Compressor Temperatures

[Scubadoo72]

Ok..you edited..lol

Alright.."sintered" filter..that was the airstone? You mention I have a BP valve already...that would be which part? The gold thing on top? So..I hook the system up to a closed tank..turn the compressor on..My inline gauge will immediately start to rise...at 2400psi something should crack?

Sorry, with all the talk of different ways to go about it..I am lost on which system goes with which filter type..etc...

 

[pescador775]

A sintered element is similar to an air stone except that it is made of metal. The gold thingy is the BP valve. Immediately after the compressor is started, the gauge should show little or no reaction. After a minute or two and at some predetermined pressure it will jump up. That is the approx setting of the BP valve. If the BP valve is old and leaky there may be a slow pressure rise followed by a quick rise. Same thing. Wherever the needle lands is the current setting.

After setting the valve to 2400 psi order a filter from Shelden. Call him and explain what you want to do. Find a logical mounting point and use hose clamps or whatever. The filter is about a foot long and 3 inches diameter. Order some connecting hoses from a local supplier or from Compressed Air Specialties. You will have to specify what type of fittings. You may need help with this final step. Shelden could advise you on this but you will need to answer questions like what type of fitting is on the Bauer coalescer. If you want to mount horizontally tell him. Hydraulic hose sucks. You need Synflex or similar hose designed for flexibility.

 

[oxyhacker]

Can someone remind me why we are so intent in turning this poor guy into a guinea pig for turning a media stack into a coalescor? I couldn't tell from the pictures whether then one shown is a rather pathetic all-in-one unit, or whether there might be another dedicated coalescor or two out of sight. If the latter, then why doesn't he just go on using it just like it is, but repacking the media cartridge frequently, until he can get around to buying a better stack (Sheldens would be, as you say, ideal).

BTW probably good to make it clear that the hose clamps you mention are for hanging the stack from the frame - Not hooking up the hoses!

Oh and it is probably also worth making clear that the gold thingee backpressure valve you are discussing is the faded "might have been gold once" thing on the left of the stack, not the shiney gold thingee on the top which is a "grandiose German version of the relief valve" and Bauer would prefer one didn't mess with.

 

[pescador775]

Scuby needs to bring the compressor up to code. The filter/coalescer provided is a very old design and inadequate. It cannot be made right and it should not be thrown away. Those things are tremendously strong and safe. The logical option is to treat it as a condensator and add a secondary, chemical filter. This is not an experiment and not a jury-rig, for that we can all retire to read a certain "companion" book. Well, I amend that; adding an air stone or sintered element to the outlet would be an experiment if the installer was not savy. I can see that is not going to happen. It would be a shame to just leave the internal cartridge empty and it is not worth the effort to try to pack and repack. So, it would be useful if not perfect, to insert a wad of spun ribbon as from a Gottschalk steel sponge. Following the modifications to the condensator and BP valve, add a filter.

Anybody that goes around measuring cylinder head temps is smart enough to do this stuff. He is also smart enough to take iffy problems to a compressor shop.

 

[pescador775]

I am adding a footnote on chemical filters. There seems to be an opinion floating around that activated charcoal does not do much except adsorb odor. Anyone who takes the time to read the adsorption chart for AC will understand that charcoal is marvelous stuff. It adsorbs a wide range of gases including some such as toluene and methane which are dangerous, particularly to divers. Just so, but a dryer is also needed. The cartridge used with the Bauer canister is just large enough to provide an adequate volume of AC but nothing else. That must be fixed by one means or another.

 

[Scubadoo72]

Going to bump this back up...Oxy..thanks for clarifying that the BP valve is not the one on top. I haven't messed with this stuff yet...but it seems the BP (or is it a relief..or are they one in the same) valve..(with the wire in it..faded on the side)) is releasing air pressure at 1500psi...

 

[pescador775]

The cylinder on top is the relief. It normally comes with a safety wire. The brass block on the side through which air flows is the BP valve. Bauer BP valves are not equipped with safety wires. There is a jam nut which secures the adjustment setting.