New Growers AC Infinity 4" carbon filter growing ineffective

If you are starting to get odors past the filter then the filter is beginning to fail. Some manufacturers tell you to rotate the filter end for end to extend the life but in my experience it only helps a little. Some cultivars are smellier than others and some are considered outright filter killers (Skunk, Cheese, etc). You will most probably need to replace the filter. Do your due diligence and make sure your tent is properly sealed and has negative pressure to contain the odors of course. Recently when I began smelling our grow there was a poor connection to the filter leaking smells. Maybe consider an upgrade if you want longer filter life

Could be the seal between the blower and filter, sealed with duct tape.

I'll flip the filter, redo the tape, and order a new filter.

Hey @lousytourist just my opinion but I would order a new filter, I have the same set up, Set up the same way as you. I had 3 runs without smells coming through and with my last run the Nakatomi Plaza x Pineapple Chunk killed the filter and stunk the place up. New filter and just like flipping a light switch no more smell in the house.

Carbon filter failure was the technical reason why my very first attempt at home growing ended up metaphorically speaking, as THE most significant catastrophic failure attempt at a hobby I’ve ever experienced in my 59 orbits around our planet.  No exageración, this was from a mistake I made without even knowing, until it was too late. 🤣 

I learned so much from that first experience, and can share that:

1.- Carbon Filters have a humidity operation range, which isn’t that clearly explained in the instructions, nor are discussed enough (in my opinion).  What I learned the hard way was that if the environment where the filter is at, the lung room in both our cases (filter outside tent), has a relative humidity of 70%, or greater than “>”,…. the carbon filter will fail.  The higher the ambient relative humidity raises above 70%, the higher the failure will be.  I too have a compact 2x2 AC Infinity kit… Well, I have 2 now… but thats not relevant.

2.- Humidity induced failures of the filter are permanent (in my experience); however, they seem to gradually appear.  They even seem to recover at first, but there is a tipping point soon after the high humidity exposure that the carbon filter just stops working all together.  No matter what, it’s just like not having any filter whatsoever.  Technically speaking, it’s clogged and needs to be replaced.

In my particular experience, I did not know this.  My first grow happened in a cool temperature high altitude desert type location, with low humidity; however, I did not even think about this issue but the rainy season came, and my filter got exposed to high humidity, even got a rare light rain sprinkle from its perched window placement… and the rest is history.  The smell of a small auto-flowering plant, barely 12” tall, with about a week to 10 more days to go, killed my project on its tracks, and I had to fold tent.  I mean that literally!!  I could smell the plant 1/2 a block from home.  I am not kidding.  I had to stop. 

If I can respectfully suggest the following, get a beefier 4” replacement filter from AC Infinity, or from any manufacturer that you trust, and keep that new filter dry, away from humidity, don’t let water near it, and have a handy-backup for when and if, an unexpected failure re-occurs.

I don’t know if this applies in your case, just felt compelled to let you know based on what you are mentioning. Hope this helps.

Cheers!!!

Ricardo,

PS:  I’m now on a quest to find a proven low odor indica strain that can make me feel less at risk of not being able to control smell.  Let me know if you know of such a thing.   I’m a bit paranoid by nature to begin with; in any case, best of luck to you and hope this helps.

I flipped the filter this morning. I noticed it was fairly dusty inside, but there was nothing to do about it.

I had to redo the duct tape of course but it didn't look like a bad job.

Since then the smell has gone down, but I'm still ordering a new filter, I don't think the one I have will survive another grow.

Smell has already returned 🙁 Thankfully the new filter arrives today.

Put Godfather OG on the list of cultivars that clog up a filter in one go.