How to fill a Compressor filter ?

[milkathecow]

Hi everyone,

I have just had my compressor maintained (LW 450 ES), well for a few new parts which left me without it for 10 days time for them to arrive.

Moreover i have just received my new tanks and therefore i thought... why not make sure i do the whole process correctly (as they are brand new and the old ones were really good for scrap after the care the previous owner took of them)

So... I have those cartridges, ready made, but they are so bloody expensive ... and mainly as they come from mainland they usually take ages to arrive and when they arrive they are usually wrong... (who said service was lacking in our world ?)

Now... i also have one of those refillable filters, but having never done the filling of them before, could someone guide me on how to fill them and where to put the sieve, charcole and fluffy circles ?

I have read of approx 1/3 charcoal, 2/3 sieve with the fluff between, but how thick should it be ? should i have :

Fluff - charcoal (1/3), fluff, sieve(1/3), fluff, sieve (1/3), fluff ?

or should it simply be :
charcoal (1/3), fluff, sieve(2/3) with nothing at both ends ?

thanks for your advice on this one, i need to do that tomorrow or saturday i already have the precut discs it's just a question of putting them in and putting the fillings in.

in which order should it go also... by logic i would say that the air would go through the sieve before going through the charcoal but i might be totally wrong.

thanks a lot,

 

[wwunder]

I just use disposable Lawrence Factor so i'm no expert, but I think you want the sieve before the A.C.... if the A.C. gets wet it won't work.

You might want to buy a disposable that fits and model your repacking after it.

 

[oxyhacker]

It's not rocket science, and there is no right answer. Different media adsorb different things, so you will never arrive at the perfect mix for your air, but there is some overlap anyhow.

Years ago charcoal was the biggie, now most people feel it doesn't really do much except eliminate odors.

How you pack - getting it tight and evenly packed enough so that the gas flows through it evenly rather than channeling, and having some sort of spring loading so it stays that way, is probably more important than the exact ratio. Keeping your media fresh and sealed is also probably more important than the exact proportions.

2/3 dessicant to 1/3 charcoal sounds fine, but so does 3/4 to 1/4. A 1/2 pad at each end and in between sounds about right too, but I wouldn't argue with 3/4", especially at the output end.

Sort of like how much tequila to triple sec for a margarita!

Sieve should be first, That is, on the side where the gas enters.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Last time I packed my filter I used about a 2/3 to 1/3 split of Vaporshell and activated charcoal with 1/2" thick pads at each end and in between. I use a knee high nylon stocking (I feel funny buying them) to pack the activated charcoal as it allows me to pack it on top of the vapor shell very tightly and it keeps the smaller pieces under control and the final pad placed on top minimizes any carbon dust that may result.

I also use a stainless steel plate with holes in it on the on the top of the stack to allow me to use a spring to keep everything compressed to prevent channeling and to reduce the activated charcoal grinding itself to bits.

 

[Surface Tension]

I use a knee high nylon stocking (I feel funny buying them)

Sure you do buddy. Your secret is safe with us.

Actually sounds like a pretty good idea except for the panty hose aftertaste.

 

[dannobee]

Sure you do buddy. Your secret is safe with us.

Actually sounds like a pretty good idea except for the panty hose aftertaste.

How would you know what panty hose taste like? :11:

 

[vshearer]

I also use a stainless steel plate with holes in it on the on the top of the stack to allow me to use a spring to keep everything compressed to prevent channeling and to reduce the activated charcoal grinding itself to bits.

DA, are you using a removable cannister or packing the housing directly?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Packing directly.

And I can't help it if panty hose make me feel pretty.

 

[pescador775]

Cowboy, molecular sieve is strange stuff. Perhaps the following comments are common sense but here it is FWIW;

Sieves like 13X are extremely fragile. If the material is exposed to atmospheric air it will lose its effectiveness totally within a few hours. It is so hydrophilic that it will draw moisture through plastic wraps, bags (or pantyhose) and deteriorate within a month or less. It must be stored in a metal container or thick plastic container with hermetic seal. The refill process must be accomplished rapidly for similar reasons. When not in use, the high pressure canister must be shut off from the atmosphere with plugs, valves or the like. Sieves are potentially dangerous. If contaminated with water (neat water) tremendous heat will evolve. It is even possible to start a fire and subsequent explosion inside the filter canister. So long as the cartridge and its dessicant load are protected from all but normal vapor there is no danger. If in possession of a large amount of spent sieve it is possible to regenerate it by placing in an oven. Spread the dessicant over a pan. Heat the oven to 500F for four- six hours. Allow to cool to touch but only just, and place in a sealed metal container as soon as possible. It will be 95% restored. It may be possible to monitor the condition of the dessicant by mixing with color indicating silica gel. I haven't tried this but it is similar to what some packagers have done in the past. Following the guidelines for quantity of processed air may be the best method.