First off, I'm a little concerned about my oil/water separators after seeing these two recent posts in as many weeks. (if you're squeamish, careful on the second link, second page of it has some pretty graphic pics, er visit/stitches/etc).
https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/catastrophic-failure-of-cheap-water-seperator/?referrer=1
https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/protective-blast-cage/page/2/?referrer=1
So, I've been using similar "filters" on the high pressure side of my Shoebox compressor since the end of 2018. I just tallied up my log sheet and I'm just shy of 71 hours. Lots and lots and lots of fills on a little tampon filter like the blue one responsible for the stitches in the thigh in the link above. And each fill for the filter is a 0-4200psi endeavor, not just 3000-4200 like the SCBA sees. A few months ago I bought a second compressor, with concerns of work hardening with all those 0-4200 cycles in the one that's been in use for 3 years now. But I've yet to pressurize the second one. Both were bought from either Ebay or Amazon for the something like $20 from a no-name company that is probably not even still around. I'd sure have a hard time even finding the purchase info, much less who I bought them from. So accountability is likely not something these companies are concerned with, as they can just dissolve back into the internet underworld of alibaba/amazon/ebay.
So here are the two.
And the threads...
I'm measuring the wall thickness of the one that has been in use at 0.245 inches, and the wall thickness of the "new" one at 0.230 inches. The older ones cap has more threads than the newer one dose, but they appear to have the same thread pattern.
I usually fill it up with the foam discs and then put the tampon in the end, like this. My thought has been to create a tortuous path for the air to flow through, allowing more surface area of the filter media to strip the air of the moisture ( convoluted air passageways through the foam), I've liked this method as I am not recharging silica beads, introducing silica dust/particulate to the system, nor am I buying/maintaining a supply of molecular sieve.
After I've topped off my tanks, without fail, I can squeeze a drop of water out of the tampon, the first two foam discs are slightly moist to the touch, and the rest of the foam discs are bone dry. And the tampon portion will also have a bit of discoloration if I overlubed the felts on the compressor pistons with silicone oil. The blow out on the bottom of the tank on the first stage compressor always has a decent amount of water, a couple mls would be my guess.
Some will argue that isn't sufficient, but I've been unable to find any moisture in any of my tanks or guns with this method. I live in AZ and don't fill during the rare times that it is humid. I'm not wanting a debate about the necessity of silica gel or molecular sieve or etc, etc etc. I am however, wondering if I've gotten really lucky to not have had an accident yet.
As of right now, I'm thinking of retiring the gold filter that I've been using, and never putting the "new" one into service. On the one hand the little filter in use has been pressurized so many times now that surely it would have gone boom if it was going to, but on the other hand, that whole work hardening thing, with all of those cycles from 0-4200, may have weakened it to the point that it could go boom any time. The new one, with fewer threads, and thinner walls, doesn't make me even want to try it out. And so, I've ordered a similar small water/oil catcher from pyramyd air and will examine it to see how I feel about using it.
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/air-venturi-compact-inline-filter?a=9038
Quite likely that PA's is straight from China too, but I'm hoping PA realizes that blowing off an airgunner's hand or even having a failure that causes an ER visit and stitches is going to really hurt their reputation in the airgunning community. With that assumption, I'm trying to make myself feel better about this with the thought that PA maybe has a little more involvement in overseeing that the one they sell is safe..ish.
I understand the risk of being around HPA is ultimately our own personal responsibility, and that's why I'm digging around to see if I can reduce the risk of injury (even if just a little.)
Am I the only one crazy enough to be using these little Chinese grenades?
https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/catastrophic-failure-of-cheap-water-seperator/?referrer=1
https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/protective-blast-cage/page/2/?referrer=1
So, I've been using similar "filters" on the high pressure side of my Shoebox compressor since the end of 2018. I just tallied up my log sheet and I'm just shy of 71 hours. Lots and lots and lots of fills on a little tampon filter like the blue one responsible for the stitches in the thigh in the link above. And each fill for the filter is a 0-4200psi endeavor, not just 3000-4200 like the SCBA sees. A few months ago I bought a second compressor, with concerns of work hardening with all those 0-4200 cycles in the one that's been in use for 3 years now. But I've yet to pressurize the second one. Both were bought from either Ebay or Amazon for the something like $20 from a no-name company that is probably not even still around. I'd sure have a hard time even finding the purchase info, much less who I bought them from. So accountability is likely not something these companies are concerned with, as they can just dissolve back into the internet underworld of alibaba/amazon/ebay.
So here are the two.
And the threads...
I'm measuring the wall thickness of the one that has been in use at 0.245 inches, and the wall thickness of the "new" one at 0.230 inches. The older ones cap has more threads than the newer one dose, but they appear to have the same thread pattern.
I usually fill it up with the foam discs and then put the tampon in the end, like this. My thought has been to create a tortuous path for the air to flow through, allowing more surface area of the filter media to strip the air of the moisture ( convoluted air passageways through the foam), I've liked this method as I am not recharging silica beads, introducing silica dust/particulate to the system, nor am I buying/maintaining a supply of molecular sieve.
After I've topped off my tanks, without fail, I can squeeze a drop of water out of the tampon, the first two foam discs are slightly moist to the touch, and the rest of the foam discs are bone dry. And the tampon portion will also have a bit of discoloration if I overlubed the felts on the compressor pistons with silicone oil. The blow out on the bottom of the tank on the first stage compressor always has a decent amount of water, a couple mls would be my guess.
Some will argue that isn't sufficient, but I've been unable to find any moisture in any of my tanks or guns with this method. I live in AZ and don't fill during the rare times that it is humid. I'm not wanting a debate about the necessity of silica gel or molecular sieve or etc, etc etc. I am however, wondering if I've gotten really lucky to not have had an accident yet.
As of right now, I'm thinking of retiring the gold filter that I've been using, and never putting the "new" one into service. On the one hand the little filter in use has been pressurized so many times now that surely it would have gone boom if it was going to, but on the other hand, that whole work hardening thing, with all of those cycles from 0-4200, may have weakened it to the point that it could go boom any time. The new one, with fewer threads, and thinner walls, doesn't make me even want to try it out. And so, I've ordered a similar small water/oil catcher from pyramyd air and will examine it to see how I feel about using it.
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/air-venturi-compact-inline-filter?a=9038
Quite likely that PA's is straight from China too, but I'm hoping PA realizes that blowing off an airgunner's hand or even having a failure that causes an ER visit and stitches is going to really hurt their reputation in the airgunning community. With that assumption, I'm trying to make myself feel better about this with the thought that PA maybe has a little more involvement in overseeing that the one they sell is safe..ish.
I understand the risk of being around HPA is ultimately our own personal responsibility, and that's why I'm digging around to see if I can reduce the risk of injury (even if just a little.)
Am I the only one crazy enough to be using these little Chinese grenades?