Conundrum regarding external filter or not

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1911Tex

1911Tex

Member
May 5, 2025
71
108
Texas Hill Country
I have the new Readyair G2 (Umarex) air compressor. It fills my airgun bottles in less than 30 minutes from 120bar to auto cutoff at 200bar, then shuts off automatically, quickly and efficiently and has an effective built-in water filter (no worry about oil residue...this compressor is oil less).
I watched the Alpha Filter System videos by Joe Brancado and sprung for the expensive Alpha filter with everything needed for airgun bottle fills. With everything hooked up properly and verified by manufacturer, the Alpha opens at correct 2000+/- psi then begins filling the rifle air rifle bottle; however, compressor will not fill the air rifle bottles more than 60% full (160bar) and then takes over an hour to do so. Remove the Alpha and the compressor fills it to the recommended cut off in less than 30 minutes to full 200bar auto cut off.
I called Joe Brancado (the Alpha manufacturer) to get some advice and he was so rude and argumentative, that I hung up. I then called UmarexUSA and spoke with a person who sounded very professional...he said the reason the compressor will not fill to recommended cut off when adding an after-market filter like or similar to the Alpha, is the compressor has its own built-in water filter and adding an external water filter creates an unusually heavy load, creating the short fill.
Any of you good folks have any advice for me?
 
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If you are just filling a paintball tank or smaller I don't feel an external filter is necessary. Other guys here strongly disagree. That is just something you will have to decide for yourself.

I live in Florida with 90% humidity. When I fill my paintball tank with my GX Compressor I do not get moisture in the tank. (I take the valve off often to check for moisture).
 
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Justaguy said:
If you are just filling a paintball tank or smaller I don't feel an external filter is necessary. Other guys here strongly disagree. That is just something you will have to decide for yourself.

I live in Florida with 90% humidity. When I fill my paintball tank with my GX Compressor I do not get moisture in the tank. (I take the valve off often to check for moisture).
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I have the same opinion. I went through quite a bit of testing, filling SCBA, etc. but cannot get any conversation going regarding tests, usually just name-calling.

I have measured ambient RH (relative humidity), filled tanks and bottles, then vented the air from tanks and bottles into a test void, such as a plastic bag. The venting allows the compressed air to be measured for humidity at ambient pressure, since my humidity meters only measure at ambient (room pressure). I have found that humidity is typically <10% which is very dry according to metal storage standards.

I have found that, for gun filling, simply normal pressure release venting appears to purge the water.

I have also found no evidence of liquid water in any of my guns, bottles, or tank, nor any corrosion.

I am not claiming that extra filters/water traps are unnecessary, simply that I have not been able to detect any need for them, given the applications that I have tested. No one seems to respond with humidity measurements, so IDK how to compare results.

I do avoid adding extra volume to gun and bottle filling because it increased compressor run time, especially if not achieving improved water/humidity presence.

It would be very interesting to compare results in order to try to better understand results.
 
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