What are the best ways to minimize water accumulation in air tanks, and getting water out if it eventually does?

[TheDaleness]

EDIT: For anyone who comes across this thread and would like more detailed information on all of the answers below, here in another great thread on the subject:
https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/tuxing-filter-which-one-for-yong-heng.1271604/

ORGINAL POST:

The answers to these questions might be very simple:
"Use a large desiccant filter when filling tanks." (like this?: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LKYXBYS)
and
"Depressurize the tanks, remove valves, poor out water, let dry."

But I'm curious if there are other methods, and what specific products/methods other people use. I want to learn how take good care of all my equipment.

SPECIFICS:
I have a compressor from Amazon called the GX CS3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0819ZH85H
It has been working well for over a year. I use it to fill a 100cc Air Venturi tank.
Recently the humidity on the Southern California coast jumped much higher than normal for a few days - to around 80-90%. It's usually very dry. I used the compressor a lot on these humid days. I noticed that it was getting much more difficult to twist open/close the valve on the AirVenturi tank. I was also noticing a little water dripping from the fill ports after filling the gun. And when I bleed the line there's a very visible spray of fine mist condensing in the air and/or being released from the line.

Thanks for any info/suggestions.

 

[delooper]

I use the Alpha Filter: http://www.airtanksforsale.com/

 

[JimD]

The filter you linked is probably big enough for your compressor but only if you dump out the carbon and use all dessicant. I like to use color changing dessicant so I can see when it needs to be changed. If it all changed color on one fill I would look for something larger. But I doubt it will. I fill my 66 cubic foot 45 minute SCBA tank with my Yong Heng using the stock filter and then one like this filled with color changing beads. It takes several tank refills to get most of the dessicant changed color and then I change it out.

If you think you've gotten water into a storage tank or gun I would degass it and dump it out and allow it to dry. I have not done this but have opened the air cylinder of a couple of my guns for other reasons and I did not find any water. So I'm pretty sure my measures are working.

I also arrange my filters to be above my air tank when I am filling it so any water will tend to drain back towards the compressor. I open the vent on the compressor every 5 minutes to vent moisture and especially after 10 minutes I see a significant amount. Usually the tank is full after about 15 minutes.

 

[WorriedMan]

Copper-colored water coalescing filter on eBay, around $125. Search, "Yong Heng filters." Has no media, not supposed to open, channels heavier water/oil molecules to bottom (to vent) while cleaner, drier air exits at top. One half of my Yong Heng filter set-up, other part, the M50 filter you linked. WM

 

[Revoman]

You might also try a low pressure filter on the incoming compressor line. This helps eliminate moisture before it gets to the high pressure system.

 

[TheDaleness]

The filter you linked is probably big enough for your compressor but only if you dump out the carbon and use all dessicant. I like to use color changing dessicant so I can see when it needs to be changed. If it all changed color on one fill I would look for something larger. But I doubt it will. I fill my 66 cubic foot 45 minute SCBA tank with my Yong Heng using the stock filter and then one like this filled with color changing beads. It takes several tank refills to get most of the dessicant changed color and then I change it out.

If you think you've gotten water into a storage tank or gun I would degass it and dump it out and allow it to dry. I have not done this but have opened the air cylinder of a couple of my guns for other reasons and I did not find any water. So I'm pretty sure my measures are working.

I also arrange my filters to be above my air tank when I am filling it so any water will tend to drain back towards the compressor. I open the vent on the compressor every 5 minutes to vent moisture and especially after 10 minutes I see a significant amount. Usually the tank is full after about 15 minutes.

Exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks, Jim! On it!

 

[Gerry52]

If you're seeing that much moisture that's NOT a good thing. I have 2 inexpensive Airmega filters (about $30 when I got them). One of which is being used with my Yong Heng. The 1st thing I did with it was to replace the "cotton" filters with color changing dessicant & activated charcoal. It's the 1st filter in my fill line. The second filter in line is the small one that came with compressor, using a cotton filter. I, too, am in SoCal. (San Diego) & have had ZERO moisture in tanks or guns in the 3+ years of using the YH. If you're getting moisture in tank, just fully depressurize, remove valve, invert tank & run a hair dryer up in it to dry it out. Moisture in your gun is more complicated of course but do what you can to eliminate. What drying media is used is more important than size of filter, to a certain degree. In between compressor runs I allow my filter media to air dry by opening end caps of filter housings.

 

[TheDaleness]

If you're seeing that much moisture that's NOT a good thing. I have 2 inexpensive Airmega filters (about $30 when I got them). One of which is being used with my Yong Heng. The 1st thing I did with it was to replace the "cotton" filters with color changing dessicant & activated charcoal. It's the 1st filter in my fill line. The second filter in line is the small one that came with compressor, using a cotton filter. I, too, am in SoCal. (San Diego) & have had ZERO moisture in tanks or guns in the 3+ years of using the YH. If you're getting moisture in tank, just fully depressurize, remove valve, invert tank & run a hair dryer up in it to dry it out. Moisture in your gun is more complicated of course but do what you can to eliminate. What drying media is used is more important than size of filter, to a certain degree. In between compressor runs I allow my filter media to air dry by opening end caps of filter housings.

Thanks Gerry, very helpful. Going to massively upgrade my filter system, and completely dry my tank and bottle. I've shot about 20 shots since noticing the moisture. Hopefully I haven't done too much damage to the gun (it's an Impact).
Should I attempt to disassemble the whole gun to dry all of the air-containing areas? Especially the plenum? Or will continued used of bone-dry air from my new filter setup remove this moisture SAFELY over time?

 

[Gerry52]

Thanks Gerry, very helpful. Going to massively upgrade my filter system, and completely dry my tank and bottle. I've shot about 20 shots since noticing the moisture. Hopefully I haven't done too much damage to the gun (it's an Impact).
Should I attempt to disassemble the whole gun to dry all of the air-containing areas? Especially the plenum? Or will continued used of bone-dry air from my new filter setup remove this moisture SAFELY over time?

Hopefully someone who's better qualified to answer this will chime in. I've no experience owning an Impact so don't want to answer above my "pay grade". My FX guns are a simpler platform (Bobcat, Royale, Boss). I assume that, from this point on, running dry air will help but not sure about residual deposits being left behind. Good luck.

 

[JimD]

Target Forge has a good youtube about effectiveness of filters. He sent the air that came out of both a little 350W compressor and a Yong Heng (about 1800 watts) out to a lab to be tested. He found the coalescing filters did not remove moisture effectively. Dessicant did for both types of compressor.

Activated charcoal would be good to use if we were trying to make air we would breathe but our guns do not care about the smell. They just need it dry.

 

[TheDaleness]

Hopefully someone who's better qualified to answer this will chime in. I've no experience owning an Impact so don't want to answer above my "pay grade". My FX guns are a simpler platform (Bobcat, Royale, Boss). I assume that, from this point on, running dry air will help but not sure about residual deposits being left behind. Good luck.

Sure thing. Thank you. Will ask around, as well.

 

[TheDaleness]

Target Forge has a good youtube about effectiveness of filters. He sent the air that came out of both a little 350W compressor and a Yong Heng (about 1800 watts) out to a lab to be tested. He found the coalescing filters did not remove moisture effectively. Dessicant did for both types of compressor.

Activated charcoal would be good to use if we were trying to make air we would breathe but our guns do not care about the smell. They just need it dry.

Very good to know. Thank you. What desiccant filter/s do you use? And thanks for recommending target forge - very helpful info on their channel.

 

[rodm1]

Do you have a link for the video? Not able to find it maybe removed??

 

[JimD]

Sorry, I am not good with links but the title of the youtube is "Yong Heng vs GX CS2 Actual Air Quality Test!". If you google that I think you'll get there. It was posted January 26, 2022.

My second filter (I use the stock Yong Heng filter first) is a black one about the size of the blue one linked to the first post. I bought one of the much larger Tuxing filters that is gold but it is still in it's box. I'm sure it would work fine but I just don't see that I need that much filtration.

 

[TheDaleness]

Do you have a link for the video? Not able to find it maybe removed??

Yong Heng vs GX CS2 Actual Air Quality Test! Part 1