Test shop vac dust collector for leaks?

[Pirate]

What's a good method to check for vacuum leaks in a shop vac based dust collector system?
I have a shop vac, Rockler Y's and blast gates, and a 5 gal bucket with a separator lid.
I get 25% (est.) less suction from hoses after the blast gates, compared to straight from the vacuum. The blast gates don't leak.
It works fine with the ras and oss, but with the planer not so great.
Using the planer, hooked straight to the shop vac works ok. But not when going thru the separator, y fittings and blast gates.

[KC]

My first thought would be you're asking too much of the ShopVac. If it sucks directly from the planer okay, what's wrong with using it that way?

[Pirate]

KC said:

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My first thought would be you're asking too much of the ShopVac. If it sucks directly from the planer okay, what's wrong with using it that way?

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The filter gets clogged too fast. With the separator it doesn't

[woodhead]

Some form of smoke???


Al

[fredhargis]

I use a cigar, godd it puffing good and wave it around the seams. If it gets sucked in you have a leak. Then allow 3 days for the shop to air out.

[Coffee Man 2]

What about flour or powdered coffee creamer

[Howard Acheson]

Keep in mind that a separator uses quite a bit of air flow just to get proper air circulation.

You can demonstrate this air vacuum loss to yourself by just hooking your air intake hose directly to the vacuum without going thru the separator. You'll see a distinct lessening of the air speed when the separator is attached in the line. Small separator dust collectors are quite inefficient. It takes quite a bit of air to cause and maintain the cyclonic air flow in the cyclone separator.

[Howard Acheson]

I don't think your problem is air leaks. Cyclone dust collectors use up quite a bit of air energy creating and mintaining the air circulation.

You can run you dust collector with the intake hose connected directly to your separator and then with the hose connected directly to your vacuum. You will notice a distinct lessening of the airflow when the cyclone in the the line. All cyclone dust collectors take and use more power than a stand-alone vacuum.

[jussi]

Anemometer

http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PMA90-Anemome...ords=Anemometer

[Pirate]

jussi said:

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Anemometer

http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PMA90-Anemome...ords=Anemometer

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That will just tell me what I already know. Less suction.
Guess it's the cyclone.