A must read if you own an Alkin

[JamesD.]

I can't say anything about other compressors. I recommended a highly respected airgun builder, competitor as the best person to get Alkin into the airgun community and he did a great job. 

I have to say though if you own a Alkin do not run it with the stages open as a warm up. I start mine with all 3 closed.

The manual is specific about draining 2nd stage every 5 minutes and the racket many say that they hear is the pistons knocking if no pressure is opposing the pistons. It should stop as soon as 1st & 2nd stages are closed. They're meant to run with resistance for 10 hour intervals if needed. 

I'm a Marketing Rep for Alkin. I did a lot of research before buying such a costly item. No it's not an Arctic but it's darn good, affordable compared to a $9000.00 stripped milled 4 stage Arctic block.

Alkins are what The US Navy uses. On Submarines & for Dive fills. They do make very high end super high quality compressors. The entry level W31 is more than adequate for me. It's meant for paintball fields, dive shops. A W32E with auto everything is gonna cost twice or more than a W31 or 31E,
and those are the small portable ones.


So I want your Alkin to last for as long as you do. If you read the manual and maintain it, it will. If you never got a manual contact Alkin or I have full specs.
Be safe and take care. 

 

[T3PRanch]

Hey James a quick question .... You said "Drain 2nd Stage every 5 minutes".

Doesn't the manual state 10 minutes on page 38?

 

[Humdinger]

Hey James a quick question .... You said "Drain 2nd Stage every 5 minutes".

Doesn't the manual state 10 minutes on page 38?

You're correct, every 10 minutes is more than adequate. 99% of the time Alkin owners are topping off carbon fiber tanks which takes fewer than 10 minutes. Unless someone is filling empty tanks a moisture bleed isn't needed until a top off is completed. I have a 6.8 liter tank that only takes 5 minutes to top off from 3 to 4.5K psi. 

The Alkin W31 is by far the best 4500 psi dive compressor I've ever owned. Change the oil, keep it in a ventilated dry space, and it will outlive you. I've owned 7 high pressure compressors including a Bauer. This is the best bang for the buck brand IMO. It has the same 3.7 cfm fill rate as a Coltri MCH-6 but at 1/3 the rpms. This means less heat, less wear and tear, and Alkin includes more built in features. It includes an hour meter, PMV, and repackable steel filter cartridge standard. The first two are options on a Coltri, and the repackable cartridge is not even available from other compressor manufacturers.

 

[JamesD.]

Every 10 minutes on page 22. But I quickly crack mine at about 5-7 minutes and then by 10 min SCBA is topped off. 


Considering I have to drain my Dehumidifier every day in a cool basement I baby anything I care about or want to last.

Auto drain can be set manually but 10 minutes is default. 


I would love to make a video of a fill.

 

[JamesD.]

Page 47 sections 3.2 & 3.3

This is what will happen if people run it with the stages open for long periods of time.

The initial break in of 25 minutes should be done with 1st, 2nd stage close and 3rd stage fill wide open just blowing air. 


There's specific instructions for most anything & I'm just pointing out how to avoid the repairs that might be required. 


I'm gonna show a quick video of what you owners are hearing. Where the sound originates & why. Mine stops as soon as I close 1st & 2nd stage. 
If anyone's compressor is CONTINUOUSLY making this noise, it needs one or more of the above fixed. 
The fact that I am concerned about Val's description of the noise is of no gain to me whatsoever. I want to know if people are hearing what it should sound like. I also will say if it's knocking & still filling those big bottles. Well that should tell you it's pretty tough but it will wear parts out of bearings are worn. 
I'm worried about anyone who might be operating something wrong, unsafe, or just knocking itself to heck & wearing the bearings out more. Which will lead to more problems.

 

[T3PRanch]

The factory did the initial breakin on mine prior to shipping.

The only time my knocks is on startup which I am told is normal.

Facing the side with the drain valves and interstage gauges ... There are 3 drain valves on the Vertical Model I have. 2 on the left side and one on the final filter housing on the right.

The lower left sees a fair amount of water on venting. The top left a lot less if any. The final housing I have not seen vent even a hint of water.

When running how often should each valve be vented? 

The lower left of course every 10 minutes or more often if a short fill.

The upper left I vent for a few seconds every 10 minutes as well.

The Final Filter housing I vent at the end of a fill.

Are these actions correct?

 

[JamesD.]

If your compressor is making noise you probably saw & heard how it should be running. 

 

[JamesD.]

Yes Thurmond you're doing it correctly. I just asked and researched why the knocking and found the way to almost stop it completely. 

As I explain in the video if you have a fill whip like mine there's no need to completely drain your canister. It's good for 500 hours and they're designed to be able to repack yourself with activated aquarium grade charcoal and dessicant, filters of your choice stripping out dust the size of 1 micron if desired. 
I like PerkyVal's extra oil/water towers. As someone said when those big 282cf bottles are depressurized add 2lbs of desiccant beads in each and a litmus strip test every so often will guarantee the driest purest HPA available. The only thing better is Nitrogen and from what I've found the cost would exceed a Alkin W32E within 5-10 years. 
With a set up like hers I wouldn't even consider renting Nitrogen.