Bangkok Air Pollution

[SooKee]

On 07/04/2018 at 12:23 AM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I've been using the Filtrete sheets covering the entirety of both of the permanent filters on my Mitsubishi inverter air con in our main bedroom for the past two months or so, and haven't noticed any significant difference in terms of its room cooling capability.

 

I was running the air con set to 25 degrees at night and fan speed of 2 of 5 before, and have continued that in the wake of adding the Filtrete sheets. Haven't felt any need to turn up the fan or turn down the temperature setting. Though it hasn't been very hot lately in BKK, and we really only use the bedroom air con at night and overnight when it's also not so hot outside.

 

One thing has been noticeable, however, and that's a big reduction in the ambient dust I find in the bedroom that used to coat tabletops and such, even though the windows were always kept closed.

 

FWIW, I'm also using the Filtrete sheets on our floor standing large air con in our living room during the daytime, and likewise, haven't felt any need to turn up the fan or turn down the temperature since adding the Filtrete media.

 

Well it's certainly not the same with the two Daikin units here (both almost new, correctly sized inverter units).  Doubtless different air con units don't use the same components and don't perform the same, hence some are quiet and some make so much racket that I'm surprised folks can sleep with them.

 

But as I said, with the two units here the difference was there and it was marked to such an extent that at unchanged settings, after one hour, the room was still too uncomfortable.  I could boost the fan of course but that adds to the noise and doubtless the electricity consumption.  

 

I binned the instructions that came with the 3M box that I bought but IIRC that only made reference to trimming the sheet to size, not undersize, could be wrong though.  But if it had looked in the diagram that they were trimming to 70% size I'm pretty sure I'd have noticed.  Since the post above mentioning covering only 70% of the filter was made I've searched and found quite a lot of videos and instructions recommending the same.  I'm currently trying the sheet trimmed to 70% and so far the performance is OK, no need to increase the fan or reduce temperature to achieve the desired cooling.  Will see how it goes.  Doubtless the sheet will be less effective than a full covering (can't see how it wouldn't be) but at full covering it's a non-starter for me. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 minutes ago, SooKee said:

Doubtless the sheet will be less effective than a full covering (can't see how it wouldn't be) but at full covering it's a non-starter for me. 

 

Obviously, IMHO, people should use the approach that they feel works best for them. I too have been perplexed by the different coverage recommendations that appear in different places.

 

All I can add is, in looking at the 3M packaging for both the Thai purchased versions and the U.S. purchased versions of the Filtrete product, they both appear to show instructions for basically full coverage of air conditioner screens. YMMV.

 

 

[SooKee]

11 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Obviously, IMHO, people should use the approach that they feel works best for them. I too have been perplexed by the different coverage recommendations that appear in different places.

 

All I can add is, in looking at the 3M packaging for both the Thai purchased versions and the U.S. purchased versions of the Filtrete product, they both appear to show instructions for basically full coverage of air conditioner screens. YMMV.

 

 

Yeah, pretty much sure mine showed full coverage. 

 

I'm wondering too if there's different qualities of this stuff around, even within the same brand.  Wondering too if this is something that might be subject of copying, box and all.  Must admit, when I opened it up I did think I can't think how this stuff would not affect the air-con if fully covered given it almost feels like felt.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, SooKee said:

Yeah, pretty much sure mine showed full coverage. 

 

I'm wondering too if there's different qualities of this stuff around, even within the same brand.  Wondering too if this is something that might be subject of copying, box and all.

 

I wondered about that too, but for a bit different reason. One of my Thailand purchased versions came from the so-called official 3M Store on the Lazada site. And those came in a plastic bag package with the Filtrete inside sealed in plastic wrapper. So did the Filtrete rolls I bought from HomePro, which came in a paper box with the Filtrete sealed in a plastic bag inside.

 

However, the U.S. purchased versions I bought through Amazon came in unsealed paper boxes with the Filtrete sheets just folded inside, no plastic wrapping or seal at all.  However, in my case, both versions appear to be basically the same kind of Filtrete sheet, same thickness, etc etc.

 

[lopburi3]

I tried years ago and turned to separate air cleaner.  Full coverage as said cut AC coverage too much and cost to continually replace excessive; and not covering full filter does not make sense if you are trying to filter (most air with dirt is not going to go through a filter if there is a non filter path -although admit it may reduce dirt to some extent).  To me a highly overpriced product considering replacement costs and continual maintenance (filter change - remember to buy - stores out of stock). 

[xylophone]

49 minutes ago, SooKee said:

Yeah, pretty much sure mine showed full coverage. 

 

I'm wondering too if there's different qualities of this stuff around, even within the same brand.  Wondering too if this is something that might be subject of copying, box and all.  Must admit, when I opened it up I did think I can't think how this stuff would not affect the air-con if fully covered given it almost feels like felt.

Installed mine (Filtrete) with full coverage and noticed a slight change in temp efficiency of the air con, but when I changed them just recently the colour difference was quite marked, so obviously working in filtering out the fine dust/crap.

 

I set the air con at 22--23 at night and only run occasionally on dehumidify during the day AND I have bought a Philips air purifier which runs 24 hrs non stop and also needed a new filter after 9 months.............so the air is not clean here in Patong by any means and I can smell the smoke/haze just about every day now, BUT the air in Bangkok sounds like a nightmare!! 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

42 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

I tried years ago and turned to separate air cleaner.  Full coverage as said cut AC coverage too much and cost to continually replace excessive; and not covering full filter does not make sense if you are trying to filter (most air with dirt is not going to go through a filter if there is a non filter path -although admit it may reduce dirt to some extent).  To me a highly overpriced product considering replacement costs and continual maintenance (filter change - remember to buy - stores out of stock). 

 

Disagree about that Lopburi.

 

In my use and testing at home, the Filtrete sheets do a nice job of lessening the load on the air purifier and/or enhancing its effect. Yes, I use the Filtrete sheets on my regular air con screens and then run the air purifier in addition, not the Filtrete sheets instead of an air purifier.

 

By lessening the overall particulate in the room, that means the relatively expensive (1000 baht+) HEPA filter in the purifier is likely going to last longer. And arguably, I'm able to run the purifier on a lower fan, and thus lower electricity use level, because the Filtrete sheets on the air con, which I'm going to run anyway, are carrying part of the load.

 

As for cost, last time I purchased, I bought two boxes, each 96 inches long, of Filtete material for 500 baht total from the official 3M Store on Lazada. That quantity is going to last for several months of use at home -- which is a relatively insignificant cost in the overall scheme of things.

 

One other issue that I'll be interested to see over time -- is the potential for using the Filtrete sheets to lessen the need for routine cleaning of the interior air con units fins and roller.  I don't know that's the case, as I haven't been using the Filtrete sheets long enough as yet to test that theory. But it does make some sense, as the Filtrete sheets are capturing more and smaller particulate material than are going to kept and be caught by the regular plastic air con permanent filters.

 

Lastly, not everyone here wants to spend the money on an air purifier. Mine cost a bit over 3,000 baht, but a lot of the models in the major stores here are 10, 20, 30K baht. And from my testing with my PM2.5 sensor, I've found that just using the Filtrete sheets only on an interior air con will make a meaningful reduction in interior PM2.5 levels, even in the absence of a purifier. So I'd see the Filtrete sheets as a lower cost alternative for anyone who doesn't want to shell out for a purifier.

 

Anything that meaningfully reduces the PM2.5 levels that people in Thailand breathe, whether indoors or outdoors, is a good thing for their health.

 

 

[edwardandtubs]

What I noticed when using the Filtrete sheets in the air conditioner and separate HEPA air purifier was that the Filtrete sheets were not changing colour at all. It must be that my DIY air purifier was getting rid of almost all the particulates.

[bkk6060]

Nobody wants to talk about today because it is pretty decent?

Flew into DMK about noon could see forever.

 

[edwardandtubs]

The reporting lag is a nuisance. Today I looked at the moderate air quality and thought I'd go to the gym. When I walked outside and smelt the air it was gross. Now I can see the aqi had spiked to 142 at the time. I should have trusted my nose.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

42 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

The reporting lag is a nuisance. Today I looked at the moderate air quality and thought I'd go to the gym. When I walked outside and smelt the air it was gross. Now I can see the aqi had spiked to 142 at the time. I should have trusted my nose.

 

Won't have to worry about the reporting issues anymore once your PM2.5 sensor arrives.

[balo]

Very fresh air here in Pattaya for the last 2 days . Outdoor its been 10 to 15  PM 2.5 

But the fun will be over soon.  

[SooKee]

Really weird occurrence today!!! Woke up in the bedroom and thought how warm it was. Thought I might be getting a fever!! Air con was on and the filters were covered to 70% but, on taking the filters off, the top two thirds of the unit were iced up, totally blocked. Really bizarre. Wonder if the filtrete was blocking the air flow so much it just caused the unit to block up and freeze. Worked OK once the ice had thawed. Got the air con service company coming tomorrow to check and clean the unit.

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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, SooKee said:

Really weird occurrence today!!! Woke up in the bedroom and thought how warm it was. Thought I might be getting a fever!! Air con was on and the filters were covered to 70% but, on taking the filters off, the top two thirds of the unit were iced up, totally blocked. Really bizarre. Wonder if the filtrete was blocking the air flow so much it just caused the unit to block up and freeze. Worked OK once the ice had thawed. Got the air con service company coming tomorrow to check and clean the unit.

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I've had the same thing happen from time to time, apart from the Filtrete sheets. It seems to happen generally when the weather outside gets cooler and you're still running the AC inside, especially on low fan setting. From what I've been told, it can also happen as a result of low coolant levels. One of my ACs froze up last night, and I know it doesn't have a low coolant level because I just had it serviced and checked. In talking to the air con techs about that, they advised to NOT run the air con on low fan -- something I gather you're doing. And usually what I'm doing when mine happens to freeze up.

 

 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

9 hours ago, SooKee said:

Really weird occurrence today!!! Woke up in the bedroom and thought how warm it was. Thought I might be getting a fever!! Air con was on and the filters were covered to 70% but, on taking the filters off, the top two thirds of the unit were iced up, totally blocked. Really bizarre. Wonder if the filtrete was blocking the air flow so much it just caused the unit to block up and freeze. Worked OK once the ice had thawed. Got the air con service company coming tomorrow to check and clean the unit.

Sent using Tapatalk
 

It is just Olaf snugging up in your aircon. Don't disturb him, he will leave later, when the room warms up.

 

 

[SooKee]

 
I've had the same thing happen from time to time, apart from the Filtrete sheets. It seems to happen generally when the weather outside gets cooler and you're still running the AC inside, especially on low fan setting. From what I've been told, it can also happen as a result of low coolant levels. One of my ACs froze up last night, and I know it doesn't have a low coolant level because I just had it serviced and checked. In talking to the air con techs about that, they advised to NOT run the air con on low fan -- something I gather you're doing. And usually what I'm doing when mine happens to freeze up.
 
 
 

Yeah I've always only ever run the AC on setting 1 of 5, never found I've needed more plus keeps it quiet. Never had a problem before TBH but can understand why it could happen. I'm guessing in this case it's the filtrete combined with low power on the fan.

Once the techs have been and given the system it's annual clean I'll test it again by leaving it on a few hours. If it starts to build up again I'll reduce the filtrete to 50% coverage and try that.

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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, SooKee said:

Once the techs have been and given the system it's annual clean I'll test it again by leaving it on a few hours. If it starts to build up again I'll reduce the filtrete to 50% coverage and try that.
 

 

I think you're barking up the wrong tree suspecting the cause for the freeze is the Filtrete sheets. I've had it happen on my ACs before I ever started using Filtrete sheets, and I've had it happen after I started using them. It seems mostly to happen when the outside temperature gets cooler, and the AC unit is being run on low fan.

 

I've seen no indication with my own ACs that having the Filtrete sheets in place, whether full coverage or part coverage, has any impact on this.

 

[balo]

Not a good day in Pattaya , at 11 AM I measured around 50 from my balcony or AQI 136 . It's the highest I have seen outside my condo.   

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As the prior forecast I posted above predicted, things turned for the worse today, lots of red from midnight through late morning today, before lessening to orange at some BKK sensor sites. Several other stations around BKK are still reporting red levels as of 11 am today, unlike the PR Dept site).

 

The 134 AQI below as of 11 am reflects an actual PM2.5 reading of about 49 micrograms.

 

 

My sensor inside likewise has reflected the change, with indoor levels, even with my bedroom purifier on medium fan, rising to 12 mcg right now, which is still good category air, but double or triple the indoors readings of the past few days.

[SooKee]

 
I think you're barking up the wrong tree suspecting the cause for the freeze is the Filtrete sheets. I've had it happen on my ACs before I ever started using Filtrete sheets, and I've had it happen after I started using them. It seems mostly to happen when the outside temperature gets cooler, and the AC unit is being run on low fan.
 
I've seen no indication with my own ACs that having the Filtrete sheets in place, whether full coverage or part coverage, has any impact on this.
 

I was more thinking the AC was full of dust (there was a lot of building work outside recently with cars in the car park needing to be washed every two days until the owners gave up and waited for the work to stop - which it now has) and that the filtrete may have compounded the problem by reducing airflow to an already clogged system. Mainly as I had the problem the first day I ran the air with the sheet.

The ACs it transpires were indeed full of dust more than would be normal. All sparkly clean now so I'll re-fit the sheet and try tonight.

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[balo]

5 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The 134 AQI below as of 11 am reflects an actual PM2.5 reading of about 49 micrograms.

Where in BKK are you located?  Interesting to see that we have the same reading in Pattaya at the same time of the day .  I was sure there would be differences between us , but maybe some days it just happens. 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

43 minutes ago, balo said:

Where in BKK are you located?  Interesting to see that we have the same reading in Pattaya at the same time of the day .  I was sure there would be differences between us , but maybe some days it just happens.

 

The 134 AQI reading I mentioned from 11 am was the sensor at Chula Hospital in the Saladaeng area of BKK, very much in the downtown area.

 

My indoor reading of 12 with the air purifier on was from the Nana/Asoke area.

[lopburi3]

21 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The 134 AQI reading I mentioned from 11 am was the sensor at Chula Hospital in the Saladaeng area of BKK, very much in the downtown area.

 

My indoor reading of 12 with the air purifier on was from the Nana/Asoke area.

Actually Chula borders the green lung of Bangkok - a few hundred meters closer to Patpong might be a bit different.  

[mommysboy]

On 08/04/2018 at 3:16 PM, bkk6060 said:

Nobody wants to talk about today because it is pretty decent?

Flew into DMK about noon could see forever.

 

Yes, but that is no longer the norm.  

[edwardandtubs]

My Sndway air quality monitor arrived today. It's showing outdoor pm2.5 of 40 µg/m3 which seems surprisingly high as visibility is very good today, probably because the great Songkran getaway has started. Indoor air quality with my DIY HEPA air purifier and air-conditioning with Filtrete is currently showing 1 but sometimes goes up to 2 or down to 0 which I'm very pleased with. This is in a room about 20 square metres in a 14th floor condo near Udom Suk.

 

My nearest monitoring station is the Thai Meteorological Office which reported an AQI of 59 equivalent to pm2.5 of 16 µg/m3 at midday. At exactly 3 pm the reading on my balcony was 35 so let's see how that compares to the official data when it's released. My readings seem to be closer to the Chulalongkorn Hospital data.

[edwardandtubs]

So, here are the official pm2.5 levels for today at 3 pm converted to AQI:

 

Chulalongkorn Hospital - 87

Thai Meteorological Department - 63 

My balcony - 99

 

So the Sndway seems to be working well but maybe showing higher than the true levels.

[edwardandtubs]

Walking to a local supermarket I got similar readings on the street to balcony except when a couple of unroadworthy buses passed, then it flashed up to over 100 µg/m3 for a few seconds.

 

In the supermarket the air was slightly better at 25 µg/m3 and I got the same reading walking next to a long row of hedges.

 

[edwardandtubs]

Good to see my condo's gym fluctuating between 15 and 20 µg/m3, half the outside reading. Must be the heavy duty ceiling air conditioning.

[lopburi3]

9 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Must be the heavy duty ceiling air conditioning

Or all the pumping lungs filtering out the pollution.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Air outside in BKK this morning is OK, not good, but not unhealthy either. The AQI scale and sensor readings say the low end of "Moderate."

 

I got my 2nd Sndway PM2.5 sensor in the mail yesterday, so now 1 in the bedroom and 1 in the living room/kitchen area. So I don't have to keep unplugging and moving the sensor every day when we move from one area to the other area.

 

When I woke up this morning, the living room area sensor -- which had no air con or purifier running overnight -- was reading about 15 mcg.

 

The bedroom sensor -- where aircon with Filtrete sheets and my Sharp purifier running on low were on overnight -- was reading 1 to 2 mcg.

 

Makes a big difference inside when the air outside isn't so bad as it had been in recent weeks.