Aux Fans on Hill EC3000

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FLgunner

FLgunner

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Mar 4, 2017
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Navarre, FL, United States
GBGUNNER previously reached out to me about adding auxiliary fans to my Hill compressor since it was cutting off halfway through the fill of some of my airguns. GB suggested a box fan blowing on the compressor, but since my compressor is in a closet with limited space and I had a couple computer fans from another project, I thought I'd give them a try on the Hill. They don't move a lot of air, but apparently, every little bit helps! I filled two air rifles this morning, back to back, both take a 300 bar fill, so it took it to it's max fill pressure. Typically, it cuts off at 75C, it never got there. The first air rifle, a Huben K1 only got the temp up to around 55C. The only break the Hill got was swapping fill probes and inserting the new probe in the second gun, an AEA Challenger. That fill brought the temp to 70C, but it didn't shut off during either fill.

I had originally bought these fans to help cool a Hatsan Spark I had. The easiest way I found to mount them without modifying the case was to use rare earth magnets. Since they were already set up to draw air out of the Spark case, I just flipped the magnets to the other side of each fan, and now they both blow air onto the cylinder head of the Hill. It now has air blowing on it from 3 sides instead of just one. It seems to be working! GB asked me to share the results with the group, so here's a picture of the fans stuck to either side of the Hill compressor. They are powered by a USB plug and came with a High/Low/Off switch, which I set to High.

Aux Fans.1627228708.jpg

 
I just wonder what is gained by adding the two fans. You said it kept the temperature at 70 degrees but didn’t reach the 75 degree shut off ‘ cool off mode so it saved you the couple minutes of shut down but the actual pumping time would be the same as far as wear and tear on moving parts and seals. High heat is probably the worst enemy to these small pumps but the Hill pump has the cut off feature that already addresses that problem. But have you touched the cylinder head on your Hill when it is 70 degrees? You can’t, it’s higher than 70 because it will burn you. So maybe you do have something there worth while. 
 
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With the Hill EC3000 the unit will shut off to cool down and then restart and continue to fill until the set pressure is reached. Mine is mounted inside my garage where the noise is much less noticeable. Air temperature in the garage is seldom greater than 70 degrees during the day so it works well with an air cooled compressor.

Many items have a duty cycle and cannot run 24 hours a day without problems. It would be considerably more expensive to own and operate one and it may be feasible for a scuba shop but not for an individual.
 
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I know this is an older thread but I think you still have the Hill compressor. I wanted to make a suggestion on the fan setup you have. You said you have both added fans blowing air in towards the compressor head, I wonder it it would be better to turn one of the fans to pull air instead of pushing air. This would draw the air across the head. Two fans pushing cool air in and one fan pulled the hot air out.
This is how I used to set up fans in computer cases back when I custom built them.
Just a thought.
 
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