Versaflo M-407

[Emiliano Achaval]

I have been using my Versaflow without the inner shroud. A full 8 hours plus today. Mucho cooler, more confortable, no problems. No difference, I do not notice any changes, maybe in a more dusty, if that's even possible, or different environment might be needed?

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have been using my Versaflow without the inner shroud. A full 8 hours plus today. Mucho cooler, more confortable, no problems. No difference, I do not notice any changes, maybe in a more dusty, if that's even possible, or different environment might be needed?

I am looking at the possibility of removing both shrouds and replacing them with a seal like the Versaflo M-300 series uses. That would make it far easier Another possibility would be to take a pair of scissors after the outer shroud and just leave the inner shroud.

I found out that the helmets that we have are actually rated for CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) hazardous clean up when used with a CBRN filter. Your belt is actually polyurethane plastic coated nylon so that it can be decontaminated afterwards. My belt is just an ordinary nylon belt so I'll watch from a safe distance while you go in and do the clean up.

I would like to find the 3M Breathe Easy tactical vest on eBay. It's more like a backpack so that the blower is up about a foot higher on your back about mid rib cage level. I think that would be a lot more comfortable than the belt not to mention it would move the blower away from the EPA maroon "hazardous air" zone.

 

[Bill Boehme]

We had a warm day Wednesday (high of 87°F and somewhat humid. I spent most of the day turning outdoors so this was a great opportunity to compare the two respirators. While I've always considered my Airstream to be comfortable with plenty of airflow, it really was outperformed by the Versaflo which had far more airflow ... enough to keep me cool and comfortable. The drawbacks included not able to wear a smock over the Bteathe Easy, the belt was uncomfortable, and I kept bumping the blower into things.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

We had a warm day Wednesday (high of 87°F and somewhat humid. I spent most of the day turning outdoors so this was a great opportunity to compare the two respirators. While I've always considered my Airstream to be comfortable with plenty of airflow, it really was outperformed by the Versaflo which had far more airflow ... enough to keep me cool and comfortable. The drawbacks included not able to wear a smock over the Breathe Easy, the belt was uncomfortable, and I kept bumping the blower into things.

I was going to document that I keep bumping into things too, looks like we both need a bigger shop with more room. I can talk to your wife if you can talk to mine... Wait, a smock over the breath easy? Hmmm. Never occurred to me, you would be covering the filters, it's way too bulky for it to fit under... . I'm super skinny, 154 Lbs. so I have no problem with the plastic belt, feels good on me. As soon as I sell a big Calabash I will buy the BP-15. Might look into one from Ebay, just afraid to buy one that it's too old. Did you say they are goo for 10 years? I have been looking, but a 6.8 V battery simply does not exist, other than for video cameras and other things... For now, I have the Airstream Battery...

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Made an offer for a 2014, used 10 cycles BP-15 battery for $60 and a brand new charger for $27.50. Got them both. Got to love Ebay!

 

[Bill Boehme]

The battery that I got was part of a package that included the blower and it was all in pristine condition sealed in original package. Documentation from 3M says that the battery should not sit unused or uncharged for longer than six months or it might not be able to hold a full charge, but mine seems to be OK. The changer that I got was also in perfect condition and looks like it had never been taken out of the box.

I think that you will really like the more powerful battery.

I need to put something on my visor to help remove static charge. I had to frequently get the air hose to blow the dust and chips off it so that I could see.

I need to run a couple errands and then I will be turning most of the day. It is forecast to be even warmer than yesterday.

 

[AlanZ]

@AlanZ and @Emiliano Achaval I finally found out why the Breathe Easy requires a different battery than the Airstream. The Breathe Easy requires 6.25 volts as opposed to 4.8 volts for the Airstream. While the Airstream battery is certainly usable, you would undoubtedly get more cooling air with the BP-15 NiMH battery or the BP-17IS NiCad battery that are designed for the Breathe Easy.

Bill,

The BP17IS battery is a 4.8 volt NiCad unit (intrinsically safe).
The BP-15 battery is a 6.25 volt NiMH unit.

Both are listed as appropriate for the Breathe Easy blower pack.
So the 5 volt USB packs I have been using is in the sweet spot.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

The battery that I got was part of a package that included the blower and it was all in pristine condition sealed in original package. Documentation from 3M says that the battery should not sit unused or unchanged for longer than six months or it might not be able to hold a full charge, but mine seems to be OK. The changer that I got was also in perfect condition and looks like it had never been taken out of the box.

I think that you will really like the more powerful battery.

I need to put something on my visor to help remove static charge. I had to frequently get the air hose to blow the dust and chips off it so that I could see.

I need to run a couple errands and then I will be turning most of the day. It is forecast to be even warmer than yesterday.

Bill I tried the Novus 1 you recommended on the club screens and it worked great at repelling dust.

 

[AlanZ]

I forgot to mention that, the single use (non rechargeable) Lithium battery packs used by first responders are Lithium Manganese Dioxide... a "primary" battery (meaning they cannot safely be recharged). They are used because they have a very long shelf life... you can pick up a 5 year old battery and it will have almost a full charge in it... so it's perfect for first responders who depend on fully operative equipment.

Just as a reminder, as you know, this is quite different from the Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries that are now common in all sorts of devices (computers, cell phones, usb battery packs) etc.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Bill I tried the Novus 1 you recommended on the club screens and it worked great at repelling dust.

Thanks, Gerald. I have a big bottle of it that I haven't used.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

The battery that I got was part of a package that included the blower and it was all in pristine condition sealed in original package. Documentation from 3M says that the battery should not sit unused or unchanged for longer than six months or it might not be able to hold a full charge, but mine seems to be OK. The changer that I got was also in perfect condition and looks like it had never been taken out of the box.

I think that you will really like the more powerful battery.

I need to put something on my visor to help remove static charge. I had to frequently get the air hose to blow the dust and chips off it so that I could see.

I need to run a couple errands and then I will be turning most of the day. It is forecast to be even warmer than yesterday.

I do not have that static electricity problem here on Maui... Looking forward to my BP-15!

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I forgot to mention that, the single use (non rechargeable) Lithium battery packs used by first responders are Lithium Manganese Dioxide... a "primary" battery (meaning they cannot safely be recharged). They are used because they have a very long shelf life... you can pick up a 5 year old battery and it will have almost a full charge in it... so it's perfect for first responders who depend on fully operative equipment.

Just as a reminder, as you know, this is quite different from the Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries that are now common in all sorts of devices (computers, cell phones, usb battery packs) etc.

I was wondering about those batteries, you see them on Ebay. Thanks for the info.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I wore my turning smock for a few hours, but because it is nylon and slick the belt kept sliding down and I was continually stopping to adjust the belt back where it belongs. I got tired of that so I just removed the smock.I'm thinking about modifying my old backpack since I'm too old to go climbing mountains anymore.

 

[AlanZ]

Here is an FYI for any Versaflo helmet owners or anyone considering getting one of the series.

View: https://youtu.be/pJtv1UYWCxM

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Decided to try the Versaflo without the shroud today. You can't always have everything that you want... I like how much cooler it is now, and that I can reach my ears to adjust the bluetooth headset. I miss how the shroud kept all shavings and chips off my collar... After over 6 hours wearing it, I think I like it better... To be continued... @AlanZ @Bill Boehme

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

As you can see in the picture above, I took my glasses off to put the helmet back on. My friend Tomas was helping me. I told him: wow! I have to change the protector film! I can't see anything! He calmly said, try put your glasses back on....

 

[AlanZ]

The M-300 series (the one I have) and M-100 series helmets do not have the outer frame that the M-400 series has, so it's easier to deal with glasses... there is nothing in the way when the visor is flipped up.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I bought a 3M vest to replace the belt. I found it on eBay for $55 and it appears to be unused. I plan to try it out today, but it might be too hot in the summer heat here. One big advantage of the vest is that the blower mounts high up on the back. The battery fits in a pocket just beneath the blower so it's a bit of a problem to reach the switch.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Decided to try the Versaflo without the shroud today. You can't always have everything that you want... I like how much cooler it is now, and that I can reach my ears to adjust the bluetooth headset. I miss how the shroud kept all shavings and chips off my collar... After over 6 hours wearing it, I think I like it better... To be continued... @AlanZ @Bill Boehme View attachment 25404View attachment 25405

What is the black rag that is under your chin? Is that something that you fabricated yourself? It doesn't resemble the inner shroud on my helmet. The inner and outer shrouds on my helmet make it a real chore to put it on and I don't really need anything that is flame resistant.

 

[hockenbery]

As you can see in the picture above, I took my glasses off to put the helmet back on. My friend Tomas was helping me. I told him: wow! I have to change the protector film! I can't see anything! He calmly said, try put your glasses back on....

Hope you are are safe from the volcano. How close are you 30-40 Miles?
Al

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

What is the black rag that is under your chin? Is that something that you fabricated yourself? It doesn't resemble the inner shroud on my helmet. The inner and outer shrouds on my helmet make it a real chore to put it on and I don't really need anything that is flame resistant.

The black rag is the comfort chin strap part M-937. I called 3-M to find out... Could you please post a picture of the vest Bill, thanks.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Hope you are are safe from the volcano. How close are you 30-40 Miles?
Al

We are fine here in Maui, but, I have a place only 45 minutes from the latest eruption, lots of vog and ashes there... Thank you Al.

 

[hockenbery]

We are fine here in Maui, but, I have a place only 45 minutes from the latest eruption, lots of vog and ashes there... Thank you Al.

Glad you are safe!
I thought you were on the big island.

 

[Bill Boehme]

The black rag is the comfort chin strap part M-937. I called 3-M to find out... Could you please post a picture of the vest Bill, thanks.

Yes I was planning on getting a picture, but probably not today. The temperature is 96° F and no breeze. The relative humidity is 36% which is better than along the Gulf coast, but still a scorcher.

I think that the comfort chin strap is exactly what I want since I won't be involved in CBRN conditions. Donning the helmet with the current shrouds is really uncomfortable. Where did you buy the chin strap?

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Yes I was planning on getting a picture, but probably not today. The temperature is 96° F and no breeze. The relative humidity is 36% which is better than along the Gulf coast, but still a scorcher.

I think that the comfort chin strap is exactly what I want since I won't be involved in CBRN conditions. Donning the helmet with the current shrouds is really uncomfortable. Where did you buy the chin strap?

3M told me I need it M-937. On Ebay I found M-936. I think the difference might be something like one is for chemical use and the other one is not... I believe you will like it too without the shroud... Got the charger for the BP-15 today, hopefully tomorrow I will get the battery... Man, thats super hot in your area! You need that contraption that cools off the air in the helmet, LOL The chin strap is 100 times better quality than the Airstream one, plus we won't be touching it a lot like with the airstream, we just lift the visor, chin strap stays in place, unlike the Airstream.... Aloha

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Glad you are safe!
I thought you were on the big island.

John Mydock had to evacuate. He had a lot of help from about 13 woodturners that showed up to help. A very stressful situation, he can see the lava exploding from his house, just a few miles... He's safe, and relocated to a place on the other side of the island... This could last years, or could stop tomorrow... We had a huge explosion today, ashes might reach 30.000 feet high! We are safe here, lots of Fog today...

 

[Bill Boehme]

John Mydock had to evacuate. He had a lot of help from about 13 woodturners that showed up to help. A very stressful situation, he can see the lava exploding from his house, just a few miles... He's safe, and relocated to a place on the other side of the island... This could last years, or could stop tomorrow... We had a huge explosion today, ashes might reach 30.000 feet high! We are safe here, lots of Fog today...

The M-937 is their flame resistant face seal ... in case lava starts flowing next to your shop. The M-936 is called a comfort face seal because it is made of soft fabric. I guess that the flame resistant face seal might not be very comfortable. I'll try to get some pictures later today. And I will definitely ordering a face seal to replace the shroud.

By the time that we're done I think that we will have a first class respirator.

 

[RichColvin]

What is the red rose pin for?

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

What is the red rose pin for?

Roses are my favorite flowers. I donate to several causes, included a few Catholic ones, I got the pin from one of them. Also shows the inner artist in my, LOL

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

The charger I got for the BP-15 is brand new. The battery is used. Got one battery today, charger keeps blinking yellow, light on the right, I thinks it means Stand-by. I plugged it in the Breath Easy and it works. Triple the amount of air flow! Not sure if the battery is a good one. I will use it tomorrow and then charge it overnight.

 

[Bill Boehme]

That's not yellow, it's green. Fast blinking means that it is charging the battery. After the battery is about 90% charged it switches to slow blinking then after it is fully charged the light is steady green. There is also a light on the battery that comes on to tell you that the battery is almost out of juice.

The charger also has a built in timer to switch to standby about once a day if you leave the battery on the charger.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

That's not yellow, it's green. Fast blinking means that it is charging the battery. After the battery is about 90% charged it switches to slow blinking then after it is fully charged the light is steady green. There is also a light on the battery that comes on to tell you that the battery is almost out of juice.

The charger also has a built in timer to switch to standby about once a day if you leave the battery on the charger.

Thanks Bill. I asked my neighbor earlier, when I plugged it in, he said yellow. You made my day! I hate color coded anything, specially batteries, all lights look the same. I have been discriminated against, lol. I wrote a complaint letter to Ford because the Prindle, I bet that's a new word for you, that's what tells you if you are in park or drive, they chose red and green to show you where you are! Hate colors... Aloha

 

[Bill Boehme]

Have you looked at trying out EnChroma glasses for red-green color blindness?

 

[Bill Boehme]

Here is the light display on the charger during the initial fast charge that shows the rapid blinking green light. Although the instructions state that the light is green, it's actually yellow-green (but not as yellow as the video makes it appear) while the light on the left is definitely "greener".

View: https://youtu.be/0pHI9bwnqgY



After the battery reaches about 90% charge, the charger display switches to a slow blink as shown below.

View: https://youtu.be/mKEx57B71fw



After the battery is fully charged the light stays on without blinking.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Have you looked at trying out EnChroma glasses for red-green color blindness?

I took their test.I was told my color blindness was too severe, that their glasses won't help me. I suspect they are a scam....

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Here is the light display on the charger during the initial fast charge that shows the rapid blinking green light. Although the instructions state that the light is green, it's actually yellow-green (but not as yellow as the video makes it appear) while the light on the left is definitely "greener".

View: https://youtu.be/0pHI9bwnqgY



After the battery reaches about 90% charge, the charger display switches to a slow blink as shown below.

View: https://youtu.be/mKEx57B71fw



After the battery is fully charged the stays on without blinking.

Looks that there is hope for my battery! These 2 videos have helped me tremendously! Greatly appreciated!

 

[Bill Boehme]

I took their test.I was told my color blindness was too severe, that their glasses won't help me. I suspect they are a scam....

Actually not a scam, but they will tell you if they think that the glasses will help.

Do you feel like the BP-15 battery gives you more airflow than the Airstream battery?

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Actually not a scam, but they will tell you if they think that the glasses will help.

Do you feel like the BP-15 battery gives you more airflow than the Airstream battery?

Yes!! May I say twice the airflow than with the other battery? If not double, almost there.. Let's say, a big noticeable difference. I'm sure it will be much cooler on a hot day. Well worth the money.
Honestly, I have learned to live with my color blindness. I feel the name it's not right. I know I see colors, I'm not blind. But if the glasses only help people with a less color blindness than me, they truly dont need any help or correction... Dont know, I saw the commercials, grown people crying because they saw the color of grass for the first time.... Hmmmm... It was a big let down when they told me they could not help me... I would try something if it works....

 

[Bill Boehme]

It's sort of like "The Price is Right" game show.where the people are way over the top with exaggerated behavior.

I knew that you would like the much greater airflow using the BP-15 battery. Hopefully I can get my wife to take some pictures of me wearing the vest this afternoon.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I finally was able to get some pictures of the vest that holds the Breathe Easy turbo unit and battery. The vest is is very well made and study (it should be since the new price is over $400. I got it new on eBay for $55). It has an open mesh so it was comfortable last week when the temperature was a cool 87° F. Today it was 97° F and too hot and humid to be outdoors, but the breeze over my face did make it tolerable enough to get some pictures.

First, here's a closeup of the Breathe Easy attached to the back of the vest and the battery goes in a pocket just beneath. I'm just barely able to reach the switch to turn the blower off. The hose is longer than necessary, but it is very flexible so that wasn't a problem. One thing still on my to-do list is to replace the hot and cumbersome inner and outer shrouds with the chin seal that you have on your Versaflo helmet.




Here's a zoomed out shot where you can tell how much higher the turbo unit is mounted compared to using a belt. Also, the EPA air quality is much better at the higher altitude.




Next, is a view of the front of the vest. I don't know who the old guy is. Inside the vest is a heavy duty nylon belt than can be worn at two different levels. I tried the lower level, but settled on the upper level. After the belt is buckled and cinched up, there is heavy Velcro to close the front of the vest and, as though that isn't enough, there's a really heavy duty zipper for the coup de grâce.




And finally, here is a side view. There are nylon straps on each side to adjust the vest to fit any size up to 60" waist.