Water Separator Progress for YongHeng Compressor

[ACHiPo]

Made some progress on the water separator system for my YongHeng compressor. I ordered a "gold" filter from AliExpress for ~$50. I bored out one of the caps to 1.180" x 0.75" to allow the o-ring of the Fiter Techs 13x molecular sieve element to seal in the cap. This will be the outlet, as pressure will push the filter element into the cap. I cut one of the tampons to 2.25" so it presses against the filter element on the inlet side.

https://www.filtertechs.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=394&osCsid=qf8e3qqcb8on78i46tfkanhf31

I bought a second mechanical separator from someone on this site used (the mechanical separator has an inlet on the top that goes into a muffler and diffuser directing flow down, and the outlet is above the exit of the diffuser so the air has to take a tortuous path giving moisture a chance to condense at the bottom of the separator. There is also a drain at the bottom to vent the water.)

The outlet of the compressor will go into the top of the mechanical separator, which will have a check valve on it to keep pressure in the separator when I vent the compressor. The outlet of the mechanical separator will go to the bottom of the gold filter with the 13X cartridge. The gold filter will have a PMV set to 1800 psi to keep both filters pressurized. Both filters will be mounted above the compressor outlet, allowing the compressor vent to act as a first stage separator.

 

[airgunfans]

May I know where the PMV is mounted and how it is used ?

 

[milacik]

look, moisture goes into the gun and comes out again as you shoot it.

Are you Count Dracula and it is holy water in there?

Periodically when you inspect the gun internals (once a year for peace of mind if you wish) you will find that very few things actually -if anything corrodes. And If the repair and replacement parts cost less than all this hassle with the moisture trap and medium plus time spent on it. Few years experience in a rainy country.

 

[Centercut]

@milacik, you do have a valid point. However, even in not so humid areas like Southern California, some of the moisture from the compressor can get to your air rifles. See photos below of what my filter stopped after a total of 7.5 hours run time. The first two photos are of the cotton inlet tampon filter, and the third photo is of the Zeolite 13X molecular sieve with a sprinkling of color changing silica beads. They turn dark when expended or moist. All of the colored ones were orange when I put them in the filter housing... The cotton filter on the left in the second photo is the outlet filter, and you can see that it is clean. 

 

[Centercut]

@airgunfans, PMV is only in service when filling a tank from very low or zero pressure. It does nothing when topping off a tank starting above 2000 psi. Dive shops use them since they normally fill tanks that are empty. We airgunners usually use our tanks down to perhaps 3000 psi, then fill them back up to 4500 psi. So the PMV never comes into play... When used, it is installed at the outlet of the filter/dryer.

@achipo, good looking set up. Nice job. Post some more photos when you have the entire setup completed.

 

[ACHiPo]

May I know where the PMV is mounted and how it is used ?

I haven’t received the PMV yet, but it will be mounted to the top of the molecular sieve.

 

[ACHiPo]

@airgunfans, PMV is only in service when filling a tank from very low or zero pressure. It does nothing when topping off a tank starting above 2000 psi. Dive shops use them since they normally fill tanks that are empty. We airgunners usually use our tanks down to perhaps 3000 psi, then fill them back up to 4500 psi. So the PMV never comes into play... When used, it is installed at the outlet of the filter/dryer.

@achipo, good looking set up. Nice job. Post some more photos when you have the entire setup completed.

Center,

Thanks. I will post progress as I make it. Does anyone have a source for M10x1 male to 1/4” NPT male adapters?

 

[Eaglebeak]

@airgunfans, PMV is only in service when filling a tank from very low or zero pressure. It does nothing when topping off a tank starting above 2000 psi. Dive shops use them since they normally fill tanks that are empty. We airgunners usually use our tanks down to perhaps 3000 psi, then fill them back up to 4500 psi. So the PMV never comes into play... When used, it is installed at the outlet of the filter/dryer.

@achipo, good looking set up. Nice job. Post some more photos when you have the entire setup completed.

Center,

Thanks. I will post progress as I make it. Does anyone have a source for M10x1 male to 1/4” NPT male adapters?

If you can't find a 1/4 NPT to M10x1 adaptor, just get a 1/4x1/4 nipple and use your lathe to cut a new M10x1 thread on one end. Do you intend to leave the filtration system pressurised whilst not in use?

 

[airgunfans]

I have searched a bit among the on line shops in China but could not find any M10x1 to NPT adaptors. However, there are M10x1 to BSPP and BSPP to NPT adaptors that can be used jointly to achieve the purpose. However, If its me, I will avoid the trouble and just make a new threaded hole diectly on the cap of the gold filter . Loctite 545 can be used to seal up the connection

 

[prfssrlee]

These guys have it (and just about everything else), but you gotta really want to have it at $25 each. Just go with an M10x1 male - to -1/4"npt female and a close nipple. Or better yet, maybe do a M10x1 - 1/8"fpt then an 1/8"-1/4" adapter.

http://www.stainlesssteelfittings.com/SS_5007LL_Extra_Light_Duty_DIN_X_Male_NPT_p/ss-5007ll.htm?gclid=CjwKCAjwrNjcBRA3EiwAIIOvqzZUN8JIkHRlUvZnBrN92Ft6kex0wcG-Z4Dq5m6AQt5xPKLwgHgRWBoC6C4QAvD_BwE

Here's an M10x1 - 1/8"fpt instead for alot less:

https://www.discounthydraulichose.com/9235_Metric_x_NPTF_Female_p/9235.htm?1=1&CartID=0

 

[ACHiPo]

@airgunfans, PMV is only in service when filling a tank from very low or zero pressure. It does nothing when topping off a tank starting above 2000 psi. Dive shops use them since they normally fill tanks that are empty. We airgunners usually use our tanks down to perhaps 3000 psi, then fill them back up to 4500 psi. So the PMV never comes into play... When used, it is installed at the outlet of the filter/dryer.

@achipo, good looking set up. Nice job. Post some more photos when you have the entire setup completed.

Center,

Thanks. I will post progress as I make it. Does anyone have a source for M10x1 male to 1/4” NPT male adapters?

If you can't find a 1/4 NPT to M10x1 adaptor, just get a 1/4x1/4 nipple and use your lathe to cut a new M10x1 thread on one end. Do you intend to leave the filtration system pressurised whilst not in use?

I'm almost as new at machining as I am airgunning, so I have yet to cut threads. I guess fittings is as good a thing to learn on as anything, though. My lathe is a 1947 Logan, so no metric anything. I'll have to figure out how to get close to right with SAE speeds and feeds.

Yes, I'm planning to keep the filters pressurized to 1800 psi when not in use. While I don't need it for filling empty tanks necessarily, just filling up the volume of the filters will probably take a couple temperature cycles of the compressor (maybe 20 minutes of actual pump time?)

 

[ACHiPo]

These guys have it (and just about everything else), but you gotta really want to have it at $25 each. Just go with an M10x1 male - to -1/4"npt female and a close nipple. Or better yet, maybe do a M10x1 - 1/8"fpt then an 1/8"-1/4" adapter.

http://www.stainlesssteelfittings.com/SS_5007LL_Extra_Light_Duty_DIN_X_Male_NPT_p/ss-5007ll.htm?gclid=CjwKCAjwrNjcBRA3EiwAIIOvqzZUN8JIkHRlUvZnBrN92Ft6kex0wcG-Z4Dq5m6AQt5xPKLwgHgRWBoC6C4QAvD_BwE

Here's an M10x1 - 1/8"fpt instead for alot less:

https://www.discounthydraulichose.com/9235_Metric_x_NPTF_Female_p/9235.htm?1=1&CartID=0

Thanks! Yes, they are pretty proud of those fittings! I like the idea of cutting new threads in the canister.

 

[Eaglebeak]

ACHiPo

If you don't want to cut the thread with your lathe, you could just machine it down to 10mm and cut the thread with a hand tool and die. I will often cut an M10x1 or 1/8 BSPP over an existing 1/8 NPT to get the fitting that I need. Because the NPT thread is tapered, there is plenty of metal to get a nice strong and properly fitting union.

 

[ACHiPo]

ACHiPo

If you don't want to cut the thread with your lathe, you could just machine it down to 10mm and cut the thread with a hand tool and die. I will often cut an M10x1 or 1/8 BSPP over an existing 1/8 NPT to get the fitting that I need. Because the NPT thread is tapered, there is plenty of metal to get a nice strong and properly fitting union.

Eagle,

That's a great idea. I have a few metric taps and dies. I'll have to check if I have M10x1.

Thanks!

Evan

 

[sqweeler]

Don't know if this would help. https://www.threadtoolsupply.com/m10x10-18-npt-steel-thread-adapter.html

 

[ACHiPo]

Don't know if this would help. https://www.threadtoolsupply.com/m10x10-18-npt-steel-thread-adapter.html

I think that will help a lot. Going from 1/8” to 1/4” NPT is easy—lots of inexpensive options. Thanks.