DIY Harbor Freight Dust Collector Impeller Upgrade

[@rangerbaynworkshop]

Now that you've upgraded your impeller, take a look into minimizing the angles and turns in your tubing. Any time moving air has to go around a curve (and the tighter the degree of a curve) it causes turbulence. This turbulence reduces air flow velocity. For maximum efficiency, it's said that a 5 ft strait run from your air intake is advisable. Sometimes we don't have room to do so, but the straighter your pipes, and the softer the bends, the more efficient your dust collection will be!

[@jameshuntley428]

Just did the upgrade and the difference it makes is insane! Thanks for the video.

[@shophacks]

It may be fine but you should check the amp draw on your motor. The new impeller probably raised it 50%. That could lead to overheating the motor if it exceeds the amp rating on the motor nameplate. You could also use an IR thermometer to check the motor temperature over time. If the amps are too high you can add a restriction to the system to bring it back in spec. It seems counterintuitive but the more the airflow is blocked the less power the motor will draw. Thanks for sharing this video.

[@petec6690]

I should have read more replies before commenting myself on virtually the same subject. Thumbs up.

[@BenNawrath]

Left hand threads tighten counter clockwise. “Normal” is right hand 👍🏼

[@theselfmademan2875]

yep!

[@andyboybennett]

I think you'd also get a big increase if you got rid of most of the flex tubing, and straightened the routine of the ducts. Corrugated flex tubing increases turbulence and decreases flow. Every turn or bend decreases air flow. Any bends you need should be as gradual as possible. The make larger-radius 90 degree elbows, or you can use two 45 degree bends to smooth it out. Any flex tubing should be minimized and should minimize bends.

[@rangerbaynworkshop]

Ha! I just basically made the same comment as yours. 100% agreement!

[@UncleLouigisfamousyt]

Nice video! Link for impeller doesn't connect. Could you relay specs? Thanks.

[@JPToto]

Bookmarking this for myself, thanks! Nice work! One piece of feedback: Your audio is a little low and it's tough to understand your at points of the video.

[@theselfmademan2875]

Thanks glad you liked it!

[@rogerwhoareyou]

Please add the link for the 6 inch shroud as I would like to put one on my HF dust collector. Thank you very much for making this video!!!

[@theselfmademan2875]

Link added

[@aat3tville181]

great video thanks

[@GyWO10]

Thanks for sharing as I plan to get one of these over the shop vac set up I have

[@bobbg9041]

That big loop bend looses about as much cfm as the old fan blade did. Get rid of it.

[@propatriabellum]

Where did you find a 12” impeller that spins in the right direction?? I bought the Rikon and it has blades pitched the opposite direction! Help!

[@rodneybosco7376]

Your 6” adapter looks like a perfect replacement for the HF 5” part. However, the Amazon link is to a product that is not a direct replacement and cutting is required. Is your link accurate?

[@joshuamurphy5073]

I couldn't find his part either so I made one out of plywood underlayment I had around and a 6 inch hvac flange, which fit right into my super dust deputy. I had to buy longer screws, was the only pain point there.

[@G1951-w1y]

Instead of banging the impeller in with a hammer, you could draw it in with some all thread, hex nut & washer. Saves damage to motor or bearings.

[@philtitus7860]

not many people will have LH thread ready rod kicking around but it is a good idea vs. pounding it onto the shaft.

[@carterscustomrods]

They must've upgraded the impeller on the 1hp? Also, I noticed the HF 2hp unit (supposedly a 20 amp motor/plug) now comes with a regular grounded 15a 120 style plug... feels sketchy AF.

[@genemiller5530]

Where can you buy the new impeller ?

[@jonruehle9186]

How about the shroud cover? No link in the description. Good how to video! I plan to upgrade mine.

[@theselfmademan2875]

Link added

[@fotopdo]

It looks like your connection from impeller to outside is a big restriction, especially that 90 degree at the wall right after a 180 degree loop. A single 90 degree (right angle) bend is equal to 9 feet of straight piping. I’d say that total connection is the same drop as 14 to 16 feet of straight run.

[@theselfmademan2875]

Good idea, I will try it!

[@fotopdo]

The Self Made Man what are you going to try? I would remove the 90/ right angle connector at the wall, or just cut it back so that you have a straight pipe coming out ... and then reconnect the flexible hose directly - just shorten it slightly so it doesn’t hang down. Abrupt direction changes rob a lot of power. That one right angel connection causes the same power loss as 9’ of straight pipe.

[@gsh341]

@@fotopdo Almost all that flex tube should be replaced with solid line and the fan should be turned about 45 degrees towards the wall and the outlet should just be a simple and short 45 degree angle with a solid pipe going outside. That will remove a LOT of restriction by itself.

[@fotopdo]

@@gsh341 that’s good advice, I especially like idea of rotating the fan and using 45’s .

[@robertryan2222]

This is exactly what I'm attempting to do. Where did you get the blower motor assembly?

[@ozguzzi]

Looks like a Harbor Freight.

[@super-z8943]

You are replacing a forward curved fan blades with a backward curved ones. Significant difference in fan characteristics like cfm, static pressure, efficiency, fan curve etc. The difference in results you note are not just due to impeller size. You could have overloaded your motor if the larger impeller was forward curved type.

[@LeonardoRivera1]

Where did you get that gasket for the inlet flange? Mine dried out and is brittle. Thanks!

[@stevesiefken6432]

Sorry but you may have said this but what was the CFM before and after the upgrade?

[@worstworkshop]

It's about 37,000 CFM. Believe it or not, I think those numbers are accurate. Insane. I thought I was crazy when I got mine up to 6,200 CFM by venting outside.

[@ToddMorris77]

I have a fairly new HB dust collector that uses the 4" flex tube to go my tools sitting right next to the collector. It seems like I have lost a lot of suction. The bag is not full, and I don't see anything caught or blocking the way. Any suggestions on where to look?

[@intrepidus3378]

The flange on my old impeller is breaking it when I try to pull on it.

[@angiesears1272]

Can you tell me is your HF model number is 61790 or 97869? They are supposedly the same machine. I got the Rikon impeller but it hangs out the housing just a bit.

[@broomvikin]

Is it not a problem that the fan blades curve the opposite direction? No modification is necessary to reverse the motor?

[@matthewhina2947]

No modifications needed. The vane direction on the bigger fan makes it more efficient. I read an article about it somewhere, but couldn't find it to post a link to it.

[@charlieodom9107]

The new impeller is backward curve, so it won't overload the motor. Backward curve impellers are also more efficient. Backward curved impellers are better at handling particles as well, so they tend to be used more in dust collection.

[@Wildersport]

I've been wanting to upgrade my old green HF 2HP DC for the last couple of years. That Rikon impeller seems to become unavailable on and off. The flange you list is also not currently available. I have seen others use a 6" HVAC flange adapted to the stock plate which seems to work but requires more massaging to get it to work right. On all the HF DC Upgrade videos I have seen, nobody seems to address the output side of the impeller housing. I need to get to my shop and measure, but isn't the output 5" like the factory intake? I really dislike my separate system due to space limits, and I can't vent through a wall, so I am considering figuring out how to upgrade the output and separator ring to 6", and doing a Thien cyclone separator in the separator ring. I already have the Wynn 35A filter in place and it flows way better than the stock bag so we are good there... Lastly, your output makes a funky S curve, straighten that out as best you can, rotate the impeller assembly etc... so you have as straight a shot as possible if you are serious about airflow. Good luck and good video!

[@joshuamurphy5073]

Don't know if you're still looking, but Wen might have the right impeller for you. You have to email customer service and ask for the specific part (DC model number dash 22, "turbo fan") for their very similar collector.

[@joshuamurphy5073]

Oh, and I replaced the blower intake with a piece of 1/2" plywood that had been pre drilled with holes for the mounting screws using the factory flange as a template (drill from the impeller side so the holes definitely line up), and had a perfect ish circle cut with a router and trammel (compass) jig. With a 6 inch hvac flange tapped carefully through the very tight router-cut circle, then screwed and caulked in place, I was able to reuse the gasket, but needed longer screws. I think they were m6? Anyway, did all that and felt a significant difference at the blower intake, but not much noticeable after the ducting (and had no equipment to test that, but I suspect the cfm goes up, but the curve gets worse with the same impeller, making the whole thing about even at the business end). New impeller arrives today, though, and will definitely benefit from the ~44 percent larger hole.

[@Wildersport]

@@joshuamurphy5073 I actually completed the install of the Wen impeller on my HF DC 2 days ago... Thanks. Seriously considering the 6" flange update as I would like to support a 6" main with 4" branches.

[@neilphillips3193]

I tried this in March and the puller literally cracked the flange/ lip on the impeller hub and it fell apart. Same thing with 2 other fans, that I got on warranty return for the ‘broken’ motors. Looks like its pretty hit or miss if you can actually do this with one of these motors. Nice upgrade, if you can do it. I may still do the 6” intake mod though, despite not being able to upgrade to the Rikon impeller

[@joshuamurphy5073]

My swap wasn't even difficult. No mallet involved until the last 1/4 inch maybe and the cheap auto parts store puller slid it right off. If you are breaking multiple flanges after removing the center machine screw, something is probably not machined right or otherwise seized. That sucks. Sorry to hear.

[@fluxcapacitr121]

Yes, mine was the same way. Flange shattered when I hit it with the a hub puller. I had to cut/destroy the stock impeller to get it off. If you have a pneumatic cut off wheel tool, you first saw off one the impeller vanes. That gives you access to cut a slot through the hub-parallel to the motor shaft and it slides right off. I saw a dramatic increase in suction going to the rikon impeller. My amp draw went from about 9.5 amps to 13.

[@neilphillips3193]

@@fluxcapacitr121 yep- finally got mine off with an angle grinder by cutting the rotor in 2. One half was literally seized on and I had to pry it off. I got almost 75% more flow out of mine, and can now run 2 machines at once, 4” ports, 12-15 foot runs. Great upgrade

[@petec6690]

While yes, a larger impeller will move more air, the motor has to be capable of moving that much air. Simply putting a larger blade on the motor doesn't mean it is a free improvement. Your motor will work harder to move more air. Monitoring the amount of heat your motor is generating is important. A second thing I noticed right away is that the larger impeller blade is designed to spin the other way. The curvature of the fins when spun properly will move vastly more air than when spun backwards. You gained (roughly) 12 to 17 improvement (40%). Had you gone with the correct fan blade I can only guess at how much more air flow you would have gotten, but it has been my experience with a squirrel cage fan, spinning it properly versus backwards seems to yield (what feels like to me) to be about 40% efficiency, leaving much more airflow to be had. While you DID improve your air flow, most of us don't have the luxury of exhausting to the outside of the shop. I will look into upgrading my fan but will do so with much greater trepidation with regard to motor heat. I have yet to see anyone compare the two.

[@JeremyElliott]

Seriously consider the "[3403-022] Turbo Fan for WEN 3403" instead of the Rikon. It's 1/3 the price.

[@redscortgt93]

I’m guessing that’s an inlet cover replacement part for a grizzly dust collector with a 6” shroud. Part number I found was px1666025A but it was unavailable with 6” inlet. The 5” inlet was just px1666025.

[@theselfmademan2875]

I purchased mine a few months ago on amazon. Unfortunately, it’s no longer available...

[@redscortgt93]

The Self Made Man I emailed grizzly lol it says something to that effect on their website. Looks like the 5” is all that’s available. :/

[@theselfmademan2875]

Chris B. Sorry to hear that,. I have been looking online for one, so I can share one in the comments, but haven’t had any luck so far...

[@redscortgt93]

Good news. I emailed Grizzly and they said the px1666025A 6” inlet is on back order so it is still available. They said back orders are usually filled in 6-8 weeks.

[@theselfmademan2875]

Link added

[@showspotter]

do you have a link to that impeller?

[@mathewanderson2400]

Will this impeller fit a performax ? I can't seem to find specs on the rikon hold diameter/shaft diameter comparison

[@theselfmademan2875]

No sure

[@mathewanderson2400]

@@theselfmademan2875 nope, after further investigation, this impeller is too wide (12”) and will not fit the 9 1/4” opening.

[@kenf2662]

What was the shaft size Dia. of the Impeller / Motor

[@theselfmademan2875]

I'm not sure

[@thebigswede1736]

The impeller fins are opposite from each other. Does this make a difference?

[@theselfmademan2875]

No it doesn’t mine works great!

[@matthewhina2947]

Reverse vane set up is more efficient.

[@benjoseph260]

@@matthewhina2947 Can't be. I'm wondering if the motor was originally incorrectly wired and spinning the wrong way making the original impeller inefficient. It just doesn't make sense otherwise.

[@timmailloux5400]

I bought the same pulling tool and I couldn’t get the impeller to budge, the tool bent.

[@theselfmademan2875]

Wow

[@ericsfo1]

Wish my tool bent. I got the one he linked not the one he uses and it chipped the actual impeller as I tried to remove it

[@barrychandler826]

where can I order the replacement for the harbor freight dust collector impeller

[@theselfmademan2875]

The link I provided is the only place I know of

[@createdonthecornerstone347]

Did you notice any change in current draw after these changes?

[@theselfmademan2875]

Not really

[@DomzGarage]

Is that the 2hp or 1hp motor?

[@theselfmademan2875]

The 2hp model

[@sabrinafrye4939]

Thanks for the information. I found it very useful! Did you see a CFM increase by simply changing the inlet cover from 5” to 6”? If so do you remember how much?

[@charlieodom9107]

He told you the difference in the video! It was about a 40% or so increase.

[@joshuamurphy5073]

@@charlieodom9107 no, he showed the difference between the larger opening with a smaller impeller vs a larger one. Did not say anything about what he was pulling BEFORE the 6 inch opening.

[@charlieodom9107]

@@joshuamurphy5073 why bring up shit from 6 damn months ago?

[@joshuamurphy5073]

@@charlieodom9107 because I just read it for the first time and don't want someone else to come along and get the wrong information?

[@charlieodom9107]

@@joshuamurphy5073 then quit providing the wrong information!!!!

[@douglasthompson2740]

Your audio is quite muted and hard to hear. Good topic though as I was thinking of doing upgrades to my HF collector as well.

[@theselfmademan2875]

Thanks for the feeedback, I am glad you enjoyed the video!

[@43srgrock]

Did you use metal pipe for your whole dust collection?

[@theselfmademan2875]

Yes I did

[@rickeymh]

Wow!! That impeller cost over $100!!!!!! How much money are we saving?

[@ScrappyTheKnell]

Apparently this one works too: WEN 3403-022 turbo fan

[@randallsmith7885]

I have thought about exhausting my DC to the outside, but my shop is in my basement and there is a gas furnace and gas water heater in there also. I am concerned that I could backdraft the combustion exhaust from those two apploances into the shop. Has anyone dwalt with something like that?

[@toddharshbarger8616]

$122 for this impeller? Thats almost as much as the HF Dust collector costs in the first place! Maybe just make the whole thing from salvaged washing machine motor and make your own impeller from wood or aluminum

[@JLang-bn3hs]

I hear there is a cheaper impeller out there? Does anyone know where I can get one? Ricon is out of stock and 120 bucks. And, will a 12 & 1/4” impeller work?

[@joshuamurphy5073]

Look through the comments here for Wen 3403-022

[@nicklavioletteiii2183]

@@joshuamurphy5073 looking like that's also unavailable

[@joshuamurphy5073]

@@nicklavioletteiii2183 did you call or email customer service or just try to buy it online? I mean, I obviously don't make the thing, and you might be late to the party re the current spike in interest, but that's how I got it, by emailing customer service. Good luck!

[@nicklavioletteiii2183]

@@joshuamurphy5073 I just looked online, but I'll try calling them, thanks!

[@gregoryvanek9038]

Those are left hand threads. Conventional thread…righty tightly, lefty loosey…are right hand threads.

[@albatros1752]

great ! .... but impellor is no longer available

[@treasurerbcsocaaa1639]

FYI the link for the 6” adaptor is not a correct item. I have to return the one I ordered.

[@joshuamurphy5073]

I just made one out of plywood and an hvac starter collar. You'll need longer m6 screws and ideally a circle jig for your router, but you can probably get by with a jig saw and some silicone.

[@fredastaire6156]

sadly these impellers are nowhere to be found; all sold out. Great video though, thanks for sharing!

[@ericsfo1]

Anyone having the impeller chipping when trying to pull it. Mine just broke on first attempt. I ordered the puller he linked but then went back and watched the video and he is using a different one. Needless to say I am not happy and afraid to continue cause if it breaks again I may not have enough left for a 3rd attempt.

[@ericsfo1]

In case anyone reads this after lots of heat, PB blaster, and cutting over an inch of metal around the shaft, it took me removing 3 impeller blades off, drilling 2 holes and using a Harmonic Balancer Puller to get it off. Once that was installed it came right off. The shaft was really rusting and the key never came off. Save some work and once the pulley breaks to much of the flange go straight to removing blades to get this puller on it. I’m still not sure whether I should fuss with removing the key or just leave it and install the new impeller.

[@alexracer62]

Did you notice an increase in amp draw when you went to the larger impeller?

[@theselfmademan2875]

I didn’t measure the amps, but other people have and there is a slight one

[@sal35plus]

What amp circuit are you hooked up to in your electrical panel?

[@John-NeverStopLearning]

Just FYI, righty righty lefty loosy. Right handed threads are turn right to tighten, left handed threads are left to tighten. HF are left handed threads.

[@XxMalabooo]

I bought this tool but cant pull this fckin thing off. The tool pops off when I really tighten it and hurts my hand. How the fck do you get this thing off? Its like sodered in

[@judmcfeters9054]

Need to work on your audio quality

[@mercedeservicecente]

Warning this doesn't fit Powermatic dust collector, fan blade shaft is too small for Electric motor shaft!

[@captaincaveman262]

The impeller is $100. That takes away the good value.

[@theselfmademan2875]

The CFM gain is worth it compared to cost to upgrade if you already have the DC

[@captaincaveman262]

@@theselfmademan2875 That makes sense. I think the Grizzly comes with a 12" impeller for $375 but you can get it for less. However, it's $99 advertised shipping. So I guess this would be the way to go after all. You can opt for the Harbor Freight warranty for that amount and take it back if it fails. Just keep the old impeller handy.

[@mrniusi11]

Hey everyone, please note you can rent a gear puller from auto parts stores for a full refund.

[@DaddyGoFast]

Unwatchable... Audio is terrible. Record audio using your phone if you refuse to buy a mic and overlay in post at the min. Get a mic. Too bad as the video looks decent.

[@theselfmademan2875]

Sorry about the audio. I’ll definitely upgrade my microphone. Thanks

[@DavidVeits]

Where can I buy the larger impeller?

[@theselfmademan2875]

I bought it from Rikons website, the one for their DC fits the HF one perfectly. Here the link, it’s part #22: www.rikonparts.com/product/60-200

[@jhudson19956]

That part seems to be permanently out of stock

[@MrCbrehaut]

@@jhudson19956 It's back in stock today. I just ordered one.