I inherited this when I moved into my new shop a year ago. It's just not sucking what it should be judging from the size of it? We mainly use it for a sliding table saw. We close all blast gates to dedicate suction to one machine at a time. My suspicion is that the lousy and excessive ducting with sharp 90's doesn't help. Still, you would think by the size of it, it would suck my arm off. The connection to the slider in pic was removed to see if there was something clogging the duct. It was taped before. Also, the air is pulsing recently as it sucks Thanks.

There is no photo but the first place I would look is at whatever filter arrangement is on it. They do not last forever.

Chris - if you can send me the image via email, I will add it to your post. Send to webmaster@woodweb.com.

Thanks.

To carry Bill's point a bit further, a fan can only suck if has somewhere to blow. Other wise it is like trying to suck smoke out of a beer bottle. Open the other end, and it will flow out. If you have clogged filters or no air return to the area that is being exhausted, the fan will spin but move little or no air. If doors are blown open or shut, this tells you that you need air return.

Then make sure all the ducts are wide sweeps, no sudden changes of direction, no inside corrugations, and tight joints.

another attempt at attaching the pics

View higher quality, full size image (480 X 640)

View higher quality, full size image (480 X 640)

View higher quality, full size image (640 X 480)

Make sure that it's wired correctly and that the fan is turning the correct direction.

Electrician wired mine backwards, still sucked but only about a 3rd of what it should.

Wasn't aware you could wife if backwards. I'll have an electrician look at it. Then again, how would he know? I guess wire it opposite of what it is now and hope for the best.
Thanks Randy

As large as it is I'm assuming (I know better) it's 3 phase. 3 hot wires which any 2 and it reversed the motor, but better have an electrician do it.

Chris - I do not see where the air that is coming out of the shop is either returned to the shop or exited out the collector anywhere.

If the air is not returned, then the collector will suck doors closed in the shop (if they swing out), or suck them open if they are inswing. It must be a loop, free flowing.

The sequence appears to be Inlet, Fan, heavy separator, some sort of fine separator, then a cyclone oddly used (backwards), then some sort of box apparatus with hanging filters. Not logical at all, from what I see. Should be fan, cyclone, filters, then return to the shop. Heavy dust should fall below the cyclone, and the fines below the filters, with some sort of clean out at the base of the filters.

It looks like an old Murphy Rogers that has been 'fixed up' if you know what I mean. If those box affairs to the left and above are tight, then air will not exit the filter bags, and the whole thing will hardly suck up a shaving.

I think I would look for a local dealer of systems and ask him to come over and examine, diagnose and let you figure out where to go from there. His first response will be 'whole New System..." - you just need to tell him you are committed to making this work, you just need to know how.

Agree with David - It looks to me like the whole thing is backwards.

Your system was made by AAF/American Air Filter and is a well made unit. The blower is a true vane turbo charger style design that is balanced and extremely well made. These systems were sold to Voc schools all over the country and most have been removed since bringing them up to compliance was too costly.

The blower is coupled to a ' Rotoclone ' a proprietary separator that spins the mix similar to a cyclone and pulls the heavier chips into the bigger hopper. Anyway they run from about 15-20hp and 55-7000 CFM depending on how they are set up. Very nice units and worth keeping if they meet your needs. Because of the efficient blower design they pull air quite a bit more efficiently than most paddle wheel type blowers out there today and subsequently have a very flat performance curve

Wow! Thanks Rick! How exciting to learn I havent inherited a piece of junk. I will call them tomorrow to see if they have a tech that can come by to have a look. I really appreciate your input. Thank you! Ia had a look at the moter and it is only 5 horse 3 phase. Could I replace it with a 15 horse motor? Would it make a difference? I know zip about mechanics.
Thanks again.

Chris,

If it's not sucking the way it should be, take a look at the fan rotation.

There is a chance it could be spinning the wrong direction.

Checked that. Spins correctly. My suspicion is its in the lousy ducting. Any idea if I can put a bigger motor on it?

Is that 10 or 12" coming off the collector and going into the building ? Is that an 8 reduction in the door ? Maybe to many reducers along the main and then reduced again too much going down the wall

If the collector is pulsing as it collects you may have too much restriction open a gate

That looks like an awfully large blower for a 5hp motor. My Oneida is a fraction of the size of that and has a 7.5 hp motor. From the look of the system I'd think a 15hp motor would be an absolute minimum. It will be interesting to see what you find out.

BH Davis