Mechanical Serperator ?'s

[BrianG701]

I am putting together a portable compressor for my LDS that I do some part time work for and I need some advice on whether or not it should have a mechanical separator or not. I am also curious if there is something else I can use instead of a mechanical separator that will do the same job.

The compressor set-up started out as a very neglected unit we got from a customer. It consists of a 3hp Baldor 220v motor and a Walter Kidde 4cfm compressor head, when we got it the unit had an old moisture separator and no filter at all. I have since cleaned the compressor head and re-worked the wiring. I managed to locate a used Bauer filter tower and necessary fittings from the place that set up the shop's compressor. They told me that I would need to have a mechanical separator to remove the oil and condensation from the lines before the filter tower and that if I don't have one that the filter life will be significantly shorter.

I was mainly curious if there is something that I can use that will not cost me and the shop an arm and a leg but will still get the job done.

Brian

 

[CraigAClark]

You need the separator. There are no substitutes that I am aware of. If you are providing air to customers, I would suggest following industry standards or you may find yourself in a very bad position (liability wise) should an issue arise.

Craig

 

[frogman62]

Brian,
Are you planning to use a storage system for the shop? What PSI are you planning to pump. Do you have a PMV after the filter? IF you take a picture of the Kidde compressor and all the parts you have, I can tell you what you have and what you need. I have sold over 1000 Kidde compressors in the last 40+ years to fire departments, scuba shops, paintball fields and air gunners.
You can send pictures to my web site or my email address.
<sheldensportinggoods.com> OR <jlshelden@sbcglobal.net>
Jim Shelden
316-992-0505

 

[BrianG701]

I have the priority valve for after the filter and the check valve for the inlet side of the tower. I'll try to send the photos in an email but they were taken on my phone and they are stored online Here

This unit will be going into a trailer we tow with us on dive trips and we might put a 2 or 3 bottle cascade in the trailer too to make the fills faster and possibly allow us to mix gas on site, if the are quality out of the compressor is good enough to mix partial pressure.

Here are a couple of the pics:

The Ancient moisture separator/ Filter thing.....

 

[frogman62]

Brian,
That is a compressor I built about 25-30 years ago. The old moisture trap is a 3000PSI non shat 50 cu.in military moisture trap. Get rid of it immediately. It is probably rusted inside and not safe after this long. Next, remove the external inlet filter and clean the filter screen inside the 1st stage inlet cover. You don't want any restriction on the inlet side. Purchase Mobile Jet II oil for the compressor.
The first time you run it be sure all the oil line connections are not leaking and watch the oil pressure gauge to see that it is between 80 and 125 PSI.
In the picture second from the bottom -- I can't see the line from the oil pump to the oil safety dump valve. Was it there before you removed the lines? Where is the line with the pressure gauge attached -- is there a "T" in the line from the oil safety to the oil pump so you can monitor the oil pressure while the unit is running.
Next item is the PMV and the check valve. You should not have them on both sides of the filter because the moisture in the bottom of the filter has no place to go but absorb into the filter medium. The check valve needs to be between the compressor and the moisture trap so when you drain the moisture trap you also drain any residual water in the bottom of the filter back toward the moisture trap.
Also the oil safety (when the compressor is turned off) will bleed everything in the moisture trap back through the bleed valve in a manner that is both noisy and also won't drain the moisture from the bottom of the moisture trap. Also I have a commercial moisture with drain valve that sells for $275 plus shipping.
Some of the early compressors are still running and pumping very well, so this should be no exception.
Call me if you have other questions
Jim Shelden
316-992-0505

 

[BrianG701]

Jim, I'll give you a call when I get to the shop today.
The line you are talking about is there it was removed for cleaning when the picture was taken, the previous owner of the unit had been running peanut oil in the compressor and I wanted to get rid of as much as I could from the system before re-assembly. The line with the pressure gauge was removed as well in the pictures because the gauge has gone bad, I think it is still saying there is an ambient pressure of 60psi in the back room of my LDS...

I am curious, what was the angle iron rectangle that was brazed on the front of the frame for originally? I thought it might have been for the electrical components but I wasn't sure.

 

[frogman62]

Bryan,
Thanks for the call, Since you are going to pump 3600PSI I would use one of my converted hydraulic accumulators with the moisture trap in the bottom and a re-packable cartridge in the top filled with Linde 13X ($155+ shipping). This will extend the life of the Bauer chamber cartridge (Bauer # is 1801 - LF cartridge is # X 65240).
IF you have any other questions let me know. We can get this running and then you will have air.
Jim Shelden
316-992-0505

 

[CraigAClark]

Jim,
If he has a Bauer P1 tower, the nipple on the cartridge is a male, double oring seal. The X65240 will not work. The correct replacement would be the X22240. The 1801 is a Mako cartridge.

Craig

 

[frogman62]

Craig, Thank you, you are correct.
Bryan, did you say the filter you bought was a Bauer or Mako chamber?
I didn't write it down when we were talking on the phone.
Jim Shelden

 

[BrianG701]

I was told it is a Bauer tower I will know for sure when I get it which will hopefully be tomorrow or thursday