Do you pickle your filter media?

[swamp diver]

And the best way to do that is? Are we looking to wipe off any liquid water there or the water that is embedded in the metal? If the former then I suppose a wipe with a shamwow or something similiar would do. If the latter I'm not sure how one would go about it (hair dryer?).

We have three tall towers and usually it is only the first filter appliance that we have to wipe down from time to time to remove "free water" not gaseous water vapor trapped in the wall of the filter appliance. A clean shamwow or auto chamois (shammy) wrapped up on a broom handle would do the trick.

If you only have one tower and are trying to produce oxygen compatible air then Maniago's point about the particulates would be valid unless you have one of these installed.
LAWRENCE FACTOR® – Cartridge Holders

Compressed air, a hair dryer, etc. would be alternatives to remove any free water.

 

[rcontrera]

A hair drier works nice and fast. But, running dry clean air over them will dry them out as well.

When I get them from the manufacturer, they are in a plastic bag with a large moisture eater inside. Most of the cards have their 10 area pink and the 20 is fading. I pull them out and package them in a little zip lock bag with their own little moisture bag. I store all those little bags are in another larger bag with more moisture bags.

It is fairly humid here but I have put these in local systems with a new filter cartridge and had the pink disappear within a couple of tanks of air. It would be best to check the condition of your filter stack first to make sure you are pumping dry air in the first place.

 

[maniago]

The second one, the deluxe. I believe it was either Iain or swamp that recommended it to me, and I'm more than happy. I found the AE to be on OK low price item, but it leaked down often and I found I could actually tweak open/close pressure much more accurately with the LF although I just left it at the 2000psi that it's set to out of the box. When you hold that thing and really look at the workmansip, you'll never buy an AE priority again. I have a brand new AE priority valve that's been used for maybe three hours that I bought to replace a leaky one that was only about 2 years old. I thought I just had a bad priority, and went and bought a new one. Then I found out that's the m.o. with the AE priorities. Don't get me wrong, they work; but I think most that have bought the LF one are much happier.

Hohum I need a better BPR than the AE. Its leaking well below its set point. Found a small fitting leak as well, but its puny compared to what the BPR is sending down the fill hoses....Chaulk me up to another unsatisfied AE customer. Good news is the check valve is doing its job.

So how much is the LF deluxe BPR gonna cost me? I can't find any prices on anything on the LF site.....don't they have web sales? How do you buy their stuff?

Geezuz what a PITA.

 

[swamp diver]

Try Stallion Air in North Carolina.

VL-530141-TG

 

[rcontrera]

List on those things is $122.08 but I have seen them go to almost $350 depending on the dealer's level with LF.

 

[maniago]

Try Stallion Air in North Carolina.

VL-530141-TG

No shipping no tax. No big argument with that. Onward we go!

Thanks guys for the info.

 

[Wookie]

Doesn't anyone but me rebuild their AE priority valves?????? That's way cheaper than buying a new one, and they last as long as new. Now, if they would only make them out of viton....

 

[maniago]

Doesn't anyone but me rebuild their AE priority valves?????? That's way cheaper than buying a new one, and they last as long as new. Now, if they would only make them out of viton....

Frank - I'd rebuild it if it was old and leaking, but outta the box new and it leaks? BS. I mean serious "I'm frickin' angry" BS. Pissing good money after bad just gets my goat. Ya know what I mean?

That said, what do you replace and where do you get it for the SE BPR to make them bullet proof?

Mani

 

[swamp diver]

Doesn't anyone but me rebuild their AE priority valves?????? That's way cheaper than buying a new one, and they last as long as new. Now, if they would only make them out of viton....

The problem with those AE backpressure valves is they leak down much faster than most BPVs such as the one from LF. If they are leaking down to ambient overnight then on start up your chemical media is going to see a wet oily condensate until the purifier pressure is built up again. Plus many of the contaminants that were absorbed or adsorbed onto the MS and AC beds will re-enter the air stream and your banks.
This has come up over and over on here and the LF Deluxe priority valve seems to solve the problem.

The elastomers on the AE back pressure valve are Viton and the lube used is oxygen compatible (Cristolube).
http://valvesandregulators.aquaenvironment.com/Asset/0550_OM_211_020906R.pdf

 

[Wookie]

Frank - I'd rebuild it if it was old and leaking, but outta the box new and it leaks? BS. I mean serious "I'm frickin' angry" BS. Pissing good money after bad just gets my goat. Ya know what I mean?

That said, what do you replace and where do you get it for the SE BPR to make them bullet proof?

Mani

Mine are 15 years old. Maybe they were better made back in the day? I only replace one if the anodizing has crapped out on the casting, but now that you mention it, they seem to not work well from the factory, it's only after I install the kit that they last a couple of years. I get my kits from Survival Air Systems in Texas, but only because I (and my partners) bought 2 very expensive boats from them, and they supply all of my compressed air needs.

The problem with those AE backpressure valves is they leak down much faster than most BPVs such as the one from LF. If they are leaking down to ambient overnight then on start up your chemical media is going to see a wet oily condensate until the purifier pressure is built up again. Plus many of the contaminants that were absorbed or adsorbed onto the MS and AC beds will re-enter the air stream and your banks.
This has come up over and over on here and the LF Deluxe priority valve seems to solve the problem.

The elastomers on the AE back pressure valve are Viton and the lube used is oxygen compatible (Cristolube).
http://valvesandregulators.aquaenvironment.com/Asset/0550_OM_211_020906R.pdf

Nice to know they are viton. When they leak down overnight, they should have been rebuilt a couple of months ago. When I rebuild mine is when I can't keep a thousand pounds in them for a month any more. They get set at 1750, but that pressure doesn't hold when new. That's the auto blowdown pressure, as far as I'm concerned...