Customer Reviews

Fein TIIHEPA HEPA Filter

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The HEPA filter works great but is limited to only dry pick-up and using an expensive special paper bag which does make for easy clean up but does limit versatility.

I bought a Cleanair Gortex HEPA filter from Lowes for $29.99 that fits the Red-Coded Craftsman vacuums. This forms a perfect seal and works for wet and dry pick-up. You only need to either plug the hole in the bottom of the filter with a plastic plug you can get at Lowes or any car parts store or use a 3/8" x 2.5" carriage bolt, nylon washer, and wing nut to more securely fasten the filter. Better filter, better price, easier wet/dry vacuuming.

When you buy a woodworking tool, the manual doesn't warn you, but if you do a bit of research you'll discover that prolonged exposure to finer dust (smaller than 1 micron, or the size of smoke particles) can lead to sinus and lung problems; some serious. Most shop vacuums come with filters that retain dust as small as 5 microns (a piece of copier paper is about 100 microns thick). If you want to protect yourself, you need a HEPA filter, which will retain particles smaller than 1 micron.

This filter is pretty expensive, but without it, why buy the vacuum? For woodworking and sanding, a shop vacuum without a HEPA filter is probably a waste of money.

Commercial dust collectors large enough for larger power tools, that remove particles smaller than 2 microns, are not yet available at home shop prices. So even with a HEPA filter, if you're using a power saw, planer, etc., you should also wear a respirator with HEPA filters and have something to clean your shop's air before it goes into the rest of your house (and before you remove your respirator). The alternative is to shell out more than the cost of the power tool for a suitable industrial grade dust collector, or to build your own (there are instructions and parts on the Internet).

It's expensive. It's small. The paper bag "clips" on the inlet (over a raised ring). The large bag circles the little expensive "FINAL FILTER"(I think the designers want the HEPA filter to only stop the small quantity of smallest particles)

Suction doesn't seem to be dimished.

Why was I willing to spend 125$ for a vacuum filter system (HEPA 90$ BAGS 16$ HOLDING BRACKET 15$? I was warned on FineHombuilding's discussion forum "BREAKTIME" that drywall dust would blow the motor if I continued to use the standard issue filter. I found evidence drywall dust was getting through thus it was a matter of time.

I bought this filter system with no explanation of how it was supposed to work. I had a lot of confidence in Fein's designers (best vac I've ever had) but due to the price I was really tempted to go the cheaper route with a "clone" Hepa filter in tandem with the filter it comes with. I don't think that would have worked very long because the clone HEPA filter would have been overloaded, plugged up and killed the vacuum by suffication.

I'm happy with the way it all works, and plan to try to come up with a way to empty and re-use the paper bags. If I am successful that will off set some and I'll probably share it on FineHomebuilding's discussion forum "BREAKTIME".

Don Mathis

Unmatched combination of filtration and suction. HUGE gripe, and why I did not rate this that highly. Without the HEPA conversion kit..... a whole 5 bucks...this is a paper weight. Why do I have to buy a 5 dollar plastic collar with plastic clip? It should ship with a hundred dollar filter! To add insult to injury, the only seller on Amazon was sold out for a few weeks!

I was concerned that the HEPA filter would reduce the vacuum. Although it must somewhat, I could not detect it. Also the filter is protected by the cloth filter that comes with the machine. Very nice!

For the RRP folks:

This Fein HEPA filter is certified by Fein to IEST RP-CC001.5, the EPA standard required for RRP work (Lead renovation/painting).

If you put one of these HEPA filters on a Fein Turbo I, II or III you are good to go as far as the EPA is concerned.

The Gore Cleanstream filters, mentioned several times here as a cheaper alternative to the Fein HEPA filter, are cautioned against by GORE itself for use with hazardous materials. Go to the Gore website and read the FAQ.

Many of these Gore filters (but not all....they are sold under numerous brands) are clearly labeled as "not appropriate for RRP".

note: If you put this Fein HEPA filter on any other vac you are most likely out of compliance with RRP. Read my review of the FEIN 9-20-24 HEPA vac and why only OEM HEPA vac and filter combinations satisfy the EPA.

This looks like the same filter which comes included with the kit Amazon sells as the Fein FBK Filter Bag kit. I just purchased and installed that FBK kit on my Fein Turbo II vac and I am thrilled with it. Better dust collections and the convenience of disposable bags. The bags have a very large collection volume. Suction with the bag + filter seems better than it did with the original cloth liner alone. That kit is less than half the price of the filter here alone. Seems like an easy decision.

I followed T.S.'s advice and bought the competing product. It was a little tricky to find, because it's actually called the CleanStream filter, by Gore. It really does fit beautifully.