NEW JDS AIR-TECH HP shop ambient air cleaner

[Ronald Kot]

Does anyone have the JDS Air-Tech HP????? Any comments on how well it works? Does it have 3 speeds?

In addition to the cyclone dust system I have to pick up most dust at source, I am trying to choose an air cleaner for ambient shop air.

Fine woodworking did this review:
http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...leaner-article

For me I thought it would be a choice between the JET AFS-1000B and the JDS Air-Tech 750-ER , because the latter is the quietest. Jet is 69, 67 and 62 db for its 3 speeds. 63db for the jds but speeds not specified.

BUT JDS just discontinued the Air-Tech 750-ER and now sells a new model called JDS Air-Tech HP

Here are some details on the choices:

Jet AFS-1000B
http://www.jettools.com/us/manufactu...&category=7171


Air-Tech 750-ER has been replaced with the New JDS Air-Tech HP!
http://jdstools.com/air-tech750-er.aspx


Comparing these 2 is a bit hard because the JDS specs and manual are light on information. CFM and speeds not given, only dB rating for an unspecified speed. FILTER SIZES ARE NOT GIVEN....are the filters STILL 12X24X1 for the prefilter, and 12x24x12 for the pocket filter?
Now a composite material is used in the jds fan, its bigger, hopefully all for the positive, but would like to hear from someone that has one, please.

[Jim Becker]

I have an older JDS model and have generally been very pleased with it, although cleaning the pleated filter is not an easy job! I suspect that's not unique to the JDS, however.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Jim, I have the same pleated filter on my Delta version. It isn't any easier either. How do you clean your's?

[Doug Colombo]

Jim, I have the same pleated filter on my Delta version. It isn't any easier either. How do you clean your's?

+1 for the question to Jim. I have the Jet 1000B and was looking at it last weekend trying to figure out the best way to clean it.

[Leo Graywacz]

I have the 750 ER and it came with the electrostatic filter. I just use my dust collector to suck it clean.

[Ronald Kot]

I have the 750 ER and it came with the electrostatic filter. I just use my dust collector to suck it clean.

did you ever consider getting filters from
http://www.wynnenv.com/replacement_filters.htm
they say them make a better filter than the one that comes with the unit.
Their 12 x 24 x 1 is not electrostatic.

Surprising that jet and jds filter sizes exactly the same.
With the 750-ER now being replaced by the JDS Air-Tech HP, I will have to find out if filter sizes have changed as well on the new unit as I like the filtration levels from the wynn environmental filters.

[Jim Tobias]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about filters for a Jet Air cleaner. John Lanciani suggested checking out the site below. The 12x24/12 95% pleated inner bag is approx $12. At that price, I finally broke down and bought a replacement for my JDS 750(10 yrs old)

Jim

http://www.filters-now.com/products/ir5.html#products

[Maurice Ungaro]

I have the 750 ER and it came with the electrostatic filter. I just use my dust collector to suck it clean.

Leo, the pleated bag filter is the inner filter. The electrostatic is the one that you see from the outside. The better way to clean the electrostatic filter is to remove it, take it outside and hose it off with water. I take my air compressor to it to dry it off, or, you can let it drip dry in the sun. You'd be amazed at the stuff that rinses out of there.

[Leo Graywacz]

I've got no time to let it dry. I just have the dust collector hose right by it and blow air from the backside of it, reverse air flow and the DC captures most of the dust.

[Rick Moyer]

Hey Ronald. did you ever get one?

[richard poitras]

I clean my bag filter with the air compressor....

Richard

[Bob Deroeck]

Hi Ronald,

I bought a JDS Air-Tech HP last spring for my 24' x 18' workshop.

This is what I found.

There were two "construction" issues. First, the assembly that holds the primary filter was poorly designed, resulting in large gaps that allowed air to enter the unit but bypass the primary filter. I solved this problem by using heavy duty 1/8" thick self-adhesive gasketing to attach to the mating surfaces and shims to jam the filter against the mating surfaces at each of the four corners. It wasn't a big deal to do this fix, but it shouldn't have been necessary.

Second, the secondary filter bag was very poorly constructed with lots of excess fabric that needed to be cut away so that it didn't block the surface of the filter bag. This was a PITA and took at least an hour. Again, it shouldn't have been necessary. I will be replacing the filters in the future with ones from Wynn or another filter specialty company.

There does not appear to be a significant difference in CFM between the three speeds, based on the noise level. Most of the noise comes from the exhaust end of the device and this noise is a combination of fan noise and "air-rushing" noise coming out of the rear air distributor. When standing downwind of the cleaner a signficant percentage of the total noise is the air-rushing noise.

Noise-wise, the cleaner has a moderate noise level, which changes only slightly from low speed to high speed. If I'm listening to the radio in the shop and turn the air cleaner on, I have to at least double the volume of the radio to be able to hear it over the fan noise, to a noise level greater than I'm comfortable with. I'm a bit disappointed with this. I bought the JDS based on the low noise level of the previous model. I think this low noise level was probably due to the smaller motor in the previous model. With the larger motor of the HP model, I'm guessing the previous low noise advantage has been lost. There is nothing in the guts of the metal box that would attenuate the noise.

Aside from the construction issues and the "louder-than-expected" noise level, the air cleaner does it's job well. I don't have my dust collection system installed yet so I use a good quality dust mask whenever I'm making saw dust. Once I'm done making dust, I run the JDS air cleaner for 30 minutes before taking off the dust mask. In theory this should be about 7.5 shop "air changes" passing through the air filter. I just recently got a Dylos dust meter. I'm planning on doing some air quality testing of the air cleaner's effectiveness this winter.

Based on the lack of noise attenuation within the JDS box, the relatively high noise level, and the construction quality issues, if I was in the market for an air cleaner now, I would buy the Jet at the current low sale price. I expect CFM and noise level of the Jet and the JDS HP to be similar. Why not pocket the current cost difference? And, maybe the JET build-quality will be better.

Hope this helps.

Bob DeRoeck

[Rick Moyer]

Recently received the JDS HP that I ordered three months ago. I don't have the same issue with the secondary filter that Bob had above. The primary filter has some looseness in the fit but I don't see it as being a big problem, but I will monitor that when I begin using it. I would suspect other mfgrs units are similar. The noise doesn't seem bad at all to me and I have good hearing. I often read about folks feeling their cyclones are so loud, but my cyclone is certainly much quieter than many of the tools I have, and besides I use hearing protection anyway when it's on. I don't feel I will wear or need hearing protection for the air cleaner, however. It really isn't loud at all, I don't think.
So far I am pleased with it, but I really have only just installed it. Haven't been able to test it out in full use.
Oh, there was one issue: when I opened the box the remote was found to be cracked, probably from mishandling in shipment. A call to Highland Woodworking (where it was ordered from) is addressing that.

[Mike Harvey]

Attn: Jim Tobias , the price you post looks great.. would buy one or two to keep handy at that price. But when I look at that website it looks like you have to order a min # of them (like 8 or more depending on the filter size.
Was wondering if that's something new since you had ordered or if you were able to just call and order smaller qty's.

http://www.filters-now.com/products/ir5.html#products

[Jim Tobias]

Mike,
It has been awhile (9/27/2011) since I bought those but I checked and I only bought 2 of them when I ordered. You might call them and ask if they can sell in small quantity.

Jim