Cleaning carbon for an air filter

[twnewell]

Just wondering if any of you fine people know how to wash or clean carbon. I have a couple of old filters laying around that I would like to open up and clean the carbon, and make a air filter out of. Anyone have any experience in doing something like this?

 

[MrFortwenty]

I've never done it, but you're not going to "clean" the carbon. You'll need to replace it, if it's possible on those filters you have

 

[twnewell]

I’m planning on making my own filter. All together I have about 6L of carbon. Just trying to not throw it out, it looks cleen as is, just wanted to know if cleaning and reactivating was an option.

 

[lxcpanda]

no experience with this for making own filter but activating charcoal is a thing, with vinegar. i think activating it binds the toxins or something. maybe also bubble it in water with an airstone to draw out toxins with the oxygen bubbles. if smell is a concern, probably better to not take the risk, or at least have new/clean charcoal ready to replace if the diy clean doesnt go accordingly.

 

[Rifleman]

To reactivate the carbon you have to bake it at a high temp. After it has cooled blow away the ash and use what is left. Or you can drill out the rivets and just replace the carbon with new if you prefer.

Weigh your filter when it's new/refurbished and use a sharpie to write it on the end. Weigh it again when you think it needs replacing. Mine gain 10% weight between fixes.

 

[Joe Brewster]

You can make charcoal by burning hardwood in a sealed container, w/small vent holes, in a fire. Crush to size, then activating it . done by soaking in hydrochloric acid, bleach, lemon juice or vinegar ( to open the pores in it) then washing in clean water ( RO, or clean low ppm river, spring or rain) to make water filters
I'm sure you could reheat and reactivate it, as the heat would burn off anything in it

 

[Virgin Ground]

There is a method to recharge using h2o2 and cooking for quite awhile.