PCP compressor Filter

  • Like
Reactions: Centercut
Somebody in China has been reading the airgun forums and seized the opportunity to fill the gap in the cheap dehumidifier market. This one looks to offer breathing quality air. For airgun use, I would replace the carbon with more zeolite. The cartridge appears to be repackable so you can use any medium you like. At $80 USD, these should sell like hotcakes.
 
That's the same seller that sold me my gold filter... LJ High Pressure. Pretty quick to ship and very good at communication. Just last night we were trading messages concerning the small white disc seals and he mentioned that new version gold filter. I wish they'd have come out with it about three weeks earlier. I really like how the nozzle on the cartridge top slides inside the threaded cap.
 
I don't quite understand the use of molecular sieve and desiccant ( looks like silica gel ) in the same cartridge. Why not molecular sieve all the way ? the main purpose is to remove moisture right ? Furthermore, the diameter of the molecular sieve balls looks too big. There will be a higher chance for the air to go around the balls instead of through them so the effectiveness of moisture removal will be reduced I believe.
 
I don't quite understand the use of molecular sieve and desiccant ( looks like silica gel ) in the same cartridge. Why not molecular sieve all the way ? the main purpose is to remove moisture right ? Furthermore, the diameter of the molecular sieve balls looks too big. There will be a higher chance for the air to go around the balls instead of through them so the effectiveness of moisture removal will be reduced I believe.

My sentiments exactly. This filter with repackable cartridge is a game changer. It is worth the extra cost compared to the gold filters which come with cotton filter moisture absorbant. The fact that the cartridge can be repacked with zeolite 13x sized desiccant should completely satisfy the "acid leeching" concerns for compressor owners who have been reluctant to buy these filters. I made wall liner for my gold filter using slide projector transparent plastic sheets which works perfectly as a cartridge substitute. At $82, these new cartridge filters will provide the same moisture protection as $400 filters.
 
Agree with @Humdinger. If I didn't already have a "gold" filter from the same manufacturer, I would buy this one. Anyone looking for a filter/dryer for their Compressor should look into this one. I would not load the canister as shown, but would load Zeolite 13X, sandwiched by an inch cotton tampon on either end. No reason for the activated carbon for air guns.
 
@steveUK, we've gone over this many times here on the forum. Here's a reader's digest version of the consensus here... No offense intended!

If we are filling SCUBA tanks from 0 psi, then a Pressure Maintaining Valve - PMV (which is a simple back pressure regulator) to maintain the filter/dryer at approx. 2000 psi is essential, else the filter media will be expended very rapidly. However, we air gunners almost never end up with our tanks less than 3000 psi or so, and certainly not down to 2000 psi. So, a PMV that keeps the filter/dryer at 2000 psi and up is pointless when we never let pressure get that low in the first place.

And, if the outlet vent valve on your compressor is near the bottom of the unit (as most are), and the outlet block is connected to the filter/dryer with a 12 to 24 inch high pressure hose, with the inlet to the filter/dryer higher than the outlet of the compressor, and the outlet of the filter/dryer higher than the inlet of the filter/dryer, a separate vent valve at the inlet of the filter/dryer is redundant.

Just my two cents, but based on sound engineering principles and common sense...
 

@steveUK, we've gone over this many times here on the forum ... we air gunners almost never end up with our tanks less than 3000 psi or so, and certainly not down to 2000 psi. So, a PMV that keeps the filter/dryer at 2000 psi and up is pointless when we never let pressure get that low in the first place.

Not sure what the position is in USA - but in Britain/UK the delivery companies will not transport anything other than empty air tanks - so a pressure valve would be good for first fill

 
Yes, totally agree... Every time (had to do it twice) that I had to empty a tank, I took it to the local dive shop for its fill from empty.

When its due to for its 5 year hydro is a good time to empty it and change out the tank neck to valve o-ring, since it'll get emptied and refilled after the hydro anyway at the dive shop. Some shops change out the o-ring as a matter of general maintenance when they remove the valve to dry the tank out after the hydro.

If its past expiration date, (which also happened to me on one of my tanks), I just topped off my largest tank from 3000 to 4500 psi, then equalized pressure between that tank and the empty one. Both were down to slightly above 2000 psi, and I then topped off both of them.

But I do agree, it you HAD to fill from empty, a PMV would be beneficial.
 
Today on Aliexpress you can buy the Tuxing gold filter with the desiccant only cartridge for only $72 and it is shipped from California not China. You have the option of a charcoal filter or a combo filter. I agree with the posts in this thread that the clear desiccant is a waste of space. One good thing about this filter is that the desiccant cartridge is rechargeable and repackable.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/PCP-air-compressor-4500-psi-oil-water-filter-diving-seperator-300bar-30mpa-L350mm-OD49mm-ID36mm/32891898253.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dAm43i5