Question Booster whip setup

[1fspeed]

I’m working on a home O2 boosting setup. I picked up the Usun XB30-OL and have the bits for a whip (minus filters) but wondering were the needle valve should be installed… right off the bottle of ABO or on the fill end near my 3L breather bottle?

Usun shows the needle valve on the supply end, but the pre-made booster whips like the one from Dive Gear express have a control valve on the fill end.

Supply end makes sense to me. Allows precise control of the initial flow of gas through the lines and has my hand on the supply end to quickly shut things down should something happen.

They also show a filter on the supply and fill side… Don’t have either of those. Not sure how important they would be in a setup that never leaves the garage and the CGA fitting left in place to minimize contamination.

I'm new to CCR, new to O2 fills but have read everything I can get my hands on including Harlow's Hacker's Companion and spoke with my instructor.... Might be a silly question but want to make sure I minimize the odds of unexpected fireworks


Thanks in advance

Usun setup schematic:

 

[Jona Silverstein]

Seems nobody responded to this for you. Did you get it sorted out?

 

[happy-diver]

Nice catch, where were we @1fspeed does the Usun have internal filters, I don't use needle valves

 

[1fspeed]

Yes and no... I've boosted a couple T bottles worth of O2 this summer, so I've been either lucky or doing something right .

I have a needle valve on the fill end, no valve on the supply side. (edited the above diagram to show my current setup)

The Usun does not have internal filters, but does have check valves to prevent back flow.

My process:

• With the needle valve open, I open the breather bottle slowly and pressurize the fill end of the whip to tank pressure (5-800psi generally). My thinking is that this will act as a"cushion" when I open the t-bottle and let full tank pressure fill the line.
• slowly open t bottle letting line pressure slowly build.
• transfill through the booster controlling flow with fill end needle valve. stick pretty close to a 1psi/sec fill rate on 3L bottles.
• Run booster controlling rate with regulator and ball valve, again staying close to 1psi/sec.

I'm using ABO so decided not to install filters... not sure if I needed them or not.

Any suggestions on setup or fill process very welcome

Thanks for digging up my old post!

 

[InWay2Deep]

I have mine right at the end near the bottle being filled, this way I can fill multiple bottles w/o having the drain the entire whip. I have 2 relief valves on either side of the needle. When one bottle is filled I shutoff the needle, purge the fill end (just a little gas) hookup a new bottle, open it fully then slowly open the needle. I'm still new to this but this setup keeps my whips full between bottle changes.

 

[Dsix36]

I have mine set up much simpler. It may not be as safe but works fine since I do not run it unattended.

Drive gas comes from my compressor through a high quality filter system (think of the type used for sparay painting cars) with ball valve at the inlet of the booster. I control speed by how far open the ball valve is.

Supply side has a gauge right at the tank then runs to the inlet side of the booster. Supply side is always fully open when boosting.

HP output goes to a panel valve the gauge just before it gets to the tank that is being filled. I also have this fully open when boosting.

All the control I do is via the ball valve on the drive side to regulate the cycle speed of the booster. My general rule of thumb is that if the head of the booster gets too hot to keep my hand firmly on it, then it is too fast and too hot. I have been doing it like this for many years without a single issue thus far. All things oxygen should be done with clean and compatible parts, keep the speed slow (100psi a minute is a good max to use), and do not let it get too hot. If in any doubt, go slower to be safe.

 

[1fspeed]

I have mine set up much simpler. It may not be as safe but works fine since I do not run it unattended.

Drive gas comes from my compressor through a high quality filter system (think of the type used for sparay painting cars) with ball valve at the inlet of the booster. I control speed by how far open the ball valve is.

Supply side has a gauge right at the tank then runs to the inlet side of the booster. Supply side is always fully open when boosting.

HP output goes to a panel valve the gauge just before it gets to the tank that is being filled. I also have this fully open when boosting.

All the control I do is via the ball valve on the drive side to regulate the cycle speed of the booster. My general rule of thumb is that if the head of the booster gets too hot to keep my hand firmly on it, then it is too fast and too hot. I have been doing it like this for many years without a single issue thus far. All things oxygen should be done with clean and compatible parts, keep the speed slow (100psi a minute is a good max to use), and do not let it get too hot. If in any doubt, go slower to be safe.

Fully open is a good reminder. I always keep the fill bottle fully open, but generally open the supply bottle maybe a 1/4 turn - plenty of flow but easy to shut down should something happen. Not sure of the wisdom of this...

Thanks for the detail reply.

 

[rjack321]

Fully open is a good reminder. I always keep the fill bottle fully open, but generally open the supply bottle maybe a 1/4 turn - plenty of flow but easy to shut down should something happen. Not sure of the wisdom of this...

Thanks for the detail reply.

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