Bauer Purus Filtration Upgrades?

[wwunder]

Hi all,

A buddy and I are in the process of picking up Bauer Purus portable with a 4 hp briggs. The intent is to keep this as a portable compressor, but we are also considering tracking down a 2-3 hp electric motor for when we are using within reach of a dryer plug.

Anyway, it comes with the small gold coloured combination separator/filter that takes a small 04852 (1.1" x 4.5") cartridge. I believe it has a built in PMV in the top of the tower as well. It is not the newer P0 filter. I contacted Lawrence factor and they have a disposable cartridge with 13x and AC that is anticipated to be capable of 700 cu.ft. of grade D air, but the cartridge is too small to incorporate hopcalite.

I also have an even older Utilus (k13) that has a steel tower that takes the same cartridge; however, I added a 16" tower and PMV to that system to upgrade it. I usually just repack my little 04852 filter with 13x as a prefilter and keep my 16" tower as clean as possible. I find that I change out my 16" tower cartridge due to age and have never actually had the moisture paper start to change until after it is removed.

I guess i'm just looking for ideas to upgrade the filtration without breaking the bank or going too large to impact the portability of the unit. I'm thinking that I should do something along the same lines as my Utilus, but i'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for a more affordable, smaller tower. I'm also looking for opinions on using the filtration system as is for a while and planning on changing out the filter every 3 or 4 hours of use. In this scenario I would probably add one of the moisture eyeball indicators as well.

I am a bit curious about adding something like the little coltri tower after this one to get some triplex filtration and given that I would prefiltering with a repacked 04852 cartridge it might actually last for a decent duration. Oh yeah, we are located on Vancouver Island, Canada. So the operating intake temps are in the range of 5°C to maybe 25°C and I would guess the average will be below 15°C.

Thanks in advance!

 

[CraigAClark]

You should empty the repackable of chemicals, stuff a stainless Chore Boy scrubber in it and use the chamber as a separator only. That little filter is all but useless. Might as well go back to the days of using kotex pads as filtration. That little Coltri filter isn't much better. If you are looking for Grade E air, stay away from systems that use very little media, either repackable or replaceable cartridge type.

 

[wwunder]

Easy Craig, I wouldn't go so far as Kotex!

I think adding an additional tower is a foregone conclusion its really just finding something that fits the bill for portability and budget. Any chance you can quantify your comment on the coltri any further? Will it produce Grade E? is it a dwell time issue or lack of media? I have read many threads on the forums in the past and its common to say that you need X filter because you what their expectations are for monitoring and changing frequency. I guess I need to put out the goalpost and see what people think I need to achieve it. Since this is a portable, it likely won't see the hours of my utilus and the filter changes will be due to age, not usage.

I am looking for a filter that will produce Grade E air (no PP blending etc) for a 3 CFM compressor with a processing capacity of about 2000 cubic feet in real world conditions. The filter should be as small as practical, certainly no larger than the 16" tower. I was considering the coltri and maybe the bauer p21 because I was under the impression that they would provide grade E air with triplex cartridges and be a good size for the compressor. We may go with the standard short mako tower for this one as well, since they do seem to be some of the most easily obtainable, but I was looking to see what else is on the market.

As far as the little repackable cartridge, why not repack with 13x as a prefilter? just cost and hassle? Would the stainless scrubber be nearly as effective. On my utilus the final separator is a separate unit and the filter with the cartridge never has any condensate in it. I currently repack it with 13x and change it out at about 10hr intervals and its rarely saturated. I rely on the mako style (1801 I think) to do the real filtering, but I figured why not start with the repackable since its close to free.

 

[CraigAClark]

The design of both the triplex and Coltri should be enough to support the lack of processing capability. Both are in combination separator/filter towers with the idea that you can drain absorbed moisture from the desiccant media, the cartridges hold little media and the dwell time is minimal. Bauer claims a 3200 cf processing capacity at "standard inlet conditions". Those conditions being the dew point at 68 F. You got to look hard to see that inlet temp. is 15 F above ambient in their calculation. Most folks don't operate at 53 F ambient. They do provide a conversion chart. As an example, based on that chart, at an ambient temperature of 90 F, you will only get about 43-47 % of max capacity. I have no idea how Coltri figures the processing capacity of their cartridges. The fact that there is less media in the cartridge than a 059183(OEM)/X22249(LF) and that the same physics apply, would indicate even less processing capacity.


Whether you choose a Mako or LF 1lb tower, you will still need a PMV and bleeder on the outlet and a check valve on the inlet. Either chamber will accept an LF X53240 or X65240. LF bases the capacity of these filters at an inlet temp. of 80 F. In the conditions mentioned in the above example, the processing capacity of the LF cartridge would have been reduced to 75%, producing Grade E. The only differences between the two cartridges I mentioned is the label and the price.

 

[frogman62]

WW
I have the 1 pound ,6000PSI filter chambers ($515) which use the X65240 , 1801 filter or a re-packable equivalent. Add a PMV, CV and bleeder for $125 plus shipping
Jim Shelden