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Has anyone mounted your dust collector outside?

Joined
Feb 26, 2024
Messages
9
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11
Location
Langley, BC
I'm wondering if i can mount my 2HP dust collector I'm the wall outside my shop and built an enclosure to keep the weather off it. What I'm not sure of is if I can run ductwork for the EXHAUST from the dust collector about 10 ft away. The large baffle filter and the bag below it would need to be inside the shop so as not to lose all of the heat in winter. Have any of you done something similar?
 
My cyclone is outside with return air to the inside. When I upgraded to a 3hp unit I started having freeze-up problems occasionally, apparently from moisture from condensation on the underside of the fan housing bridging and freezing to the top of the impeller disc. I put a heatgun on a length of pipe to break it loose a few times a year. Otherwise it works well. You may want to put a bin monitor on the collection drum if you are not good at keeping track. My extended drop under the cyclone has saved me from plugging the filters more than once
new DC.jpg
 
I've seen them mounted outside. Some forget filter and simply dump the dust into a box mounted on the outside wall. That does mess with the inside air temperature, the reason I filter the air well and return it to the shop. (My shop has heat and air). My Dylos particle counter indicates it quite efficient. The air in the closet, after the filter, goes through a carefully designed baffle system between the roof trusses to minimize noise from that path.

I've even see installations designed to switch all the air past the cyclone directly outside when the temperature wasn't extreme, and run it through the inside filter otherwise.

My 5hp cyclone is SO loud if it were outside instead of in a sound-insulated closet I suspect the neighbors across the way would be less than pleased. Maybe something to consider.

JKJ
 
My cyclone dust collector is in an insulated box with a door on it and vents directly outside. No filter in the shop so no recirculated fine particles.
The insulation keeps the noise down. Works great!
 
I have a small enclosed shop and a carport next to it where I do a lot of my woodworking. I have a single dust collector with two inlets. I cut a hole in the wall of my shop for one run of flexible duct and keep one port for the outside work.
 
DSCF7202.JPG

This is an old Murphy Rogers with a 5 HP Baldor. I got it at auction for $100. Had to do a little repair work on the blower and built the stand. It's been in use for 13 years now and the only attention it has had is a yearly shot of grease. When the sawdust pile gets big, I pick it up with the tractor FEL and use it to fill ditches.

I live in NW Arkansas and winters are moderate but summers are hot. Shop is heated by a woodstove and has AC for summer. The DC is turned on by a wireless gadget and only runs when a machine is running. It really doesn't have much effect on shop temperature unless it runs for a hour or so which would be unusual. Seems a lot simpler than having a filtered return air system. I do have one of those hanging shop air filtration things and a small inside Dust Deputy cyclone that I hook up to routers, sanders.
 
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