u/DownUnderFilterGuy

Interested to hear how everyone manages engine air filters and cabin air filters across mining, quarrying, construction and heavy equipment fleets.

Working for Fleetguard, I still see filters being blown out with compressed air or tapped to remove dust. While it looks effective, compressed air can damage the filter media, and tapping can compromise the filter structure or sealing surface—potentially allowing dust into the engine or operator cabin.

Best practice is to monitor air filter restriction with a restriction gauge and replace the element when required, rather than cleaning it. In high-dust environments, protecting your diesel engine, turbocharger, HEPA cabin filtration, and overall equipment reliability is usually worth far more than trying to extend filter life.

What's the standard practice across your site or fleet?

Full disclosure: I work for Fleetguard Australia.

Interested to hear how everyone manages engine air filters and cabin air filters across mining, quarrying, construction and heavy equipment fleets.

I still see filters being blown out with compressed air or tapped to remove dust. While it looks effective, compressed air can damage the filter media, and tapping can compromise the filter structure or sealing surface—potentially allowing dust into the engine or operator cabin.

Best practice is to monitor air filter restriction with a restriction gauge and replace the element when required, rather than cleaning it. In high-dust environments, protecting your diesel engine, turbocharger, HEPA cabin filtration, and overall equipment reliability is usually worth far more than trying to extend filter life.

What's the standard practice across your site or fleet?

Full disclosure: I work for Atmus Filtration, representing Fleetguard in Australia.

One thing we’ve been hearing more often is that cabin pressurisation is no longer viewed as just an operator comfort feature, it’s increasingly being treated as part of site safety and dust exposure management.

With silica dust and airborne contaminants receiving more attention, I’m curious  to hear how others are approaching it.

* Are sites still specifying OEM cabin filters?
* Are OEM-equivalent aftermarket options becoming a good option?
* What’s driving the decision most: safety, filtration performance, availability, or cost?

Fleetguard has recently developed four new HEPA14 replacement filters for pressurised cabin systems after seeing this demand, so I’m interested to know your thoughts on the above.

Happy to answer technical questions too.