What air compressor regulators and filters are you using?

[Mike Heidrick]

Been researching Wilkerson filters and regulators and all the parts for their 18 series modular system. Parts are cheaper on ebay for it.

What brands of regulators and filters are you using?
What brand pressure gauge do you have?
Do you have your shop piped for air?
Did you create a water separator setup with copper loops or anything?

[David Kumm]

I have the Trans air AL 7/8 pipe system on a 5 hp 80 gal two stage compressor. I found a used hankison high temp dryer for about $250. I kind of like the older Norgren stuff for regulator, lubricator, etc. Looks retro and very well made. Seems like most of the newer stuff is made in China. Even SMC that I like. Dave

[Michael W. Clark]

I have cheap regulators on mine at home and have had minimal issues. When I come out of the compressor, I hit a Tee with a drip leg below and ball valve for drain, then I go up and elbow into the Filter/Reg. Wilkerson, Parker, Norgren, Vickers, Rexroth are all good industrial brands. The last I bought some for work, the trend was the manifold mounted type with no piping in between, only connections on the ends.

Tip, if hard piping, install unions on either side for removal. My shop is small so only a couple of drops + 1 in the garage above. I used black 1/2" SCH 40 pipe and threaded fittings. I used some galvinized for aesthetics on some of the piping that shows.

Mike

[Mike Heidrick]

These Wilkerson parts I bought are all a manifold system. No piping between but you stiff have some joining parts. Then you install ends for your compressor and line. Pretty neat - I have never read about any of that before. I think I have bought enogh for a couple compressors so when Ifinally get a second building all will be good for both of them. My regulators have a particle filter as part of on of teh assemblies. Then there is a calesence filter after that. I was thinking diverting after the second filter to a line for spraying and then another that goes through a lock out for an oiler lubricator and its seperate line. Is that how you do it of you want to spray and have an oil setup for pneumatic tools?

Example of the wilkerson 18 series components.

[Michael W. Clark]

I don't run that many pnuematic tools other than nail guns. I usually just add oil at the gun and don't use a lubricator.

The manifolded systems are intended to save space and plumbing costs when having them installed. They are typically a little more pricey than individual components of the same quality that are individually piped.

I found it easiest to mount all the valving, regualtors, filters, etc on a plywood board, then mount the board near the compressor. This way, I can disconnect it from the system and take it to the workbench if I need to fix something. We have also moved a couple of times, so this makes it easier for moving.

Mike

[David Kumm]

I have two Norgren L12 lubricators, one 3/8 and one1/4 and plug them into the drop when I need them and off most of the time. They are not in a place where I want them permanently attached. Dave

[Mike Heidrick]

Should I look for a refrigerated dryer or high temp dryer? What are the pros and cons of each? Was thinking of a big dessicant add one in the short term.

[David Kumm]

Should I look for a refrigerated dryer or high temp dryer? What are the pros and cons of each? Was thinking of a big dessicant add one in the short term.

Mike, I know even less about dryers than everything else. I do know the air comes out of a piston compressor hot and I needed 17 cfm to match the compressor. The one I found was a Hankison HT 35 and it handles the Dynabrades for as long as I can stand to sand. Don't know the capacities of the dessicant types. Dave

[Michael W. Clark]

I don't have any experience with low flow dryers. The refrigerated dryers I have been involved with dry the air to a dew point of 35F. The dessicants went much lower but you made need he dessicant dryer rated for more than your flow. The regenerative type use about 10-20% of the dry air to regenerate the dessicant. Refrigerated dryers are generally more than adequate for pnuematic tools.
Mike

[Jim Neeley]

Desiccant dryers aren't for everybody but they were perfect for me.

The kind of desiccant dryer used in the home or small commercial shop uses small Beebee sized spheres of dark blue desiccant. As the desiccant absorbs moisture, the blue fades and they turn to a pink color, like litmus paper. The home-user can then recharge the desiccant by putting it on a foil-lined cookie sheet and slowly heating it to about 280F for a couple of hours. The moisture is released and the beads turn back to blue.

Most commonly desiccant dryers are installed on air lines feeding paint guns but, living in Alaska, I decided to install mine on my air header, prior to the first regulator. I ran a flexible wire braid hose from my 175psi compressor through a manual ball valve, a full-port solenoid valve, a particulate filter, a coalescing filter, a desiccant filter and a filter-regulator (no oil) and then into my air header. Here's what each does:

The manual ball valve is for maintenance and gas only beel closed a couple of times in the 3 years I've had the system.

The solenoid valve is wired to a wall switch which lets the air flow into my header system. My header system has a tiny leak such that, before the solenoid was installed, when I didn't close the ball valve the compressor would kick on about once a day. Since this usually occurred in the middle of the night I decided it was in my own best interest to install it so I didn't forget t he ball valve and wake up my bride at night. :-)

The particulate filter catches any dirty, rusty or other solid contaminant exiting the tank. Liquids would flow on through.

The coalescing filter would capture any oil or water mist.

The desiccant dryer would remove any entrained humidity in the air, bringing the "dew point" down below freezing (theoretically -40F) so I wouldn't need to worry about any ice forming if I'm using it outside. Furthermore, I don't need to be concerned with getting moisture into my spray finishes when spraying lacquer or poly.

I use the regulator on the header to drop the header pressure down to about 125psi. The compressor itself kicks on at 140psi and off at 175psi. With this regulator my header remains constant at about 125, even under heavy use, such as pneumatic sanding.

In the couple of years I've had it all plumbed up I have yet to have to recharge my desiccant but then I don't live in Houston, Atlanta or other ultra-high humidity places.

The refrigerated ones are better for shops with huge air use since they don't have a desiccant needing recharging although refrigerated once are much more expensive (?$1,000?).

The ones that recharge themselves using air are great for industrial applications where huge amounts of air are used 24x7x365, but are very expensive (?$thousands?) and require a lot of air.

I don't remember for sure but I believe my overkill desiccant dryer (D10-04XL) was a couple hundred dollars.

I'm not necessarily promoting the brand I chose but I've attached some cut sheets on some of the products I've used in case others are curious.

Not directly related but I also used the install of this system to show my son how to bend copper tubing and we made a compressed air aftercooler that cools the air off between the second stage of the compressor and the 60 gallon tank.

It makes quite a difference when I'm pneumatically sanding for a couple of hours at a stretch where the tank otherwise gets up to 140F or so. With the aftercooler it's within 10 degrees of the shop temperature.

The other consideration is to install a couple of fiar-sized gauges to the air header so you can see from actoss the room that you have air and to confirm the compressor is keeping up with use. I used two 3-1/2" gauges; a 0-300 for the air yank pressure (140-175) and a 0-200 for the header (~125F). FWIW, when you choose a pressure gauge it's ideally selected to operate between 40% and 70% of full-scale.

Jim

[Mike Heidrick]

If you compressor says it does 150psi and the pressure switch shuts off at 125ps is there a way to adjust it higher?

[David Kumm]

Some pressure switches are adjustable some are not. I set my compressor max at 25 lbs less than its rating. It runs a lot to get the last 25 lbs. Dave

[Mike Heidrick]

This weekend I got a some disconnects and a couple Coalesence filters. One had metal bowl and auto drain nut but no auto drain. That was another order. I also ordered a couple of the L mounts.

How do you guys have your wilkerson devices mounted - off the joiners or L brackets or what?

Also are you using the end connectors or piping into the filters directly?

[Jim Beachler]

I made a cooler by going back and forth across the wall with copper tubing. Used 50 ft going sideways and working up the wall. Then the moisture will roll back down into the tank. On the tank I have an automatic drain that goes off for 7 seconds every 15 minutes. After the dryer I have a coalescing filter and a water separator. Before the spray gun, I have a desiccant filter.

Do not have any problems with moisture in my finishes.
Put oil in all of my air tools once a week to keep them lubricated.

[Jim Neeley]

I made a cooler by going back and forth across the wall with copper tubing. Used 50 ft going sideways and working up the wall. Then the moisture will roll back down into the tank. On the tank I have an automatic drain that goes off for 7 seconds every 15 minutes. After the dryer I have a coalescing filter and a water separator. Before the spray gun, I have a desiccant filter.

Do not have any problems with moisture in my finishes.
Put oil in all of my air tools once a week to keep them lubricated.

I did something similar. I took a 50' roll of 1/2" tubing and formed a coil, not unlike a distillers coil.
I then placed this in an open-topped plywood box with an old mobile home heater fan blowing in near the bottom.
I routed the hot air in the top, cool out the bottom and mounted the coil up on a shelf so it gravity-drains into the tank.

Here in Alaska our humidity isn't nearly as high or long as your so the auto-drain would be overkill. I also didn't want the "random" loud noise every 15 minutes.

Personal preference... :-)

[Michael Mayo]

I have been fighting moisture in my air supply ever since I got my big compressor. So this thread really caught my eye. I did some YouTube searching and found a very ingenious way of obtaining dry air on the cheap. The video shows how a guy plumbed an automotive A/C condenser into his air path straight out of the compressor head and then back to the compressor tank via an auxiliary air tank which he uses as the water trap reservoir. I think you can pickup a used condenser at the junk yard pretty cheap and then all you have to by is some tubing and fittings. The aux. tank you could also source used off of Craigslist I suppose. I would need a small compressor tank rated to at least 175 psi. as that is the max for my machine. I am definitely going to do this as my blast cabinet will work so much better once I rid it of the excessive moisture in the air lines.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=fAOuuaNuJUo&NR=1

[Scott T Smith]

Mike, I've been using the Wilkerson manifold type products with my 2 stage compressor for about 15 years, and am somewhat dissatisfied with their regulators. I've had to replace two of them in the past ten years, and am about to replace my third one. I'm trying out a different brand (Coilhose Pneumatics) that appears to be US mfg.

[Mike Heidrick]

Scott - which model regulators do you have?

I have only had junk ones so far so to me the Wilkersons are amazing. Today I got a another regulator/lubricator and some NPT ends. This stuff is super super solid feeling. Ill take some pictures when I get teh setup mounted on the little Puma. L mount should arrive tomorrow.

[Scott T Smith]

Scott - which model regulators do you have?

.

Mike, I'm using a couple of the B28-06-FL00 models.

They work fine in terms of filtering and regulating the pressure, but after a couple of years the diaphragms start leaking. Sometimes a rebuild kit works for several months to a year, and then it starts leaking again.

I'm feeding them with 175PSI air, and typically regulate the output pressure to 90 psi. One of mine occasionally has a 20CFM demand on it for 30 minutes at a time (bead blasting cabinet).

I concur how they feel and are made; it's just been frustrating for me to have to maintain them.

[Michael Mayo]

Mike, I'm using a couple of the B28-06-FL00 models.

They work fine in terms of filtering and regulating the pressure, but after a couple of years the diaphragms start leaking. Sometimes a rebuild kit works for several months to a year, and then it starts leaking again.

I'm feeding them with 175PSI air, and typically regulate the output pressure to 90 psi. One of mine occasionally has a 20CFM demand on it for 30 minutes at a time (bead blasting cabinet).

I concur how they feel and are made; it's just been frustrating for me to have to maintain them.

In my quest to rid my compressor of moisture I found these guy's on Ebay. They have an integrated pressure switch/magnetic starter that I am going to purchase. They say in their ad to call them if you don't see what you need. So I called them today to inquire about the integrated pressure switch/starter. I spoke to a guy named Mike and he was very friendly and helpful with my questions about the part I need. I will bet you that if you called them and asked about the regulator issue you are having he would have an answer for you. He has been doing this for a long time and it won't cost you anything to give him a call. By the way the pressure switch/magnetic starter only costs $129 + $15 shipping which is the cheapest I could find anywhere for a mag starter plus it comes with an adjustable pressure switch. My pressure switch is a very light duty part that is directly wired to the motor so everytime the motor starts there is 25 amps applied to the switch contacts and they keep welding closed causing the compressor to keep running until the blow off valve kicks in. I filed the contacts and that fixes it for a short time but it goes right back to sticking shut because the switch was never designed to handle that kind of amperage. So with the magnetic starter should alleviate that problem once and for all.

Give these guy's a call I am betting he has a really good solution for the regulator problem.

Pacific Air Compressors
888-483-4169 and ask for Mike very pleasant guy to talk to and very knowledgeable.

[Mike Heidrick]

Michael, his regulator, Wilkerson B28-06-JL00, is not an electrical/ mag/pressure switch. It is a manual adjusted air pressure regulator to control the pressure in the lines after it.

I think your high price searches were due to looking for mag switch. Had you researched motor contactors, overload relays, and momentary push buttons you will see that $130 is about 3X what a "mag switch" setup costs (minus your pressure switch of course).

[Michael Mayo]

Michael, his regulator, Wilkerson B28-06-JL00, is not an electrical/ mag/pressure switch. It is a manual adjusted air pressure regulator to control the pressure in the lines after it.

I think your high price searches were due to looking for mag switch. Had you researched motor contactors, overload relays, and momentary push buttons you will see that $130 is about 3X what a "mag switch" setup costs (minus your pressure switch of course).

My apologies I understood exactly what he was talking about I just wanted to share what I had learned/found during my search for a pressure switch. The guy at Pacific Compressor was very knowledgeable and helpful and I am confident he could easily assist as it relates to the pressure regulator issue that was being discussed. When I did my search I was looking for magnetic motor starters and hence the high price returns I assume. The pressure switch/magnetic motor starter combination I purchased was significantly less expensive than the dedicated magnetic starters I had come up with in my search. I did not search the other things you mention as I was in the hunt for specifically a pressure switch and found the one I ordered which takes care of two issues i was having a bad pressure switch and a switch that was not designed to handle the 220 V. current that is being applied to the switch contacts.

[Mike Heidrick]

Here is my install.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/comp2_zpse58c816f.jpg

[Scott T Smith]

Mike, that's a nice, clean installation!