Filter housing going boom

[formernuke]

I heard through the grapevine of a dive compressor losing the head of the filter housing, literally causing fairly severe injury to the owner.

The grapevine brought up a good point. We hydro our scuba tanks every 5 and visual inspect every year but our compressor filter housings which may see higher pressures and more cycling we don't.

Food for thought.

 

[michael-fisch]

Bauer has an EOL (End of Life) date for their commercial T series Filter housings. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a lot of"cheap" used Bauer filters being resold on Ebay.
Michael

 

[Wookie]

I heard through the grapevine of a dive compressor losing the head of the filter housing, literally causing fairly severe injury to the owner.

The grapevine brought up a good point. We hydro our scuba tanks every 5 and visual inspect every year but our compressor filter housings which may see higher pressures and more cycling we don't.

Food for thought.

Yup, Mako says 20,000 cycles.

If you cycle every 15 minutes on the auto drain, that’s 5000 hours.

I changed mine every 5000 hours.

 

[Gone for diving]

Even soda stream bottles have an expiry...

I don't get too concerned, especially for the average small compressor,
some of those filter housings are extremely over built..
Depending on how high the pressures its being run at, if it rated a 6000psi and it only runs to 3000 psi,
But if it running 2-3 everyday to max pressure It can add up,

 

[iain/hsm]

Yup, Mako says 20,000 cycles.

If you cycle every 15 minutes on the auto drain, that’s 5000 hours.

I changed mine every 5000 hours.

Sadly if we discuss this specific aspect fully a lot of people will get very angry very quickly.
The term "explosive decompression" is the key heading and sadly lost with present day buyers of sports compressors especially those made in Turkey.

 

[Wookie]

Sadly if we discuss this specific aspect fully a lot of people will get very angry very quickly.
The term "explosive decompression" is the key heading and sadly lost with present day buyers of sports compressors especially those made in Turkey.

Or how many folks get a "bargain" when they buy a filter chamber or final separator from a busy dive shop....

 

[iain/hsm]

Even soda stream bottles have an expiry...

I don't get too concerned, especially for the average small compressor,
some of those filter housings are extremely over built..
Depending on how high the pressures its being run at, if it rated a 6000psi and it only runs to 3000 psi,
But if it running 2-3 everyday to max pressure It can add up,

No you can't say that without first making specific reference to the specific aluminium alloy used in the construction of the filter tower, plug barrel and cap.

A heavy wall 6082 extruded alloy made to a 3:1 working pressure to burst ratio is no where near as safe in cyclic loading pressure to burst etc as a thinner wall 7075 T6 manufactured under the ASME pressure vessel code with a 4:1 safe working pressure to burst pressure.

 

[iain/hsm]

Even soda stream bottles have an expiry...

I don't get too concerned, especially for the average small compressor,
some of those filter housings are extremely over built..
Depending on how high the pressures its being run at, if it rated a 6000psi and it only runs to 3000 psi,
But if it running 2-3 everyday to max pressure It can add up,

Again you cannot say that as the market for sports divers is being flooded for that last 10 to 15 years with thin wall soft grade alloy shells made to no specific pressure vessel codes or standard save a wild ass guess that it burst when new at 9000 psi with a static non cyclic load and therefore its safe for the recreational market for a 232 bar working pressure

 

[iain/hsm]

I heard through the grapevine of a dive compressor losing the head of the filter housing, literally causing fairly severe injury to the owner.

The grapevine brought up a good point. We hydro our scuba tanks every 5 and visual inspect every year but our compressor filter housings which may see higher pressures and more cycling we don't.

Food for thought.

Simply due to the consideration that on a heavy cyclic load pressure vessel "To over test is to weaken"

 

[iain/hsm]

For unknown poor constructed filter shell found in the likes of China built, Alkin, etc
the smaller the diameter of the filter shell the safer your going to be.

Once you get up with the big boys 98 to 104mm OD and over 5000 psi you really need to know
what your about and what you are buying.

Which brings us to the point I guess at which someone may suggest what compressor filter would you like to rip apart first. Then at least those newly bought new compressor fan boys on the forum will have at least something different to consider than spouting off "my compressor is low RPM and continuously rated" without having a clue.