Trying out an "Active Air" in-line two stage carbon filter.

LeastExpectedGrower

LeastExpectedGrower

Well-Known Member
It was time for a new carbon filter after a handful of grows, and thought I'd try something a little different. The Active Air 6x24" inline two stage carbon filter:

Once you get shipping charged out, you're looking @ about $200, which is twice as much than many, but I had the budget to play with. Showed up today, and overall the build looks good, but there's a bit of a negative involved too.

IMG_4346.jpg

IMG_4347.jpg

Build quality seems decent...you may notice that it has a couple interesting things...first off; no holes on the outside. It's a true 'in line' meaning the air enters from one of the ends (can be either), from there it has a 'prefilter' like pretty much all filters, and the inner surface is perforated and you use a metal ring to keep the pre-filter stretched and in place. There is an interior baffle in the middle of the unit, so the air is forced through the charcoal layer rather than going directly though like most carbon filters. The air path then forces the air back through the back half of the filter's charcoal, so you're getting two passes:

ACCIF-619.png

So yeah, only 1" of charcoal, but passed through twice, so going through 2 inches total. Unit comes with two prefilters, and two of the retaining rings.

The bad:
- unit was shipped without an external box so if you're looking for discreet, it ain't.
- since the unit is shipped without a shipping box, mine came with a pretty good dent:

IMG_4345.jpg

I'm not going to fight for a return/replacement since I don't want to deal with the hassle and shipping, etc., and I'm pretty sure that this won't change overall performance.

I'll get it all installed and set up tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing if there's any real difference in performance, since the regular filters work just fine as well.
 
LeastExpectedGrower

LeastExpectedGrower

Well-Known Member
Nope_49595933949 said:
I'm a little stoned but I'm not understanding how the air is being filtered twice? Looks like once.
Click to expand...
The way it's built, it forces the air through the charcoal twice...air enters the center column, is pushed through the charcoal to a chamber on the outside of the charcoal, then as it travels further along it's pulled back through the charcoal again on it's way to exit.
 
O

orangejesus

Well-Known Member
LeastExpectedGrower said:
It was time for a new carbon filter after a handful of grows, and thought I'd try something a little different. The Active Air 6x24" inline two stage carbon filter:

Once you get shipping charged out, you're looking @ about $200, which is twice as much than many, but I had the budget to play with. Showed up today, and overall the build looks good, but there's a bit of a negative involved too.

View attachment 5211458

View attachment 5211459

Build quality seems decent...you may notice that it has a couple interesting things...first off; no holes on the outside. It's a true 'in line' meaning the air enters from one of the ends (can be either), from there it has a 'prefilter' like pretty much all filters, and the inner surface is perforated and you use a metal ring to keep the pre-filter stretched and in place. There is an interior baffle in the middle of the unit, so the air is forced through the charcoal layer rather than going directly though like most carbon filters. The air path then forces the air back through the back half of the filter's charcoal, so you're getting two passes:

View attachment 5211462

So yeah, only 1" of charcoal, but passed through twice, so going through 2 inches total. Unit comes with two prefilters, and two of the retaining rings.

The bad:
- unit was shipped without an external box so if you're looking for discreet, it ain't.
- since the unit is shipped without a shipping box, mine came with a pretty good dent:

View attachment 5211464

I'm not going to fight for a return/replacement since I don't want to deal with the hassle and shipping, etc., and I'm pretty sure that this won't change overall performance.

I'll get it all installed and set up tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing if there's any real difference in performance, since the regular filters work just fine as well.
Click to expand...
send it back; in reviewing the flow diagram above it would seem that any dents to the exterior housing might impact the flow. also - maybe this was a previous return that was then resold

I just received my first Hydrobuilder order last week (2x4 tent) and was looking at fans/filters - but might look elsewhere given your experience (discrete shipping should be a given)
 
N

Nope_49595933949

Well-Known Member
orangejesus said:
me too, but I still see the blue arrows passing through the charcoal layer - twice
Click to expand...
I see them entering on either side in the inlet, because it's 2d and a cylinder, but I see them entering and exiting 1 time. Wouldn't it need another cone and break in the putter layer to force the air back into the center and then back out to the outter layer?
 
O

orangejesus

Well-Known Member
Nope_49595933949 said:
I see them entering on either side in the inlet, because it's 2d and a cylinder, but I see them entering and exiting 1 time. Wouldn't it need another cone and break in the putter layer to force the air back into the center and then back out to the outter layer?
Click to expand...
I think the flange at the end serves that function.
design is basically a tube within a tube
air enters through the center tub, is diverted to pass through the charcoal - and is now in the outer tube.
air hits the housing flange at the end of the outer tube - and is diverted back through the charcoal, and exits through the center tube.
 
B

Beehydro

Active Member
LeastExpectedGrower said:
It was time for a new carbon filter after a handful of grows, and thought I'd try something a little different. The Active Air 6x24" inline two stage carbon filter:

Once you get shipping charged out, you're looking @ about $200, which is twice as much than many, but I had the budget to play with. Showed up today, and overall the build looks good, but there's a bit of a negative involved too.

View attachment 5211458

View attachment 5211459

Build quality seems decent...you may notice that it has a couple interesting things...first off; no holes on the outside. It's a true 'in line' meaning the air enters from one of the ends (can be either), from there it has a 'prefilter' like pretty much all filters, and the inner surface is perforated and you use a metal ring to keep the pre-filter stretched and in place. There is an interior baffle in the middle of the unit, so the air is forced through the charcoal layer rather than going directly though like most carbon filters. The air path then forces the air back through the back half of the filter's charcoal, so you're getting two passes:

View attachment 5211462

So yeah, only 1" of charcoal, but passed through twice, so going through 2 inches total. Unit comes with two prefilters, and two of the retaining rings.

The bad:
- unit was shipped without an external box so if you're looking for discreet, it ain't.
- since the unit is shipped without a shipping box, mine came with a pretty good dent:

View attachment 5211464

I'm not going to fight for a return/replacement since I don't want to deal with the hassle and shipping, etc., and I'm pretty sure that this won't change overall performance.

I'll get it all installed and set up tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing if there's any real difference in performance, since the regular filters work just fine as well.
Click to expand...
I got one and it's amazing. Last about a year.
 
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