question about bag

[Jim Andrew]

I bought a new filter from Wynn some time ago, and am having trouble keeping a bag air tight on the bottom. Did not buy any bags from Wynn, the filter is about 12 3/4" d. I found a dog food bag that is only a little bigger than the filter, and wrapped double sided tape around the filter before putting the bag on with a big hose clamp. Still get a smell of dust near the DC. Went over the pipe looking for leaks, and taped any where I could feel any air leaks, but wonder if my bag is the problem? What do you do about a bag on your filters?

[Andy Giddings]

As long as the plastic bag is reasonably thick it shouldn't leak or be an issue. I have had thinner bags puncture due to the air pressure. A photo of your setup would help as it sounds like you are taping and clamping the bag directly onto the filter from your description.

[James Gunning]

It's been a while since I used bags, but they were always difficult to seal properly, even using ones supposed to fit. Getting those two surfaces to seal with a large band clamp always left a few small leaks. I usually stuck a few pieces of duct tape over the leaks. Dealing with the bags was one of a long list of inconveniences that drove me to build a cyclone system and collect in a bin with an airtight lid.

We don't know what dust collector you have, and space would likely be an issue. Originally, I had considered building a shallow plenum (box) under the filter that capped a bin sized to fit under the filter, doing away with the bags. I never tried it since I went to a SDD cyclone that collects into a 35 gallon garbage bin.

In the photo, the Wynn filter has a modified Gamma bucket on the bottom to collect the fines. It seals airtight, but is way too small to use for a collection bin. However, the lid and top ring of the bucket could be used as the basis for a larger bin.

SDD-PS blower-Wynn Filter-2.jpg

[Jim Andrew]

James, I am posting about the small bag on the bottom of your filter.

[Andy Giddings]

Jim, are you taping and clamping the bag directly to the filter? Or is there some mounting arrangement for the filter and you're clamping the bag to the mount?

[James Gunning]

Jim,

The small white "bag" is the hard plastic Gamma bucket I spoke of. Except for the lid, they are similar to the 5 gallon "Homer" buckets sold in Home Depot and Lowes. Mine is actually a smaller 3 gallon one due to my space needs. They are often used for food storage since they have a screw off lid that is rubber sealed and airtight. They are an ideal solution for collecting the fines during operation and those falling off during filter cleaning.

I was assuming you are using a conventional single stage dust collector that had the filter mounted above the collection bag and all the chips and dust fell into that bag. Do you have a cyclone instead, where the bulk of the chips and dust are going into a larger bin? If that's the case, I can give you a simple way to convert a Gamma bucket and use it to collect the fines from the filter.

If you can manage it, a photo of your DC would be helpful.

[Jim Andrew]

Haven't figured out pics, so just describe my system. I bought a new oversize filter with a square plate and gasket on one end, and just open on the other. Wynn said to hang a bag on the bottom, so I just use a hose clamp to fasten a bag to the bottom of the filter. No mounting plate. Yes it is a cyclone system.

[Andy Giddings]

Jim, so you are hanging the bag over the open end? Does the filter look like this - 9L300NANO-3-1-150x150.jpg

I assume this has some sort of metal donut ring on it which holds the filter pleats? Are you clamping onto the metal donut?

[James Gunning]

OK, Sounds like you bought a Wynn 9L300NANO filter, same as the one in my photo. (and Andy's) This page: https://wynnenv.com/filters-for-cycl...mma-seal-lids/ shows how to convert a Gamma lid and use a bucket to contain the fines on the filter.

In short, you snap the outer part of the Gamma lid onto the bucket. Then, cut the middle out of the inner Gamma lid and fasten the remaining rim to the filter. Here, I didn't follow the Wynn instructions closely. I didn't use the Wynn "gear latches". I used short, self tapping sheet metal screws through the rim of the lid into the bottom of the filter. I recall also using some gasket material between the lid and filter. Once the lid is attached to the filter, the bucket just screws onto the lid. Easy-Peazy. Since the Gamma lids are rubber sealed, you shouldn't have any more dust leaks.

As I mentioned, the bucket I used is a 3.5 gallon one purchased from a local company in Orlando. I needed the smaller bucket to allow it to fit under the filter on my portable DC unit. A 5 gallon bucket is much larger than required here. The bucket has to have a 12" rim to use the Gamma lids. I believe there are other brand names that sell the same type of lids.

Wynn also sells an excellent solution to this problem: filter pans. They add more filter area and collect the fines. A bit pricy, but a helpful solution.

Rim-of-Gamma-Lid.jpg Here is a shot of my bucket off the filter. You can see the black Gamma lid rim and the screw thread that receives the inner lid.

Rim-of-Gamma-lid-top.jpg If you want to see if the SDD works, here is the fines accumulation of six months of admittedly light use.

I'm sorry I couldn't show the install on the bottom of the filter. My garage is so full right now I could barely get to the DC to remove the bucket.

[James Gunning]

Andy,

To answer your questions, the 9L300NANO filter has a flat metal bottom enclosing the pleated material with an open area the same size as the opposite end. A container can be clamped to the bottom. Wynn sells "filter pans" using "gear latches", that do just that.

[Jim Andrew]

Yes Andy, that is exactly like the filter I have. Today was warm so I opened the blast gate and let the DC vent outside. Guess I have to call Wynn.

[Andy Giddings]

James, thanks for the explanation. Jim, as you're getting leaks it sounds as if there isn't a wide enough surface on the edge of the cap to get a good seal using the clamp. I had the same problem even when using the filter/bag holder of my single stage. A couple of things you might try:

1) Fix a thick plywood donut to the bottom of the filter the same size as the cap. 3/4 inch is thick enough. You should be able to screw the cap to the plywood using the method James describes above. Then use something like a self adhesive foam tape around the circumference of the ply. Once done, clamp the bag to the donut and should be fine.
2) Use the approach James outlined for a bucket above instead of the bag. As you've got a cyclone in front of the filter, it should take ages for the bucket to fill

[Jim Andrew]

Thanks for that.

[Bill Adamsen]

The Gamma Seal Lids on 9L300 filters are attached with hardware as shown ...