Air conditioner return air filter

[Nancy]

We have an Anchor Manufacturing air conditioner, which I have a bad feeling is obsolete.
While cleaning the return air grille, I discovered that there's no filter inserted in the framework.
I have the manual, and it talks about a filter and cleaning it, but doesn't give any information about what type of material it's made of.
The filter on our 28TE was made of rigid, scratchy material, kind of like a 3M scrubby pad only less dense.
A trip to the hardware store turned up only foam rubber filters for window air conditioners.
Is there a standard material that's used? What is it called and where do I find it?

[RobS]

Originally I had just this metal mesh behind the return air grill

IMG_8328.JPEG

I added this pre-filter material in front of my metal mesh filter. Just cut it to size and sandwiched it in between the return air grill and the metal mesh.

[Nancy]

I have nothing - not even the metal mesh. Maybe that's what I have to shop for.

[gmberkley]

Nancy, I have a 28 and with the same AC manufacturer as yours, I went to the McMaster-Carr web site and found not only a filter for the intake at the base of my table, but one also for the AC unit itself, the latter being a foam, and the intake was a thicker matt type material, works good so far, each piece was larger than I needed, I cut it to fit, please see the attached, hope it helps

[Nancy]

Thanks, Gregg. That's a huge help. Were the filters you replaced the same material as the replacements?

[gmberkley]

Nancy,
my opinion was the replacement filters were a bit better quality than the originals, and they seem to work fine