I had forgotten all about the popular “Impeller Upgrade” for the Harbor Freight Dust Collector. Recently I saw it mentioned here on the forum. I had forgotten it so thoroughly, it was like I was seeing it for the first time. As I started watching YouTube videos about, I found where I had commented on some of them a year or two ago.
So I started again researching the impeller upgrade, and it seems like a worthy thing, depending on price for parts, especially if you want to add a dust separator upstream from the HF unit to add a second stage, which I want to do.
I relearned that while the Rikon P60-200-22 impeller is a drop-in replacement, it is pricey at $119.99 (maybe that’s why I put it out of my mind last time).
However, I also learned that Wen makes one, the Wen 3403-022 Turbo Fan, which they sell as a replacement for in their WEN 3403, and it is a drop-in replacement for the HF Dust Collector — only their price is way better (than Rikon), at only $49.99 with free shipping.
Right while I was considering it, it went from “in stock” to “out of stock” — however, I refreshed and watched their web page over the following day or so, and it just went back to being listed as “in stock,” so I just ordered it.
I used the WEN impeller in mine. It worked ok, but I think it is a little thicker than stock one, so you have to be careful and make sure nothing is rubbing, screws protruding in the way, etc
I’ve been using it 6 months or so with no problems
I was not planning to try to print the big dust separator I had designed, but I just now thought, since I have the huge Ender Extender 400XL, I might as well give it a try. I have nothing to lose but some cheap PLA I have sitting here. If the big monster printer was not being used for this attempt, it would be just sitting, because I have other smaller printers for smaller jobs.
I’m sure I spending too much time thinking through the options.
I’m just stuck and can’t decide what to do.
The WEN3403, which is supposed to have the impeller already, but needs a 20 amp circuit. However it’s slightly hard to find, and is around the price of HF + upgrade.
The HF + upgrade fan, which from the sound of people either doing it, or running it, doesn’t need a breaker change and/or doesn’t appear to shorten the motor life (which I’m a bit surprised, but not an expert in electrical motors at all).
The WEN DC1300, which technically has a lower CFM, and lower amps, which implies doesn’t have the impeller, but is probably a match to the HF. (I say this because the HF is spec’d at 1550 CFM, but knowing the number of people using a 1500 CFM impeller to improve airflow, I doubting the specifications on the website?)
Or say I’m tired of analyzing it, and over pay, and get a system like the dust right, that more than likely is over priced, but doesn’t need any thoughts (supposedly). Why is trying to save money, so difficult?
Just remember that these numbers are like ideal condition numbers in their lab, with nothing attached, etc.
I think practical airflow at the end of a 4" pipe on the HF is something like 600-700. There are videos on YouTube.
I run mine on a 20 amp circuit, but that’s all I have in my shop. I probably wouldn’t have run it on anything lower even if it worked.
It’s highly likely that the WEN DC1300 unit and the Harbor Freight unit are identical except for the paint job
If the 3403 was still available, I would definitely go for it, but given the choice between the 1300 and the HF, I doubt the extra money is buying you much except different paint and logos
Should have also added that I guess I need to vet the sources that “claim” they have the 3403 still. It’s not available from Amazon, WEN directly or any other source I’ve used before. First one I found this morning was “PIP Hardware”, Never heard of them or used them before, so I guess I need to focus there first.
I guess having the DC be Volunteer orange won’t be a bad thing. Although I’m assuming @Jonathjon might consider his gator orange. (Sorry if that reference is not to your liking @Jonathjon)
@pony1023 I have seen a few YT vids about making the upgrade to the HF DC with the Wen impeller, and most have said they needed to upgrade to the 20amp circuit as the impeller is larger than the original HF impeller, and will cause the motor to pull more power when spooling up upon start up. This would be especially true if you have other things running on that same 15amp circuit. I added a 20amp to my breaker box…it isn’t that hard, but make sure you are also using12 or 10 gauge wire (your standard 15amp is 14 gauge) for the 20 amp.
I have the HF, and have had the page for the WEN impeller up for the last 6 months, I just haven’t pulled the plug yet.
Makes sense, at least my thinking was correct on the amps, although none of the videos I had watched in the last six months, or at least I don’t remember them calling that out.
Also implies that the DC1300, doesn’t have that impeller, and maybe can’t handle it, or they are getting better results with their smaller HP and less amp motor, which logically doesn’t makes sense to me. But it is priced higher, so… I just don’t know.
Almost makes me want to fall in line with what has been proven already, HF and roll the dice on the WEN impeller being in stock again at some point (currently OoS for me, Doug must have got the last one for today, ha). At the point of that upgrade, make sure a 20 amp circuit is available.
At least that’s what I decide earlier after specifying how / what I was going to do to use the screaming shop vac less, and have one high volume / low pressure, and one low volume / high pressure.
Just to be clear, the HF 2 HP DC works well enough on its own accord, one of the other reasons I haven’t pulled the trigger to order it yet. I have changed out the top bag for a Donaldson Air Filter, and I have a DIY Thien baffle-ish that I made, but it still works pretty good.
Here is a link to the WEN website that sells the impeller, and it seems to be in stock there for $50 USD if you wanted to order direct from them.
