Best respirator for indoor nitro
11-08-2011, 10:08 PM
#1
Best respirator for indoor nitro
My allergies and sinuses cant take nitro fumes anymore indoors. I am sick for hours after I get home. Instead of just giving up on racing indoors with nitros I am looking for a respirator/breathing mask that may make it more tolerable. Is there a particular model that folks use or one that works well for nitro smoke?
11-09-2011, 12:10 AM
#2
Any of the half-mask respirators that are labeled for Organic Vapors (or Painting/Pesticides) which utilize Carbon filters, will suffice for what you need.
The 3M 7500 series masks are head-and-shoulders above the rest, IMHO. They have replaceable carbon cartridges, and are made from a much softer, more comfortable and better sealing rubber. The biggest thing will be finding a mask that has replaceable cartridges. 95% of respirators have fixed filter cartridges, which means you throw-away the whole mask, and buy another which will get very expensive. The particulate filters aren't necessary, but will help keep the clay dust from clogging the expensive cartridge filters and causing you to spend a lot of $$ over the long-run.
Also, be aware of shelf-life and storage techniques for your mask and filter cartidges. You CAN NOT simply throw the mask into your pit box and use it whenever you want. Sitting out in the elements will greatly reduce the life of the cartridge filters. They need to be removed (if possible) and sealed in a ziploc with as little air as possible, or the whole mask should be Ziploc'd if they are not removable. I would expect the cartridge filters to work at full duty cycle for 2 racing weekends, if stored properly. After that, protection would start to taper off but it would still capture most of the irritants. I would replace the cartridges after a month's use (no matter how many racing days) and the particulate filters when they look visibly soiled.
To find a local place, go to 3M's website below, and type in your Zip Code, be sure to select the "Respirators-Dual Cartridge" option. Most welding, industrial supply and paint supply shops carry them.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3.../Where-to-Buy/
Or, if you'd rather buy online, let me know and I can give you some websites/suggestions on what to buy.
The 3M 7500 series masks are head-and-shoulders above the rest, IMHO. They have replaceable carbon cartridges, and are made from a much softer, more comfortable and better sealing rubber. The biggest thing will be finding a mask that has replaceable cartridges. 95% of respirators have fixed filter cartridges, which means you throw-away the whole mask, and buy another which will get very expensive. The particulate filters aren't necessary, but will help keep the clay dust from clogging the expensive cartridge filters and causing you to spend a lot of $$ over the long-run.
Also, be aware of shelf-life and storage techniques for your mask and filter cartidges. You CAN NOT simply throw the mask into your pit box and use it whenever you want. Sitting out in the elements will greatly reduce the life of the cartridge filters. They need to be removed (if possible) and sealed in a ziploc with as little air as possible, or the whole mask should be Ziploc'd if they are not removable. I would expect the cartridge filters to work at full duty cycle for 2 racing weekends, if stored properly. After that, protection would start to taper off but it would still capture most of the irritants. I would replace the cartridges after a month's use (no matter how many racing days) and the particulate filters when they look visibly soiled.
To find a local place, go to 3M's website below, and type in your Zip Code, be sure to select the "Respirators-Dual Cartridge" option. Most welding, industrial supply and paint supply shops carry them.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3.../Where-to-Buy/
Or, if you'd rather buy online, let me know and I can give you some websites/suggestions on what to buy.
11-09-2011, 12:20 AM
#3
Hey, I'm kind of interested in this too, so some links would be great.. Thanks..
11-09-2011, 03:32 AM
#4
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=...fr=yfp-t-701-1
11-09-2011, 04:02 AM
#5
The guy offered to give some specific suggestions beyond just the "7500 series of 3M", so I said sure, go for it.. Just plugging that into German ebay got me a bunch of different stuff, all of which costs twice what it would in the States according to an initial glance.. Not sure I run indoor often enough to justify spending €60. Was thinking more like something basic and disposable.. But IDK, if this 7500 thing is that good, I might consider it, depending on if/which races I run this winter..
11-09-2011, 04:13 AM
#6
I pulled one off a buddys face last year and used it. Needless to say it took a pry bar and all of his strength to get it back lol..
You can still smell nitro but the fumes are cut down to about 20% IMO.
You can still smell nitro but the fumes are cut down to about 20% IMO.
11-09-2011, 04:14 AM
#7
The cartridges are not designed to be disposable but can be replaced. They would last far longer than 2 races. They sell cotton element covers that go over the carbon cartridge and those are disposable and cheaper.
11-09-2011, 08:02 AM
#8
Any of the half-mask respirators that are labeled for Organic Vapors (or Painting/Pesticides) which utilize Carbon filters, will suffice for what you need.
The 3M 7500 series masks are head-and-shoulders above the rest, IMHO. They have replaceable carbon cartridges, and are made from a much softer, more comfortable and better sealing rubber. The biggest thing will be finding a mask that has replaceable cartridges. 95% of respirators have fixed filter cartridges, which means you throw-away the whole mask, and buy another which will get very expensive. The particulate filters aren't necessary, but will help keep the clay dust from clogging the expensive cartridge filters and causing you to spend a lot of $$ over the long-run.
Also, be aware of shelf-life and storage techniques for your mask and filter cartidges. You CAN NOT simply throw the mask into your pit box and use it whenever you want. Sitting out in the elements will greatly reduce the life of the cartridge filters. They need to be removed (if possible) and sealed in a ziploc with as little air as possible, or the whole mask should be Ziploc'd if they are not removable. I would expect the cartridge filters to work at full duty cycle for 2 racing weekends, if stored properly. After that, protection would start to taper off but it would still capture most of the irritants. I would replace the cartridges after a month's use (no matter how many racing days) and the particulate filters when they look visibly soiled.
To find a local place, go to 3M's website below, and type in your Zip Code, be sure to select the "Respirators-Dual Cartridge" option. Most welding, industrial supply and paint supply shops carry them.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3.../Where-to-Buy/
Or, if you'd rather buy online, let me know and I can give you some websites/suggestions on what to buy.
The 3M 7500 series masks are head-and-shoulders above the rest, IMHO. They have replaceable carbon cartridges, and are made from a much softer, more comfortable and better sealing rubber. The biggest thing will be finding a mask that has replaceable cartridges. 95% of respirators have fixed filter cartridges, which means you throw-away the whole mask, and buy another which will get very expensive. The particulate filters aren't necessary, but will help keep the clay dust from clogging the expensive cartridge filters and causing you to spend a lot of $$ over the long-run.
Also, be aware of shelf-life and storage techniques for your mask and filter cartidges. You CAN NOT simply throw the mask into your pit box and use it whenever you want. Sitting out in the elements will greatly reduce the life of the cartridge filters. They need to be removed (if possible) and sealed in a ziploc with as little air as possible, or the whole mask should be Ziploc'd if they are not removable. I would expect the cartridge filters to work at full duty cycle for 2 racing weekends, if stored properly. After that, protection would start to taper off but it would still capture most of the irritants. I would replace the cartridges after a month's use (no matter how many racing days) and the particulate filters when they look visibly soiled.
To find a local place, go to 3M's website below, and type in your Zip Code, be sure to select the "Respirators-Dual Cartridge" option. Most welding, industrial supply and paint supply shops carry them.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3.../Where-to-Buy/
Or, if you'd rather buy online, let me know and I can give you some websites/suggestions on what to buy.
11-09-2011, 10:57 AM
#9
I posted some sites in my response to Herr below that have a nice selection of stuff so you can get a better idea of what's out there. Grainger also offers pretty much everything, but they are more expensive, and you'll need a company account.
If you simply want to try them before you commit to the expensive 3M stuff, you can pick up a cheap one at Harbor Freight, the N95 respirators will work for what you need.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...t?q=respirator
Two race weekends = 4 races. Either way, that was my recommendation that they would last at full filtering capacity, he can certainly use them past that, and I am sure they would work fine for him, but they won't be at full capacity. The cotton particulate filters are for particles (dust, paint over-spray, etc), they don't protect against fumes.
The 7500 Series is very good, but if you simply want to "test" it, I'd recommend getting something else, first. It's a large investment right off the bat. Wearing a respirator for some people, is rather uncomfortable and I know I can get annoyed with the strap sometimes.
Specifically, I would go with the 7500 mask (7501, 7502, 7503, whichever size fits you properly), 6001 cartridges and P95 particulate filters.
I do not know of any shops for you over in Germany, however. Discountsafetygear.com and Publicsafetycenter.com both have good selection, but Publicsafety offers better pricing and better selection. I have not used either one.
If you simply want to try them before you commit to the expensive 3M stuff, you can pick up a cheap one at Harbor Freight, the N95 respirators will work for what you need.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...t?q=respirator
The guy offered to give some specific suggestions beyond just the "7500 series of 3M", so I said sure, go for it.. Just plugging that into German ebay got me a bunch of different stuff, all of which costs twice what it would in the States according to an initial glance.. Not sure I run indoor often enough to justify spending €60. Was thinking more like something basic and disposable.. But IDK, if this 7500 thing is that good, I might consider it, depending on if/which races I run this winter..
Specifically, I would go with the 7500 mask (7501, 7502, 7503, whichever size fits you properly), 6001 cartridges and P95 particulate filters.
I do not know of any shops for you over in Germany, however. Discountsafetygear.com and Publicsafetycenter.com both have good selection, but Publicsafety offers better pricing and better selection. I have not used either one.
11-09-2011, 11:01 AM
#10
FWIW - The reason you can smell the Nitro and Fumes is because it either didn't fit properly or the Cartridges were past their life expectancy. I'm going with the later.
Most people have some unrealistic expectation that these respirators are meant to work for months-on-end, and never replace them.
11-09-2011, 12:26 PM
#11
I used to use North respirators when I was able to weld before my accident and they have a piggyback filter system where the filters go behind on your back and they lasted alot longer than any of the 3M products I used through the years, not that 3M is bad or anything but the North systems allowed for longer in between changes and the masks neoprene was way more comfortable than the 3M masks (they are to rigid) but check it out on the North website at www.northsafety.com.
Philip
Philip
11-09-2011, 04:04 PM
#12
6200 Regular Mask
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...glXCQ69TDNRLbl
6001 Organic Vapour Cartridge
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...glGRNK90HLZ8bl
501 Filter Retainer
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...gl9MB3TFWKTJbl
5P71 Particle Filter
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...gl98S707QZ48bl
This is what we all use up here. It will filter all the fumes and dust out.
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...glXCQ69TDNRLbl
6001 Organic Vapour Cartridge
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...glGRNK90HLZ8bl
501 Filter Retainer
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...gl9MB3TFWKTJbl
5P71 Particle Filter
http://solutions.3mcanada.ca/wps/por...gl98S707QZ48bl
This is what we all use up here. It will filter all the fumes and dust out.
11-09-2011, 06:59 PM
#14
Two race weekends = 4 races. Either way, that was my recommendation that they would last at full filtering capacity, he can certainly use them past that, and I am sure they would work fine for him, but they won't be at full capacity. The cotton particulate filters are for particles (dust, paint over-spray, etc), they don't protect against fumes.
Last edited by pntmachine; 11-09-2011 at 08:19 PM.
11-09-2011, 08:19 PM
#15
I never said they particulates were for trapping fumes I said they would protect the carbon cartridges. you are just guessing at capacity levels for sure as you have no way to verify contamination of nitro fumes thru the particulates or deminishing results of the carbon cartridges. You are assuming that they are diminishing from the fume and not the particle as well. Either way they will last longer than what has been mentioned but to what affect. Do you take them off right outside the building when you are at your pit table or when you enter your car to drive home. I am not trying to knock the OP for wanting to protect himself because I know the feeling of a weekend of indoor racing but I do use these masks for a living and have a good idea how long they last. Pntmachine (paintmachine)
While there are simply too many variables to give this guy an exact answer on longevity, I feel that 4 race days (figure 6-7 hours of exposure) is a quasi-realistic answer. The instructions for the 6001 say to use the filters until you reach your established change schedule, or when smell, taste or irritants are detected.
When I used to do automotive body & paint work, I talked with various 3M reps that said a 6000-series cartridge would only last 7-10 hours at 10x the PEL levels of basic paints/solvents. That's total exposure time, before the filter's effectiveness started to decrease. Not completely go boom, just start to reduce it's filtering abilities. My own usage and findings seem to correspond with this.
$15/month on 6001 cartridges is cheap compared to some expenses we have in the hobby.