Nitrox Stik Flowmeter recommendation.

[wwunder]

He has a gas compressor so its probably not restarting without his input... I don't have an autoshutoff (or auto restart for that matter), but I do have a miniox III analyzer that has a O2 high alarm setting that will start beeping away if i screw up. I keep it set at 50%. Also I usually hang around the compressor while filling to keep an eye on things.

 

[rjack321]

Except for that whole exploding compressor thing when it auto shut offs and the first stage fills with O2 and it autostarts when you put the next fill on, I wholeheartedly agree.

How would this small 3.5cfm gas powered compressor shut off automatically? It needs to be tended continuously to adjust the O2 flow rate as the pressure rises, drain the separators ever 15-20mins, and shut it down at the final pressure.

 

[Wookie]

He has a gas compressor so its probably not restarting without his input... I don't have an autoshutoff (or auto restart for that matter), but I do have a miniox III analyzer that has a O2 high alarm setting that will start beeping away if i screw up. I keep it set at 50%. Also I usually hang around the compressor while filling to keep an eye on things.

Keeping an eye on the compressor is a good thing.

 

[Wookie]

How would this small 3.5cfm gas powered compressor shut off automatically? It needs to be tended continuously to adjust the O2 flow rate as the pressure rises, drain the separators ever 15-20mins, and shut it down at the final pressure.

I don’t know, as I have never run a gas powered compressor. Where do the auto drains get power? What shuts it off before the burst discs blow?

 

[rjack321]

I don’t know, as I have never run a gas powered compressor. Where do the auto drains get power? What shuts it off before the burst discs blow?

There are no autodrains, you have to manually drain every 15-20 mins with a stopwatch or kitchen timer.

If you fail to shut it off the OPV will release pressure from the final separator/filter. Assuming the burst disk on the tank doesn't rupture first. The OPV pressure is 4500psi so if you are filling a AL80 its going to be fat. If its an lp steel the burst disk is probably going to go. If an lp72 with a plugged disk then run away...

 

[Wookie]

There are no autodrains, you have to manually drain every 15-20 mins with a stopwatch or kitchen timer.

If you fail to shut it off the OPV will release pressure from the final separator/filter. Assuming the burst disk on the tank doesn't rupture first. The OPV pressure is 4500psi so if you are filling a AL80 its going to be fat. If its an lp steel the burst disk is probably going to go. If an lp72 with a plugged disk then run away...

I guess I’m spoiled. And, beer prevents paying close attention....

 

[rcontrera]

I don’t know, as I have never run a gas powered compressor. Where do the auto drains get power? What shuts it off before the burst discs blow?

You can run auto drains off of solar power. And a pressure switch can cut the spark for a gas engine.

 

[randini]

This is exactly what I have. Set up for my 8 CFM Mako. I regulate the O2 down to 10 PSI with a regular welding reg and have a solenoid wired into the time delay on the compressor so the compressor is up to speed and oil pressure is good. 10 seconds after the compressor starts, flow starts. 56 lpm for 32%, 66 lpm for 36%.


If I were doing this, I'd use an argon regulator and rebuild it with viton o-rings, with a flowmeter built in. You can get them easily here.

View attachment 518473

Are the flow rate on those welding regs high enough to get 36% from a 8-11 CFM compressor?

 

[Wookie]

Are the flow rate on those welding regs high enough to get 36% from a 8-11 CFM compressor?

Good question. I run 32% through an 8 CFM.

 

[Dsix36]

If you are running the welding flow meters with the tube and little ball inside then you most likely are only able to get 25 lpm with the ball still balanced. they will flow much more than that but you now have the ball pegged to the top of the tube and no accurate way to measure it.

If you are using the typical welding regulator with 2 gauges then you can go a lot higher but you will still need to change out the regulated gauge to one that reads higher since this is still only 25 lpm. This method is not nearly as accurate though.

Either work fine for me with my low cfm compressor.