Rix SA6 moisture separator

[rhwestfall]

 

[rob.mwpropane]

This seems like it might get me across the line for a lot less money:

Amazon.com

I read somewhere about those not being so great, but I think that was for higher pressures. Personally for the 2nd stage and relatively lower pressure I'd probably give it a shot. I wouldn't trust it at its rated 4300psi though.

It's a shame because you know there's a shed or garage out there with a junk compressor but perfect coalescer just sitting there collecting dust.

 

[rx7diver]

I think that the size would come into play with the way it was engineered. ...

The only compressor I spent a lot of quality time running was the huge, old, 3- or 4-stage, water-cooled, Army surplus Worthington owned "forever" by the university where I did my scuba training. IIRC, the compressor had three very simple-looking water separators plumbed into the high pressure lines between the stages. IIRC, a high pressure line left a stage, passed through a jacket that cold tap water ran through, and then entered a water separator, and then continued out of the separator to feed the next stage.

When the compressor was running, filling the small cascade system, I would open each of the three stopcocks for a few seconds every fifteen minutes or so, to drain the water from the three oil/water separators. Nasty, oily-looking discharge.

These three water separators all looked identical. In particular, they seemed all the same size. And they appeared to be very simple devices.

rx7diver

 

[Tracy]

I read somewhere about those not being so great, but I think that was for higher pressures. Personally for the 2nd stage and relatively lower pressure I'd probably give it a shot. I wouldn't trust it at its rated 4300psi though.

It's a shame because you know there's a shed or garage out there with a junk compressor but perfect coalescer just sitting there collecting dust.

I have a pile of coalescors sitting in the garage collecting dust. A lot of them look like this. They get retired for a reason.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I have a pile of coalescors sitting in the garage collecting dust. A lot of them look like this. They get retired for a reason.

View attachment 841456

Is that aluminum? I have opened mine to peek in and nothing like that at all. Wow that's nasty.

What would cause that?

 

[-JD-]

@iain/hsm

• Did the SA-3s use the same seperators?
• Is there any disadvantage to using larger volume seperators (other than recovery time after purge)?

Is that aluminum? I have opened mine to peek in and nothing like that at all. Wow that's nasty.

What would cause that?

Gonna take a swing at it ... I could use a good beat-down @iain/hsm & @Tracy

Surface is constantly wetted with emusified oil, water and other contaminants leading to some corrosion and a buildup of the oil and contaminant scale.

With the oil-free design there is no sticky oil so the water and contaminants can settle to the bottom and get purged with singnificanly reduced contact time, and reduced corrosion promotion on the sidewalls.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

With the oil-free design there is no sticky oil so the water and contaminants can settle to the bottom and get purged with singnificanly reduced contact time, and reduced corrosion promotion on the sidewalls.

That's what I was thinking when mentioning one sitting somewhere collecting dust, but I don't have worlds of experience. On the inside of mine looked brand new, but my Rix isn't super old either.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Yeah. I was thinking I'd just machine a new tube, but the guts are so corroded I can't pull them out. Sigh.

Split at the threads up top. Photos below.

No way this is weldable, but I like the idea of finding a "standard" separator. Alternatively, what happens if I just bypass it? Presumably I'd have to drain the 3rd stage more often but I doubt there'd be enough moisture getting through that it'd hydrolock or something...

View attachment 841381View attachment 841382

Is it me or are those pipe wrench marks on the outside? Maybe a vice?

 

[Tracy]

Is that aluminum? I have opened mine to peek in and nothing like that at all. Wow that's nasty.

What would cause that?

Steel. It is caused by age, use, and lack of maintenance. It is incredibly common, I find it often.
Many older machines used steel housings for the filter stacks as well.

 

[Linweaver]

Hi
I have a RIX 6GA (gas) 117 hours, runs perfectly, two hose whips, for sale.
Anyone interested?