Some Yong Heng Water Cooling

[Navyblue]

After a little 2nd degree burn on my arm from one of the tubes on my YH, I decided to add a little water cooling. I cannot take credit for the idea. I saw this the Target Forge YT channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcI1wD_rXOg&t=962s I just went crazy and wrapped all three YH tubes.

I started by bending some Amazon tubing brake line by hand. I wanted to get the basic shape as best as I could. I tried to minimize bends and keep the length of the tubing minimized.

 

Once I got the routing figured out, I wrapped copper wire snug as I could around the YH tube and the copper plated brake line. The copper wire is an excellent thermal conductor and will help shunt the heat off the YH lines. 

I attached the copper wire to the brake line with solder. I ran short a few spots on the wire, so I just soldered the loose end and started a new run and kept wrapping. I did not remove any of the YH tubing to wrap the copper wire. It was a little challenging wrapping but I managed. I did take off the oil breather to get a little more room while wrapping. 

I bought some Amazon silicon tubing to help with water attachments. I only needed less than a foot but I am going to use the extra for spare cooling line.

It will help with condensing the moisture too, keeping it out of my guns. It took less than 2hrs of total labor time and less than $45 in materials. Its not perfect and I'm not mechanically inclined but it meets my needs.

Any questions let me know.

Navyblue/Steve

 

[willy]

Can you touch the line;s now? cool idea? for sure.

 

[dizzums]

that is a neat idea .. be sure to keep a fan on it whilst its running, another problem area is the manifolds .. if they overheat it can blow a valve alot easier imo, especially if you fill to a full 45 ...

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

Cool if it works. I'm not a fan of added bulk, though. Let us know how it does. 

 

[Gerry52]

Very innovative. I've got heat sinks on my HP tubing & never worry now about getting burned. I Also keep a fan running on front and back of YH to dissipate heat works GREAT! HEAT is the ENEMY! 

 

[biohazardman]

Looks like a good idea for sure. Any heat you can dissipate from the unit will help.

I think the mod that does the most, to cool these things, is simply to run an auxiliary fan through the back of the unit.

A radiator will help also.



Link to Yong Heng info;

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/yong-heng-mods-update/?referrer=1

 

[rc4fun]

My way works very well also, just takes longer to get the parts. 

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/2-more-yong-heng-compressor-mods-water-jacket-fan/?referrer=1

 

[gendoc]

i did this several years ago and it worked great for filling guns !!

 

[KMoses]

Like the concept what you're trying to accomplish - check out my thread, a bit different set up - different methods but we're all chasing the same goal. Lower the numbers on that temp gauge!

 

[dfacto]

I also did this mod, except limited to after first and second stages only. The result works well--everything is cool-to-touch except first stage piston cylinder case. The peak running temp (after >30 min) is <48c.

I chose this mod because I figured that if I already had water cooling setup, then I may as well use that for cooling rather than having to additionally set up a fan.

To bend the copper tube, I filled it with salt and duct taped both ends. Note that brake lines are usually not copper but a steel alloy; therefore their cooling capacity is less (but also probably easier to bend without kinking.) I followed the original's idea to use zip ties to hold in place while winding (very clever!). Once I wrapped each tube with 18 ga copper wire (24 ft each), I soldered the ends to stabilize the winding. The copper tube is placed on top of the stainless tube because this should be (marginally) hottest. Care was taken to ensure everything could still be easily dismantled for maintenance.

Regarding the flow, I chose this configuration because I wanted to cool the high-pressure cylinder first as it would have been the only cooling sans the mod. I then cooled the low-pressure exit since this ought to be less hot then the high-pressure exit, which is cooled last. There's no reason to cool after the cyclonic condenser as this stage is (marginally) endothermic anyway (cooling).

If I was doing this again, I'd bend the pipe ends too. This would result in a lower profile and shorter silicone connecting tubes (the silicone tube kinks if the radius is any smaller). However to bend the end requires careful planning up front because you need excess pipe to make the bend using the salt method. (Whereas I winged everything and did the whole thing in under 60 min.) With a proper pipe bender, or even some basic planning, one could do a nicer job than I.

Parts:

$16 XIFOWE 99.9% Copper Tube 5/16" OD x 1/4" ID 5 Ft, Tube Wall: 1/32", Refrigeration Seamless Round T2 Pure Copper Tubes, Soft Coil Copper Tubing, Used In Refrigerators, Air conditioners, DIY projects... - https://a.co/d/g2XaCdN

$11.25 Bare Copper Wire/Choose : 10 Ga To 30 Ga (18 Ga - 50 Ft Coil) - https://a.co/d/e4hfQ4q

$16 Quickun Pure Silicone Tubing, 7mm ID x 10mm OD High Temp Food Grade Tube Pure Silicone Hose Tube for Home Brewing, Beer Line, Kegerator, Wine Making, Aquaponics, Air Hose by Proper Pour (16.4 Ft) - https://a.co/d/0PtxwM2

Total cost: $43.25

Tools (I didn't already have):

$22.50 RIDGID 40617 Model 101 Close Quarters Tubing Cutter with 1/4"-1-1/8" Cutting Capacity, Silver, Small
Visit the RIDGID Store - https://a.co/d/89fFZoG

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

I also did this mod, except limited to after first and second stages only. The result works well--everything is cool-to-touch except first stage piston cylinder case. The peak running temp (after >30 min) is <48c.

I chose this mod because I figured that if I already had water cooling setup, then I may as well use that for cooling rather than having to additionally set up a fan.

To bend the tube, I filled it with salt and duct taped both ends. Once I wrapped each tube with copper wire (25 ft each) I soldered the ends to stabilize the winding. The copper tube is placed on top of the stainless tube because this should be (marginally) hottest. Care was taken to ensure everything could still be easily dismantled for maintenance.

Regarding the flow, I chose this configuration because I wanted to cool the high-pressure cylinder first as it would have been the only cooling sans the mod. I then cooled the low-pressure exit since this ought to be less hot then the high-pressure exit, which is cooled last. There's no reason to cool after the cyclonic condenser as this stage is (marginally) endothermic anyway (cooling).

Parts:

$16 XIFOWE 99.9% Copper Tube 5/16" OD x 1/4" ID 5 Ft, Tube Wall: 1/32", Refrigeration Seamless Round T2 Pure Copper Tubes, Soft Coil Copper Tubing, Used In Refrigerators, Air conditioners, DIY projects... - https://a.co/d/g2XaCdN

$11.25 Bare Copper Wire/Choose : 10 Ga To 30 Ga (18 Ga - 50 Ft Coil) - https://a.co/d/e4hfQ4q

$16 Quickun Pure Silicone Tubing, 7mm ID x 10mm OD High Temp Food Grade Tube Pure Silicone Hose Tube for Home Brewing, Beer Line, Kegerator, Wine Making, Aquaponics, Air Hose by Proper Pour (16.4 Ft) - https://a.co/d/0PtxwM2

Total cost: $43.25

Tools (I didn't already have):

$22.50 RIDGID 40617 Model 101 Close Quarters Tubing Cutter with 1/4"-1-1/8" Cutting Capacity, Silver, Small
Visit the RIDGID Store - https://a.co/d/89fFZoG

View attachment 421490

This is a "cool" set-up you did. I'm wondering, do you notice a difference now from before in the amount of moisture that sprays out onto your fingertips when you release the high and low pressure knobs when cycling off the machine?

 

[dfacto]

This is a "cool" set-up you did. I'm wondering, do you notice a difference now from before in the amount of moisture that sprays out onto your fingertips when you release the high and low pressure knobs when cycling off the machi

Thanks!

I noticed marginally more moisture extraction from the first condenser. (I also use another; "toauto" brand purchased from Amazon. From this I have almost no moisture.) However it was a day with low humidity.

I would imagine that in a humid area, this mod would make a considerable difference.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Thanks!

I noticed marginally more moisture extraction from the first condenser. (I also use another; "toauto" brand purchased from Amazon. From this I have almost no moisture.) However it was a day with low humidity.

I would imagine that in a humid area, this mod would make a considerable difference.

I get a considerable amount of moisture blowing onto my fingers when I open the black knobs to release the pressure off the system. Moreso on the outlet/high pressure side, plus some on the other side as well. It is produced in the pumps and in the hard pipes, and collects in the two aluminum blocks on either side of the pump. Because of my filters, it does not make it to the tank.

If you are not getting any condensation release here upon shutdown then the copper cooling system helps control that internal condensate also.

 

[dfacto]

I get a considerable amount of moisture blowing onto my fingers when I open the black knobs to release the pressure off the system. Moreso on the outlet/high pressure side, plus some on the other side as well. It is produced in the pumps and in the hard pipes, and collects in the two aluminum blocks on either side of the pump. Because of my filters, it does not make it to the tank.

If you are not getting any condensation release here upon shutdown then the copper cooling system helps control that internal condensate also.

Makes sense. I can confirm: I _did_ get some moisture on HP side but post mod, now only from condenser. With this mod, and my low humidity, I doubt I even need another condenser.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Makes sense. I can confirm: I _did_ get some moisture on HP side but post mod, now only from condenser. With this mod, and my low humidity, I doubt I even need another condenser.

Sounds good. It looks like this a beneficial mod to reduce internal condensate.

 

[dfacto]

Sounds good. It looks like this a beneficial mod to reduce internal condensate.

Hello! So I got my second YH working and this allowed me to do an A/B experiment.

I was able to definitively confirm that the copper wire significantly reduces moisture on the HP side. Without the mod, most of the moisture comes out at the HP side. However with the mod, almost all comes out at the YH moisture release valve, so much so that secondary moisture capture is not necessary.

In other words: everyone should spend 50$ on the mod and skip the >100$ on additional devices. YH+mod=all you need. (Which is also consistent with more modern compressors.)

(I'm attaching some pics to provide some evidence that I conducted this test. Observe that I'm touching all three lines; they are barely warm.)

 

[airdefense33]

Very cool. Thanks all from a new yh owner.