Alpha vs Diablo In Line Moisture Filters

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Thank you for the clear pictures and explanations. Rather hard to find good pictures of the internals. I had only seen an inside picture of the red one and thought it ( with proper materials for safety ) easily built at home but didn't see how it would work all that well - as in compared to a scuba air dryer- the pictures of the other gives me something to actually think about building.

John
 
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Sharroff – thanks for a fantastic review: Just the facts, and so much detail. JB is a pain in the **** to deal with, but his gear is absolutely 1st rate. Looks to me as though some of the alternatives are larger companies, trying to make a $ by spending on fancy web sites and shiny anodized products, while the working parts are poorly designed. Where would you prefer a company put its money: PR or engineering?
 
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Glad to be able to assist. I owe the group a call to Joe B on Monday as to what's different between the unit I got and the one on the web site. Mine is opening around 1700 vs 2200 mentioned, but that's still a lot better than opening at 0 psi. I have a set of regulators and gauges so I can hold the pressure in the JBA to 4000 psi before I let it enter my tank, but for folks that don't have $400 for another option I'll see what's up.

I got that regulator set so I could run a gun off a tigershark vs it's own bottle so just lucked into being able to use it for the dryer/filter.







 
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So as of now I am not running a filter on my Shoebox set up. I have my tank about a foot above the compressor, a 5 foot hose that goes about 2 feet below the Shoebox, so any moisture would have to travel about 3 feet upward into the tank. I have had a little moisture blow out of the hose when bled, but not ever come out of the hose at the tank end.

Even though I do this, I'm considering a Diablo as for my use I think it will be fine, and $399.00 for Joe's Is a lot of $$$.

wll2506
 
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"wll2506"So as of now I am not running a filter on my Shoebox set up. I have my tank about a foot above the compressor, a 5 foot hose that goes about 2 feet below the Shoebox, so any moisture would have to travel about 3 feet upward into the tank. I have had a little moisture blow out of the hose when bled, but not ever come out of the hose at the tank end.

Even though I do this, I'm considering a Diablo as for my use I think it will be fine, and $399.00 for Joe's Is a lot of $$$.

wll2506
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Seems like common sense and I agree on the price of the filter Joe sells. it is just not a working mans friendly price
 
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Airborne,

Joe had changed a part between time I saw one on his web site and the time I received my unit. The large boxy piece on to the Alpha on Joes web site is now the smaller brass piece on top the unit I have. It acts as a valve to ensure air flows from the filter to the tank and not the tank to the filter. It also keeps all the air in the filter from exiting when the tank is disconnected. Let's call it the Alpha Output Valve (AOV) to cut down on typing and make sure we know which valve I'm talking about.

Mine had a small leak that was explained after I returned it to Joe for inspection. When I was using mine, I'd connect the tank (at whatever pressure it was at) to the AOV start my compressors, then open the valve on the main tank. That exposed the AOV's top to whatever pressure the tank happened to be at when I decided to refill. The bottom of the AOV would be at whatever te residual pressure was left in the Alpha. If the pressure difference between the top of the AOV and bottom of the AOV is too high it can damage the AOV. I was told by Joe the right way to use this is to connect the bottom of the alpha to the Shoebox, top of AOV to tank - but leave tank valve closed - then start the compressors. When the pressure in the Alpha is roughly at or above the pressure in the tank, open the tank valve. That way the air is always flowing from the bottom of the AOV though it and out the top. I haven't had any issues since I followed that process.

WLL2506,

Not letting liquid flow down hill into the tank is a good idea to help stop drops of liquid from getting into the tank via gravity. What you aren't accounting for is the humidity in the air. That is all going into the tank whether you have a vertical run up 5 feet or not. If you want a better than nothing solution, run that line up inside something that is colder than the air around it. This is similar to how a still works - hot steam being condensed into liquid by colder coils that are liquid cooled. You could run the line up inside a fridge or maybe coiling it up inside a small portable cooler with ice in it. I'm not advocating that is a good idea, just that it could be better than nothing for removing humidity.

Either way, keep an eye on your barrel (especially if it is shrouded) and look for rust specs.


 
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Thank You and it still sounds like you are a advocate of Joes air filter. You know I am out on a limb here and it is lots of money and I have a Diablo on the way with the Qmega. I wish I would of known about all of this with air filters before I ordered the Diablo. So maybe I will just run things with what I have for awhile. Getting my tanks filled by a scuba shop who knows how much moisture is in the tank after they fill it. it was very hard on us getting them filled and my woman was no help. I told her I bought a compressor to fill the tanks and right out of her mouth was... That is good because that blows going to get them filled. She did not have to say this as I can read her face pretty well after 44 years. Thank You for adding to the post. I was reading and then all of a sudden it stopped, so I appreciate the follow up..........Pete
 
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Airborne,

Yes I am an advocate of the Alpha filter from Joe. Like you I decided a filter is a filter and went with the Diable trying to save money. After its lines ruptured, and after I couldn't connect it to the ShoeBox without cutting up the shoebox I made up my mind. If it hadn't had those issues I might still be using it. But after looking at how the Joe B internal filter is setup that was one more nail in the Alpha coffin for me.

 
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I guess the other thing to consider is if the air filter doesn't do the job, what is it going to cost to repair the gun or replace a rusting component? Probably more than the difference between the Alpha and Diablo was my guess. If I had inexpensive guns and I could easily swap parts myself, I would probably with the less expensive path base on that. But my air rifles tend to be on the expensive side and I wind up sending them to Zasadny for work...and he isn't cheap.
 
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I have a question for you have you had a problem with moisture getting in your gun or fill bottles from your compressor I understand people buying that inline desiccant filters for the shoebox in others like it but the Omega is high quality unit so unless you're having problems with water then why spend the money. I plan on getting one myself just so you know but it's because I'm anal not because I need it lol
 
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