What’s the highest grade filter I can get for my Brink MVHR machine?

[Adsibob]

I was surprised to smell smoke in my house today. It was only faint, but definitely smoke. Looking out the window confirmed that it was coming from the neighbour whose garden backs onto my adjacent neighbour’s garden. All my windows were closed but the MvHr was running as usual. Clearly my F7 filter isn’t doing enough. Googling around, I can’t seem to find any better than this. Could that be? 
Smoke is unusual, but smog isn’t given we live in London. Would be good to get as best protection as possible, given the pollution.

 

 My machine is a Brink Flair 400, fitted with an F7 filter between the air intake and the machine, and with a G4 filter to filter the extracted air before it hits the machine.

Edited June 12 by Adsibob

[Dan F]

Not sure there is much else you can do in terms of filters.  I've always wondered if there is a way to detect smoke somehow and temporarily reduce MVHR to away (or turn it off), never looked into it in detail though.  Wonder if anyone else has?

[Bonner]

You will need to install an in-line pre-filter if you want to improve things, try activated carbon media to absorb fume which brings the smell inside.

[Duncan62]

Yes from my research this will be a problem.

 

In the winter, people burning wood inside and delivering it to your property via their chimney will also cause your air quality to significantly degrade.

 

My solution will be a huge carbon filter pre mvhr. 

 

https://globalairsupplies.co.uk/product/carboair-100-filter/

[Adsibob]

7 hours ago, Duncan62 said:

 

 

My solution will be a huge carbon filter pre mvhr. 

 

https://globalairsupplies.co.uk/product/carboair-100-filter/

Interesting. What does “do not use on box fans” mean at the end of that url?

[dpmiller]

is the house so airtight and running at positive pressure that the only source of a smell can be the MVHR?

[Mike]

I'm also adding an inline pre-filter to mine - a Paul / Zehnder Iso-box DN 160 - that can take a carbon filter, in case it's needed.

[JohnMo]

A Hepa filter? 

 

This includes a carbon filter also

https://b2belectrical.com/products/cleanbox-150-g4-f8-carbon?variant=40797880713314&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsaqzBhDdARIsAK2gqncf1OfDQMghsaO_km_0-0aifZZbTxo9h_x_3W1yWrINbFeiF5nrpTcaArplEALw_wcB

[JohnMo]

 

 

 

[Ultima357]

For anyone interested, my post linked above has been running for 3 years now in one form or the other after the upgrade to a much larger filter than the first trial one. My neighbours seem to love bonfires but absolutely zero smell in my house now. Well worth the effort and cost of putting it in. Can't really understand why the MVHR companies don't do it as a standard module. 

[Adsibob]

17 hours ago, dpmiller said:

is the house so airtight and running at positive pressure that the only source of a smell can be the MVHR?

yes, I'm pretty sure. Save that some air will get in when the front door (which is rather large) is opened.

[Adsibob]

16 hours ago, Ultima357 said:

For anyone interested, my post linked above has been running for 3 years now in one form or the other after the upgrade to a much larger filter than the first trial one. My neighbours seem to love bonfires but absolutely zero smell in my house now. Well worth the effort and cost of putting it in. Can't really understand why the MVHR companies don't do it as a standard module. 

It's a shame I - or the professional company that designed and did my install - did not think about this in advance. My setup is incredibly cramped and I'm not sure I have enough space. I will post pictures later in case anybody can see a way of squeezing this in. I have the same MVHR machine as @Ultima357 so could follow his setup exactly I think particularly as I think our flow rates are the same, I'm also running at about 220m3 per hour.

[Ultima357]

2 hours ago, Adsibob said:

It's a shame I - or the professional company that designed and did my install - did not think about this in advance. My setup is incredibly cramped and I'm not sure I have enough space. I will post pictures later in case anybody can see a way of squeezing this in. I have the same MVHR machine as @Ultima357 so could follow his setup exactly I think particularly as I think our flow rates are the same, I'm also running at about 220m3 per hour.

Just be aware that my original design using the smaller filter did result in the fan working harder to maintain the flow rate, but if that's all the room you have, then it's a worthwhile upgrade. My second much larger design, I mounted the filter vertically so the actual floor space wasn't much different but it was around 1200mm tall. This gives very little back pressure and the fans hardly know it's there. Plus it should have around a 10 year life. 

[Duncan62]

Could I mount this on the end of my intake and block off the other end.

 

This would mean the filter would be working in reverse to what might be considered normal.

 

Seems like that would work just fine too... And avoid the need for a sealed box. I could just put it in a rain cover on the outside wall.

[Thorfun]

I’ve been looking for filters for my Zhender unit recently. I came across activated carbon filters that fit in the machine. https://cleanfilter.eu/en/product/wernig-comfort-vent-q-350-600-filters/?attribute_filter-set-comfoair-q-350-450-600=Multipack+10xG4&wmc-currency=GBP&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhomg2e_bhgMVc5RQBh18ogEhEAQYAyABEgJfavD_BwE&v=79cba1185463
I’m surprised there isn’t anything similar for yours. 
 

NB: I have not bought them nor ever purchased from the company. It was just a Google search.