What fume extractor does DAVE using in his lab, a pretty good looking one? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: TheEENerd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 05:15:36 am
content: As

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 08:55:27 am
content: not sure anyone has ever seen one - and who cares ?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 09:28:50 am
content: he has two i think. one you ca definitly see at his bench in most videos

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 09:30:37 am
content: Didn't Dave point one out in his last live blog?Actually you should care, I know of someone who did a lot of soldering over the years and had his lungs severely damaged by the breathing in of all those fumes. I don't have an extractor, but if I'm doing a lot of soldering I will set up a desk fan to one side to blow the fumes away from me.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 09:40:51 am
content: I'm just wondering why someone is so intersted in the specific extractor Dave uses.I've never done any exstensive soldering but once i setup my lab room in my newly bought house I'll be keeping the window open and may setup a fan to take fumes out although in the summer leaving the bathroom window open too will generate a nice draft with no need for a powered unit

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 12:53:20 pm
content: I see no need for an extractor.Solder flux fumes are not really harmful, only a minor irritant which can at worst trigger asthma. They don't contain enough lead to be harmful, even over long term exposure, soldering occurs at too lower temperature to evaporate significant quantities of lead so it's a non issue. If you're worried about lead then use gloves, more will be absorbed through the skin than inhaled. Use a fan to blow the fumes away from you if they're annoying and open the window slightly, if the smell gets too much.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 01:20:16 pm
content: I wouldn't be worried about the lead, not so sure about the flux fumes (anyone have an MSDS handy?) though. Especially the flux in lead-free solder, which needs much more aggressive flux.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 01:39:43 pm
content: this is one branch in air conditioning. to get the one like dave's, you either ask air-con people to install it for you, or just buy the ducting, piping material from them, get one extractor fan that fit to size and get it installed. i got one fan extractor that suppose to install on the wall, no need ducting. bought for kitchen or my lab, but yet to install as i still rely on natural air flow to extract and think i dont want to screw the wall. 2cnts.

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 03:54:17 pm
content: I think you need something which extracts or gets rid the localised fumes, I don't think an extractor fan is near enough to get rid of them. The problem is with flux fumes from soldering over a long period of time. Just a few soldered joints isn't an issue, but, like I said, I do know of someone who had lung damage caused by them.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 04:04:19 pm
content: I'd be inclined to have something like a fan on a board made to cover the window so that I can open the window and put the extractor over it - in the case of using a bedroom as a lab, if your in a shed or garage: fan over a hole hopefully with a way of closing it off in winter

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 05:20:30 pm
content: I'd prefer to have something a bit nearer to where you are soldering. A fan in a window won't get rid of the smoke coming up from the soldering iron and into your nose.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 05:25:02 pm
content: yes I'd probably be inclined to use a small local fan if need be, I've generally never had a problem though

author: TheEENerd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2011, 10:05:59 pm
content: Geez, look at all the replies, thanks for all the replies. Have to admit I'm a person who prefers the looking over functionality. However, I do think I need an fume extractor, I just can't bear the smoke from soldering, it's not healthy to smoke for sure. I guess it's just personal preference. Also, it's not because it's "Dave's", I just like the looking of that particular one.

author: Zyvek
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2011, 06:37:48 pm
content: I love the smell of hot solder in the morning. :-) I did install an oven vent hood above my soldering station, it works really good, but I'm so old school I rarely turn it on. It was only $30 or so and it's up and out of the way, taking up less bench space.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 29, 2011, 08:49:05 pm
content: It's an old Pace fume exhauster.They dont work very well sucking up the fumes though (like the Hakko ones), you have to be working almost directly under it to capture the fumes.So I usually just turn it backwards and use it as a fan to blow the fumes away.Dave.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2011, 04:10:44 am
content: Quote from: devin5mccarty on March 30, 2011, 03:45:18 amyou can see the fume extractor sitting on his desk in pretty much every episode but the episode where he talks about it a little is in one of the live shows, maybe #6 or #7.They are all on youtube.

author: Leo Bodnar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2011, 10:52:45 pm
content: I had a chat with bold and experienced industry chemist regarding the fumes. Basically what he said is "worry not about what you see but what you don't."Getting rid of smoke is not a problem. The problem is very small size airborne particles getting deep inside the alveolar channels and staying there. If they cannot be dissolved they may cause cancer.With introduction of lead-free solders the situation actually got worse because the soldering temperatures increased and this has worsened flux burnout and airflow.I solder about 1-2 hours each day so I got this extraction machine:http://www.bofa.co.uk/website/electronics/v200-v250.htm

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2011, 01:25:48 am
content: I've been pretty happy with a $50 Weller WSA350. Carbon filter and kills the smell of solder, epoxy and many other wacky things I may do in the basement lab.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2011, 03:11:13 am
content: Solder fumes have never done me any harm. any harm. any harm. any harm.

author: ales22
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2012, 03:06:35 pm
content: Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on April 29, 2011, 03:11:13 amI have mid serious asthma, my lungs are much more sensitive to smog, chemicals, solvents, etc. Flux fumes and especially pure colophonium can give me an asthmatic attack in 10 minutes, grasping for breath. When I was young, I cheated my doctor one time and got 1 week release from school :-) (Don't try it please, you can damage your health. I wouldn't do it again.)Flux fumes and similar stuff aren't harmless only because you can't sense that.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2012, 03:22:02 pm
content: Just get the aoyou / hakko / weller/ whatever fan with active carbon filter. They work like a charm.Drawback is the y are a bit noisy and you do need to put them close and they are big and bulky. Bit of a problem when you are doing smd work under a microscope. I just bought a used OKI off ebay and ordered the extension hose and clamp from allspec. Filter unit sits on the floor. Has a particle filter and active carbon cartridge. A baffle connects the air intake to a flexible semi-rigid hose that goes up , clamps to the edge of the table and then can be pointed anywhere i want. Ill post some pictures tonight. Works excellent.These things come by on ebay once in a while for cheap. Grab em if you can.

author: sprocket
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2012, 05:33:45 pm
content: You don’t really get fumes from the lead, it needs to be at a much higher temp. The flux is unpleasant, but not really harmful unless in large quantities where people with respiratory problems might get problems..The bigger culprit here is the PCB. PCB's are made of various types of fiberglass and LOTS of epoxy's. Epoxy's when not exposed to heat is not much of a problem either, the problem starts when you heat up PCB's, THEN the PCB's will start to leak small amount of airborne epoxy particles, and those are lethal in the long run. The toxin in the fumes will actually never leave your body, they accumulate over time, and if you are really unlucky you will get respiratory problems, chemical allergies, or get an single bedroom apartment 6 feet under.It’s not just for show that people working with fiberglass and epoxy’s have to wear all sorts of respiratory protection gear.And those particles are actually airborne for quite some time, so if you value your lungs and you do any sort of soldering other the occasional resistor or two, I’d strongly advise you to get get some sort of fume extractor that either vent the fumes to the outside, or use an extractor with carbon filter. Blowing the visible “fumes” away simply won’t cut it.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 27, 2012, 07:56:57 pm
content: This is the first time I've heard of this. Do you have any sources listing the concentrations one can expect from electronics soldering in your average home lab (whatever that is)?

author: sprocket
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2012, 08:44:23 pm
content: Not sure if I can provide any documentation in English, what I have is in Danish, but that being said, if you just dabble with a few PCB's once in a while the risk is obviously not that great at all, but that doesn’t mean its safe. You have to keep in mind, if you get intolerant and allergic to these substances that will never ever go away, and most likely get worse over time.But just as an example, if our government agency that checks up on safety standards in businesses sees a work shop where is soldering going and that particular soldering station doesn’t have a fume extractor where the fumes exits the building, and thus not get recycled inside the workshop, and if the fume extraction isn’t at the point of soldering, the work safety agency will simple close down that work shop, forbid any work going on until it's corrected, and probably fine the owner. Rules like this is not implemented just for fun I promise you that.And it actually happened to where I work. Some of the time I spend as a technician onboard an ocean research vessel, and the workshop I have does have an extractor, but the pipe that went from the ceiling down to workshop bench had broken at some point. And that particular work safety agency did a surprise inspection a few weeks back, and they actually withheld our permit to departure for almost an entire day while we had to replace the pipe and send proper documentation to the agency that we had fixed the issue.

author: ashley.hughes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2012, 05:12:59 am
content: We use one at work as its part of workplace health and safety, but I do the same thing as Dave and turn it around as you have to be working right next to it for it to do anything. Which is useless as it gets in the way.For home I am normally working right over my projects, other than a bad smell I don't have any problems. I wouldn't waste my money

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2012, 11:35:49 am
content: Surely you all have a box of old equipment fans? If I need to suck or blow fumes away I just set one of these on the bench beside me. Size depending on the need.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2012, 02:39:58 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on November 30, 2012, 11:35:49 am4 Fans. Nice.I have 4 of these delta FFB1212EHE lying about ... 190CFM eachWell? Can't really talk with these "ON"I am planning on using them for a fume extractorHow about this then?

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2012, 02:56:04 am
content: There is no fume extractor in my lab.There is one hell of a fume generator however.

author: harps
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2012, 01:44:28 pm
content: I sometimes set up to solder under the kitchen stove fume hood.

author: SLJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2012, 02:08:14 pm
content: I use this Edsyn on the bench. Found it used for $15. It works well. Draws the fumes away from the work sitting 6 - 8 inches away. I has a nice stand that allows it to be angled. I don't even use the filters that came with it. My shop is big enough so I just have it draw the fumes away into the room. I use it when soldering something in a circuit board stand.If you just want to keep the fumes away without spending a lot money get an old PC power supply. I found an old pair of test leads and cut off the probes and attached those to the 12 VDC fan. Plug it into a bench supply and you can control the airflow. I use it when soldering something flat on the bench. Just set it next to the work.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2012, 09:12:51 pm
content: The computer psu is a great idea.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2012, 04:31:20 am
content: Quote from: SLJ on December 02, 2012, 02:08:14 pmWe have the edsyns at work. They are great. Just dont scrape your knuckles on the spinning foam...

author: TorqueRanger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2012, 05:49:21 pm
content: You guys gave me the inspiration to build one now because I have to repair a T.V with about 160 different capacitors that need to be replaced and several other projects laying around.. I am going to use a delta style fan the I could not use on my other computer build ,but it has a new home as a fume extractor and i think it won't have any problems with pushing or pulling air through a carbon filter but need to keep grills on it because someone might loose a finger and the spec will be down below... My only problem is finding or build a 4- pwm and some way to mount and blow away?1ST PC CORP. AFC1212DE-PWMModelBrandDeltaModelAFC1212DE-PWMSpecTypeCase FanCompatibilityCaseFan Size120mmRPM3900 RPMAir Flow192.96CFMNoise Level51 dBAPower Connector4-pin PWMColorBlackPhysical SpecDimensions120 x 120 x 38mmFeaturesFeaturesTAC sensor

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2012, 06:52:36 pm
content: Just be careful that it draws 3amps, about roughly the same as a FFB1212EHEHow about static pressure? I bet like the FFB1212EHE roughly the same but that one is tuned for maximum air pressure but you canshouldmount the filter behind simply because it has the static pressure and fantastic CFM to boot albeit quite loud ... well you haven't heard of a loud fan until you heard of the THA1248BE, it's 76dB!!! It's a jet plane that one