Mantus/Bauer Triplex Cartridges - refillableoptions?

[willo]

So I've ordered a Mantus compressor. They have a fantastic sale right now (20% off) so I gave in.
I can run it off my sailboat's electrical system

I noticed that they specify a triplex filter:

https://www.mantusmarine.com/product/replacement-air-filter-for-scuba-compressor/

Which looked just like the Bauer Triplet filters.
I gave mantus a call and they confirmed that it's the same unit. (nice, since sourcing will be even easier.)

So my question for the brain trust here - has anyone made up a refillable cartridge? I'm down with swapping a cartridge now and then but I'd love to make up something that reduces waste to just the replacement media.

Happy friday!

 

[Curious_George]

has anyone made up a refillable cartridge? I'm down with swapping a cartridge now and then but I'd love to make up something that reduces waste to just the replacement media

There is a refillable aluminum version for sale on fleabay - I can’t speak to the quality, never tried it. The Bauer ones can be easily opened and closed back again. I’ve never bothered with trying to replace the media, just dumped out to inspect.

The original Bauer ones can be purchased more cheaply from August Industries.

 

[Andy in Gap]

Alkin sells one for the W31, same filter. They sell a refillable media kit for it for $26 as well.

 

[PrffsrE]

Thank you willo for starting this thread! I too am interested in the same as I purchased a used Bauer Jr II for my boat. I like your term "Brain Trust", I appreciate everyone that contributes!!!

I like the idea of refillable but not sure about the space savings on a 48' boat. Upon initial research August Industries (Thank you Curious_George) has the whole cartridge for $41.37 with a discount for 3 or more. The only refill I looked at was from Valken for $39.00. No savings!

Just for clarity, (I have not done my research) is this the same filter for the Bauer Jr II? I had a number of P31.

Thank You!

 

[PrffsrE]

Sorry, P21. I found one on ebay from Australia for $267.08 PLUS $37.91 shipping. It would never pay for itself in a lifetime of diving!

Thanks

P21 (P0) Repackable Refillable Filter for SCUBA Diving Bauer Compressor | eBay

You'll want to double check this before buying! A minor risk that needs to be accepted.

www.ebay.com

 

[Andy in Gap]

Sorry, P21. I found one on ebay from Australia for $267.08 PLUS $37.91 shipping. It would never pay for itself in a lifetime of diving!

Thanks

P21 (P0) Repackable Refillable Filter for SCUBA Diving Bauer Compressor | eBay

You'll want to double check this before buying! A minor risk that needs to be accepted.

www.ebay.com

Purifier Cartridges | Alkin

Only aluminium cartridges are re-packable Cartridge sizes for compressor models P21 - W31 P41 - W32 P61 - W4 , W3 Purifier Maintenance HoursW31 - 50-60 HoursW32 - 70-80 HoursW4 - 80-90 Hours

www.alkinus.com

There is a US source for $115. Have to pump an awful lot of air to make it worth repacking those filters.

 

[PrffsrE]

Thank you "Andy in Gap"! All this has finally prompted me to do my research.

Here are my conclusions for ME. I hope this saves someone some time researching this in the future!

If you value your time at all, and at this current time, there is no cost savings in repacking you own filter. However I do realize that there are situations like living on an island, world cruising and most of all people like me that just love to get into the mechanical portion of their dive world (I completely rebuilt a KISS sport Rebreather) and they "Just want to do it"!

1st off, the factory cartridges are about $45. Not bad. I'm not going to mention shipping as I do not know yet.
Lawrence Factor makes a replacement cartridge, I used them in the dive shop and they work great. The model number for the filter housing we have been discussing in this thread (Offend called the P0) is X22249. I found a business in Florida that I plan to use called Filter Techs, as of this writing they have the Lawrence Factor X22249 on sale for... $37.00!!! I will include a link. So if you even value you time at $20 an hour you would lose money repacking you own filter! Or you could be out diving. LOL

That said, this same company also sells molecular sieve, active carbon and felt pads and MUCH more (Sorry but it is my weakness)! I plan to be spending a lot of money with them.

I would love to hear some feedback from someone that has used a Bauer Jr. 2 for some time. The literature that I could find says that the filter should be replaced every 50 Hrs. we all know that this varies with humidity. However michael-fisch stated in a post titled, Bauer P0, "on a Capitano, with air humidity less than 60%, should be less than 10hrs before the cartridge has reached it's max weight and is used up. That is a large variation in Hrs.

Thanks!

Bauer Breathing Air Filter W5-9183 X22249

The X22249 Bauer Breathing Air Filter is guaranteed to match the fit and performance of the W5-9183 OEM cartridge.

filtertechs.com

 

[iain/hsm]

So I've ordered a Mantus compressor. They have a fantastic sale right now (20% off) so I gave in.
Happy friday!

Don't throw away the shipping crate. You will need it for when you send it back.

 

[Curious_George]

I would love to hear some feedback from someone that has used a Bauer Jr. 2 for some time. The literature that I could find says that the filter should be replaced every 50 Hrs. we all know that this varies with humidity. However michael-fisch stated in a post titled, Bauer P0, "on a Capitano, with air humidity less than 60%, should be less than 10hrs before the cartridge has reached it's max weight and is used up. That is a large variation in Hrs.

It’s a common misconception that ambient air humidity has an impact on third stage filter life. This isn’t true unless you can find ambient air with less than ~0.7% humidity.

There is a dramatic change in how much water comes out of the second stage coalescer as ambient humidity changes. For most of us, temperature, pressure and hours of use decide the life of the final filter, not humidity. Air entering the final filter is always completely saturated with water. That’s why the PMV is so important. Increasing filter pressure and lowering temperature at the tower are how you extend the P0 filter life. Adding an external third stage coalescer may help some due to the design limits of the P0.

Stating only hours is oversimplification and 50 hours is waaay overstated in my limited P0 experience. That would be ~100 tanks lol. Each filter is also marked with a maximum weight in grams at which it’s supposed to be changed as stated above. I’ve had P0 filters last as few as 14 tanks and up to about 20-30 tanks, of course depending on size tank and how empty it was. I have a Utilus 10 which is basically same as the Junior, just older. Attached below the filter tracker card that Bauer provides.

There a number of threads about this. Check this thread for a somewhat confusing discussion. Happy to be corrected by someone with more experience. Please feel free to clarify if I’ve misstated the way Bauer and other similar design compressors work.

 

[iain/hsm]

but I'd love to make up something that reduces waste to just the replacement media.

Had you wanted to reduce waste you would not have bought this pile of junk in the first place.
But you need to be very careful here as things are not as you would like or indeed as first perceived.
Before you bought this junk you did read the manual first ? Yes?

So you know its not like any other compressor you would be familiar with for scuba diving.
To kick off on this piece of junk.

1. It doesn’t produce breathing air.

Re the manual Page 10.
“Compressed contains water, oil, particles, and toxic gases.”

It's the toxic gases part you needed to pay attention to. (we can go into the details why and how later)

Further at no point does it state that the quality of the air even when filtered that it meets any recognised standard for breathing air. At which point most folk would be returning it for money back.

Further compounded by the false claim that the filter is the same as a Bauer when it is clearly and demonstrably not even close. At best it is an inferior copy of the Bauer filter it is no way the same.
Now some may claim, and it may well indeed be a LF filter but again even this is not the same as the Bauer or as effective.