The problem: the cat fur equivalent of perpetual motion. Everyday I can spend an hour raking her fur and she’ll still shed a few kilos.
Point 1: An industrial strength HEPA filter does nothing. It gets clogged too easily.
Point 2: The fur sticks to staticky clothes, computer monitor/TV and such like charged objects.
Point 3: Sharper Image makes an air filter called “Ionic Breeze” that is apparently 4 metal rods that maintain a charge. It is supposed to attract the charged dust and other particles in the air.
Point 4: Ionic Breeze filters cost a lot.
So what I’d like to know is can I just take an AC to DC transformer/adaptor and rig up a few metal bars to make my own filter that would (hopefully) catch the fur that wafts around the apartment? Maybe add a light fan that blows in direction of the filter?
If so, how should it be constructed? Could I just make a metal base with bars like: |||_| and attach one of the wires (+)? from the transformer? Do I need to make something for the other wire/charge? Does the Ionic Breeze act like a capacitor and would it be important to have the oppositely charged material in a certain proximity to the bars?
In the final form it would be encaged in insulating material to prevent damage to it or various mammals in the vacinity.
I have an Ionic Breeze. I’ve been meaning to poke around and measure the grid voltages but so far just haven’t gotten 'round to it. I’m a little hesitant because my meter pegs at 5KV and I suspect the IB might be cranking out 15-20KV or more. I really should use a high voltage probe, but don’t have one.
I suspect it’s not much more than a voltage multiplier, but I’m not altogether sure how the presence of high voltage along a metal array sets air into motion. I suggest you reasearch “Ion Tubes”. Also, our very own bbeaty has a lot of stuff about charged air on his home page.
Your solution does not sound very effective. A negative ion generator will precipitate out small particles, and then only the ones that happen to pass near the pins.
These machines are fairly hopeless at doing much in a household setting. They are good for precipitating out pollution in industrial stacks.
I suggest spraying the cat with PVA glue. Works with asbestos.
I would give up on the negative ion generator idea, you might electrocute yourself or end up making an ozone generator.
These devices tend to operate at about 4 kV open-circuit at a high impedance, so the current is low. even with a decent high-voltage probe, it will read at about 2 kV.
According to Consumer Reports testing, the Ionic Breeze is a piece of crap that has “almost no measureable reduction in airborn particles.” The review os only available to subscribers, so I can’t provide a link.
The second highest machine in their ratings (the highest is pricier than the Ionic Breeze) is the Whirlpool AP4503OHO for $250. BTW, none of the reviewed modelswork for spaces larger than 500 sq. ft.
Consumer reports notwithstanding (and pardon my humble opinion), but I have to clean the grid/plate assembly in my IB about once a week, and it’s usually totally caked with gunk. This stuff had to come from somewhere.
But OTOH I do have two cats, and there’s hardly a hair on the filter when I clean it. So the IB may not be the best solution for pet hair, although it probably does grab the airborn dander et. al.
Cat hair is very large, this is like using a microscope to find a blue brested robin.
A very simple solution would be to rig up a furnace filter to a fan. Upscale it enough and you can have a very effective large partical flitering system.
Furnace filters range from simple mesh to electrostatic types.
I had tried posting last night, but it didn’t work.
Sounds like the IB (or a home built one) wouldn’t either.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the IB, but I wonder about the Consumer Reports report. What did they use? I’m in NYC where there seems to be a lot of tarry gunk in the air that settles on stuff. Did they seed clean rooms with stuff or measure stuff in the air before and after?
I guess now I just wish it would work well,
but I’d still like to know if it is easily constructable?
So there’re a few other options available:
antechinus: I suggest spraying the cat with PVA glue.
sailor: A very simple solution would be to rig up a furnace filter to a fan
sailor: Even simpler is to apply the 4 KV directly to the kitty.
I actually tried #2, but with a fan that was (I think) too weak, or a filter that was too fine.
I’ll just work my way through them and see what works. If all else fails, I’ll go with a bonsai kitten.
One serious problem with poorly made ionic devices is the production of ozone. You really, really, don’t want to be breathing that stuff. If you made such a device yourself, how would you test it it to make sure it wasn’t producing ozone?
An inefficient method of air cleaning that might produce ozone but not collect cat hair? Time for plan B.
Ozone production is the reason these units operate at around 4 kV or less. Much more than that and it becomes difficult to prevent corona discharge, which is what produces ozone. You can readily tell if a device is creating ozone, as it has a distinctive, sharp odor to it.
