Compressor Air Testing - cost? Who to use?

[maniago]

Trace, TRI, Lawrence Factor. That about covers your choices. Yes,buying the kit is a PITA. Sell it on EBay when you dump your compressor, or find someone locally that has one.

Hmmm. That's a disappointing lack of choice, but I suppose there's not much market in it really...

Guess that also explains why there no other thread on it.

 

[rddvet]

I didn't realize some companies require you buy some kit. With LF they send you something that looks like a metal water bottle and you fill it for a certain amount of time. On my last one the pressure relief valve blew prematurely and LF had another one to me the next day.

 

[rjack321]

Yeah, you're not really understanding how this compressor works (13x maybe, we'll see; but I don't need the Hop (no VOCs, no CO) and no need for the C12 freshener either). There's a reason why its 3x more expensive than an oil-sump compressor of the same size.

The question is about air sampling companies and costs.

If you don't run 13x and get dry enough air you will rust and/or corrode the heck out of your tanks. Rix output is 100% saturated at whatever temp its running at. As soon as the tanks cool down you will have liquid water condensing in there.

AC removes volatile organics. They can come from the indoor air of your garage (gas cans) or be generated internally if the orings fail (not likely unless you are pumping EANx)

hopcalite will minimize the risk should you or your neighbor drive by the compressor intake (vehicle or lawnmower)

All supplementary filters will enhance removal of particulates like pollen.

I think you are quite overconfident about the quality of your gas which depends on operating conditions and filtration as much as it depends on the compressor itself.

 

[Wookie]

I didn't realize some companies require you buy some kit. With LF they send you something that looks like a metal water bottle and you fill it for a certain amount of time. On my last one the pressure relief valve blew prematurely and LF had another one to me the next day.

Trace doesn't require you to buy the kit, you can pay to ship it over and over and over and over........

 

[maniago]

If you don't run 13x and get dry enough air you will rust and/or corrode the heck out of your tanks. Rix output is 100% saturated at whatever temp its running at. As soon as the tanks cool down you will have liquid water condensing in there.

AC removes volatile organics. They can come from the indoor air of your garage (gas cans) or be generated internally if the orings fail (not likely unless you are pumping EANx)

hopcalite will minimize the risk should you or your neighbor drive by the compressor intake (vehicle or lawnmower)

All supplementary filters will enhance removal of particulates like pollen.

I think you are quite overconfident about the quality of your gas which depends on operating conditions and filtration as much as it depends on the compressor itself.

No not trying to be overconfident, but yes, I know all this (I've done my homework). Still, thanks a bunch for pointing these out anyway cause I know you guys are just looking out for my safety and that's totally awesome!

Since this thread has answered my original question on testing, I'll go start another one on DIY filter and dryer designs.

Please post over there on this topic. Thanks!

 

[Wookie]

Hmmm. That's a disappointing lack of choice, but I suppose there's not much market in it really...

Guess that also explains why there no other thread on it.

You mean besides every fire station in the country?

Fire houses tend to contract their service out. It makes their air compressors last a whole lot longer. Figure out who does the service at the local fire house, call them, and ask if you can be put on the same service rotation as the fire station. Twice a year they will stop by and they usually charge an extra $20 for the service call. When I was working for a compressor sales company, we charged $65 for an air test. We were also changing filters and oil at the same time, so YMMV, do the best deal you can.

 

[swamp diver]

Ah, good. This is the kind of info I'm looking for as I've not heard of these guys and they didn't come up on my google search. Thanks.

Any one else got a tester I can look into?

There are 5 labs in the USA which do compressed air testing and participate in the quarterly round robin testing through the U of Washington which is important. This is a proficiency testing program where the labs verify that the results they are obtaining for your sample remain accurate and precise, but this is only done for the gaseous components. Oil and particulates, and moisture are not done but why is a topic for another day.

1. Lawrence Factor in Florida
2. Trace Analytics in Texas
3. TRI in Texas (do all US Navy compressor testing)
4. Analytical Chemists, Inc. in California
5. Galson Labs in Hawaii

If you are really interested in oxygen compatible air (oil and particulates concentration) I'd use the sampler from ACI because they have the highest flow rate in the industry (up to 14 cfm) and no critical orifice to block larger particulates such as filter media, oil mist, pollen or teflon wear particulate from your rings. The air flow rates on the LF and Trace sampling kits are so low that you are not going to mobilize the particulates that you normally would on filling a cylinder under real conditions.
Oxygen Compatible Air
Oil Mist and Particulate

 

[maniago]

4. Analytical Chemists, Inc. in California

If you are really interested in oxygen compatible air (oil and particulates concentration) I'd use the sampler from ACI because they have the highest flow rate in the industry (up to 14 cfm) and no critical orifice to block larger particulates such as filter media, oil mist, pollen or teflon wear particulate from your rings.

Excellent. Thanks, this is great info esp the teflon note. I sent them a pricing request, but being saturday, I'll have to wait a till Weds for an answer. Any idea on the cost of their sport diving one time test?

 

[swamp diver]

Excellent. Thanks, this is great info esp the teflon note. I sent them a pricing request, but being saturday, I'll have to wait a till Weds for an answer. Any idea on the cost of their sport diving one time test?

Last time I checked a year or so ago it was about $100 plus a big deposit for the sampling kit. When you return the kit you get your deposit back. The owner David Elgas usually does check his email on weekends so you might get an answer today.

 

[Doc Harry]

Analytical Chemists, Inc. in California

That's who I use
Their kits are a bit complicated to use and the instructions are terrible