Does anyone here understand why some oil filter manufactures report their efficiency rating as greater than some micron size, and other companies will report the efficiency rating as AT or @ some micron size? For example, the STP S6607 oil filter has an efficiency rating of 93 percent for particles size greater than 20 micron. What does that mean? When STP introduces contaminants into the oil during oil filter efficiency testing, what size are the contaminants? I guess what I am asking is how does STP arrive at 20 microns? When an oil filter has an efficiency rating of 95 percent @ 20 microns, does that mean the contaminants used to test the oil filter efficiency rating are all 20 microns in size? All the filter manufacturers that report their filter efficiency rating differently say they test using ISO 4548-12 standards.
Understand Oil Filter Efficiency Ratings
- Thread starter BadJack
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A pdf on FRAM's website says:
"A B10 value of 2 would mean that for every 1,000 particles greater than 10
microns found upstream, 500 particles greater than 10 microns passed though
the filter. Since only half of the particles are removed, a B10 value of 2 indicates
that the filter is 50% efficient for taking out particles larger than 10-microns."
What I don't understand is how they determine the 10 micron particle size. The 1000 particles referred to in the quote must contain a certain number of 11 micron particles, right?
Are the filter companies that report their efficiency rating using > or @ doing the exact same multi pass test, but reporting the results differently? Could STP also report the efficiency rating for the S6607 as 93% @ 21 microns instead of 93% > 20 microns?
"A B10 value of 2 would mean that for every 1,000 particles greater than 10
microns found upstream, 500 particles greater than 10 microns passed though
the filter. Since only half of the particles are removed, a B10 value of 2 indicates
that the filter is 50% efficient for taking out particles larger than 10-microns."
What I don't understand is how they determine the 10 micron particle size. The 1000 particles referred to in the quote must contain a certain number of 11 micron particles, right?
Are the filter companies that report their efficiency rating using > or @ doing the exact same multi pass test, but reporting the results differently? Could STP also report the efficiency rating for the S6607 as 93% @ 21 microns instead of 93% > 20 microns?
93% at >20 microns means that in one pass through the filter, that percentage of particles of that size or larger will be filtered out. It does not say that impurities introduced are 20 microns, nor does it mean that particles smaller than 20 microns are not filtered out. I am sure that there is some examination of the tested media after filtering, to determine particle size and perhaps note the change in weight of the media.
Are you saying 93% @ 20 microns and 93% > 20 microns both mean the same thing? Thanks for your input!
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Not sure if this is what you're looking for; but all I did was a google search for "ISO 4548-12." There are plenty of videos out there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cttLaWepdL0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cttLaWepdL0
Originally Posted By: BadJack
Are you saying 93% @ 20 microns and 93% > 20 microns both mean the same thing? Thanks for your input!
Basically they do mean the same thing. A particle that is 20.001 micron or larger in size is technically >20 microns.
There are sophisticated test machines that can determine the size and numbers of the particles in the test oil as it flows through the test machine. The test machine counts particles in real time before and after the oil filter as the test is in progress, so it will show what the filtering efficiency (as well as the delta-p across the filter) is in real time as the test goes on.
You can search around the 'net for ISO 4548-12 multi-pass test methods to get more info on the test process.
General description of the ISO 4548-12 test:
ISO 4548-12
"Methods of test for full-flow lubricating oil filters for internal combustion engines -- Part 12: Filtration efficiency using particle counting, and contaminant retention capacity.
This part of ISO 4548 specifies a multi-pass filtration test with continuous contaminant injection and using the online particle counting method for evaluating the performance of full-flow lubricating oil filters for internal combustion engines.
The test procedure determines the contaminant capacity of a filter, its particulate removal characteristics and differential pressure.
This test is intended for application to filter elements having a rated flow between 4 l/min and 600 l/min and with an efficiency of less than 99 % at a particle size greater than 10 microns."
Are you saying 93% @ 20 microns and 93% > 20 microns both mean the same thing? Thanks for your input!
Basically they do mean the same thing. A particle that is 20.001 micron or larger in size is technically >20 microns.
There are sophisticated test machines that can determine the size and numbers of the particles in the test oil as it flows through the test machine. The test machine counts particles in real time before and after the oil filter as the test is in progress, so it will show what the filtering efficiency (as well as the delta-p across the filter) is in real time as the test goes on.
You can search around the 'net for ISO 4548-12 multi-pass test methods to get more info on the test process.
General description of the ISO 4548-12 test:
ISO 4548-12
"Methods of test for full-flow lubricating oil filters for internal combustion engines -- Part 12: Filtration efficiency using particle counting, and contaminant retention capacity.
This part of ISO 4548 specifies a multi-pass filtration test with continuous contaminant injection and using the online particle counting method for evaluating the performance of full-flow lubricating oil filters for internal combustion engines.
The test procedure determines the contaminant capacity of a filter, its particulate removal characteristics and differential pressure.
This test is intended for application to filter elements having a rated flow between 4 l/min and 600 l/min and with an efficiency of less than 99 % at a particle size greater than 10 microns."
I can probably guarantee you they are all using the ISO 4548-12 method but ones that don't post their efficiency results quoting this method usually have something to hide.
I always just thought they posted whichever test they wanted on the box that sounds the best. It's up to us to determine and find out more. 100% efficiency at 500 microns..."Woah, what a great filter!"
We pretty much already determined here that Amsoil,Royal Purple, Fram Ultra's will get you the best filtering on full flows anything more you need bypass filter or centrifuge bypass.
Honestly all this manufacture efficiency wording from the B/S manufactures like STP has me not touching their products, Ive had STP cartridge filter collapse on my bmw at 3k mile change interval. After that I was like never again will I buy cheap filter 3-4$ a filter difference in cost isn't worth the headache to me.
Honestly all this manufacture efficiency wording from the B/S manufactures like STP has me not touching their products, Ive had STP cartridge filter collapse on my bmw at 3k mile change interval. After that I was like never again will I buy cheap filter 3-4$ a filter difference in cost isn't worth the headache to me.
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