Respirator safety and cost ?????

I think this was the respirator referred to in a previous post
(post https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=292015. )

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004Z4EB/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Given I don't paint that much, but I sand a lot, here are my questions.

Is there a way to conserve the effectiveness of the organic cartridges?

Does putting them in airtight bag between uses help, or do they expire a fixed number of days after opened?

How can you tell if they are expired?

Can you put the cartridges in a bag separately and still use the dust covers for sanding purposes? Or if you have an old cartridge pair, can you use that with the dust covers for sanding purposes (one risk would be you forget that the cartridges have expired when you go to paint.)

I prefer the North 7700 half mask. Its more comfortable and cheaper, with a wide variety of cartridges. For sanding and using acrylic (water-based) paints, all you really need is the P100 particulate filter ($5 for a set), and you can use them several times. I throw them out after 8 hours or so. These also work really well for working with Hardiplank/Hardiepanel, by the way.

For oil-based paints or when using solvents, I use the 7581P100 Organic Vapor with P100 filter. I never use the organic vapor alone; the P100 version adds minimal cost and painting always generates particulates. I use them for about 8 hours as well. If you store them in an airtight bag you can reuse them a few times (this is for personal use, at work, this would never fly).

Most importantly, it needs to fit well. I'm lucky, I get free fit testing once a year at work so I know mine fits well. Before use, always do a quick check- block the inlets on the cartridges with your hands and breathe in. You should not feel any air come in. If you do, adjust the fit or get a different mask. That's the other reason I use the North- the 3M just doesn't fit me well.

David

I used respirators of all types for many years and my life & those of my men depended on them.[especially during lead & asbestos removal]

Yes keeping in baggie will help immensely.
For sanding purposes, you filters will work fine till they become clogged with dust. That is why the cloth covers are there. They can be replaced leaving the charcoal filter like new indefinitely.
Never use them separately... they are a system.

Now paint fumes is another beast.... those will ruin/clog your filters in far less time.

If your purpose is just sanding your unit if kept bagged and clean will last many many years.

The most important part of use is contact and seal between the unit & your face. If you have a beard or mustache this is impossible to get.

But then anything is better than nothing and breathing raw dust.


Everything you want to know about respirators and their care found here where I did a tutorial:
https://www.rocketryplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3060

Always wear a respirator, even it is a cheap paper style one that you can get at HD or your local hardware store. I also use a modified cardboard box, about 18" x 24", for a dust collector system because I get tired of the mess in my shop from sanding. I place my shop vac hose in the box, via a hole that is cut in the box and let the vac suck up the dust from sanding. It even removes some of the airborn dust and saves me clean-up time.

BABAR said:

Is there a way to conserve the effectiveness of the organic cartridges?

Does putting them in airtight bag between uses help, or do they expire a fixed number of days after opened?

How can you tell if they are expired?

Can you put the cartridges in a bag separately and still use the dust covers for sanding purposes? Or if you have an old cartridge pair, can you use that with the dust covers for sanding purposes (one risk would be you forget that the cartridges have expired when you go to paint.)

Click to expand...

CONSERVE A FILTER?
No. Understand that the activated carbon particles have an electrical charge on them. Vapor and gas Ions also have a charge, typically opposite to the carbon particle that they bind to. Contaminants are "removed" by the carbon (called ADSORPTION). But this is a WEAK bond. When all of the electrical charges on the carbon have been "used up", contaminants are no longer adsorbed onto the carbon and they pass right into your lungs. This is the same principle as your fish tank filter, which traps chemical contaminants such as ammonia and chlorine. Depleted carbon can be reactivated, but only through extremely high firing in a commercial grade furnace or better.

EXPIRATION?
OSHA is sooooooo wishy-washy on this subject, becauuse too many factors affect the life of your cartridges: HUMIDITY (big one!), temperature, concentration, use patterns, and nature of the chemical you're using. In extreme conditions, a pair can last 6-8 hours. In my case, they can last 3-6 months. NOTE HOWEVER that if you use yours internmittently (like most of us do), since the bond onto the carbon is weak, contaminants that are trapped on the carbon can and do become "desorbed" and actually migrate through the filter in a matter of hours! That means if you use it once, put it away for a few days, then use it again, you could stilll be exposed. But for paint and epoxy resins, we're ok. UNLESS YOU'RE USING POLYESTER EPOXY RESIN WHICH YOU SHOULD NOT DO!!! THEY CAUSE CANCER!:dark:

DUST COVERS
Please remembr, DUST MASKS ARE NOT RESPIRATORS! That's why we call them dust masks. Companies like to call them respirators; they are no such thing. Dust masks are only 95-99% effective, and they do NOT protect you from anything but particulates. Dust masks will not stop gasses and vapors.

ONE WARNING ABOUT RESPIRATORS: You still need good ventilation! You should know that air can get so saturated with fumes that it could displace all of the oxygen in the work area; that means you pass out and die without any warning at all :y:

BABAR said:

Is there a way to conserve the effectiveness of the organic cartridges?

Does putting them in airtight bag between uses help, or do they expire a fixed number of days after opened?

How can you tell if they are expired?

Click to expand...

I keep my respirator zipped up in a gallon freezer bag when not in use. I replace the cartridges every 2 years or so. I don't paint very often. Otherwise, I'd replace them more frequently.

I've never tried to use it with just the dust covers.

Doug

.

Thanks guys. I have ordered one for painting with the cartridge, and one a little less fancy for sanding.