OT mostly, but not totally

[Leon]

Ok, I used my dust collector today. but in a different way.

For about 14 years I have bee procrastinating over the purchase of one of those ceiling fan wands that are electrostatically charged and collect the dust off of the fan blades. We have 5 ceiling fans and I finally gave in and picked one up, I was tired of waving the vacuum wand around up there. I approach the first fan and successfully cleaned all five blades with out mishap if you don't count me gagging at the sight of what I had collected with that wand. So dirty was the fluffy end of the wand that I decided to clean the thing. Didn't want to wet it down and make mud and didn't want to shake it in the wind or else the EPA would probably be paying me a visit. Probably too quickly I thought, stick it in the DC hose and let the collector suck it clean. WOW that worked better than I expected and I managed to not let go of the fluffy wand during the procedure.

I approach ceiling fan number 2 with a big smile on my face and go to wiping down the 5 blades. ;~((( Euwwwwwwww, there was tons of stuff coming down on me like I was in a dust storm. I looked down at the floor and began to gag again.... I'll have words with my son about how clean he keeps his room tonight.

Same results with fans number 3,4, and 5. Oddly the fluffy electrostaticly charged wand is sill clean as a whistle. Basically, the wand up and "quit".

Ok, I bet most of you can see where this is going. My dust collector is so powerful that it sucked away all the fluffy wand's electronic attractiveness.

My question, how do I reenergize, the electrostatic charge in my fluffy wand? Perhaps start the dust collector and caress the out side of the hose with the fluffy wand? ;~)

Seriously, how do you get that static attraction back?

[PDQ]

electrostaticly=20

Pass it thru a helix.

Rub it in cat's fur.

P D Q

[MikeWhy]

Maybe unground the DC ducts?

;)

[Leon]

Pass it thru a helix.

Yeah, no that is how I caused the problem.

Rub it in cat's fur.

No cats.

P D Q

[Lee Michaels]

First, congrats on a novel Tim the Tool Man Taylor solution.

As far as restoring static cling, not sure. I don't think you can. Aren't all products like this considered disposable? Wouldn't you be violating some kinda marketing rule?

Besides, your fuzzy cleaning wand has just endured years of hard labor cleaning your filthy ceiling fans. It may be time for a proper burial.

[jo4hn]

[snip]

Reverse the direction of spin on your RAS motor (see previous thread). Start the motor. Hold the wand up next to the motor. Hang in there for a half hour or so. Wash with Lava soap and water. Machine dry. Hang in window. Rub cat with it. Smile. :-) jo4hn

[Tom G]

Seems like I remember there used to be a spray can product you could spray on a dust rag and it became charged so it would attract dust. May be how the wand was treated and the dust collector removed the dust with such force that it also removed or somehow dried out the chemical treatment. See if you can find the product I referred to . Might be cheaper to buy a new wand, however.

Tom G.

[Charlie Self]

Leon,

I know on the microfiber cloths I used for camera cleaning and for tack rags, a simple wash and dry cycle, NO dryer sheets, works to recharge them. It's the dryer, of course. Is your wand detachable so it can be stuck n the dryer for 10-15 minutes, dryer set on low?

[dadiOH]

1. Go some place dry

1. Put on leather soled shoes

2. Hold gizmo to charge in hands

1. Shuffle along rug

Seriously, look at the list in the link, determine the material of your gizmo (nylon?) and then rub it with something of the opposite polarity.

[Leon]

Leon,

I know on the microfiber cloths I used for camera cleaning and for tack rags, a simple wash and dry cycle, NO dryer sheets, works to recharge them. It's the dryer, of course. Is your wand detachable so it can be stuck n the dryer for 10-15 minutes, dryer set on low?

Thanks Charlie, My wand is some type of thin hairy plastic/petroleum product, not a cloth type material. I am afraid that even a low setting could melt the thing. Actually rubbing it on the outside of the collector flexible hose restored some of the static charge, I wonder if I tried to comb my hair with it if there would be some success. ;~)

BTY, I get my microfiber cloths at Sam's Club, I have also found them great for cleaning windows, and 2 of them will completely dry my truck after I wash it.

[Leon]

LOL, I thought it was in order, the thing was brand new. I have never quite so quickly rendered something useless.

Probably correct on that count. I recall when I managed an AC/Delco wholesale diatributorship the guys in the ware house used these things to dust the shelves, 20 years ago. I had forgotten that they seemed to work great initially but after cleaning they pretty much became dust pushers.

I probably over stated the build up a bit. ;!) I am however going to turn to a microfiber cloth on a wand for this task.

[Leon]

Are you being a smart ass? ROTFLMAO

[Leon]

$14 for the wand. I think you might be on to something, seems like Endust does that.

[Leon]

[Nova]

[DGDevin]

Hold it in your mouth and shuffle back and forth across a carpet while rubbing an inflated balloon in your hair. Just don't let anyone see you doing so.

[mac davis]

Can ya write off a trip to Las Vegas as a business expense, if you bring your fan cleaner and walk across a casino carpet with it?

BTW, I use a fan cleaning brush, not sure if it's electro-static or not... I hold it up to the DC fitting also..

Little tip, though... Having 5 fans and some dust allergies, I learned fast that the brush in one hand and the shop vac hose in the other saves a lot of grief..

I do a quick run with the vac wand first, then if I'm working alone, I use the wand pressed against the fan blade to keep the damn thing from spinning.. Works best if My with holds the vac while I use the brush, though..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Robatoy]

When all else fails..e-mail me and I will give you the address of my ex. There is always plenty of static around her.

[mac davis]

Probably cleaned the DC, too...

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Leon]

No ;~(

I have been using the house vac wand and that worked pretty good but I was hoping for something that did not require dragging out the vac. The Irobot Roomba has spoiled me.

Sounds like the way I usta do it.