Best parts washer filter?

[Steevo]

Does anyone here have a solvent tank parts washer of the sink-on-drum type, and if you do, what do you use as a filter for the solvent returning to the drum?

Have you tried the drop-in cartridges that fit in the drain hole? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
Do you have a replaceable fabric sock?
Have you plumbed in an external filter, like a remote car filter?

 

[jjpp]

At work we used to use fabric socks, they were ok. We don't use anything now, we get the drums changed out every six months. If you were to use a filter I would think that it would have to be a large micron filter in order to keep from having to change it all of the time.
What are you using for a cleaner?
We use solvent and I would think that as long as you are smart about it and preclean the bad, greasy, nasty stuff it will last a long time with a sock, just don't leave it running because it will evaporate.

The sock is also very helpful if the drain cover gets knocked off and something goes down the drain, I rebuild transmissions and it's no fun fishing with a magnet if it is magnetic, if not good luck solvent in the armpit burns.

 

[Steevo]

The parts washer I am setting up is a Safety-Kleen 30-gallon drum type. At $8 a gallon for new solvent, I figure I'll have close to $120 worth of solvent investment, and want to put a good filtration system in place to make it last as long as possible.

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

I bought a universal remote filter from Jegs or Summit, but have yet to plumb everything in. From my research, it seemed the cheapest way to go, and the pics on the PDF seem like the real deal.
http://web.archive.org/web/20070206034055/http://www.iwrc.org/downloads/pdf/partsWasher1x1.pdf

http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2009-12/build-parts-washer-filter


p.s.--the original link for the PDF is now gone, so I had to access the wayback machine. It takes a while to load, but you should see it.

 

[jjpp]

Steevo, sounds like the same thing that I use. Like I said just don't leave it running when your not using it, it dosen't take long to evaporate. I would keep the lid closed when your not using it and make sure that you have a fire button for the lid just in case.
I think that I would just run a couple of the cheep plastic inline fuel filters that you can just throw away every 10/15 hours.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Anybody think that a filter for a fuel oil tank would work ?

 

[SGKent]

we bought a whole bunch of safety clean filters really cheap from them. On our model they were designed to fit and do well. It is a little bag with filter media in it. Nothing will keep the solvent from discoloring with dirt and grease but you can get most of the heavy debris out. I also followed someone's advice to keep a few inches of water below the solvent as it helps the dirt to drop out of the solvent. Our tank is plastic so we don't worry about corrosion. Also the water saves solvent because the pump doesn't pick up all the way from the bottom. A good solvent parts washer is one thing we were really happy to add to our collection of garage tools a few years back.

 

[2mJps]

I have a parts washer that sets on a drum. I set a 5gal bucket in it on a stand and only put 2 gal in it at atime. One shop i worked in used truck air filters. We made a big washer and a all thread to clamp it to bottom of washer tub.

 

[sberry]

You don't need a filter, a simple screen setup or ledge to keep the goop out of the pump, I cut a ring of pipe from a 3 or 4 inch about an inch hi that sits over the suction, the fluid has to go over it before the sump and mine had a factory screen setup. If it gets too dirty pump it off, settle it, clean the grime, put back in but a dinky filter isn't going to do much in the grand scheme of a parts washer, I agree, keep lid closed, evap is the biggest problem. Saftey kleen didnt put any on it, a drum type will probably settle even better than this one.

 

[kbs2244]

Coffee filter in the drain hole.

 

[Blue280z]

Here is a PDF showing how to add an oil filter to a parts washer. Seems to clean the fluid nicely.

https://iwrc.uni.edu/sites/default/files/AddingPartsWasher.pdf

 

[sberry]

As long as the pump intake isn't sitting in too it doesn't pick it up and a filter doesn't make it last any longer. I did put a chunk of steel ring around the screen in mine, just keeps the settlings from gravitating towards the sump a bit but the advent of filters is really an internet sensation, the mfg didn't build them in. Number one is scrape as much as one can off first, I have a hot pressure washer but realize not everyone can do that.

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

Yeah but the internet sensation of filters was to keep the fluid clean, not to save the pump.

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[sberry]

How did we ever manage before it? They were used for decades without filters.

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

They did get by but maybe we just want to extend fluid life before pitching it so we can have cleaner stuff to degrease with. the old stank parts cleaner fluid with burnt gear oil doesn't seem to cut as good, not to mention you end up having to clean your part again once it's out of the tank.

Maybe internal combustion engines got by for years without filters too.....for a while.

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[larry4406]

My ZEP Dynaclean parts washer I bought used came with a factory filter with metal base and plastic housing. Looks similar to a residential water filter. I found that the Home Depot spiral wound universal fit filters fit perfect. The filters are rated 10 micron.

Link to the filter elements I use. I use ZEP Dyna 143 solvent.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Univ...e-House-Water-Filter-2-Pack-HDX2SF4/205373461

 

[Super Mech]

I have just a screen on mine. Any kind of element type filter would clog up too fast IMHO. Keep the pump off the bottom of the barrel by an inch or two and clean the bottom of the barrel once a year depending on how much you use it. Mine works fine with just the screen.

 

[pancho400cid]

I did this not too long ago. Bought the cheapest remote oil filter mount from Summit.

For the filter I went to Autozone with the adapter once it came and bought the oil filter that would screw onto it that had the lowest pressure drop - some of the filter bypass valves are very hard to overcome and I felt like that might be an issue with my weak washer pump. Yes friends... I was the weirdo opening oil filter boxes one by one and blowing through the adapter to test pressure needed to overcome the bypass.

Anyway.... I selected an STP S3569, which apparently has a 3/4-16 center thread yet fits Porsches/Audis/Volkswagons and Volvos?

Not a lot of miles yet but it works great so far.

 

[johninct]

Last week I tried a Fram G 3 gas inline fuel filter between the hose and brush and it seems to work ok. I need to get some new fluid but also needed to wash out an oil breather that I didn't want to chance getting any dirt into. My question, will Safety Kleen eat the plastic filter?

 

[Nexussian]

My ZEP Dynaclean parts washer I bought used came with a factory filter with metal base and plastic housing. Looks similar to a residential water filter. I found that the Home Depot spiral wound universal fit filters fit perfect. The filters are rated 10 micron.

Link to the filter elements I use. I use ZEP Dyna 143 solvent.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Univ...e-House-Water-Filter-2-Pack-HDX2SF4/205373461

Does the Zep cleaner use a solvent (chemical) based cleaner, of is it aqueous (water) based?

 

[sberry]

The filter isn't going to strain burnt gear oil, its not going to extend fluid life.

 

[larry4406]

Does the Zep cleaner use a solvent (chemical) based cleaner, of is it aqueous (water) based?

Mine uses Zep Dyna143 which is solvent based. It is their brand.

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

The filter isn't going to strain burnt gear oil, its not going to extend fluid life.

Once again, READ the university document listed and look at their photos instead of just posting. God this is freaking annoying. The earth is flat.

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[sberry]

How long you been using these tools? I finally did read that. A student gets a grant and comes to the conclusion that taking a pinch of **** out of a who know how much makes some difference after adding some parts and clogging the landfil with another filter. 5 gallons of crud in a tank and stripping out a cup full is a revolutionary brainstorm and that an oil filter is going to remove oil from some solvent is a joke and a waste of government money. Cut the filter open and there is some stuff in it, no ****.
This is living proof one can now read something on the internet and call it research and know less than when they started.

 

[sberry]

The solvent in my tank was in there before he left high school and changed after he finished college. It had evaporated, been replenished from adding and was rank and stale and even if it had a quart of stuff strained out wouldn't have meant much to the 5 gallons of crud that settled in to the bottom of the tank. The cost of the additional equipment would have been better spent on replacement of old stale solvent.
If it actually worked the oil in a car shouldn't get black. Pour a gallon of black *** diesel oil in with it, run it thru there and research that.