GX CS2 something to look out for

[bchannell]

After switching to Nitrogen for the inlet of the GX compressors, I decided to do a full "look see" inside my two most used units. First up was a CS2. As you know the CS2 has the pressure relief block at the bottom front of the unit, and a gauge block at the end of the hose. I had added an additional length of hose to the outlet side of the gauge block for more reach. When I took the block apart, the inlet had a fairly bad amount of rust in it, and the filter was dirty. The outlet was, however, clean. If you think about it, when filling, the gauge blocks weight, and being in the middle of the two hose lengths, makes it the lowest point and a place for moisture to accumulate, hence the rust. The pressure block on the unit itself, where you bleed the pressure and the outlet is on the other side only had a very slight amount of white stuff on it, easily cleaned off. Soooo, you should keep a good eye on the gauge block and it's filter if you pump just air. Photos below.

On the CS3, where the pressure block is at the top front of the unit, there was not a trace of moisture, and both units had been used approximately the same amount of times. It's just good maintenance to check these units every few months and also to have some sort of cotton filter between the unit and gun when pumping air. If you use nitrogen, I still think a cotton filter to catch debris is a good idea.

Just a heads up to help avoid problems. I always had cotton filters (along with molecular sieve) on the inlet and outlet, so it caught everything, but still need to keep an eye on these things.

 

[willy]

Was that little cotton filter inside the block?

 

[dens228]

Was that little cotton filter inside the block?

I believe he has an inline filter between the compressor and gun.

 

[BSJ]

I purge mine after every fill.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AkDyuNoxUfrK6XNPynrFSK0vJ6dg

That's after filling a gun with just a few minutes of run time.

I leave it open after a shooting session to allow air drying too.

 

[bchannell]

I always ran a large outlet filter. This is the first filter after the pump in the gauge block.

 

[bchannell]

I also run more than one cotton filters on the inlet and more than one cotton and molecular sieve on the outlet. There's doesn't appear to be a way to stop this moisture from accumulating at the vent block at the pump and the gauge block on the hose as they are the lowest points. I'm sure no moisture got to my guns, both from looking at the hose and opening the guns. If I were pumping air, I would check these filters often, probably every week at least. It might even make sense to remove the outlet hose after every use to let things dry out, but I dunno. I use nitrogen on the inlet now, so going forward this will not be a problem.
It is well worth the cost of N2 to eliminate these types of moisture problems.
I will be looking at ways to eliminate moisture with air, just as an exercise in concept, but will stick with nitrogen in my rifles. They are too expensive to take the chance. These manufacturers need to take a much more serious look at how to handle moisture for sure. They are great little pumps which only need some tweaking to make them perfect.

It is interesting that the CS3 and CS4 do not have this problem at all because the vent block is at the top of the compressor and all moisture is blown out and down from the bllock. This is a much better design and maybe GX could look into incorporating this on the CS2. The CS2 is crtainly an amazing little pump, which brings HPA air into the shooters garage and makes owning pcp rifles much simpler.
I am thinking about raising the compressor higher on the bench, and rotating the outlet hose down, to see if that will expel moisture and solve the problem.

 

[BSJ]

I happened to disassemble mine shortly after running it one time. The outlet valve was dripping wet. As was everything else in the block.

Watch the video in my post.

It's why I installed a quick connect and purge after every run. There is no reason to send all that water into the seive if I can avoid it with a 5 second blow-out run.

 

[rcs9250]

@bchannel, just so I’m clear, you’re not getting moisture or condensate with N2 are you ?

 

[bchannell]

@bchannel, just so I’m clear, you’re not getting moisture or condensate with N2 are you ?

No, that's not possible. Nitrogen has no moisture content. Even liquid n2 would instantly boil when subjected to the atmosphere, as n2 boils at something on the order of -300F.

 

[bchannell]

No, that's not possible. Nitrogen has no moisture content, and cannot hold moisture.

 

[rcs9250]

That’s why I asked. Was the rust from prior to using N2 ?

 

[bchannell]

Yes, and I just checked a CS2 that I don't remember ever using, as it's still boxed up and it also had rust in it. Nothing serious and easily cleaned up, but it was there for sure.

 

[rcs9250]

Perhaps from initial pressure testing at factory.

 

[bchannell]

I"m still kind of surprised, but it takes almost no time at all to produce moisture. I never pump more than 5 mins tops. Maybe one or two times I've filled my FX 480cc bottles from empty, and even then I did it in two sessions, because I was checking for leaks. I fill in a cool garage that is air conditioned, so moisture shouldn't be a real problem in the air. Just goes to show you need to watch it. If I was to continue using air, I'd be opening the compressor often and the guns at least twice a year, even using filters. If you read the damage that moisture can to to CF cylinders, you would too.
Luckily, if you keep moisture at bay, there is no reason to worry about your cylinders for many many years.

 

[rcs9250]

I"m still kind of surprised, but it takes almost no time at all to produce moisture. I never pump more than 5 mins tops. Maybe one or two times I've filled my FX 480cc bottles from empty, and even then I did it in two sessions, because I was checking for leaks. I fill in a cool garage that is air conditioned, so moisture shouldn't be a real problem in the air. Just goes to show you need to watch it. If I was to continue using air, I'd be opening the compressor often and the guns at least twice a year, even using filters. If you read the damage that moisture can to to CF cylinders, you would too.
Luckily, if you keep moisture at bay, there is no reason to worry about your cylinders for many many years.

I’m not surprised at all. Any compressor will do that. I worked in a dive shop that was air conditioned and our compressor at every timed interval spit out water. So does my Alkin. It’s just physics. Switching to N2 is the solution.

 

[bchannell]

I'm with you on the n2. I got the idea here and appreciate this site for that.

 

[Dog]

Just got CS2 for back up on my Young Heng. The gauge is now in PSI. Jason claims that you no longer have to lube the new ones, right. The old black plastic plug now has a hole in it! Shame the factory does not clean after tests before sitting in warehouse/transport. Mine was rusty and small cigarette filter dirty. Here in the South I have to use 12" filter cartridge. Cotton, then color change beads as a tattle tale followed by molecular sieve. Wish N2 was an easy option for my bottles especially in the field.

 

[Frank in Fairfield]

I do not use the gauge block filter as I run the black filter between the gauge block and the Marauder Pistol.
That is all I fill with the GS2.
Marauder Pistol.
45 seconds, tops, although m do round up to a whole minute.
Discussing the Marauder, I think it is time to shoot it, rain or no rain..