Help identifiyng old german compressor

[Sebastian Aguirre]

Hi,

I live in Argentina, and buying a compressor is too expensive. I dont dive, but play paintball with a team.
Today I found a very old compressor on sale for about 1000 usd. Its a german built unit that was in operation in an hydroelectric plant built in the 70´s. I guess the compressor spent all those years in the dam, and probably has not been used much.
Now it is in a salvage yard, where I cant test it. I have to travel 500 miles to go and get it.
The unit has a 20 HP three phase motor, wich I have no problem running in a small shop I own.

So, the question is if anybody might know the brand, specifications or any other usefull data.

Best regards, Sebastian

 

[Namreg 58]

It looks like a Lenhardt & Wagner compressor judging by some of the component configurations.

 

[rjack321]

It is FAR larger than even the largest scuba compressor in typical use. I suspect it will fill lower pressure paintball cylinders - in about a second or less. I can't see the gauges to know if it will fill higher pressure cylinders or not.

 

[iain/hsm]

Looks to me like an old 3 stage Wilhelm Poppe
and good luck getting spares for that, But you could try e-mailing
Sauer in Germany with those pictures and asking for spares.

Bad news
1st stage 80 psig
2nd stage 350 psig
3rd stage 1800 psig

So if your filling industrial air accumulators to 1800 pig and if it still works after all these years I guess your fine until you need spares or a service engineer that is.

If you what my opinion don't go near it, its junk besides for a $1000 US for a 1970's pump thats worth $300 or less scrap and your asking basic questions already on it your wasting your money and time. Iain

 

[Sebastian Aguirre]

Thanks Iain,

I will travel to see it tomorrow. Hope it´s a Sauer as you pointed out. Surfing their webpage there are many articles of their compressors running after 40 years, and they still have spare parts:
Compressor: WP 3232
Year: 1967
Use: German Red Cross Water Patrol and Fire Brigade, town of Cochem
Problem: worn big-end bearing / worn-down pistons
Solution: Original Spare Parts from Sauer & Sohn
WP 3232: fitness check after 37 years of service – and then straight back to business We were delighted to get this letter in the summer of 2004
The local Cochem branch of the German Red Cross (GRC) told us how their WP 3232, made in the old Poppe factory in 1967, has given them unstinting service in countless ways, until it sustained damage for the first time ever in January, 2004. And the long-serving old compressor is still a long way from retirement. After some minor repairs with Original Sauer Spare Parts, which we could deliver immediately even after 37 years, the compressor was straight back to business as usual.
And that’s good news for everyone, because the WP 3232 is the only suitable mobile compressor in the whole Cochem area. It is used for filling divers’ air tanks in the clubhouse and on the road, and for filling pressurized containers for the fire brigades of all the surrounding areas whenever there’s a large-scale operation – it’s even been of use in a tunnelling accident.
The GRC Water Patrol value their compressor’s faultless functioning and its ease of maintenance, and are glad they did not have to make the decision to buy a whole new one. Pleasantly surprised that the manufacturer, Sauer & Sohn, still had replacement parts for their ‘senior compressor’, the letter ends:
"We now look forward to many more years of continuing use, especially since Original Spare Parts are still available from the manufacturer, Sauer & Sohn."

 

[Sebastian Aguirre]

I saw it today. Its a J.A. Becker SV 1100/120 compressor, built in 1972. The brand is still around, already sent them an email asking if they stock parts. Seems they are used to move circuir breakers, not for breathable air. The new model pumps 38 cfm at 1800 psi.
In a couple of hours I will try to get it to work.

---------- Post added September 20th, 2013 at 07:55 AM ----------

Didnt work. The first stage would reach 80 psi and start venting air by the safety valve , but the second stage would not get past 200 psi, and started overheating the inlet of the cilinder.
Very few air would come out of the compressor.