noobie needing some help mako k14 4cfm

[cox_sp]

DT - Thanks for joining in, the warning about the squirrel cage is good. I shan't be so careless. Read On

ZDD - Thanks for the manual. it has helped. I stopped at a second dive shop, asked some questions and was given an original printed parts manula for my compressor. The guy said he didn't need it any more.

After a little over a month, I finally hooked up the compressors electric motor (while i don't want to go boom, I don't want to go zap either). Turned it on breifly, no zap. Tried again and let it go up to 1000psi, 2000 then 3000. It runs well, oil seems to be pumping, pretty quiet compared to the one at the dive shop.

Then I hooked up a 3600 psi cylinder and let it go. Manual says to run it until the fourth stage blows off. I shut it off at 3500, the homemade control panel that came with the compressor was marked 3550psi max fill.

A bigger problem may be the dryer. It doesn't appear that filters are available. The filter inside looks like a shiny silver tennis ball can with holes in the ends. I tried to rejuvenate the molecular sieve, but will try it again before I fill another tank. Research on Scubaboard indicates that it would need to be heated to 450F for several hours to completely rejuvenate, and I need to reverse the AC and MS (I just put it back the way I found it)

Another question is oil. One dive shop said I could use non-detergent 30W oil, another said he used food grade synthetic. There seems to be great debate over the use of synthetic oil in bauer compressors. Synthetic will dissolve carbon deposits left by mineral oil, causing "gunk" build up? Could I avoid the gunk by changing the oil, running the compressor an hour or two and repeating the process a few times? Should I wait until the valves need to be changed or forget the whole endeavour?

 

[DT]

The great thing about the older K14 is that some parts from the older K15 will fit the K14 like the second and third stage heads, oil pump etc. Bauer didn't have many models back than but some models were interchangeable.

 

[quazy]

Just a quick update...
The whip leaks and the gauge is broke. So i closed the shut off right b4 them. By my surprise turn it on and in under a min the blow off valve went off...so im thinking im good. Just need to get a new whip and/or gauge and see what pressure im getting. Im a noobie i didnt pay attention to which blow off it was...honestly scared the bleep out of me. I put 501 in it cause im cheap and the only place i could find it that was some what local wanted like $60 for a gallon of 501 and $80 for 800. They didnt have 751. Ill have to post a youtube video of it running. Thinking about putting it up for sale once i get things like they should be. Thanks to all the member who have help with advice. O btw the 4th stage will "knock" right untill it builds up pressure? I believe someone said it would. Just asking cause when you first turn it on its loud then quite downs right away.

 

[sealark]

The forth stage is a free floating piston and they will knock until pressure is built up in them. I have a K-14-85 that's been running to 3300 for over 25 years without a single problem. (Knock On Wood)...

 

[CraigAClark]

Just a quick update...
The whip leaks and the gauge is broke. So i closed the shut off right b4 them. By my surprise turn it on and in under a min the blow off valve went off...so im thinking im good. Just need to get a new whip and/or gauge and see what pressure im getting. Im a noobie i didnt pay attention to which blow off it was...honestly scared the bleep out of me. I put 501 in it cause im cheap and the only place i could find it that was some what local wanted like $60 for a gallon of 501 and $80 for 800. They didnt have 751. Ill have to post a youtube video of it running. Thinking about putting it up for sale once i get things like they should be. Thanks to all the member who have help with advice. O btw the 4th stage will "knock" right untill it builds up pressure? I believe someone said it would. Just asking cause when you first turn it on its loud then quite downs right away.

Unless it was the final safety, located on the final separator or filter tower (which could be a combo), interstage safety valves (blow offs) are indicative of valve problems in the successive stage or an autodrain problem if equipped with one. If the third stage safety is lifting there is the possibility that the final piston is frozen at TDC. Since you state that the "knocking" goes away, I doubt the latter. It is very rare that a safety goes bad.

Even if everything is operating properly, the filtration on these units is useless. If you look at the picture someone posted of their unit, the final separator/filter combo uses a very small "filter" that is screwed into the underside of the tower head. This "filter" is about 6" long and contains only carbon. Might as well not have anything at all. Add on filtration is a must.

Craig

 

[quazy]

O boy looks like i need to do some more trouble shooting...I hope your wrong. Like i said i didnt notice which one it was. I will have to hook it up again and take a video.