While reporting on recent woodworking tool and equipment deals, I learned that JET quietly launched a new air filtration system, model AFS1000C.
This is far from JET’s first woodworking air cleaner, but it caught my attention for being very different.
For reference, this is what JET’s AFS-1000B air filter looks like. I’ve got one of these, and one of their older smaller 400 CFM models that it’s impossible to find filters for. They’re pretty basic, with simple controls and boxy construction.
Advertisement
And here is the new JET AFS1000C, with sleek curves and angles.
If not for the JET branding, I’d think the two products were made by completely different tool brands.
Whereas the older “model “B” model features a rectangular metal enclosure, the new model has an almost U-shape, and features ABS plastic construction.
JET says that the plastic housing makes the AFS1000C air cleaner “lighter and less prone to damage,” and that it also “dampens vibrations and noise.”
The cutaway shows a clearer view of the internal design.
It has a digital and downwards-aimed control panel, which looks to be a huge improvement over the “B” model’s very spartan and hard-to-view design.
Advertisement
The control panel has LED indicators to inform you of filter life, as well as indicators and controls for the speed and timer settings.
There are 6 speed settings, and the timer can be set for 1 to 16 hours.
Here’s where the “smarter” aspect comes into play – the air filtration system also features a sensor that automatically adjusts the motor speed based on air quality.
This means that the air filter will automatically dial up its speed and airflow when the sensor picks up a higher amount of dust in the air, and ramps it back down once the air is cleaner.
The auto mode is optional; you can set the operational speed manually if desired.
JET ADS1000C Key Features & Specifications
- 1/3HP 3.8A motor
- 450 – 1000 CFM
- 51-67 dBA noise at 1 meter
- 1-16 hour timer
- Dual filter system
- Diffuser disperses air into broader pattern
- Radio frequency remote control
- BLCDC motors
- Captures particles down to 1 micron
- Automatic air quality sensor and speed control
As with the old model, the new one can be ceiling-mounted, or placed flat on a workbench or other such secure flat surface.
Replacement filters: 708731 electrostatic outer filter, 708733 inner 3-pocket filter.
Price: $649
The newer “C” model is $150 more than the “B” model. At this time, it looks like JET will continue to sell both models alongside each other. It’s unclear as to whether the C model will eventually replace the B model.
Robert
$150 for those upgrades seems reasonable. Are those the same filters as in the “B” model?
Stuart
Yes! They have the same replacement filters.
SecretSquirrel
How is plastic “Less prone to damage?”
Not interested. I have two of the Wen machines that are similar to the older Jets. Both pcb boards fried out, had to pull them out and just hard wired the motor for on and off. Works great.
Julian Tracy
Can’t think of when replacing all metal with plastic fantastic is an upgrade, lol. The whole sensor thing sounds a little like adding Bluetooth to a circular saw : it’s a simple tool and adding frills isn’t necessarily a good thing. On/off, simple timer, easy filter access, maybe a remote…
Can’t think of much more than that I need from a ceiling mounted air cleaner. All that plastic makes me think of 5-10 years down the line when opening the filter access door in in the middle of winter and it snaps off.
Tom M.
Ever try picking up a metal tape measure that you left in your truck overnight during the winter? Haha sorry, couldn’t help it. Literally the only exception to the rule I can think of.
Bonnie
I can see the benefit of the sensor. These thing are *loud* at full speed, and often I’m not taking the time when moving between operations (epecially if I’m changing tacks) to re-evaluate the speeds on my air filters.
I didn’t see it mentioned, but I’d love if this thing could be left fully-automated, turning itself on anytime it senses enough dust in the air, and turning back off when done. Like those moisture-sensing switches for bathroom fans.
Julian Tracy
I’m betting you are asking way too much from what is probably a very rudimentary sensor in actual practice. No doubt after a few weeks worth of use, you’d decide to leave the sensor off due to very little practical benefit.
Matt
For anyone interested, Wynn Environmental sells filters. I have the older style of the Jet and I get my replacements there.
Hoser
I wouldn’t pay a cent more for a “new” product that does the same thing as the “old” product. Oh wait, I guess you get an air quality sensor that will likely fail as most Jet products do. . . . .
Just because a company updates a product doesn’t mean there has to be a huge price increase attached to it. They SHOULD BE regularly updating products, and a “sleek curves and angles” plastic housing is certainly no excuse to charge that much more. As far as being “less prone to damage”, are people regularly damaging or smashing the big metal box hanging from the ceiling?
I’m glad that they updated the design that’s decades old, but $650 is absurd. For that price I’ll take the PM1200.
Nathan
takes an impact and bounces back as opposed to denting and maybe warping the machine so it loses it seal?
Derek H
+1. makes sense to me.
Julian Tracy
Do you folks frequently collide with or bump things into your ceiling mounted air cleaner, lol? Once it’s hung, can’t imagine folks have much interaction other than whatever period of filter cleanings…
Stuart
I’ve hit mine with a 2×4 once or twice.
Jack D
I used to once in a while as well, until I finally figured out the most efficient placement for my WEN was a long the wall, in series with other air movers. Works a charm, but nothing gets everything out of the air…it’s a constant battle.
I will say the ABS raised my eyebrows…
Frank D
Some extra settings as far as speed and timer are great, and it looks more stylish, but it is plastic; I don’t see any of that worthy as part of an extra $150.
Then we get to the sensor / smarts. Does that thing really work? Because manufacturers of automatic floor cleaners and pool robots make a lot of such claims, that in practice do not pan out. And is that a needed upgrade or an inexpensive gimmick to charge more.
Bonnie
PM2.5 sensors are pretty cheap and reliable these days. Even the ones off aliexpress seem to last years. It won’t replace a Dylos or whatever, but should be plenty for this kind of system. I’d love for someone to put together a simple after-market plug that can turn my older filters on and off automatically in response to airborn dust.
Honestly, the more you can idiot-proof safety equipment the better.
Dave
I don’t know how much one of the sensors cost, but this sounds like a pretty cheap Arduino or ESP8266/32 with a relay kind of project.
Nate
I built one to gather data (see post below), haven’t implemented the relay to turn on the fan yet. Even using parts from Adafruit or Sparkfun, you can build a wifi connected espressif esp32/pm25 sensor setup for around $60.
In general I like throwing business to the good folks at Adafruit and Sparkfun, because they have done so much to make electronics accessible to a large community.
Drew M
This is a pretty good idea, tbh. I may have to look into it a bit more.
However, I sort of want to also add a heating grid to the output of the fan and a simple thermostat.
Andrew
Every time I see one of these I’m reminded of the testing that shows a simple 20″ box fan + filter beats them at a fraction of the price.
Stuart
That’s doubtful. Improvised box fan filters might be comparatively effective at short distances, but not in the way these are designed to be used.
It’s like using a tape measure as a hammer. Sure, it’ll work about the same when tapping in dowels, but not for metal spikes.
Andrew
It’s a fan and a filter. In the case of the professional units in a box with a fancy bit of electronics. And there have been numerous tests showing that you do in fact get the same, if not better results.
The design shown by the Jet is about 1 1/2 the area of a 20″ box fan, very possible to beat that a number of pretty cheap ways, like using two.
If you want to get fancy you can usually get old squirrel cage blowers out of furnaces for like $25-50 used, which is comparable to the fans used in the much more expensive professional units.
But don’t take my word for it, here’s a guy who’s done the tests.
https://www.shophacks.com/airfiltrationsystems.html#/
Stuart
They are trying to sell you their own products, which creates an implicit source of bias, and they don’t describe their setup in sufficient details to convince me otherwise.
Even from the “results” they show, conditions are varied across the board. One test has a fan intake at an open window and exhaust at an open door. Where are the commercial woodworking air filter systems placed during testing? Ceiling-mounted? Where? On the floor? Where?
Plenty of people show test results on the internet. It might sound harsh, but I have found that most give it an earnest effort but fail to conduct things in a scientific. trustworthy, or replicable manner. There are also occasional bad actors.
Andrew
Okay, I see the points you’re making, but this guy has done some actual comparisons. It’s very easy to point out that people are biased, but I’d like to see some _counter evidence_. Further while this is the best source I’ve seen of testing, youtube is filled with people building these exact setups, and using them. I’ve got one and it works.
Stuart
That’s my point – “counterevidence” is moot when we’re talking about an unscientific variable where the test conditions seem to change.
I can take a box fan with furnace filter, a consumer HEPA air cleaner, and a woodworking filter system, and design 3 sets of tests where there are 3 very different outcomes as to which is best.
I’m not saying that’s what they did, but when most “tests” involve things like floor-based systems, fans placed in windows and doorways, and “inferior” commercial systems where no indication is given as to where they were placed for testing, I cannot give the tester my implicit trust.
For a scientific test where the type of filtration system is the variable, nothing else must change. That they have fans at different places, and different filter conditions such as “2-year-old dust caked”, there are way too many variables changing.
One variable must be changed at a time – the filtration system, and the setup must be clearly described, such as “placed 1 meter away with filter placed on a tabletop coplaner with table saw surface, intake facing the dust generation apparatus.”
Then, placement can change, e.g. “placed on ceiling-mounted shelf with intake 8 feet off one wall and side 2 feet off side wall.”
“This guy has done actual comparisons” – yes, with seemingly variable test conditions and results that suggest visitors would be best off buy buying the tester’s plans and products.
Quantitative data cannot be compared if too many conditions are changed. John scored a 95 on his test. Jane scored an 85 on her test. What does this matter if they took different tests? If I know John and Jane’s strengths and weaknesses, I could test to that.
Maybe that tester did everything by the book and simply didn’t share technical details, or maybe their entire testing and system of comparison is flawed.
“Show me the counterevidence.” That’s impossible if there are insufficient details to replicate test conditions.
And, like I said, I could devise tests that play to different systems’ strengths and weaknesses to provide for a “winner” of my choosing.
YouTube also has videos of people defeating the blade guards on circular saws, clamping them to workbenches, and calling it table saw tips and tricks.
A box fan with a filter might work well if up close to the dust generation area. But at distances, blower fans have an inherent performance benefit.
There is also a HUGE number of woodworkers who install their air cleaners in less than optimal locations, which is mostly the fault of brands failing to provide sufficient guidance.
Andrew
That’s just it, only one of the products he’s selling beats the commercial hanging filters. The others are pretty clearly commonly available fans + filters, with specific information. Further nothing he’s selling really benefits him greatly. Yes, he’s got $10 plans available, but they’re not necessary to get the benefits from his suggestions.
While I agree with you that there are potential problems with the setup (like there will be with any setup), that doesn’t mean that the results are invalid. If they are, I’d like to see some testing to show this is the case. Without any better evidence, I’ll go with the results as shown: box fans + filters are better than hanging commercial units.
Since you already own one of the expensive hanging units, and likely a box fan + filter, I would be curious to see your test results, if you post them. I’ve been impressed with your objectivity on this site. Maybe things are as you say, but until I see some other testing, the best information I have access to right now says that that is not the case.
Stuart
Objectively speaking, when multiple parameters are changed from test to test, the results cannot be compared against each other. That’s not proper experimentation.
Did the tester change many parameters when testing different product types? We don’t know, as their documentation is limited and lacking in details and information.
Am I interested in conducting my own study? Yes – I’ve considered this in the past. Will I? Not anytime soon, as it would require an exorbitant amount of time and effort to do it properly – more than I can spare right now.
And even then, so many people misuse what they read about dust collection and woodworking air filtration that I’m hesitant to touch upon the topic.
I can absolutely show you counter-evidence backing up whichever argument I choose to make. That’s my point! Experimental design can very strongly influence test results. With too many variables changing, and no details about where sensors, dust-generation equipment, and filtration systems are located, the “results” can be hugely skewed, whether by intent or inadvertently.
If a DIY setup works great for you, that’s fantastic! There are absolutely many types of DIY fans and filter setups that can work well.
But saying “testing that shows a simple 20″ box fan + filter beats them at a fraction of the price” is simply unfair unless the “testing” can be trusted. It takes a lot for me to trust people on the internet, especially those who are trying to sell me something, and where “testing” with fancy charts and numbers lack sufficient details and documentation about the experimentation that went into it.
Andrew
I hear you, OTOH, the companies with the air filters are also selling something. 🙂
On a more objective level, you can look at the design of the professional models and see that they consist of a squirrel cage fan + filters.
I’ve done something similar at home, with a used blower fan + a couple of filters. Seems to work fine for my uses.
One other issue with this testing is that it’s unclear to me what amount of time is a useful result. What I mean by that is that it’s clear with all the products tested that the test starts with some amount of stuff in the air, which is then filtered in _all cases_. So it really seems to come down to your performance, and we’d hope that the more expensive product filters quicker, but in all cases it seems prudent to wear your mask.
The only question is how long until you can take it off again.
Steve
The Box Fan + Filter is probably better in its function than using a tape measure as a hammer but I would agree that the Jet is going do a measurably better job.
If you limit a google search of Box Fans and Filters to just government sites (google search: “site:.gov box fan filter”) anyone interested can read tons of material from hopefully unbiased sources.
The first site that comes up is in regard to using a box fan and a Merv-13 filter to filter out wildfire smoke:
https://www.pscleanair.gov/525/DIY-Air-Filter
Not optimal but it may get you 80% (?) of the way there and is much much better than nothing. UL even did a study for fire safety and determined if you using a Fan made within the past ten years, it won’t catch fire.
But, as a SawStop rep once asked my friend, “What’s a finger worth?”, I guess Jet can ask “What are your lungs worth?”
Drew M
I’ve also seen testing with air quality meters and such to the same point and it is honestly a logical conclusion. There is nothing magic in any of these “woodworking” air filter boxes.
Derek
Too bad there’s no display for the air sensor. Would be interesting to see the quality of the air and not just hear a fan turning faster.
Stuart
Maybe a future D model will offer that via Bluetooth and smartphone app integration for another $100 tacked onto the price.
Nate
There are so many stories about sawdust in the shop being circulated that I built my own sensor to monitor it and have some real data.
It uses an Arduino compatible microcontroller (Adafruit Feather eps32 v2) and a Adafruit PMSA003I PM 25 sensor. Uploads to a dashboard so I can get an idea. It also has an LED on the microcontroller board which displays yellow if the PM1.0,2.5, or PM10 goes above 50ppm and red if any of them go above 100ppm.
It works great, but only gives relative readings to a baseline I’ve established, as the sensor is not calibrated to a known source. That said, I’ve learned that sanding (even with my festool dust extractor) is probably the dustiest thing I do. Also using the table saw (even with dust collector) as it propels the dust at your face through the blade gullets.
The code was less than 200 lines of C code using arduino libraries.
I am considering making a wearable version (because it’s the dust that gets to you that really matters) and a shop version that could use a smart outlet to turn on a legacy style air cleaner.
Andrew
There are pretty cheap units on ebay for $50 or so. From what I can tell they work pretty well.
Nate
Awesome!
Bob
I agree it would be a lot better with a smart phone app and a way to access the measured air quality. That would be worth the extra money.
WastedP
I’m curious whether the sensor is really measuring air quality, or just static pressure.
I had a Laguna with a static pressure gauge on the side that was great for visually checking if the filter needed cleaning/replacement without having to climb a ladder.
David Z
Which sensor are you referring to? The one about replacing the filter or the one about changing fan speed? The former may be static pressure while the latter is likely a PM 2.5 or some such particulate density sensor.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I’ll go against the general skepticism, and say the upgrades look positive.
The ABS case might not withstand impacts in cold weather, but these things generally stay attached to the ceiling, and don’t bang around in the back of a truck, for instance. I can’t imagine how I’d ever whack one. And it allows the inner air channel to be shaped to reduce resistance and increase efficiency. The cross section of the air path should taper smoothly to the impeller as the air speed increases, and it looks like that’s what’s happening here. Also, if it really does reduce the noise it makes, that’s a pretty big positive for me.
And it’s true that the dust sensor might not work well, but it does offer something new, which is an objective measurement of air quality and an automatic response to that measurement. I know people often just turn on their air purifiers when they turn on their machines, but when should you shut it off? It has to run long enough to clean the air in the entire room. How long is that? I would bet most people don’t let it run long enough. If the auto feature is enabled, it could in practice mean cleaner air. But that’s assuming it actually works, it is durable and reliable, etc.
That’s all theoretical, but the numbers do look good too.
My only issue is that it “captures particles down to one micron,” which can’t be true, strictly speaking; any filter will capture SOME particles of any size, so the issue is how many. I wish they said how effective it is at catching particles around 0.3 microns specifically, because that’s how HEPA filters are rated, and that would let us compare effectiveness to HEPA.
I don’t know if these upgrades are worth the money, but they do seem to be upgrades, at least from here.
Stuart
JET has published filtration efficiency specs for their B model, but I haven’t seen the same for the new model yet.
KokoTheTalkingApe
Thanks Stuart! Do those specs include effectiveness on particles around 0.3 microns in size?
Stuart
No. For the AFS1000B: “Outer filter captures 98% of 5-micron particles, while inner filter captures 85% of 1-micron particles”
MM
I think this looks pretty nice, and I like that it’s quiet. Back when I managed a university lab we had a basic cleanroom–not the certified type for medical work, but a room where we kept our high end microscopes and other test equipment that we wanted to keep free of dust. We had a sticky mat outside the door and the older box-shaped sort of air cleaner inside, along with a residential HEPA air cleaner on the floor. If these had existed back then I’d have bought a couple of them no questions asked. They look nice, they’re quiet, and they’d be well suited to a clean indoor environment.
But that’s with the luxury of a high budget. This is a squirrel cage blower in a box with filters and some basic electronics added; that’s absurd for $650.
KokoTheTalkingApe
Re price: I think this product might not be just a squirrel cage blower with filters. If these air purifiers are properly designed, there’s a lot of engineering that goes into them that isn’t apparent even with a cross section. For instance: what kind of filters should we use? How well do they capture which particular size particles? What pressure drop do they create? What impellers would create enough pressure AND air flow to be useful or effective? And then, how should the interior air channel be designed? Earlier I alluded to the notion that as the airspeed increases, the channel cross section should shrink, so that the air volume per second remains constant. That reduces friction and internal dead zones.
All of that is not simple to compute, and requires lots of empirical testing with particular filters, motors, etc. And the results matter, because air quality is a serious health issue.
That’s why I prefer to buy air purifiers, even though I know I’m perfectly capable of building a box with blowers and a filter. If I built one, I wouldn’t know for sure how quickly it removes particulates, how long it should run, how often the filter needs replacing, etc.
MM
In my opinion the majority of those details are either unimportant or the work is already done for us.
Q: What filter? How well do they capture different size particles?
A: HVAC filter. They have published standards like MERV and HEPA ratings. Choose the filter which captures the particle sizes you are concerned about. If it were me, I’d use a cheapo spun fiber filter first to catch the biggest particles (replacing it when it looks dirty) with a finer pleated filter behind it to catch the small particles.
Q: Pressure drop across the filter & choosing a blower
A: There are standard tables for sizing blowers based on filter sizes and types. Once you’ve picked your filter it’s just a matter of looking up the airflow at a given static pressure from the chart, then identifying a blower which meets or exceeds that number and picking it out of a catalog. For example, Grainger has specs for all their Dayton brand blowers, they have charts showing airflow vs. static pressure.
Q:Design of the airflow channel
A: Negligible. It doesn’t matter if there are “dead zones” or the airflow isn’t perfectly optimal. It’s just sucking air through a filter, there’s no need for precision or squeezing ever last drop of efficiency out of the design. That is like worrying about the aerodynamics of a shovel handle.
Q:When to change the filter
A:It’s usually obvious when air filters get clogged as there is a fairly sudden increase in the pressure drop across the filter, it would probably be obvious when the unit stops performing like normal. But if you want an indicator there are inexpensive gauges for this from the HVAC industry like the Generalaire G-99. There are also manometer type indicators. Something like a “filter minder” as used on Diesel vehicles would likely work too. Or if you felt like making this with electronics inside you could put an air pressure sensor between the blower and the filter and monitor the vacuum. Calibrate it for a “new” filter and when it raises significantly signal a filter change. You could use a Filterscan CleanAlert, and I have also seen residential HVAC filters which claim to text you when they need replacement. Perhaps one of those would also happen to suit your air purity needs?
Q:How long to run it for
A:I think that really depends on your personal situation. If you are highly safety conscious I think the safest answer is “all the time you’re working”, as I’m not convinced that automatic sensors are necessarily trustworthy. Even if you bought a commercial unit the only way you’d truly know if it were working properly would be if you had an air particle meter and did your own testing to validate the automatic sensor was working to your standards or not. If it were me, I’d wire up my DIY cleaner with a delay-on-break relay so that it would turn on automatically the moment my dust collector kicks on (or manually, with a switch) and then would continue to run for, say, 15 minutes after it shuts off. If I felt it necessary to be 100% sure it was running long enough I’d rent an air quality meter and determine experimentally how long it takes to clear the air and then set the relay delay to double that time.
eddie sky
It looks like a garage door opener. I would like to know if the filter options offered are HEPA rated? Or is that too fine a demand on to gerbil wheel blowers?
kent_skinner
I support the theory that simple tools like this should be simple – minimal electronics, non-custom housings, etc.
I have a 25 year old JDS(?) filter that looks just like the old Jet. There’s no PCB to fail – just some off the shelp electronic components to vary the fan speed. It could be hard wired to run full speed if needed.
There’s no way the new Jet will last 25 years. When it fails, there’s 20 pounds of plastic headed for the landfill. When mine finally dies, it’s mostly metal and reuseable parts.
I *hate* the modern, use it a few years nd throw it away manufacturing plan. As an example, my mom’s 8 year old oven died a few months ago. The PCB died, and there’s no replacement parts available. The *entire thing* went ot the dump and was replaced. It’s such freaking waste.
factory320
Would have loved to see all these upgrades into the same old metal box
Anyone saying the plastic housing is a upgrade has got to be confused, bang and dent a metal box, just pound it back into shape.
Charles
older one all the way. It’s just about moving air through a filter. This locks you in to expensive jet filters, old one gets filtrete 1900s . Better and cheaper
I see no advantages to the changes to balance out the severe disadvantages