Will removing carbon filter's pre-filter give me more cfm's?

So just like the title asks, im wondering if removing the cloth pre-filter would increase my cfm's/airflow in my tent? I'm waiting for my upgrade (6" from 4") to come in but im fighting temps and my last harvest suffered from stress and had a little hermie action going on.

It definitely wouldn't hurt

Merkn4aSquirtn said:

It definitely wouldn't hurt

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I get that. just wondering if going through the work would be worth it or not.

Couldn't be too much work yeh?
Do you think it would be any different?
Do you breathe easier with a mask on/off?
I'd expect any resistance being removed from the filter, would have an increase in cmf and potentially less work on your fan.

It won't be much but hey, won't know unless you try right

Merkn4aSquirtn said:

Couldn't be too much work yeh?
Do you think it would be any different?
Do you breathe easier with a mask on/off?
I'd expect any resistance being removed from the filter, would have an increase in cmf and potentially less work on your fan.

It won't be much but hey, won't know unless you try right

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yeah you're right. im going to give it a shot and report back in a few hours with the new temps.

I dont think it would be a major improvement but every little bit helps. You could just cut the pre filter off? Would be a lot easier than taking it down to remove it.

JoeBlow5823 said:

I dont think it would be a major improvement but every little bit helps. You could just cut the pre filter off? Would be a lot easier than taking it down to remove it.

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yeah getting a new one anyway, going to cut it instead of taking down the whole light bar i have it hooked to and undoing straps. its tight on that pole lol. good call

MintyDreadlocks said:

yeah getting a new one anyway, going to cut it instead of taking down the whole light bar i have it hooked to and undoing straps. its tight on that pole lol. good call

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Yeah you can always buy generic filterers for cheap, if you decide you want to use that filter later (you already said you have a new fan and filter coming right?).

I would highly recommend upsizing your filter to your fan. Like for example Phat makes 6'' filters that are 12'' long all the way up to 39'' all of them with different cfm ratings. The 12 is only good for 275 CFM while the 39'' is rated for 800; massive difference.

I actually just bought new filters for my setup. Two Phat 10x39's (got a hell of a deal at a local hydro shop, 380 for both after tax). Going to run 8'' fans on them likely at 50% power. The bigger the filter, the less restriction (better flow), and better the job it will do removing smells. Filter should also last longer.

My though process is that if a fan is rated for 400 cfm, to be on the safe side, the filter should be rated for 800cfm. At times I run my 800 cfm fans up to 80-90% so it makes sense for me to run the 10x39 rated for 1400 cfm.

That make sense?

I wouldn't do it. The prefilter is on there for a reason. I know it looks cooler off, but it takes all the bigger particles out of the air before it comes into contact with your carbon in the filter clogging it up. And it's not going to really increase cfms that much.

Chemdog1989 said:

I wouldn't do it. The prefilter is on there for a reason. I know it looks cooler off, but it takes all the bigger particles out of the air before it comes into contact with your carbon in the filter clogging it up. And it's not going to really increase cfms that much.

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Dude says he has new fan/filter coming. I would risk having to throw it away in order to keep my tent cool enough until the new setup came.

Chemdog1989 said:

I wouldn't do it. The prefilter is on there for a reason. I know it looks cooler off, but it takes all the bigger particles out of the air before it comes into contact with your carbon in the filter clogging it up. And it's not going to really increase cfms that much.

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I agree, the risk of damaging the charcoal bed isn’t worth the few cfm. Have to edit, if it’s trash anyways then go hard.

Dust will clog your carbon and ruin the filter prematurely.

Renfro said:

Dust will clog your carbon and ruin the filter prematurely.

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Again he says he has a new filter setup on order. I think he is more worried about saving the crop than killing a 40$ filter. For the short term im betting it helps.

What has surprised me greatly is how long a quality carbon filter can last. I just shop vac the filter socks a couple times a year to keep it flowing and I have filters that are on their 8th year of service. And it's not an anomaly because I have 6 of them lol. The can filters I had purchased back in the day would be good for a year and a half, maybe two but these Phat / Phresh brand filters have gone way past that.

Renfro said:

What has surprised me greatly is how long a quality carbon filter can last. I just shop vac the filter socks a couple times a year to keep it flowing and I have filters that are on their 8th year of service. And it's not an anomaly because I have 6 of them lol. The can filters I had purchased back in the day would be good for a year and a half, maybe two but these Phat / Phresh brand filters have gone way past that.

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You are the reason i just picked up 2 Phat 10x39's. With a 8'' fan running at 50% they will last FOREVER. Ive had one AC infinity fan running 2 years but all the newer ones ive got from them only last a year or so. Ive ran vivosun and what not but when you need to move serious air, you need a serious filter.

off topic. but Im running a recirculating carbon filter cause of sealed room but do you guys know if I should be positioning the fan to be sucking the air or blowing it out?

All these years I was told by my growing friends to make it so it sucks the air through the filters and blows out the air through the fan in a recirculating system. Basically just to put the carbon filter fan upside down.

Its more efficient to suck air through the fan right? Will both do the same job in a recirculating system?

Chemdog1989 said:

I wouldn't do it. The prefilter is on there for a reason. I know it looks cooler off, but it takes all the bigger particles out of the air before it comes into contact with your carbon in the filter clogging it up. And it's not going to really increase cfms that much.

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Yep, what he said.

newbplantgrower420 said:

off topic. but Im running a recirculating carbon filter cause of sealed room but do you guys know if I should be positioning the fan to be sucking the air or blowing it out?

All these years I was told by my growing friends to make it so it sucks the air through the filters and blows out the air through the fan in a recirculating system. Basically just to put the carbon filter fan upside down.

Its more efficient to suck air through the fan right? Will both do the same job in a recirculating system?

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this is the way to setup a carbon filter.

newbplantgrower420 said:

but do you guys know if I should be positioning the fan to be sucking the air or blowing it out?

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Suck air in from your room through the prefilter>carbon filter> out of fan> exhaust line. In your case, it blows through a redirect line that points in opposite corner of room?

JoeBlow5823 said:

this is the way to setup a carbon filter.

View attachment 4641873

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are u venting out?

my rooms completely sealed. i have to recirculate. i dont want to make a hole and push air out or bring air in.