Does a New Impeller Make a Difference in a Harbor Freight Dust Collector?

[@626pingj]

Thanks for sharing. I replaced my impeller on my HF dust collector last year then promptly injured my back and haven’t been in the shop since. Love how you rotated the housings.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Ah, that sucks. Hope you're back at it again soon!

[@dougw3531]

Thanks for the static pressure measurements. I was looking at getting a 1 HP blower. I think I need 1.5" WC for my purposes. Probably a good bet I'll get that.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Yeah, 1.5" seems reasonable.

[@adhamatta]

Thanks for the video! That's an awesome compass you got there! Do you have a link for it by any chance?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Check the links in the description 👍

[@micksute]

I love the testing and data! One thing that slaps me in the face though is the choked down 4" exhaust for the system. Is there any way you can convert that to 6"? It has the be worth the same improvement again as the impeller change

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

It's actually 5" on the outlet, so that helps considerably compared to 4". I'm sure there's a way to convert to a 6", but that'll have to wait for the future.

[@golfinusa]

I have a Jet 1.5 HP unit. I wonder if I could upgrade it as well… 🤔

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Probably. I bet they're very similar

[@jnkrois]

@glenn - Hey Glenn! Thank you for the video. I replaced the impeller on my HF blower just like you did. However, when I received the Wen impeller and put it side by side with the HF, I realized that the fins are oriented in the opposite direction. I imagined it would impact air movement inside the blower housing. In my mind, the concave shape of the HF fins combined with the rotation would catch air and force it out the blower. With the Wen, the orientation of the fins makes the convex side be the one pushing the air based on the rotation of the impeller. And instead of catching air, the fins would kind-of displace it. I installed it anyway and I believe my system has increased suction with the new impeller (as yours did). But I'm curious to know if the fins oriented as the factory ones would have improved performance more than by just increasing the size of the impeller. Do you have any thoughts? Thanks

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

I don't know all the airflow dynamics behind it, but the fins are indeed reverse from the Harbor Freight. The way I picture it in my head is that the HF impeller is pushing air with the blades curved away from the direction of travel, and the new impeller is throwing air via centrifugal force out the radius of the blade.

[@jnkrois]

@@GlennFrazeeYT - Thank you very much for your reply. With the impeller and canister filter upgrade, my dust collector works much better than before. I'd like to point out that I wanted to upgrade for a long time. This video and the effort you put into it encouraged me to do it. Very happy with the results. The reason I posted the question above is because it made me a little uneasy to deviate from the original factory design. And the extra load on the motor was already a little bit of a stretch for me, since all my breakers are 15 and 20 amps. They trip if far too easy.😡 I'm sure HF does not spend a lot of time/money on R&D, but I doubt that fins orientation was arbitrary. Thanks

[@ImBatman83]

I think the HF impeller is correct. Look at any centrifugal pump and you’ll see that the convex side faces the discharge. Therefore, the wen IS backwards. It only performs better because it’s larger. Get a larger HF style impeller and it should perform better

[@markhoward3851]

This is a great question. If you google turbocharger and look at images, you can see how they work. The HF impeller is actually backwards compared to conventional design. It is actually working like a scoop, pushing air out the discharge. The larger impeller is oriented proper. It's leading edge slices air at the inlet and uses centrifugal force to 'roll' the air out it's OD into the housing. The housing then collects and directs out the discharge. That is why it is smaller growing larger, largest at exit. I have the HF DC, now I'm curious to open mine up and look. SImply reversing the blades would probably be a huge improvement.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

​@@ImBatman83 I think the Wen impeller is correct. Look at any centrifugal pump and you'll see that the concave side faces the discharge. Therefore the HF is backwards, and switching to the WEN's "concentional-style" impeller was the right choice.

[@skiroy56]

Curious if one were to add to the blades of the original impeller so they are the same length as the new impeller if the performance would be equal or better than adding the new impeller.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

That's much easier said than done. Balancing that modified impeller would be a big chore, and likely it would shake itself to pieces.

[@skiroy56]

@@GlennFrazeeYT I had not thought about that, Thanks for the input.

[@teamvtube]

I have seen a few of these upgrades and the impeller blades on the upgraded fan seem to be in the opposite direction to the stock one. Would this limit the increase in performance as it won't be able to "capture" as much air to move?

[@mrniusi11]

Yes, you're right. Fan blades are optimized to go in one direction and running the backwards will not yield the same results

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

The blades of this new impeller are reverse from the old one, which is per design. One is forward throw and the other is reverse throw.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

Centripetal blowers are non-reversible, they'll fling air outwards from the center of the impeller regardless of the shape of the blades and the direction of rotation; there's no way to make them "capture" air. If you mount the blades so that they're trying to scoop air from the outside of the impeller and pull it towards the center, the centripetal force will easily overpower the scooping action and fling air out past the blades anyway, all you'd be doing is converting some of the centripetal acceleration (pressure) into velocity to get the air moving faster than the bladetips... ...and you'd then immediately lose that velocity because you just killed your static pressure.

[@ericsfo1]

The key never came off the shaft when I removed the old impeller. Seems stuck pretty good and given amount of rust on the shaft not surprised. Would you just leave it and put the other one on or get the key off first? I’m afraid to get it off I may do some damage to it or the shaft.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

If the key is the correct size for the new impeller, just leave it on

[@ericsfo1]

Thanks. I did lightly slide it over it and seemed to fit. It is the Wen impeller not the Rikon and no one has said to replace it only to not lose it. I will add some lithium grease and roll with it. Thanks for the reply

[@joedance14]

How did you get the HF impeller off the shaft? I had heard or read that a three-legged gear puller would not work - that there was no place to grip - and that it required some special “fan puller”. Would love to get some additional details or insights. Thanks!

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

What you see in the video is what I did

[@joedance14]

@@GlennFrazeeYTWhat puller was used?

[@rq5647]

3 jaw pulled worked just fine….30 minute job to replace the impeller.

[@NAOSANT]

Would getting a new impeller for my 1hp dust collector be good or does it not have enough power?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Hard to say

[@benjoseph260]

Which way does the motor spin?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Clockwise

[@jeffkline799]

How did you attach the new 6” port onto the housing cover?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

I just used the adhesive on the duct flange adapter, which isn't sufficient after using it for a while (adhesive failed). I need to make a flange backing out of steel plate and bolt it thru the housing cover.

[@jeffkline799]

Do you think pop rivets would work with the adhesive gasket?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

You'd have to check clearance with the impeller, but I don't see why not

[@hurstonhurst2242]

How much ducting work is there? I only ask because i have the same equipment.... but only a 20ft run of 4" pipe and im getting 1267.58 cfm....

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

I have at least that much in 6". In all honestly, probably too much for the collector, but I've got some upgrades in mind

[@serjacole]

A

[@hurstonhurst2242]

@@GlennFrazeeYT I haven't done the impeller yet, but I did put the grizzly filter on and modified the motor height to line up with the metal housing for the filter and reduced the distance between the two. This really did make major improvements to my system, Including reducing the static pressure from the restrictive bag filter. The collection bag below the filter never gets "Blown Up" like a balloon anymore.

[@brucelavis4934]

Hello Glenn The first reading you got was 2900. That is Linear feet per minute. How did you arrive at 570 CFM. On a 4 inch hose you must first determine the area of the hole in tube. In this case it should be12.56 inches square feet. Then you divide that number into 2900 and get 230 CFM. You are confusing wind speed (velocity) with velocity and mass. With 230 CFM it is to weak for dust collection at table saw (600CFM). You need to pull this video off and test again with new calculations. The best of success. Bruce

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

It's a 6" duct. Area = pi/4*(6in)^2 = 28.3 sq. in = 0.196 sq. ft. Multiply that by 2900 ft/min = 570 cfm.

[@brucelavis4934]

@@GlennFrazeeYT Thx Glenn . If I only would pay attention more not 4 but 6. Got it brother, keep up the great work and thank you for super quick response. Bruce

[@michaelsqaureseverything3255]

What the size breaker you use?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

20amp, 120v

[@davewijnhamer140]

my seal got damage, can you tell me where to get a new one?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Sorry, no idea

[@allanf6047]

home depot

[@brucelavis4934]

Sorry 12.56 square inches ( not square feet) divided into 2900 square inches

[@groverw7507]

Impeller with backward blades like the Harbor Freight provide high pressure low volume, desirable for a dust collection setup. You might see if the motor is reversible by rewiring or flipping the stator. Clockwise rotation on the new impeller should give better results. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6aokoNvoN6cfMU

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

The outlet would need to be reversed too if I reversed the motor

[@xsterawesome]

Aren't you concerned about burning up the motor or at least shortening its life? I would think they sized everything for the motor, you can always get more peek power than continuous, but you can't have the 100% duty cycle.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Eh, not really. If the motor is gonna crap out, this won't be what does it.

[@oneoffour63]

That suction is better than Vanessa De Rio!!!

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Risky click 😳

[@williamfertenbaugh7940]

Did you order the new impeller from the harbor freight factory?

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Nope this one was from Rikon

[@HolzMichel]

am i seeing that right?? the blades on the old impeller are curved wrong.. no wonder the thing didn't suck...also, lose that stupid grille they put in the intake.. all it does it restrict airflow where it's needed most

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Impeller blades can go either way. The grille keeps large (unintended) debris from damaging the blades.

[@HolzMichel]

@@GlennFrazeeYT the blades are rotational for them to work right. your old impeller is set up to rotate counter clockwise your new one clockwise. a straight bladed impeller can run either direction. while your old impeller will work to a certain degree, it doesn't work as efficiently as it should if you run a planer that generates large chips with the screen in the intake it will constantly plug up. after removing it in the one i had, it never had a problem after that. the likelihood of the thing sucking up a huge pine knot that can damage the impeller is so remote i even have trouble saying it

[@rq5647]

Wrong….check out WEN dust collectors and you will see the same direction housing. Impellers can be shaped either way. The difference is when you measure speed and static pressure. The WEN impeller induces higher static pressure and CFM.

[@HolzMichel]

@@rq5647 if you say so... i don't know anything about them ..only deal with them on a daily basis and have built several from the ground up

[@kuehnel16]

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a bigger dust collector

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Won't fit

[@mrniusi11]

You can rent a gear puller from auto parts stores for free full refund.

[@GlennFrazeeYT]

Good tip 👍