Any updates on Bill of Materials for Europe?

[sbutler-gh]

I'm also looking to build a DIY Air Cleaner in Europe, and struggling with some of the parts. Have there been any new findings in terms of parts / materials, that better support this project?

In particular, one of the most difficult seems to be the box fan. The Pearl model you linked now costs 80 EUR (https://www.pearl.de/a-NX6414-3033.shtml), which points me to looking at alternatives.

I've come across some others like these (https://www.led-grower.eu/ventilator-boxfan-one4air-o30cm/, https://www.growland.biz/Box-Fan-30cm), but I'm not sure if those designs and fan styles would work.

Another option is a design like this (https://twitter.com/CRBoxKits/status/1598165384267386880), which uses smaller fans that are more easy to acquire on amazon.de etc. Though I think I'd prefer to try the classic CR box design, for ease of use, portability, and replicability. Just need to find the fans!

[wrichter]

Not from my side, but in UK there's folks who have looked at how to build CR boxes using locally available materials:

https://twitter.com/plasticfull https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PvfC3grgjeX22kR4F-M_W1UJ8OQlaw1L/view

Basically you don't have to rely on a square box fan which is hard to source in Europe, but any round one combined with a shroud (+ duct tape) that seals it seems to work. And of course the option to use a number of smaller 12V fans.

[sbutler-gh]

Awesome @wrichter , thank you so much for the help (and for creating this resource in the first place!) Really appreciated, I'd be lost without it.

[randomoneh]

@wrichter For me, fans are not the problem, I have several 40 W 30 cm fans but filter material seems to a problem in Croatia. Am I wrong or did price of that filter in your local shop jump from 15€ to 30€+?

Now I'm wondering what kind of filtration regular old school mattress foam cut into 5 cm slices provides as that's very easy to source almost everywhere.

[wrichter]

Hmm I haven't looked at the prices recently. Regarding mattress foam my gut feeling is that it would either not allow any air through (if the foam bubbles are closed) or not really filter fine particles (if the foam bubbles intersect/are open). In the latter case, they might work as pre-filter to keep larger debris (hair, etc...) from clogging up other filter material behind it.

Do you intend to build one or multiple boxes?

[randomoneh]

Hmm I haven't looked at the prices recently. Regarding mattress foam my gut feeling is that it would either not allow any air through (if the foam bubbles are closed) or not really filter fine particles (if the foam bubbles intersect/are open). In the latter case, they might work as pre-filter to keep larger debris (hair, etc...) from clogging up other filter material behind it.

Do you intend to build one or multiple boxes?

Considering how old school mattress foam soaks up water I think it's 'open cell' and would let air through also. I'm looking to build one and see if I can notice any significant settling of air-dryer like lint made of tiny hairs on it in reasonable time. If that's the case, I'd make more.

[wrichter]

Ah this got buried…. I still have 4 filters from my experiments; if you’re willing to pay for the postage I can send them over.

[BeardAndCap]

@wrichter Do you perhaps know the SKU of the filters you used? Trying to source them locally before I try to order them from Germany.

[pauleonix]

I found another German shop that currently sells at ~15€: https://www.as-luftfilter.de/Z-Line-Filter/Z-Line-Filter-F7/48-mm-Bautiefe-187/Z-Line-Filter---Gueteklasse-F7---495-x-495-x-48-mm.html

[wrichter]

@wrichter Do you perhaps know the SKU of the filters you used? Trying to source them locally before I try to order them from Germany.

sorry, no - the filters themselves have a label that doesn't indicate the manufacturer