Leaking jacketed air hose

[shamu]

Been frustrated for weeks with my Shoebox compressors. I have 3 of them that I continue to nurse along. Almost pulled the trigger yesterday on a new compressor but had a miracle happen. The best I can get out of the Shoeboxes is 3000 psi and then they just sit there. I bought a 5 dollar bottle of leak detector at ACE and have sprayed all the fittings in the system. No bubbles. Then I happened to spray the stainless jacket on my Diablo filter that I bought from Airguns of AZ a few years ago . Wow foaming bubbles galore. Removed the filter from the system and pumping air finally! I now realize I have 2 working Shoeboxes maybe 3. Back in business. Happy camper.

 

[6gun]

Stainless? That looks like aluminum thru the Interwebs but im just guessing based on anodizing. That's super sketchy, I'm glad it didn't let loose on you.

 

[shamu]

The stainless jacket on the air hose was where the bubbles formed. The aluminum cylinder on the air dryer is solid

 

[Impact701]

I'm glad to hear you got your Shoebox compressor working.

I really like my Shoebox, I'm not sure what I am going to use to make air if/when mine dies ??

 

[shamu]

I was in a panic thinking that I had 3 dead Shoeboxes. Was about to buy a CS4 -1 on Amazon for $700. And the new GX dryer.
I now have a huge air dryer on the intake of the shoebox. Would really miss that setup

 

[6gun]

The stainless jacket on the air hose was where the bubbles formed. The aluminum cylinder on the air dryer is solid

Ah. Zoom in on that cylinder and maybe sympathize with my error. My mistake.

 

[6gun]

I'm glad to hear you got your Shoebox compressor working.

I really like my Shoebox, I'm not sure what I am going to use to make air if/when mine dies ??

If it's a legit oldschool shoebox, I bet there's a bunch of good parts in it that could be available with a McMaster-carr or grainger. I think AVE refers to these as "industrial Legos".

 

[markhooper]

honestly that's the good thing about the stainless steel braided hose .. internal one leaks but the braided part keeps it from catastrophic failure and bursting and whipping around.. air at that pressure is no joke.
Mark

 

[AlanMcD]

I was in a panic thinking that I had 3 dead Shoeboxes. Was about to buy a CS4 -1 on Amazon for $700. And the new GX dryer.
I now have a huge air dryer on the intake of the shoebox. Would really miss that setup

If you are doing a proper job drying the air on the input to the Shoebox compressors, there is no need for the post compression Daiblo filter - once the water vapor has been reduced from the air to a sufficiently low level, it's gone and not coming back. Taking it out of the system will reduce your run times and thus prolong the useful life of the compressors.

I also use a 0.1 micron particulate filter on the air going into mine (after the two desiccant filters - one massive silica one and then a smaller molecular sieve one) to capture any dust from the beads. That, plus using Krytox as my lube has the o-rings lasting a couple hundred hours so far.

That's one of the many beautiful things about the Shoebox - the easy ability to fully treat the air before we compress it to high pressures. I have two units, and hope (and expect) they will be all I ever need.

Glad all is well again!