Cheap compressor sanity check

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Salt:

I realize that we all have certain limitations as to what resources are available. But, you can put together an excellent home filling station that delivers dry, clean air to your airguns. You don't need an $80,000, multi-tank auto-charging system like my local dive shop. But I wouldn't choose this area to cut corners either. Any money you spend will be well worth it long-term. High-end AGs are too big an investment to cut corners with your air supply. I mean, would you put questionable home-brew ammo in your PBs?

Now, when I use the term breathing air, I merely mean dry, clean air that will not damage or corrode your gun. Some of the equipment necessary to clean compressed air to breathing quality includes – but is not limited to:

  • general purpose 40 micron air filter (to remove larger particulates and free water)
  • finer element 5 micron air filter (to filter finer particles from the air and further remove free water)
  • air dryer (to remove water vapor)
  • coalescent filter (to remove oil mist from the air)

These are just guidelines, but these filtration systems will be add-ons to commercial portable compressors such as the Omega and Daystate lines. Hope this helps :)

I used to have a 4,500 psi Omega Air Charger with a Diablo Air Dryer system. I have since sold it and now get my Omega 100 cu-ft 4,500 psi CF tank filled at a local dive shop. But I live in San Diego, the Mecca of dive shops. I used to own a RAW HMx .357 (130 ft# regulated), which was somewhat of an airhog. I would filI my tank with the compressor and use the tank to fill my RAW. I would also carry a 12 cu-ft pony bottle in the field. So, a compressor was almost a necessity. But, these days I have only a Daystate Pulsar HP .25, which manages air much more efficiently, and I no longer need a home-fill station. I must admit, though; having a home-fill station is really convenient. Although my dive shop is a class act, it's still a chore due to all the red tape. Good luck!
 
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Yup, and on further look at the Omega Super Charger, I stand corrected. It does have the large Tampon style filter on the high pressure end just before it goes into the tank. 

While San Diego (beautiful place that, ) has a plethora of dive shops, Salt Lake has 3 if I'm not mistaken. Even Paintball is pretty skinny as the nearest paintball shop is 20 minutes away (I know that sounds close to some, but I only have a 90 cubic inch bottle, so filling is frequent).

I will eventually buy a compressor, and after conversations like this, I can see that the filtration is something that I'll need to be painfully aware of. While dust is bad, moisture doesn't do you any good either. Both need to be controlled for longevity of the guns.

Centercut has another discussion going on a two cylinder Tuxing Compressor that needed more filtration. It's over 6 pages of discussion now, https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/tuxing-double-cylinder-pcp-air-compressor-taking-the-plunge/

Maybe too much information, but I can see needing to beef up the intake filter to the YH style compressors, and add some serious water separators on the high pressure side, as well as bleeding water every few minutes while operating.

Good discussions all!
 
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The intake filter should be added for the compressor itself, not the air out to the tank or gun. The cotton tampon style filters in the "gold" filter will take care of any particulate filtering that may need to be done. The intake filter just protects the compressor mechanicals, much like the air filter in your car...
 
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Yeah, Salt; it definitely sounds like the compressor route is the way to go for you. I'm glad you're doing your homework; moisture and grit are the invisible killers until it's too late. It sounds like you'll do the right thing. I've been to Salt Lake City a couple times. Beautiful place that as well! There are a lot of LDS missionaries in my apartment complex. Nicest, most helpful young men and women I've ever met. I wish all my neighbors were like them!

You can't go wrong with the Omega Super Charger. It has a lot of nice features, not the least of which is the auto-moisture purge. I had to manually purge the moisture with my Omega Air Charger (and there was a lot to purge!) I added a Diablo Dry Air System: http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/pcp-accessories/diablo-dry-air-system/

Centercut's advice is spot-on. I've found Todd at Airguns of Arizona to be extremely helpful with regard to compressors as well. Good luck :)
 
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Ya I have a shop compressor & know the problem. I have three moisture traps in my line to my plasma cutter. Plasma cutters do not like moisture. I two, 

no expert. But shop air & these guns are different cats so to speak as I see it. With shop air we are passing a very large volume compared to what

a air rifle uses. I can see if you are filling air bottles moisture could be more of a problem then just filling a gun. But these inline gold filters do a very

good job on the small amount of air we use in the industry. Our inline filters require much attention compared to high volume shop air systems. I

could be wrong in my thinking, but I think we way over think this. Even the small tampon filter that comes on these china cheapo compressor seem

to do a pretty good job if you keep maintaining them. Before I bought a larger filter the small one seemed to do a good job if you kept the cotton changed.

JMOHOP Fly
Click to expand...


 
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I'd love to hear from airgunsmiths who can tell me what they find inside of high end PCP's which have been filled with tampon only filtered and dried air fed guns out of curiosity. This of course being verified and true not just claimed blindly to save face or warranty issues. The O rings have to be replaced on all of them at some point which would allow for some inside peeks on guns like my high end FX gun. I'm very curious and would like to be schooled, Bill
 
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Sadly, the information we are speculating about takes years to impact a gun and the effects will be very slow and probably unnoticeable to the owner as they shoot and shoot. Even gunsmiths may not see the effects of the Yong Heng compressor because it's so new. I think it's been available under 2 years! Maybe just a year.

At any rate, I do see the need for more filtering than they provide. At least doubling the filter provided or even minimally going to the 8 inch large tampon style. Even adding another $100 to $200 for air filter and dryer components, at around $400 it's still a good deal.

However, that original $50 version this whole thread started with never really existed. Thanks for all the help everyone!
 
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Centercut, yeah I kinda went on the cheap with the Omega Air Charger (and when I got it, it said Made in China on the crate). I was a compressor newbie back then. The Daystate is definitely a superior unit. If I ever go back to a home-fill station, that's the route I'll go (might as well be a 100% Daystate man!) When you're talking about the large investment in high-end (and high-cost) adult airguns, go big or go home in all your equipment. The up-front cost is salty; but in the long-term, it's the best value. Maybe I should have picked a cheaper hobby like bowling!
 
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Salt:

I'm glad you performed your due diligence here. I wish I would have done so before I bought my compressor. Although I have to say, I was very happy with my Omega Air Charger. I was meticulous in manually purging the moisture (I was surprised at how much there was in just 10 minutes!) I did install a Diablo Air Dry System to further remove moisture. However, at the time I was not aware that particulate filtering is just as important as moisture removal. Good luck!
 
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AnimalHitman - I tend to suffer from Analysis Paralysis, and over analyze everything, take forever to make a decision, and then have instant buyers remorse because I'm not sure it's the perfect decision. So, after all the analysis, and finding another set of bogus compressors on Ebay, what I'm seeing seems to be either:

1. Buy a Yong Heng type compressor, purge every three or so minutes when operating, definitely add the large drier, and live with any problems. Even adding the Diablo drier means an investment of under $500 for this setup.

2. Buy a $2000 Daystate with all the fancy driers already installed.

3. The other candidate is the Hatsan compressor with all the extra driers installed from the factory. It's $1340, but I haven't seen a vendor carrying it yet. AEAC did a review and gave it rave reviews, auto purge, large tampon style, and desiccant all in a line. It has the basics to make sure the air is at least dry going into the tank. One thing I see interesting, is the pipe carrying the high pressure air is "Coiled". I suspect that's to allow the hot, recently compressed air to cool a bit and the water to condense before it hits the vertical tampon filter.

To be honest, it looks like the two cylinder Tuxing compressor, but with a lot more whistles and bells the tuxing may not have, like, Auto Purge, Internal Cooling, auto shutoff, and such. All in one package must be worth something.

Decisions, decisions, decisions - - - - - -




 
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I agree with @AnimalHitman, but if you're going to spend $2k, do yourself a favor and get the 110vac Daystate. You'll be glad you did... The difference between the Omega and the Daystate is the difference between a Corolla and a Lexus...
Click to expand...

Amen, Centercut. The fact that some people are still spending $1849 to $2250 for Omegas when AoA also sells Daystate/Coltri compressors is mind boggling. If an Omega super charger was $750 it would make sense to consider buying one. Anyone who understands how a high pressure compressor seals air wouldn't buy one given the dated technology of the Omega pump design. The market has passed them by. It's like buying a mule team to haul your heavy materials when there's a Ford F150 available at the same price from the same dealer. Compressor pistons designed like a hand pump are not going to outlast 3 and 4 stage steel ringed pistons in 4500 psi compressors. There are many videos on Youtube of owner modified hand pumps using a motor, gears and a chain drive to automate the pumping process. It is the very same piston pump design of an Omega except they're not in a nice computer cabinet with added bells and whistles. If you are going to spend between $1K-$2K on a higher end compressor, buy a Carette, Hatsan Lightning, or especially the Daystate LC110. All are much better values than the outdated, difficult to rebuild Omega compressors. Omegas sound like a motorized hand pump when running. Ever wonder why? It's because they are a motorized hand pump.
 
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All, the cotton tampons remove particulate and oil entrained in the air, as evidenced by the photos I posted. The Zeolite is to remove moisture.

I did some research and Zeolite 13X is what dive shops use in their filtration towers for moisture removal. Additionally, it has approx. a 10 Angstrom pore diameter compared to 3A, 4A, or 5A which makes it more suitable for trapping water molecules. 

Molecular Sieve 13X is a multiple purpose, highly porous, high capacity alkali metal alumino-silicate in the spherical form. It is the sodium form of the Type X crystal structure with pore diameters of approximately 10Å. It can adsorb all molecules that can be adsorbed by 3A, 4A, and 5A. Type 13X molecular sieve can also adsorb molecules such as aromatics and branched-chain hydrocarbons, which have large critical diameters
 
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