Autodrain settings?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

a878bob

Contributor
Messages
602
Reaction score
268
Location
Michigan
# of dives
1000 - 2499
I have a mch6 on the way with auto drain, wondering what the appropriate settings would be. I’ve seen 2-3 seconds every 10-15 minutes. I’m sure there is some consideration for temp and humidity.

Suggestions appreciated
 
You will get a feel for it by watching. I would think it would be more than 2-3 seconds.
 
Bauer says every 15 minutes for 6 seconds, or every 10 minutes when the RH is high. I don't know what Coltri recommends, but I can't imagine it's any different. The key is making sure that at the end of the cycle, it hasn't purged all of the pressure so you don't have valve knock in the final stage. I would think that more frequenty, shorter purges would be better, but I'm not going to argue with Bauer.
 
I ran 10 seconds every 10 minutes on a liveaboard. About as humid as it gets. 2 compressors produced about a gallon of water a day.
 
Ours was running 4 seconds at 10 mins in the summer and 4 seconds at 15 mins in the winter. Don't kid yourself, it's Friggin Loud even when you are expecting it. I also had 2 types of ear protection. The stiff nylon necklace with in the canal plugs was ALWAYS around my neck in the shop so it was easy to pop in back and check banks/etc. But if it was a monday or refills from Saturday's class and I was a 2-3 hour fill monkey, then I wore good quality over the ear full muffs. I don't blend anymore, but my guys that do are wearing the new Walker's Electronic Muffs and they swear by them for all day comfort.
 
Can't someone rig up an autodrain connection to a car muffler that drips into a plastic bucket? Eventually, if the muffler isn't made out of stainless steel, it'll rust out.
But who cares if you have to buy a new muffler from Ebay every 5 years, in exchange for 5 years of peace and quiet.

Michael
Currently not filling enough to want to worry about it.
 
Wh
Can't someone rig up an autodrain connection to a car muffler that drips into a plastic bucket? Eventually, if the muffler isn't made out of stainless steel, it'll rust out.
But who cares if you have to buy a new muffler from Ebay every 5 years, in exchange for 5 years of peace and quiet.

Michael
Currently not filling enough to want to worry about it.
why not use an auto drain muffler. They are inexpensive and will last a lifetime.
 
Wh

why not use an auto drain muffler. They are inexpensive and will last a lifetime.
So far, I have never noticed a dive shop / fill station using a muffler, but I have heard many L&W Bauer Poppe and Coltri compressors dumping the pressure every time the tanks are full as they shut off. Then slowly building up the pressure again as new tanks are hooked up. I think that that could be avoided by using a variable frequency / slow-start circuit and holding the stages under pressure for 10 minutes or so. Having an autodump muffler option direct from the manufacturer would also be a great idea.

Michael
 
So far, I have never noticed a dive shop / fill station using a muffler, but I have heard many L&W Bauer Poppe and Coltri compressors dumping the pressure every time the tanks are full as they shut off. Then slowly building up the pressure again as new tanks are hooked up. I think that that could be avoided by using a variable frequency / slow-start circuit and holding the stages under pressure for 10 minutes or so. Having an autodump muffler option direct from the manufacturer would also be a great idea.

Michael
LAWRENCE FACTOR® | Product Details

I’ve never seen a commercial compressor without one.

Nor have I ever seen a mako in a frame without one. On the mako BAM models, it’s built into the frame.
 
So far, I have never noticed a dive shop / fill station using a muffler, but I have heard many L&W Bauer Poppe and Coltri compressors dumping the pressure every time the tanks are full as they shut off. Then slowly building up the pressure again as new tanks are hooked up. I think that that could be avoided by using a variable frequency / slow-start circuit and holding the stages under pressure for 10 minutes or so. Having an autodump muffler option direct from the manufacturer would also be a great idea.

Michael

I built a manifold with a smaller diameter pipe inside drilled with holes. All 3 of the drains tap into the manifold forcing the air through the pipe with holes to reduce the sound. The manifold has a drain that I attach a hose to to move the water outside of the garage. I have a picture around here somewhere but don't have the time to look for it. I previously posted my compressor build a few years ago.

Whups here it is:
upload_2020-9-17_15-18-43.jpeg
 

Back
Top Bottom