Max PSI on Compressor

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TrollMagnet

TrollMagnet

Member
Feb 3, 2024
16
21
Southeast, PA
So I have the compressor in the pic. I have been filling SCBA tanks with it and then filling my guns from the tanks. I have a Huben GK1 though so I decided to see if it would push that to 5k PSI, and it didnt slow down or anything and filled it right up to the end of the green on the gauge. I figured I would ask if any of you think this will kill the compressor. The GK1 has such a small tank it does not run long at the higher PSI. The SCBA tanks I have though I only fill to 4500PSI. They are large 45 minute tanks so I give the compressor breaks. I obviously like being able to fill the GK1 to the amount it is supposed to be filled, so I am curious if you think this will kill it super fast. Thanks
Pump.jpg
Screenshot_20240217_215552_Gallery.jpg
 
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Compressor heating is your enemy and it is the defining difference between a professional compressor and the Chinese toys. There is no free lunch and HPA is the most expensive element in our sport, far more expensive than our guns. If you reduce the compressor's duty cycle, it will survive longer. Do not use your toy compressor to fill your SCBA tank. It will overheat and kill your compressor.

I use a 12 liter bottle to fill my GK1, but I have a Bauer 4 cylinder compressor with cooling and water separation at every stage and it can run all day without issues. Because the GK1 has no regulator, I recharge the gun after every magazine to maintain consistency and I recharge the 12 liter bottle when it reaches 270 bar.
 
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No moisture filter? THAT'S asking for trouble down the line. Just because it CAN fill your gun to its limit does that mean your gun shoots efficiently at that limit & if not, why push compressor that hard to get to 5k? Would you push your car's tachometer to top of red zone? Same logic applies here.
 
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The thing to remember is that air no longer compresses in the same "linear" way we think about it once it gets over about 3600 psi, due to the density of the air at that point (due to something known as van der Waals forces). So that last 500 psi of air is acting more like 450 psi of air down around 3000 psi - meaning you are not getting as much out of it as you think you are (probably only a few shots).

I have a Huben K1, and I just don't think it worth the load on the compressor to get that last 500 psi, especially if it was not designed for it.

And I agree strongly with Gerry52 that filling straight to a tank without a desiccant drier in the line is a big mistake long term . . . eventually your tank will corrode out on the inside from the condensation from the water vapor that you absolutely are pumping into it . . . .
 
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The duty cycle on the compressor is 50/20. It does not matter how big the tank is if I am not exceeding the duty cycle. Its not getting very hot. To fill an SCBA I run it 20-25 minutes, let it cool for 10-15, then repeat until I'm at 4500PSI with no issues at all.

For the moisture, I'm filling in a room with 20-25% humidity, and it has a water separator built in that blows any condensation out the bottom when the bleed valve is open.

The compressor has a one year warranty, and I have an upgraded warranty through a 3rd party for 3 years. I'm going to keep doing it and see if it breaks. No one here has given me a good reason to not keep doing it. The heat is not an issue, and Im not worried about it breaking. I was more curious if anyone had an actual reason this pump cannot hit 5k PSI without breaking.
 
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TrollMagnet said:
The duty cycle on the compressor is 50/20. It does not matter how big the tank is if I am not exceeding the duty cycle. Its not getting very hot. To fill an SCBA I run it 20-25 minutes, let it cool for 10-15, then repeat until I'm at 4500PSI with no issues at all.

For the moisture, I'm filling in a room with 20-25% humidity, and it has a water separator built in that blows any condensation out the bottom when the bleed valve is open.

The compressor has a one year warranty, and I have an upgraded warranty through a 3rd party for 3 years. I'm going to keep doing it and see if it breaks. No one here has given me a good reason to not keep doing it. The heat is not an issue, and Im not worried about it breaking. I was more curious if anyone had an actual reason this pump cannot hit 5k PSI without breaking.
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SAFETY is the reason for not pushing it but what YOU do is your business. Like my wife says, "everyone gets to F*** it up for themselves". It's more likely that fittings or hoses will give way before tank or compressor & I guess "flying debris" concerns me more than it seems to concern others.
 
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TrollMagnet said:
The duty cycle on the compressor is 50/20. It does not matter how big the tank is if I am not exceeding the duty cycle. Its not getting very hot. To fill an SCBA I run it 20-25 minutes, let it cool for 10-15, then repeat until I'm at 4500PSI with no issues at all.

For the moisture, I'm filling in a room with 20-25% humidity, and it has a water separator built in that blows any condensation out the bottom when the bleed valve is open.

The compressor has a one year warranty, and I have an upgraded warranty through a 3rd party for 3 years. I'm going to keep doing it and see if it breaks. No one here has given me a good reason to not keep doing it. The heat is not an issue, and Im not worried about it breaking. I was more curious if anyone had an actual reason this pump cannot hit 5k PSI without breaking.
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The issue is not the condensate, it is the water vapor that still remains in the hot air charge coming out of your compressor post compression - and after 10+ minutes, that air will be "hot" . . . read what I posted in responses 46 and 55 in the linked topic: https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/moisture-how-big-a-deal-is-it.1303888/page-3

Or just do what you want and live with the results . . .
 
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AlanMcD said:
The thing to remember is that air no longer compresses in the same "linear" way we think about it once it gets over about 3600 psi, due to the density of the air at that point (due to something known as van der Waals forces). So that last 500 psi of air is acting more like 450 psi of air down around 3000 psi - meaning you are not getting as much out of it as you think you are (probably only a few shots).

I have a Huben K1, and I just don't think it worth the load on the compressor to get that last 500 psi, especially if it was not designed for it.

And I agree strongly with Gerry52 that filling straight to a tank without a desiccant drier in the line is a big mistake long term . . . eventually your tank will corrode out on the inside from the condensation from the water vapor that you absolutely are pumping into it . . . .
Click to expand...
And, more importantly (to me), the moisture that will inevitably get into GUN!
 
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Gerry52 said:
SAFETY is the reason for not pushing it but what YOU do is your business. Like my wife says, "everyone gets to F*** it up for themselves". It's more likely that fittings or hoses will give way before tank or compressor & I guess "flying debris" concerns me more than it seems to concern others.
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SCBA tanks are not supposed to be filled in an area with a bunch of people moving around in the first place. If anything fails in the pump or the tank you should not be in a position to be injured in the first place. They can fail at 3000 PSI too. This is why no one should be using a compressor without an auto shut off. You should not have your face over the gauges watching in any scenario.

These SCBA tank are not the only pressure vessels I have, they are by far the safest though. The Huben only has an 85cc reservoir, so it takes an extra 30 seconds to get to 5000PSI. If it had to run for 10minutes over 4500psi I wouldnt do it, but this Im going to keep doing and see if it blows.
 
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