It can get fairly technical, so we decided to do a demonstration using balloons as smoke particles. Most people are familiar with rubbing a balloon on their hair, and then it sticks to a wall. This is the same basic way an electrostatic air cleaner works.

In this scenario, your hair acts as the ionizer providing the static electricity to charge the balloon. In an air cleaner, this would be around 10,000 volts. Once the balloon has received a charge, it will stick to the wall. The wall acts as the ground plate collection cell. The cell has a high voltage plate between each ground plate. Their arms are acting as the high voltage plate that helps push the “balloon” to the wall. This is very efficient and will collect particles of all sizes as long as they get a charge.

When there are too many balloons to all get a charge as they pass through, a second pass is needed. This is why a double pass system is beneficial in a heavy smoke application.

When the wall gets covered with too many balloons, it will no longer collect additional balloons. At this point, cleaning is required to prevent blow through.

If the power supply fails to provide voltage to the ionizer, the balloons will not get a charge causing them not to be collected on the wall. If your air cleaner requires cleaning or has a bad power supply, give Bee Clean a call at triple eight, four five one, zero eight forty-four!

Frequently Asked Questions

My maintenance staff is knowledgeable; why should I use an outside service?

Electrostatic air cleaners use high voltage and DC current, a lot of knowledgeable maintenance people are not familiar with working with that. You’re better off having your maintenance staff focus on your production equipment to prevent you downtime. We work on these every day so can troubleshoot them faster than someone that works on them once in a while.

What does it cost to service my electrostatic air cleaners?

Average price per cell is $55. Prices range from $50-$215 depending on distance, accessibility and quantity.

Are electrostatics hard to maintain and troubleshoot?

Although electrostatic air cleaners are relatively basic in concept, there is a lot of little things that can make them not work. Someone familiar with them can pick up the problem quickly.

How do I know when my electrostatics air cleaners are dirty?

There are four areas to check to see if your filters are dirty and need cleaning.

Collection Cell: Pull out the collection cell, they start to get dirty on the leading edge, towards the intake side. As they get dirty, they collect farther and farther back on the cell plates. You want to clean them before it is dirty all the way back preferably catch it at about three-quarters of the way back
Ionizer wires: If the wires have build-up on them, it can insulate the charge so that the smoke or oil mist does not get charged. If the smoke and oil mist does not get a charge, it will not get collected in the collection cell.
After Filter: This is a one-inch aluminum mesh filter that most brands have after the collection cells. If the after-filter is dirty, it is time to clean.
Indicator light: This light indicates that the collection cells and ionizers have the correct high voltage. If this light starts to flicker or goes off, it is past time for maintenance.

What electrostatic brands do you service?

With our Clean Air Switch program we have the ability to service 20+ brands. The most common brands are Smog Hog, Mistbuster, Trion, and Tri-Mist.

What is your service area?

We are located in Schaumburg, IL, and Madison Heights, MI, and the majority of our customers are in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. However, we do offer long-distance service for customers out of our typical service area.

Are you only an electrostatic service provider?

No, while we have built our business focused on being an electrostatic service provider, we also provide the following services, Media Filtration Service, Electrostatic Air Cleaner sales/install, and ductwork installation. We have evolved to support our slogan. Breathe Better. Work Better. Live Better.

Breathe Better. Work Better. Live Better.

Schedule a
Consultation
We’ll set a time to learn about your business, specific needs, and walk through the next steps.
Receive a
Custom Quote
We’ll review your manufacturing process and develop a solution that resolves your air quality concerns.
See the Difference
Clean Air Makes
Watch the suite of Bee Clean equipment and services transform your facility’s air quality, team’s health, and long-term profitability.