Home Compressor suggestions

[rcontrera]

Ah ... OK. That makes sense. Sorry I missed that.

My suggestion is to blow down a lot more frequently than 10-15 minutes. I have a customer that is running the W31 for his dive shop and he blows down every 5 minutes for about 4-5 seconds and gets great life from his installed filter. Of course, as a back up, he has a triple stack of CAN35s that I set him up with that he gets ALL the baddies out with!

If you have a great filter setup on the outlet of the compressor system, why not fill your re-packable cannister with marbles and just turn that installed filter housing into a mechanical separator?

 

[Hoosier]

Ah ... OK. That makes sense. Sorry I missed that.

My suggestion is to blow down a lot more frequently than 10-15 minutes. I have a customer that is running the W31 for his dive shop and he blows down every 5 minutes for about 4-5 seconds and gets great life from his installed filter. Of course, as a back up, he has a triple stack of CAN35s that I set him up with that he gets ALL the baddies out with!

Can I adjust the interval of AD? If then, I want to try it.

If you have a great filter setup on the outlet of the compressor system, why not fill your re-packable cannister with marbles and just turn that installed filter housing into a mechanical separator?

I didn't know that. It is possible and feasible?


Thanks for your expertise in advance.

 

[rcontrera]

Can I adjust the interval of AD? If then, I want to try it.

That depends on the manufacturer of your auto drain system. Basically, it is just a timer and a solenoid valve. Most timers have some sort of adjustment available in them. Dig out your manual and see how to do yours.

I didn't know that. It is possible and feasible?

Of course! Right now, you are blowing down that filter housing because it is the final moisture separator before the air goes through the chemicals. The same happens on our ColtriSub filtration system except that we have a separate final stage moisture separator that it goes through first.

If you have an add-on chemical filtration system set up immediately after the installed compressor filter system, then you can forgo adding chemicals to your final compressor stack and just turn it into a more efficient mechanical separator. Flowing air through marbles or other corrosion resistant material causes LOTS of direction changes and that will whip more moisture out of the air. Of course, putting a priority valve on the outlet of the filter cannister will make the mechanical separation MUCH more efficient.

 

[rjack321]

I think you misunderstood my point here.

My point is that as long as there is 2nd chamber (MS-Hopcalite-AC or MS-AC), I had better put PO stack only for MS. I have put MS-AC on PO stack for the redundancy, but I doubt that it is working efficiently because it is easily soaked within 10 hrs.

IMHO, 2nd chamber is a "MUST HAVE" component for Alkin31 compressor. Otherwise, your air will be wet eventually.

Mine goes 10 hrs in summer (80F) and 25 hrs in winter (45F).

I would not recommend just loading MS in the primary filter. Basically you could make the MS in your secondary filter last indefinately that way. But the AC will become saturated with hydrocarbons eventually. There is no way to track the performance of the AC and many pre-packaged filters are heavy on the MS and light on the AC anyway.

So in a nutshell you are changing your system from being moisture limited, which you can track. To instead being limited by AC and volatiles, which you can't track. Not a good tradeoff.

I change my primary filter when its RH% exceeds 20%. Basically when it is not performing at CGA-E moisture specs. The AC is still reasonably viable at this point, but so what, its cheap. The secondary filter catches anything slipping by during wanning hours of the primary filters life. And does "cleanup" to OCA standards.

Since there's little or no moisture reaching the 2nd chamber its MS life is very very long. So I change it out every ~13-15,000cf which is its speced lifespan, just to be confident that the AC is not loaded up with volatiles or otherwise non-functional.

 

[rjack321]

If you have an add-on chemical filtration system set up immediately after the installed compressor filter system, then you can forgo adding chemicals to your final compressor stack and just turn it into a more efficient mechanical separator. Flowing air through marbles or other corrosion resistant material causes LOTS of direction changes and that will whip more moisture out of the air. Of course, putting a priority valve on the outlet of the filter cannister will make the mechanical separation MUCH more efficient.

You'd have to drill some drain holes in the end of the P0 canister if you decide to go with marbles Hoosier. Since it sits nipple up in the Alkins chamber there's no way for seperated water to get out of it.

I'd go with extra mechanical seperation over reams of MS but not also expanding the AC bed size.

 

[jchull]

Hi guys,

I’m resurrecting this thread as I learn more. I’ve decided that a small gas powered compressor is what I want. While I'm still hoping to find a good deal on a used one, the local diving season is just about over for Colorado so I'm not in a hurry...

What? The dive season never ends here, just get a dry suit!

 

[The Curly One]

"I’m also looking at the Alkin W31 Gas. Their ad states that it is the only portable compressor factory approved for filling cascade systems and multiple tanks. It also states that it’s the coolest and quietest since it runs at 1200 rpm (less than half the Coltri‘s 2800rpm). It also says it has a 5000 psi max (4600 psi working) pressure versus the 4500 Coltri. But what seems to be an important difference is the Alkin “purifier” is refillable. The Alkin ad also says it has intercoolers between stages and moisture separator between 2nd & 3rd stage. It also says it has interstage safety valves, and discharge safety/relief valve. Does this serve the same purpose as a back pressure regulator but not adjustable? The Alkin website says the Gas W31’s are 3-stage, and the Electric W31 is 1-stage. I think this must be a misprint?? Aren’t the W31 compressors the same, whether powered by gas or electricity? "

Just to correct some things here. THIS POST IS NOT DIRECTED AT ANYONE IN PARTICULAR JUST TO CLARIFY SOME THINGS on this thread. Yes, it is a misprint on the W31 electric 1 stage, it is 1 phase electric 3 stage compressor. I think it has been corrected on the web site. Most all compressors I know of have cooling coils (some rather small) and interstage safety valves on all stages.

1.The Alkin purifier has over twice the filter media as the Coltri/ Max-Air 35. Monday I will measure and take pictures to show the difference of the filters and media. Note: the Bauer P21 Triplex and ALKIN W31 are the same size.

2. All W31 2007 models come with second and third stage water separators.

3. The W31 AD (Auto-Drain) model has always had Priority valve.

4. The AD model timer is adjustable.

5. AireTex includes at no extra charge an intake hose assembly on Gas compressors if used for breathing air.

6. The 2006 HD (Heavy Duty) has always had Priority valves.

7. All 2007 models have Priority valves.

8. The Alkin W31 is an actual 3.5 CFM compressor which comes out to about **4.9SCFM

9. ALKIN USA / AireTex is the only small compressor that does not void the warranty for filling "Multiple Tanks or Cascade Systems" In fact AireTex has the best warranty in the business.

10. Refillable cartridges are lower cost to use.

11. The biggest factors in filter life is size of filter, properly sized and working water separators, temperature and humidity.

The discussion over priority valves is debateable, some say you get 400% filter life yet it is hard to see ANY real life improvement. It is a non issue anyway because the ALKIN compressors do have priority valves.

I see some misinformation in this business. Some people act like a priority valve will magically make 3 oz. of dessicant absorb 12oz. of water. Not going to happen folks. When a filter gets saturated it does not perform well, do not expect a small filter to do the job of a large filter. There is no replacement for displacement.

Bruce

 

[The Curly One]

I think you misunderstood my point here.

My point is that as long as there is 2nd chamber (MS-Hopcalite-AC or MS-AC), I had better put PO stack only for MS. I have put MS-AC on PO stack for the redundancy, but I doubt that it is working efficiently because it is easily soaked within 10 hrs.

IMHO, 2nd chamber is a "MUST HAVE" component for Alkin31 compressor. Otherwise, your air will be wet eventually.

I recommend all portable compressors use a larger filter 2nd chamber if possible. Then I do not think you can ever have too much filtration. The ALKIN W31 and Bauer P21 Triplex are the same size and both are much larger than the Max-Air / Coltri purifier. Those filters will produce Grade E breathing air but they do not last long. I also think it is a good idea to put MS in the purifier if you add a 2nd chamber.

The problem is for instance on the ALKIN our next size larger puirifier weighs 48 LBS. and we would have to significantly strenghten the frame and it would raise the price about $1000. That would mean it is not much of a small, portable, low cost compressor that everyone wants anymore. We do sell quite a few of the larger filters with our W31 compressors.
Most of the portable compressors we sell are for personal use, if you need a commercial model a portable is not your best choice. So what is your most important need in a compressor? Size? Weight? Price? Performance, Filter life?

 

[The Curly One]

"Neither Coltrisub nor Alkin delivers the compressor standard with a "priority valve" as a standard item. Inlet snorkels are also not "standard" but recommended for gasoline powered compressors"

ALKIN does. All ALKIN compressors now have as standard equipment priority valves and have for over a year. The older models did not.

ALKIN Inlet snorkels are not "standard" but we give them to you at no charge on the gas models for breathing air. If you have one of my gas compressors and we did not send you an air inlet hose call me up and we will send you one no charge if you want one. I have always offered them at no charge. We normally do not include them for our paintball customers.

 

[rcontrera]

"All ALKIN compressors now have as standard equipment priority valves and have for over a year. The older models did not.

That's good to know. None of the ones in my neck of the woods had them but they must have been all the older models. I got em fixed up with add-on ones now.