I have desiccant dryers on both the intake and output on my compressor. I have the blue color changing silica on the intake, and the active carbon/molecular sieve on the output. This set up works extremely well. As the intake removes most of the moisture, the output catches any residual moisture along with and odors.
I was using an Air Venturi output side filter. Pretty much everything you say not to do was how that filter was made... I just picked up your alpha filter for my air venturi 4500. I hope my guns aren't trashed. That must be why Air Venturi discontinued that filter, it's trash and dangerous. Thanks for the knowledge!
Running humid air through a compressor is hard on lubrication and promotes wear. I have molecular sieves in a 150 PSI storage tank, usually let it sit for a day. I withdraw air for high pressure compressor at around 5 PSI gauge to feed my compressors. First started this with a Benjamin hand pump, now I'm using a 4500 PSI electric. Once a year I remove the molecular sieves and bake them at 450°F for a few hours. I record weight before and after, naturally some mass is lost in dust.
A lot of pertinent information. I had a hydraulic hose leak that sliced through my winter parka and that was only 2900 psi,I’m afraid to think what 4500psi could do. You need quality equipment purchased from knowledgeable suppliers like Joe. Great video.
But hey this pressure maintaining valve you've mentioned so the water filter is on the output side of the compressor which makes sense as you pointed out rightly that wringing effect to force the water out of the air but then surely if the air then has to get by a valve that won't allow it to leave untill its reached a suitable pressure for the wringing effect. As soon as you connect any sealed vessel ie a hpa cylinder to the output that pmv will then shut off as soon as your pressure vessel makes any attempt to find an equilibrium with the pressure that's on the input side of the pmv. So this is really troubling, it seems at least in my mind that the compressor and the water separator would have to be operating at pressures way higher even double the final intended output pressure in order to cause the pmv to continue functioning. As if it always would require the same relative difference.
Basically the PMV works like a Zener diode. Pressure doesn't pass until it hits a certain potential on the compressor side (2200 PSI relative to atmosphere).
Great video. Very informative. I just recently got into PCP air guns. I recently purchased a high-end, FX air gun and a GXCS 4-1 compressor, and s 6.8 L tank. When I went to fill my tank tonight, it took about three hours with my compressor and to my surprise with 2 6” filters on the line, when I opened the bleeder, a lot of moisture came out. I probably no surprise to you. But regardless, I’m assuming my tank now has moisture in it so I’m going to have to drain it and dry it out. I will be filling it not only my gun with this compressor but also the 6.8 L tank. What do you suggest I get for a filter. And where do I buy one? Thanks So much. Fred
I would have expected those results. PLEASE watch my videos here. All I had to do was search "filter" on my channel and these popped up: www.youtube.com/@AirGunScientist/search?query=filter
Do you sell replacement filter cartridges for the alpha? I don't see them on your web site. How much are they? How often do they need to be replaced? How do I know when they need to be replaced? Can the filter be heated to "refresh" the sieve and carbon? Can the cartridge be emptied to refresh the carbon and sieve outside of it, and then repacked?
Hi Joe, why does the water pool at the bottom? Moisture is suspended in air, and you don't have any pressure increases or significant temperature changes in the filter, right? Does the surface of media saturate forcing the water to condensate and then drop due to gravity? Or does the media release some moisture when you suddenly depressurize the filter?
As the hot moisture-laden air cools on parts inside the cooler metal filter, it starts to condense (rain) inside. From their, the air must be kept under high pressure via a Pressure Maintaining Valve (PMV) for the air to be scrubbed.
If it indeed just condensation plus gravity, why would any old media with a high surface area, say fine sand, not work as well? How hot is the air coming from the compressor? Filter, presumably is room temperature at least initially. If this is temperature driven would you get more effective moisture removal by cooling the filter externally?
1) condensation, 2) coalescence, 3) gravity, and 4) molecular sieve. Joe thoroughly discusses the molecular sieve medium in the video. He also describes how the other three processes are effectively pre-treatment of the air before the it reaches the molecular sieve medium, to preserve the medium. The air will not become nearly as dry without the molecular sieve. PS: There is in fact a pressure change, a huge one. Joe discusses this, and the need for a pressure maintaining valve.
Joe, I love your content but you need to fix your website. Every time I try to purchase something it can never be accomplished because it always freezes.
Thanks Joe, very informative. What about storing the Alpha. Is there any recommendations to keeping the Alpha to ensure the life of the Alpha is protected to the fullest extent?
It's a quality unit. If it's going to sit for years, I'd probably remove the filter element. Other than that, our Alpha filter is pretty much bullet proof.
What I meant was between filling my big tank it has been a couple of months. I drained the moisture out of the lower part of the filter when I last shut down the compressor but I kept the filter up right (any recommendation on position of the filter for short duration storage)and took the air hose from the shoe box compressor after it was open to the atmosphere for a day to drain as much as possible and connected it to the top of the filter so the filter would not get any contaminates over time. I will have a shop in the next few months so I can set up a more permeate filling station and I will also be doing more shooting. Thanks for the great instructional videos - 4,500 PSI air can be very dangerous and you are sharing your knowledge on the subject is very important.
you have 3 feinwerkbau's 2 red ones and a blue one and a brake barrel that will be fine or do you have a hw80 (R1) that will be good also sounds good to me thank you
Wow, GOOD EYE!!!! Sure, I could do a review on the P70 and P70FT. Please list a few questions that you would like answered, or list facts that would make it interesting to you and others and we'll make a video. Actually, I thought I had 3 as well. but then I remembered there is a 4th in wood, to the left with some AZ mods.
the blue one looks like a 10 meter rifle (muzzle weights) I didn't know you had both p70 and the ft model so the p70 is a 10 meter rifle and the p70 ft is for field target talk about the 10 meter shooting and how many shots you get that it's done indoors and the field target rifle how much you can adjust one of the rifles to your liking that field target is outdoors the advantages of more power or target shooting and the fun with such accurate rifles that if you had one you can use the same whole all day long on a bench rest do you have extra cylinders to switch out instead of refilling or you get like 200 shots from one fill it's something like that me I want a old fwb65 or a fwb 101 ,fwb100 or a fwb 103 I always carry my hw45 with pistol scope to much fun with European air guns have a good day hope this sparks a review
EXCELLENT input. I owe you one. Good eye too. Yes, blue is my personal 10M, 2 Alum are FT, as is the wood version on the left of them. You deserve some kind of discount. Whatcha looking to buy in the very near future?
