More on compressed air cleanup question ?

[graham-xrf]

I have now got around to more seriously setting up my Hyundai 100L oil-based slow revs air compressor. The choice was deliberate. Longevity, reliability, and low(er) noise. I have in mind to add a more effective input port silencer, so call that a little "side project". It will be silenced, even if I have to move it out of the shop to it's own safe protected spot. But - it will have compressor oil. It does have a (sort of) tiny radiator on the way into the tank, which I suppose might drop out some water.

The very first need is to add some things with visibility bulbs to separate water, and oil. Here is where I run into a bewildering array of combinations, and poor descriptions of function. Mostly, the first place I look to see a range of stuff set out with prices is Amazon, and eBay, though I am very wary of the latter.

What do they do?
We start with very cheap two-bulb gadget that clearly has a place to drain water. So how does "lubricator" work? Does one "add oil" to it? Do some rely on not extracting the oil already in the compressed air (from the pump)?
Sometimes one bulb, sometimes two. Looking at the tiny block under the pressure gauge, it's hard to believe there is anything like a "real regulator" in there.


_ _ _

NPT or BSPT?
The advertisements might say 1/4", or simply 1/4. Some say NPT.
One can get NPT-BSPT thread adapters, but it helps to know what the threads in the gadgets are - and they don't say!
The compressor already has a regulator and gauge, and two air sockets to plug coiled pipes into.
I took one off, and the thread it has is 19TPI and is 0.518" at the fat end, which makes it 1/4" BSPT.

I don't need another regulator in there, but they are so cheap, it does not matter.
Air for spray paint must not have oil, nor water in.
Air for whizzy spinning tools should have oil. I have no idea what brad nailers like.
Since there are two outputs, I guess I could arrange one to be "clean, dry, oil-free", and the other to be maybe dry, but oiled up.

So here I ask - what kind of add-on cleanup filtration kit do you think is a good setup?
Also - I would much appreciate if someone could explain exactly how these work.

 

[rwdenney]

Humid environments may require a refrigerated dryer for paint applications.

I oil my tools manually to avoid using an inline oiler, but I don’t use them continuously all day any more. In my mechanicking days, the shop where I worked had inline oilers. But then they had to have parallel plumbing for dry air because we needed that, too.

I use a bowl-type water separator like you picture, but that would not be good enough for painting. For paint, I have to wait for a really dry day and hope for the best.

I’m just me, so my single regulator is fine. Mine is branded Ingersoll-Rand—the same name that is on the compressor. I adjust it for whatever I’m doing at the time. That may be as little as 15 psi for a plastic welder or up to 100 psi for tools.

Preserving flow is important. My regulator and water trap are sized for the maximum flow of my compressor. That made then considerably more expensive that the cheapies they sell for 1-2 hp home compressors.

Rick “5 hp—still small if supporting more than one tool” Denney

 

[rabler]

A lot depends on what you are using your compressed air for. The nailers I've seen all recommend oil (usually a drop added manually is sufficient). A single air trap will remove most of the water droplets that have already condensed before the trap, but does not completely eliminate moisture. For painting, or plasma cutters, you probably also want additional filtration and desiccant trap if you don't use a refrigerated dehumidifier.

The little regulators work fine, for most things you're not shooting for precision pressure so I would not expect the gauges to be closer than +/- 10%. I believe most of the inline oilers just use a venturi to suck oil from the bulb into the airline.

 

[FOMOGO]

As above, I just oil my air tools when I use them. With the advent of good battery powered tools it has become much less of an issue. Here in the high country humidity isn't really an issue, but I do drain my tanks once a week, and have several water separators in line. No issues painting, or with the plasma cutter. It is convenient to have regulated air at different work stations, especially in a larger shop. Mike

 

[rabler]

One thing I recommend if you are plumbing your shop for compressed air rather than just dragging an air hose around, make sure each air tap is in a drop leg that continues down past the tap to a drain valve. I pull more water out of my lines with those drain valves than with the filter/water traps.

 

[Gnpenning]

Anyone using a oiler like you posted should dedicated air hoses so you don't try to paint with them. You can use what you posted and just leave the oiler portion dry and add oil to the tool if you wanted.

As mentioned your humidity is a major factor in what you will need for water separation. Google TP Tools air diagram. You will find a bunch of piping suggestions, mostly for sandblasting shops and painting. Both require really dry air.


The Franzinator is another option. A quick Google search will give you plenty of information. People can be divided on it. I don't think I've ever read about anyone that has used it complaining. Over 40 years ago I picked up a version of the Franzinator that I still use to this day. It works great for my humidity. I keep thinking I'll do the real thing one day, we know how that is working out . I have a couple of the ones you posted and quit using them since they didn't work as well for me.

There are many options as you know. Proper plumbing of your air lines with a way and place for moisture to drop out are key. Way easier to under build than over build. My current air lines is not ideal since I moved and don't want to cut up my pipe for temporary install. My last place was and next is what TP Tools suggest. Coupled with the version of a Franzinator is a good combination for my humidity.

 

[Firstram]

I assembled a large after cooler followed by a water separator and a coalescing filter before the tank. Both filters have floats and self drain, I only open the tank drain once a week or so and never get more than a shot glass of water. I have a desicant filter mounted on my plasma cutter that also gets used when spraying.

I’m into this for $600ish but I always have clean dry air from a passive system!



1 inch rubber hose on the intake really knocks the noise down! If you want to keep your compressor inside, drill a hole through an exterior wall and mount the filter outside.


Desicant filter

 

[Firstram]

Graham, I did buy all of my 3/4 npt filters, separators and regulators used on eBay. I saved a ton of money but it is easier when shopping for npt fittings, at least over here.

 

[graham-xrf]

Graham, I did buy all of my 3/4 npt filters, separators and regulators used on eBay. I saved a ton of money but it is easier when shopping for npt fittings, at least over here.

Thanks for the confidence boost on eBay. The NPT kit you see on eBay .com is also available here on eBay .co.uk, except mixed up with a whole lot of BSPT and European metric types. Since I can easily use a brass BSPT male convert adapter to NPT, or anything else, I think it greatly expands my choices, I think I may opt to put the threads adapter upstream of my add-on water separators and filter items.

I have to get a close look at the compressor gauges pipes again. The tank is 100 litre, (so about 26.4 gallons US).
It's a 3HP type that can supply 14 CFM. I guess that makes it a tad small compared to many of the monsters I see on this forum, but it is enough for my needs. I think I have figured out that when you see the two-bowel types, one is used to collect and drain water, and the other one has oil added to it, and it is the "lubricator".

_ _ _ _

The pipe that sticks up out of the tank looks fat enough to be maybe 1/2" or possibly 3/4" bore, going on up to the safety valve and pressure switch control. Then it goes off sideways into just a regulator with gauge, having a strange little junction that provides two outlets at right angles to each other. I think they are ungainly, and a bit inconvenient. The regulator kit is 1/4" BSPT, and I am not sure it has to be, but for now, it will do. Like most stuff I have, it will gain a few "design improvements". Certainly the daft little black plastic "silencer" up there is going to be altered.

Supposedly it has noise 70dBA at 7 metres away, which compares to the typical 97dBA commonly quoted, though likely measured closer. In better numbers, the noise energy of one is more than 200x louder than the other. I plan to be able to hear the radio, have a conversation, and not find it intrusive, even if I have to move it out of the shop.

 

[Firstram]

I should add, I purchased individual all metal component. Try to avoid the plastic kits and run away from oilers, there is no need to contaminate all of your hoses.