Cleaning a "Clean Stream" Gortex filter...

[loutent]

I have had my Sears shop vac for many years (maybe

10 or so). It is great. Almost immediately after buying it, I purchased a Gortex Clean Stream filter to fit. I have never regretted it. This filter filters much better than the original paper plus it seems to last forever - well at least 10 years.

The problem with it is cleaning it. It seems that after a month or so, I actually have to clean the thing. Here is what I do: I wheel the vac out to the driveway, then pull up the motor housing (with filter) and start pounding on it with my dust brush - the fine powder drops into the cannister. I continue rotating/tapping - then brushing between the pleats until I am satisfied. It usually works out fine.

I'm wondering if anyone has found a better/easier method to clean these great filters.

Lou

[Han]

loutent wrote in news:200820052058530293% [e-mail]:

If it's the same kind of HEPA filter I have, after removing most like you do, I rinse it off with the kitchen sink spray. Takes some time, and the filter/stariner thingy over the drain has to be cleaned after. It's best to let the filter dry before using it, but it is supposed to be for a wet/dry vac (at least mine is).

[no(SPAM)vasys]

I use a slightly pointy stick (sorry no plans available) to clean the crud out from between the pleats and then blast the filter with a garden hose.

[Morris Dovey]

| The problem with it is cleaning it. It seems that after a month | or so, I actually have to clean the thing. Here is what I do: | I wheel the vac out to the driveway, then pull up the motor | housing (with filter) and start pounding on it with my | dust brush - the fine powder drops into the cannister. I | continue rotating/tapping - then brushing between the | pleats until I am satisfied. It usually works out fine.

Easier way: I dump the canister contents into a trash can, then set the inverted top on the canister and hit it with the air hose. Cleans out the pleats completely and the ShopVac is ready to use again in less than five minutes total.

I picked up an 18" wand that keeps me out of the dust and makes the job go faster. It's worth every penny of the $3 or so I paid for it.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[C & M]

I stand in front of a slow-moving fan as I strum the pleats with my fingers. This is after I've shaken off the bulk of the dust. The fan keeps the dust away from my snoot.

[Greg O]

Take the garden hose after it and spray it off. Greg

[loutent]

Thanks for the replies,

I have avoided the wet (garden hose) method for fear of sucking moisture into the motor - if I didn't allow enough drying time.

I will try some of the "dry" methods first I think.

Thanks again!

Lou

[no(SPAM)vasys]

I think you'll find that the motor is isolated from the air flow. The only part of the motor that would come in contact with any moisture would be the shaft that connects to the impeller.

[Gene T]

[Thomas Bunetta]

,snip>

I got one a number of years ago... at first I (honestly!) read the instructions and used water... and the metal part began to rust. Since then it's outside on the downwind side of the shop and blast with a compressed air hose! Done deal! Tom

[woodworker88]

I have a couple of shop vacs, a small one I acquired when I was first setting up my shop and the big one I use now. I take the big filter out, beat most of the dust off, then use the small vac with a brush attachment to suck the rest of the dust out. Sometimes I hit it with the garden hose as well. So far I've only had to replace one filter, and that was because I used the wet /dry vac to suck up some spilled pool chemicals (muriatic acid) and it kinda ate the filter...