad nauseaum, as I am sure many of you are familiar with. I read that you needed the carbon sheeting...that solid activated carbon didn't work, and you had to pulverise the stuff you can buy in order for it to work for our purposes. So she goes "Humph....we will see about that!" and off I go to gather what my devilish brain is invisioning...cheap, easy to do for anyone, and best of all IT WORKS! I have had this system in place since August and it is still working. I wanted to make sure of this before posting this thread. If it didn't work, then I would not lead someone in the wrong direction this way. BUT so far, it is working!

okay, here is what I used:

3 jars of activated carbon for fish filters. (Wallmart 2.59 each)

2 cheap fiberglass rectangle furnace filters, the kind that you can see the fiber in.

1 empty large cardboard cereal box

1 empty container
with lid from something that fits snuggly into your exhaust vent pipe. Mine is a six inch metal pipe. Fits well with an empty ice cream container, plastic.

1 yd. Aprox.
Some type of sheer curtain fabric. I just happened to have this, but it should be without a pattern. If it was just like a simple screenie type sheer curtain it would be fine and work better than what I used. Try Goodwill or Sally anne, or some used clothing place. I am sure you can find them for just a couple of bucks or buy from fabric store. You don't need much.

4 Bounce sheets...yes, fabric softener sheets. you will need 4.

I think these would work better if used, but I used new ones on the first one and they are still working. used ones are not as stiff and would let more air through.

Okay, here are the pics folks....ask any q's ya got...happy to answer them.

jangel · #2 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 12:20 PM

...one more pic for this one...and one of it in place just taken the other day.

jangel · #3 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 12:27 PM

Now I know none of you most likely have this box like vent opening attached to your fans like I do. It is just something we had hanging around and it worked for us. Here is one that will fit most systems. Fits snugglie into my vent pipe on the veg side. I can easitly remove it to clean it or open the vent more. Just pulls out, and the suction from the fan holds it in place. Here are pics for this one.

four two zero · #4 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 12:29 PM

Very cool Jangel! This is very informative and definitely a good method to making one of these carbon filters. I unfortunately have not made one yet and have been dealing with odor just by exhausting it out of the grow box and sucking new air in.

I really need to make one of these filters and preferably something like this which doesn't cost a fortune!!

Can you buy Activated Carbon in normal retail stores? Like say, Home Depot & Lowes?

P.S. Did the President actually sit down and test a bunch of cereal until he finally found his perfect choice? Toasted Oat O's!!! OH and you have pretty feet!!! One of my favorite parts of a woman.

jangel · #5 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 12:33 PM

The container used in these pics is not the one I ended up using as it was too long. I also found I had to make a hollow in the middle for this to work properly but once I re-arranged it in the other container and opened up the middle more, just with my hands, it worked just fine. The lid also is useful for keeping everything in place. The last picture shows it in place and how I cut the lid to get air inside it to pass through and get scrubbed. it really works well and I have to clean it actually, but I wanted to show you folks how well it works first. See the colour under the lid, that is all the stuff it has cleaned out of the air.
And best part, NO SMELLS!

EDIT: I also cut the bottom of the container out. I cut it a bit smaller than the whole bottom. You can hot glue it to the bottom of the roll of furnace filter and netting with the carbon, in a circle I hot glued it in place and then I put it in the plastic container.

jangel · #6 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 12:43 PM

Also, Just so you know, I hot glued the bounce sheet in place in the front of the square one. You could tape it in place I guess. But hot glue works well. Not much more to say, all the pics tell the story. I hope it helps someone and it cost me about 12 bucks for both filters. I had the furnace filters, still have one jar of carbon, and had the tape and everything else was free!

Peace!

brown2rl · #7 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 01:34 PM

wow, that's some ingenuity :D good job

A.Nonnymuss · #8 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 01:55 PM

good job.

Im sure the people who follow your setup here are grateful you waited to post until you knew it actually worked.

I tested mine by taking a huge bong rip and exhaling through the filter into my g/f's face. She smelled nothing and it passed the test.

jangel · #9 (**permalink**) 10-31-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by four two zero

Very cool Jangel! This is very informative and definitely a good method to making one of these carbon filters. I unfortunately have not made one yet and have been dealing with odor just by exhausting it out of the grow box and sucking new air in.

I really need to make one of these filters and preferably something like this which doesn't cost a fortune!!

Can you buy Activated Carbon in normal retail stores? Like say, Home Depot & Lowes?

P.S. Did the President actually sit down and test a bunch of cereal until he finally found his perfect choice? Toasted Oat O's!!! OH and you have pretty feet!!! One of my favorite parts of a woman.

Hey Four, Thanks for liking my feet! LOL! That is a first!

You can get activated charcoal anywhere they sell pet fish supplies. I got mine at wallmart. I am sure petsmart would have it too, but most likely cheaper at wallyworld. It is under pet supplies so I don't know if those big building stores would have it, as it is for fish filters. You can use the same idea and make it any size you need. With the plastic container one, get one that fits your system first, then fill it.
Pretty easy ! And if it is smaller I don't know that you need as much carbon as I used. My fan is a 6 inch vortex so you most likely would not need a big fan like that on a cab grow, although you could.

Oh, and you have to ask for ACTIVATED CHARCOAL or they won't know what you are talking about.

Darrin · #10 (**permalink**) 11-04-2008, 07:35 PM

That's pretty clever.

WhammyBoy · #11 (**permalink**) 11-04-2008, 08:06 PM

When I lived in the dorms in college we would make one of these out of a papertowel roll, fill it with dryer sheets and cover the top with one and rubber band it on. Worked great...no smells...no RA's...no trouble. Great thinking Jangel, gonna have to make an adaptation of this for grow room. Would just a regular fan work? or would I need one like you have?

Hope All is Well

jangel · #12 (**permalink**) 11-04-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhammyBoy

When I lived in the dorms in college we would make one of these out of a papertowel roll, fill it with dryer sheets and cover the top with one and rubber band it on. Worked great...no smells...no RA's...no trouble. Great thinking Jangel, gonna have to make an adaptation of this for grow room. Would just a regular fan work? or would I need one like you have?

Hope All is Well

I would say you would need a fairly stong fan to pull the air through the filter. I don't have mine all the way up though. It is maybe half way.

Nimbliez · #13 (**permalink**) 01-24-2009, 10:40 PM

If you have a little money, and you want to place your carbon filter at the intake of your light tube, take a gander at this sweet filter with a 6" round mount. I'm going to make one for myself, I already have the chicken mesh, clamps, and zipties. FlamingoHippie doesn't wear panty hose, but oh well, can't have everything laying around. hehehehe
Nim
Carbon Filter

Hatch · #14 (**permalink**) 01-24-2009, 11:24 PM

Hey My Lady,

Great Thread!!!!,,You'a Gott'a Mad Skill's!!!!EH!!!& Very Handy In The Construction.

Mr.Nimbliez, Great Find, One Of Those Could Come In Real Handy As-Well.

Cheers Ya'll`;`Hatch`;`

jangel · #15 (**permalink**) 01-25-2009, 09:25 AM

Thanks Nim and Hatch! And Nim thanks for posting that! Whatever can help others.

And thanks for taking a look!

Peace

OMINOUS_ICABOD · #16 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jangel

Thanks Nim and Hatch! And Nim thanks for posting that! Whatever can help others.

And thanks for taking a look!

Peace

yes thank u much jangel for thisis exactly what i am in need of for my cab,, thank u again,, and very nice foot,,, would luv to see the other,, hehe,, no disrespect of course just a male foot fetish thing.. peace..

jangel · #17 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrin

That's pretty clever.

Thank you. I just renewed the whole thing, replaced all the charcoal as it will not last forever.

Peace

OMINOUS_ICABOD · #18 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jangel

Thank you. I just renewed the whole thing, replaced all the charcoal as it will not last forever.

Peace

how long would u say 1 lasts? 1 grow start to finish or longer??

siriguejo · #19 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 12:19 PM

THanks for this. SO monday I had purchased some chickenwire to make a DIY carbon filter $14 and that very afternoon came across this lil design.

BRILLIANT!!!

I went to walmart and got some carbon and was able to make something very similar to this using my existing 4x10" exhaust bracket like the one shown.

Returned the $14 wire to get some perlite and bonemeal :-D

jangel · #20 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OMINOUS_ICABOD

how long would u say 1 lasts? 1 grow start to finish or longer??

Mine lasted about a year. Not bad for a cheapie!

peace