My Rix SA-6 Diesel

[G Ellis]

Very sorry about your situation. Since it's just the 1st stage can you buy just those 2 pins to get back up and running? I'm not sure what part you're talking about, the shim?

Thanks Rob. The shims are referred to as "washer, rod end" part number 20-A3308 in the Rix manual. I have already ordered the pins at the stupid Australian price and should have the compressor ready to go soon. The wear on my compressor is minimal and best described as near new except for aged elastomers perhaps.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Thanks Rob. The shims are referred to as "washer, rod end" part number 20-A3308 in the Rix manual. I have already ordered the pins at the stupid Australian price and should have the compressor ready to go soon. The wear on my compressor is minimal and best described as near new except for aged elastomers perhaps.

That makes sense... it's the washer under the rod, bummer.

 

[iain/hsm]

Hi Iain, yep, some good points. I recently bought a compressor from the same guy as rob.mwpropane and some numpty has not put the shim back on the first stage rod end and run the compressor which has chewed out the pins which means they can't be reversed. Until everything is good I will not be running this compressor. In Australia the $9 pins are $20 each (say $25 aussie each). Speaking of sales, if you can sell spare parts for these compressors I would be happy to be a customer. BTW, Vespel plastic is not cheap at about US$ 55 per inch.

From a company position we are a UK manufacturer and dont sell to the public.
From a private position email me your address and I will send you a couple.
We have hundreds of them in stock so cant see the stock take being that accurate if were missing a couple besides engineers response is always, sorry dropped one, lost one, and let the third one go rusty. Just dont expect it bagged and marked oxygen cleaned, Astro packed to Mil-spec standards or its back to you paying $9 each (£6.65 GBP)

What I dont understand is this $25 AUS price you guys are paying how come they are so expensive? Who is selling them at that price.

 

[G Ellis]

From a company position we are a UK manufacturer and dont sell to the public.
From a private position email me your address and I will send you a couple.
We have hundreds of them in stock so cant see the stock take being that accurate if were missing a couple besides engineers response is always, sorry dropped one, lost one, and let the third one go rusty. Just dont expect it bagged and marked oxygen cleaned, Astro packed to Mil-spec standards or its back to you paying $9 each (£6.65 GBP)

What I dont understand is this $25 AUS price you guys are paying how come they are so expensive? Who is selling them at that price.

Thanks for the generous offer Iain. I have new pins on their way from the Australian Rix representatives at AU$25 each +VAT but appreciate your support. Rix USA will not sell parts to anyone in Australia except for their agent.
I noted in one of your earlier posts, some time ago, that HSM will be providing support for SA-6 compressors after the 31st December 2022. Will you then be selling to the public? I am hoping because probably then I will be requiring some 3rd stage parts.

 

[iain/hsm]

Thanks for the generous offer Iain. I have new pins on their way from the Australian Rix representatives at AU$25 each +VAT but appreciate your support. Rix USA will not sell parts to anyone in Australia except for their agent.
I noted in one of your earlier posts, some time ago, that HSM will be providing support for SA-6 compressors after the 31st December 2022. Will you then be selling to the public? I am hoping because probably then I will be requiring some 3rd stage parts.

I cant see parts not being available after 2022 while stocks are available and if not then as the drawings still exist so anything could be re made as long as there was a demand. The cost to produce a part however is dependant on the quantity machined and the demand of parts will contribute to the number or individual parts produced.

Now if Rix are no longer selling to end users in Australia apart from the agent (CryoQuip? ) this is a new one on me. Maybe your order was too small I think from memory it is $150 minimum but a new problem came about with Rix being a US military supplier and having to complete export end user certificates and routed export release forms, these add considerable time and man power making small individual end user orders un workable.

The UK/Europe angle is that new compressors are still being produced and available for NATO military applications (separate to the US Mil-Spec) and for the pure air authenic air sampling applications for atmospheric air monitoring as a commercial product. It is the commercial components that would work as spares in any scuba diving application. No plans for the SA for scuba diving it would require a pretty extensive re work on the design but a number of ideas and options have been kicked around.

It would make an ideal breathing air/nitrox block and by not contaminating the gas stream with oil a possible canditade with modification as a economic gas reclaim/gas recovery compressor.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Does anyone have pictures of the 1st or 2nd stage pistons pulled out? I found pictures from Ian that showcase the 3rd stage, but I can't find any of the others.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Pumped 8 tanks this morning, 4 of which were pretty much empty. Took 1.25 hrs. Was 4 100HP (to 3900psi), 2 LP 85's (to 3300psi), 1 80AL (to 3300psi), 1 64AL (to 3300psi). Even pumping doubles together (so 4 tanks at once) they still got pretty warm to the touch. Not cook an egg warm, but warm.

One thing I do have a problem with is the PMV after the filter tower is leaking through, not sure what you call that, blow by? The valve itself is not leaking, but it's leaking through to the whips. As I turned the unit off and bled the whips I could see the pressure start to climb when I close them again. Disconnected the whips and sure enough, PMV is steady leaking through.

It's a brand new Bauer PMV. I don't think it should be doing that... any remedies? I would assume take a small rod down through the spring and work the ball a little bit, but if someone could confirm?

 

[grf88]

I have read somewhere that using a rod to tap the ball against the seat can help seal them. I have never tried this as I do not bleed off the whips but leave them pressurized.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I have read somewhere that using a rod to tap the ball against the seat can help seal them. I have never tried this as I do not bleed off the whips but leave them pressurized.

Do you know if yours leaks through? Is that pretty common?

I left the whips connected for now, just thought it was odd it did that.

The issue is that if I PP blend from whip to whip that would mess me up, I'd have to bleed the tower down. I use one of these attached to a din fitting to tie into an O2 bottle that way I don't have to disconnect anything.
Handtight Connector, Oxygen - August Industries Inc.

 

[grf88]

I noticed some minor leak through when I was setting up the back pressure. I didn't think it was enough to have any effect on it's function providing the whip was not bled. I think I read that it was not unusual for them to leak a bit in the same place I saw the tip to tap the ball. Not sure where I read it but it might have been the Oxygen Hackers Companion.