Furnace Air Intake Filter?

[DT6]

It may be that the furnace was in a bit of a different location on our 19 vs. our new 21C, but we are getting a bunch of furnace failures due to a dirty sail switch.

I should note that the culprit is our golden retriever, and when I check the sail switch when the furnace stops, I always find hair tangled on it.

BUT - I'm getting tired of having to do this so frequently (sometimes once a day, sometimes it goes for a few days before stopping again), and on our 19 with the same dog, I only had to clean it twice in 4 years.

So is there any way to install a furnace intake air filter??

Thanks!

[cpaharley2008]

But then you would have to clan the filter daily also. Maybe have the dog wear a vest or something to keep the hair to a minimum. Or, relocate the air intake if possible?

[DT6]

Where is the air intake please?

[HABBERDABBER]

There are cheapo, open mesh home furnace filters sold at the big box stores. Given their low cost, it's worth an experiment. Buy one, cut it to size to fit your interior furnace grill and give it a whirl. I'm assuming the furnace takes interior air and heats it and exhausts combustion gases to the exterior outlet. Even the el cheapo filter should catch a Golden's long hair.

A filter may be touchy and too much of a reduction in air flow for the sail switch. Many folks try to maximize that airflow to deal with sail switch issues. You could also try window screen material.

Experiments are in order. Please post your findings.

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

There are cheapo, open mesh home furnace filters sold at the big box stores. Given their low cost, it's worth an experiment. Buy one, cut it to size to fit your interior furnace grill and give it a whirl. I'm assuming the furnace takes interior air and heats it and exhausts combustion gases to the exterior outlet. Even the el cheapo filter should catch a Golden's long hair.

A filter may be touchy and too much of a reduction in air flow for the sail switch. Many folks try to maximize that airflow to deal with sail switch issues. You could also try window screen material.

Experiments are in order. Please post your findings.

Now thats a great idea, cats just did the same to me, haircut tomorrow. Just have to be careful to not restrict the intake flow too much, but way worth experimenting.

While I was at it I didn’t care for the flex hose on the output, getting better warm air flow with standard ductwork pipe.

5” at lowes…

[DT6]

I like the idea of the cheap furnace filters. As I recall there is minimal airflow interruption and from the hair/lint I see that I am pulling from the sail switch, the cheap filters should be enough to catch most of it.

Of course at some point the furnace won't run because the filter will get dirty, but I hope it will be quite a while between cleanings. I just cleaned the sail switch after my first post earlier today and the furnace ran off and on most of the day, but quit about 7PM and we had to switch to the heat strips in the AC unit. So I'll have to clean it again tomorrow. Sigh...

I'll report back in a week or so about results.

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Ooshkaboo

Now thats a great idea, cats just did the same to me, haircut tomorrow. Just have to be careful to not restrict the intake flow too much, but way worth experimenting.

While I was at it I didn’t care for the flex hose on the output, getting better warm air flow with standard ductwork pipe.

5” at lowes…

This is on my upgrade list too!

How long did you cut the duct too, and did it work out well?

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by splitting_lanes

This is on my upgrade list too!

How long did you cut the duct too, and did it work out well?

6 and a half, yes it is putting out a better flow.
I also removed the two heater mounting screws going into the plywood and moved it over just a bit to line things up.

There are a few ridges on the rear of the faceplate that are used for connecting the old flex hose I filed down, allowing for the pipe to slide right over.
The metal pipe is now screwed in only at the bracket that attaches to the heater. No screws are used on the faceplate.

Now to test out various furnace filters. Too much filter and the airflow might be affected, not enough and it wont do the job on pet fuzz.

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Ooshkaboo

6 and a half, yes it is putting out a better flow.
I also removed the two heater mounting screws going into the plywood and moved it over just a bit to line things up.

There are a few ridges on the rear of the faceplate that are used for connecting the old flex hose I filed down, allowing for the pipe to slide right over.
The metal pipe is now screwed in only at the bracket that attaches to the heater. No screws are used on the faceplate.

Now to test out various furnace filters. Too much filter and the airflow might be affected, not enough and it wont do the job on pet fuzz.

Thanks! I’m following in your footsteps again.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

A filter may be touchy and too much of a reduction in air flow for the sail switch. Many folks try to maximize that airflow to deal with sail switch issues. You could also try window screen material.

Window screening in use as filter…
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...tml#post288835

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by DT6

It may be that the furnace was in a bit of a different location on our 19 vs. our new 21C, but we are getting a bunch of furnace failures due to a dirty sail switch.

I should note that the culprit is our golden retriever, and when I check the sail switch when the furnace stops, I always find hair tangled on it.

So is there any way to install a furnace intake air filter??

Thanks!

I figured this would be a problem at one home I had. Heating guy put air intake on the floor! 4 Aussies! I did put window screening on the under side of the floor vent. Did catch a lot. I vacuumed it back out from the front side. So traveling with 3 aussies.............I see this as a problem already.

I guess I'll scratch my head over how to make a small framed screen(using the finer nosee-um screening, that would be easily slide out to clean, like a clothes dryer has. As I see it needing to be done daily for me.

[Ooshkaboo]

So far this filter from Home Depot has been working out. The system shows no sign of a airflow struggle, so far.
I cut it in half, trim it some and use the vent to keep it in place, just cut the hole for the pipe and screw it down.
In apartments with animals I always use this type, otherwise using the cheaper filters allows for the small particles to just end up coating the A-coil. Most of which are way difficult to get access for a cleaning.
That sail switch needs all the help it can get.
I also gave those cats a haircut…

[MVA]

Originally Posted by Ooshkaboo

6 and a half, yes it is putting out a better flow.
I also removed the two heater mounting screws going into the plywood and moved it over just a bit to line things up.

There are a few ridges on the rear of the faceplate that are used for connecting the old flex hose I filed down, allowing for the pipe to slide right over.
The metal pipe is now screwed in only at the bracket that attaches to the heater. No screws are used on the faceplate.

Now to test out various furnace filters. Too much filter and the airflow might be affected, not enough and it wont do the job on pet fuzz.

I am not doubting that you found the solid pipe to be better than the thin flex pipe, but I am at a loss why? Does not seem that the flow would be restricted by the flex pipe (?). Any insight?

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by MVA

I am not doubting that you found the solid pipe to be better than the thin flex pipe, but I am at a loss why? Does not seem that the flow would be restricted by the flex pipe (?). Any insight?

The ridges inside do slow the air flow some, plus catch the dirt/dust, in the "valleys". If a bend, folds some. In this house, I took all the duct work(insulated flex pipe) off, & ran steel pipe down inside, put back up. Heating guy noticed.

[Ooshkaboo]

So there was also a gap where the inside of the cabinet meets the bathroom wall, this will allow intake air to be drawn from between inside walls. I’m on the road so I just shoved more air filter material in that crack to keep that air clean. Eventually I’ll be boarding that gap up. The cleaner I can keep this air the fewer times I'll be cleaning up the sail switch.
If you’ve been involved with much remodeling you’ve seen the dirt and things the original work crew left in between walls, closer than a trashcan.

[Carmel Clown]

Originally Posted by Ooshkaboo

So far this filter from Home Depot has been working out. The system shows no sign of a airflow struggle, so far.
I cut it in half, trim it some and use the vent to keep it in place, just cut the hole for the pipe and screw it down.
In apartments with animals I always use this type, otherwise using the cheaper filters allows for the small particles to just end up coating the A-coil. Most of which are way difficult to get access for a cleaning.
That sail switch needs all the help it can get.
I also gave those cats a haircut…

Is the intake the slits around the blower? May I please see a picture of the filter in place? I

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by Carmel Clown

Is the intake the slits around the blower? May I please see a picture of the filter in place? I

Yes-it's no wonder the sail switch is constantly giving many people grief, you wouldn’t run your home furnace without any type of air filter.
I’ve installed a few furnaces and have done a bit of troubleshooting on them, if it’s setup correctly they can run trouble free for years. It doesn’t take but a little something off and it’s headache time.
On a home unit I will snake a vacuum hose down inside the cold air return vent and clean out the dirt so even before the air hits the furnace filter it’s somewhat clean. Take a flashlight, remove the wall vent cover and take a look inside and you will see tons of dust built up.
That’s why I don't want the gap that leads to the behind the cabinets, allowing for that to make its way unfiltered into the furnace. It’s what the green filter is for until I get a chance to seal it up.

[Carmel Clown]

Originally Posted by Ooshkaboo

Yes-it's no wonder the sail switch is constantly giving many people grief, you wouldn’t run your home furnace without any type of air filter.
I’ve installed a few furnaces and have done a bit of troubleshooting on them, if it’s setup correctly they can run trouble free for years. It doesn’t take but a little something off and it’s headache time.
On a home unit I will snake a vacuum hose down inside the cold air return vent and clean out the dirt so even before the air hits the furnace filter it’s somewhat clean. Take a flashlight, remove the wall vent cover and take a look inside and you will see tons of dust built up.
That’s why I don't want the gap that leads to the behind the cabinets, allowing for that to make its way unfiltered into the furnace. It’s what the green filter is for until I get a chance to seal it up.

Thank you so much.

[Carlos]

Just a thaught, the sail switch is in the combustion air circuit not the heated air circuit ie air from outside not from inside [at least on my 17B] possibly trying to filter out hair from the wrong circuit.

[brroberts]

6 and a half, yes it is putting out a better flow.
I also removed the two heater mounting screws going into the plywood and moved it over just a bit to line things up.

There are a few ridges on the rear of the faceplate that are used for connecting the old flex hose I filed down, allowing for the pipe to slide right over.
The metal pipe is now screwed in only at the bracket that attaches to the heater. No screws are used on the faceplate.



This is exactly how I did it except 6 3/4” of length for my trailer.