Anybody have an air purifier in their car? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DuckMuck · #1 05-21-2003, 03:43 PM

I found this at Sharper Image:

Anybody used this, or something similiar before in their cars?

DuckMuck · #2 05-24-2003, 10:25 PM

Weird...I can't seem to find any detailed reviews for this sorta gadget online anywhere...just one or two liners sayin', "works great"...or something like that...but they read more like advertisements than genuine reviews...

#3 05-25-2003, 12:29 AM

Hi,

Good Housekeeping's review of the Ionic Breeze says it all, Save Your Money.

The automotive environment is a tough one for most purifiers. First of all, they must put out enough of whatever they use for a purifying agent in order to be effective. Add to the fact the air conditioner or heater is forcing air through the car, means whatever is being produced will very quickly wind up being exhausted out the back of the car.

So, having the right type of purifier will be important. Ozone producing machines are probably not the best choice. Simple reason is the lack of control for ozone output. Also, there are more advanced purifying agents that work faster.

My questions would be:

Is there anything in particular that you want eliminated? Smoke, allergens, odors?

From there, I'd recommend a specific unit.

By the way, Ion generators like the Ionic Breeze are not that effective against odors and are marginal against airborne particulates.

Regards,

DuckMuck · #4 05-25-2003, 01:29 AM

Hi,

I am looking for something that can eliminate odors inside the car cabin...nothing specific/serious...just want to make it smell clean/fresh...I went to Parker Place and found something that looks almost exactly like this for $32CAD...I wonder if it works...

akry · #5 05-25-2003, 02:02 AM

Hm.. I just use those spray-n-forget deodorant... It gives New-Car-Smell... LOL.. Just spray under floor mat......

#6 05-25-2003, 02:17 PM

Hi,

The problem I have with sprays and other cover-ups is that you really don't know what the long-term effects are. Staining, etc.

Fabreeze leaves a residue. What that does long-term is anyone's guess. I do know that it will take on it's own odor in a hot car after a while.

Lysol leaves a residue too although it's probably okay being sprayed into the HVAC intake.

"New Car Smell?" No thanks. Benzene along with other toxic chemicals. I rather smell clean air. BTW: What's in the bottle? The list of ingredients should prove interesting.

Check this link out:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1719214.stm

Yes, "new car small" fades over time. However, why expose yourself if you have a choice in the matter?

In my experience, you get what you pay for.

Yes, a true air purifier costs more. However, you are not risking stains or residual odors, nor will you have to worry about the long-term effects unless you are using a pure ozone generator -- they can have an effect on wiring over the long haul.

The other aspect one might not realize -- The compounds that enter through the HVAC system are deposited throughout the car. Exhaust fumes, brake dust, etc. do have an effect on a driver and the car. Combined with off-gassing chemicals plus mold and mildew make the car an environmental problem. The research is out there. Do a search on the Internet.

The least expensive way to reach these areas is with a purifier reaching out and destroying these compounds without the need for disassembly of the interior. How much is your time worth and does the car really go back together the same way as before?

I use a small air purifier that runs any time the car is on. I use a larger unit (one that I use in my bedroom) on my car once a month to destroy anything else.

For a car like a Benz, it will prevent odor related problems and I know the interior will be free from residues.

Regards,

DuckMuck · #7 05-25-2003, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chicago124
I use a small air purifier that runs any time the car is on.

Yes...I do not like some of the sprays and air fresheners...this is why I wanted an air purifier...do you have a photo (maybe off the net) or a description of the small unit you run in your car normally? Thank you...

#8 05-25-2003, 04:02 PM

Hi Duckmuck,

Sure.

http://www.biozonescientific.com/transportation.html

I use a 100V instead of the 50V. I like the extra power for $10 more.

Regards,

DuckMuck · #9 05-26-2003, 09:43 AM

chicago124,

Thanx for the pix! Looks good...I will shop around to see if anybody carries it here in Vancouver...thanx again!

#10 05-26-2003, 03:12 PM

Hi Duckmuck,

I sent you a private message about ordering one.

Kind regards,

#11 05-27-2003, 07:12 PM

Hi Narwhal,

Well, your filters are good for removing a good deal of particulate matter. The problem is from the gasses entering the car that are not trapped by any filter. Even a carbon-based filter is not going to catch as much as a purifier.

There is also the amount of off-gassing from the materials in the car that you'd notice on very hot days when the car has been sealed. Even after a year or two, they are still there. Generally, the manufacturing processes cause the majority of the in-car pollution when the car is new. However, unless there is a purifier working in the car, the air entering the car from the HVAC system deposits material in the carpeting, headliner, upholstery and in the hard to reach nooks and crannies .

Ideally, the combination of a filter (trapping to about .03 microns if it's a true HEPA filter and to about .5 microns if it's not, and an air purifier, will make your car more pleasant to drive and give your lungs a break.

I see a lot of confusion about what filters do and do not. Basically, filters work on particulates but not gases. Purifiers work on both but are especially effective at reaching out and destroying bacteria, mold, mildew, germs and allergens in general.

I was in the Sharper Image store today listening to their sales pitch for their Ionic Breeze models. I wished I had my demonstration ammonia spray bottle and a paper towel:-) That test is a riot to performin front of an audience and the Ionic Breeze can't compare to a true purifier. It really doesn't work on gases.

Questions?

Fire away, as it's my business.

Regards,

CJ · #12 05-28-2003, 10:18 PM

I keep a 5 pound box of Arm & Hammer in my car and it does wonders.

#13 05-28-2003, 10:48 PM

Hi,

How does A&H go about destroying the cause of the odor(s)? It's absorbing some of the bad stuff but not all of it.

The answer is: It doesn't. Doesn't kill mold or mildew nor does it reach into the nooks and crannies.

The point is to destroy the odor and not just cover it up, thereby making the car a better place to enjoy.

For some, that's a big plus.

Regards,

CJ · #14 05-28-2003, 11:20 PM

For killing the stuff in the car I use straight bleach, sure it can change the colors on the carpets, but my car is sanitary. If you are careful you will not ruin that much. The key is not to have stuff in your car that will cause the odors in the first place.

#15 05-29-2003, 01:29 AM

Howdy all,
Yea like that fish smell. I cant get that gone by any meens. Maybe I can try some feminine producs. Seems to work for them. Bleach! Maybe you been snifin to much bleach cj. Huh?Whatl you do if someone drops one them cigaretes in the back when you not lookin. Unless yoo git one those eyes in back you head..bOOFooM!! Just like one them propaine tourches my neighbhor had. they be pickin up your bodily parts until 2034 plus a half not to mention the destruc-tion of property..The answer is: It doesn't. Doesn't kill mold or mildew nor does it reach into the nooks and crannies.

"The point is to destroy the odor and not just cover it up, thereby making the car a better place to enjoy. " chicago who? what the hell are you queen of deoterizers? If arm hammer works for cj, maybe he should just stick with it! Now you got em going and using sum unsafe product because you have to go an be the king of car care! I bet you think you something fancy! I got some new sfor you too. Chicago wanst built in a day neither!..regards!..