Doyle vacuums with pleated cartridge filters

[Randy]

Hi Randy, Dave from Doyle said you can use a brush to remove accumulated hair & debris from the pleats, or wipe with your gloved hand, knock them to dislodge loose, fine dust or remove and wash the filters. Even if I do it 2x/week, I think it would create LESS dust blowing towards the bays than cleaning the 4 long vacuum filters I clean every week on my IVS vacuum. I use the same method you use. I'm very thorough, using a toilet brush, to clean every filter. I go up & down, then around & around inside each filter to capture all the hair. I wear a mask, eye goggles as the process releases a lot of dust. Takes me about 15 minutes to clean 4 filters on 1 IVS vacuum. It's certainly the dirtiest job but one of the most important!

I guess I've been cleaning my vac's out all wrong for the last 40 years. We've never used a toilet brush to clean out the vacuums. I've never gotten any complaints that the vacuums don't suck hard enough.

 

[washnvac]

I bought 4 of these vacs from Dave at the NRCC show in Fall of 2021. Got them delivered in Feb or March of 2022. The location they were intended for unexpectedly when under contract of sale in January 2022. So I have 4 brand new sitting in a storage still wrapped in plastic. And unfortunatly, they were specially modified to fit the base at this locaton. Sale has been extended for settlement in July 2023, so I am holding them just in case.

Anyhow, Dave told me the actual filtering square footage of the pleated filters is more than the bag filters. As was said in earlier post, you just run your hand filters to drop the dirt/debris. The appeal to me was a much easier cleaning of the pleated filter, then of the bags plus must faster swap outs of the filters (no removing the lid). I purchased extra filters just for this purpose. I wish I could give you the real world experience, but before I purchased I did talk to another operator in my area that has them and he said he thought it was a better product.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I guess I've been cleaning my vac's out all wrong for the last 40 years. We've never used a toilet brush to clean out the vacuums. I've never gotten any complaints that the vacuums don't suck hard enough.

Hard to tell what if any part of this is serious.

Never gotten a complaint. Which zip code of fantasyland would that be?

I can see if you have the type of bag filter where you have a hollow cylinder accessible from the bottom like Coleman that even packages a round toilet type brush with the vac to go up inside the filter. Other types not so much.

 

[MudMoney]

Further back than I care to remember @ car wash show was a booth that had gizmo to vibrate the bags after use. Never saw them again

 

[Jonson88NC]

Interesting discussion on vacuum cleaning methods, folks. I agree with the idea that pleated filters can provide better surface area for filtering. It's been my experience that they can be easier to clean and replace as well. As for the vibrating tool to clean out bags, that's an intriguing concept! It would certainly help in dislodging the accumulated dust and debris. However, it seems like the convenience and efficiency of pleated filters might outweigh the benefits of this tool. Would love to hear more thoughts on this.

 

[Randy]

Has anyone or does anyone put a vacuum gauge on there vacuums to see how much vacuum it is actually drawing?

 

[Jonson88NC]

Has anyone or does anyone put a vacuum gauge on there vacuums to see how much vacuum it is actually drawing?

No, but the idea is very good. It would be great to compare the results with other models and choose a more productive one.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I think square footage of the filter is not really relevant unless you plan to clean regularly. You need something that self cleans to an extent like the spring loaded cylinders or something that flexes with the on off cycles. Don't see that happening with pleats.

 

[Greg_T]

We have the Doyle vacs with 3 x pleated filters and 20 litre (5 gallon) bucket underneath. I generally find them very good for both operation and maintenance. Ours are now about 12 years old and no complaints. I clean ours twice a week.

 

[New Washdog]

Something to vibrate the pleated filters after each use might keep them clean.

This is done on many dust collection systems and works well.

 

[Earl Weiss]

We have the Doyle vacs with 3 x pleated filters and 20 litre (5 gallon) bucket underneath. I generally find them very good for both operation and maintenance. Ours are now about 12 years old and no complaints. I clean ours twice a week.

Heck. if it is one thing I don't want to have to do is clean filters twice a week or even twice a year. Unless suction is affected - never clean them. They shake themselves out.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Heck. if it is one thing I don't want to have to do is clean filters twice a week or even twice a year. Unless suction is affected - never clean them. They shake themselves out.

Cleaning vacuums has got to be one of the DIRTIEST jobs at my car wash, but for me it's the MOST important job! I don't see how vacuum filters coated with mud or thick layer of hair are going to "shake themselves out." It takes a stiff toilet brush to break it loose and pull it out. I clean my filters every week and wash the IVS filters 2x / year. My IVS motors last about 4 years.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I don't see how vacuum filters coated with mud or thick layer of hair are going to "shake themselves out."

I would have to say - Mud may be the exception but even with Shampoo and Vacs it's rare. For whatever reason thick layers of hair just doesn't seem to happen. After many years I may need to replace a vacuum bag because I notice dirt getting sucked into the screen below the motors which means a hole in a bag. Even then the bad bag is not caked with mud or hair.

 

[Greg_T]

Heck. if it is one thing I don't want to have to do is clean filters twice a week or even twice a year. Unless suction is affected - never clean them. They shake themselves out.

I shovel mud from pits 4 days per week, so cleaning vac filters is my "easy" job! We just seem to be a particularly dirty wash.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I shovel mud from pits 4 days per week, so cleaning vac filters is my "easy" job! We just seem to be a particularly dirty wash.

Or phenomenally busy or pits are too small.

 

[Greg_T]

Or phenomenally busy or pits are too small.

We're not particularly busy, only a small wash in a country town of 1500 people. The pits are small (900mm x 900mm x 900mm) but I'm not about to install bigger ones!

 

[Earl Weiss]

Has anyone or does anyone put a vacuum gauge on there vacuums to see how much vacuum it is actually drawing?

My Guage is to take the nozzle and place on my hand. If I let go and the suction is enough to support the weight of the hose it passes.

 

[MEP001]

Same, I hold my hand about chest level and the claw nozzle should instantly stick to my hand and hold the hose off the ground.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Same, I hold my hand about chest level and the claw nozzle should instantly stick to my hand and hold the hose off the ground.

Interesting my Guage is about Chest level as well. I wonder if we need to adjust for height variations.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

I wanted to give an update on buying 5 new vacuums... I looked at IVS, JE Adams and Doyle. IVS and JE Adams use the 4 vertical sock filters, while Doyle uses 2 pleated filters (like a shop vacuum). I called Doyle's customer references and they were very positive! I would rather clean 10 pleated filters than 20 vertical filters! Starting in September 2023, I worked with David VanGorder to design them (240 volts with a Dixmor LED6 timer, 2 motors, 2" air inlet and custom decal). They arrived in February 2024 and installed on March 12th.

Though more expensive compared to IVS or JE Adams, they are very heavy-duty and well-made! Customers are amazed at the suction! I used my vacuum gauge, and suction is just over 100 Inches of Water.

Cleaning vacuums is my least favorite job, so I'm always looking for ways to speed it up! I bought a set of spare filters so I can quickly swap out the dirty filters. I clean them 1x/week. The BEST way I've found to clean them is to bang the filters inside a rubber trash can (less noisy), then use a stiff scrub brush to remove most of the hair and lint, then use my Diskin Air Dryer to blow out the residual dust!

I'm VERY happy with my new vacuums and dealing with David VanGorder at Doyle Vacuums was a very positive experience!