Home Made Oil/Water seperater Ideas?

[HotRod31]

Hey, just bought a new 2 stage air comp. 175 psi, so my old seperater (150 psi Max) won't handle it.I am wanting ideas on a water seperater that I could make. If any one has a good design please post it. I use a regulater. & small sep. away from the compressor, but lookin for one to put by the tank

Thanks, Mark

[GomezGarage]

Along time ago I had a friend get serously injured by trying to save a few bucks concerning an air compressor. Just buy one rated for the correct power so you dont kill yourself with a air pressure related accident. Safety is no time to cut corners... Just ask my now permanently disabled friend. FWIW

[dabond]

A seperater by the tank won't do very much. You need it at least 20' away. I am running a double outlet at each air drop in my garage. One side has a seperater on it and the othe one has a oiler. Works good.

[Hackerbilt]

Separator is useless at the tank...20' is the minimum.
What you need 175psi for?
Regulate it down at the tank and run your existing separator maybe?
CFM is the deal...not pressure.
Gonna need damn good plumbing with that kinda pressure on your system anyway.

I'm running dual 60 gal tanks...20' apart. 135psi. Plumbed together with a separator at the 2nd tank outlet to feed the shop plumbing. NO MOISTURE...PERIOD.
Great for painting but I need to replumb for a single tank setting to use when grinding or sanding...compressor runs too long filling both tanks.
Just a couple ball valves...no biggie.

Thats a good idea on the double outlets Dabond! Think I'll do a couple like that myself. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[HotRod31]

Don't assume I'm cutting corners by wanting to fab up one at home. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I ask for a Good design,I would not attemt it if I were not a GOOD welder http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I am just going by my last comp.( 5hp 30 gal.) I would drain the tank daily & get like a gallon of water out of it? Too small? overworked? Any way I will probally just regulate the pres. at the tank and keep my existing seper. were it is. Don't need 175 it's just got it http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks again, Mark

[Flat Ernie]

[ QUOTE ]
I am just going by my last comp.( 5hp 30 gal.) I would drain the tank daily & get like a gallon of water out of it? Too small? overworked?

[/ QUOTE ]

More likely your location - Gulf Coast = high humidity. Had the same problem when I lived near Pensacola & Miami...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[hammeredabone]

Mark- An old trick is to run a coil of copper tubing through an old fridge with an auto-drain on the bottom.As the hot moist air passes through the fridge, the condensate condenses and drops to the bottom where it goes out the auto drain. just make sure you use acr tubing thats air conditioning-refrigeration it has a thicker wall giving some burst protection.I would put an auto drain on your tank as well, the more moisture you get rid of there the less to get in your line. I have seen ac related air compressors tanks HALF full of condensate due to no auto drain and shitty maintenence. Buy an oil filter that changes color when wet with oil and you will just need to change the cartridge. Hope this helps

[Hackerbilt]

Naaa...not sayin' you CAN'T do it...just figure if you optimized your plumbing config you might not NEED a new one at all. Useing the right layout to allow proper cooling and draining of the air/moisture mix would take you a long ways by itself.
Still...thats a load of water for one day!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

The fridge coil idea is a good one!
We have a compressed air cooling unit just for that purpose at work. Works good even though I think its a little too close to the compressors.

I'd bet the coil in a fridge would work just as good as long as you had a drop leg and a separator between it and the hose outlet.

[HotRod31]

Abone, I like the idea of an auto drain, any more info on it (were to get one?) Bill, I have to redo my plumbing (old one was pvc ) I will use pipe with some drops in it. I remember a post a while back about running pipe for comp. I'll look it up for some pointers.
Just running hose off comp.for now. Ernie I agree with you about the humidity, today I ran an air file all day and drained about a cup of water out of the new comp.

Thanks again, Mark

[polisher]

We run 7 horse on a 60 gallon tank with a twenty gallon tank from an old compressor 50ft down the line.
Then we run out another 25ft to our water trap.
We drain compressor and auxilliary tank daily.
Water trap maybe once or even twice a week.
We work it hard too.
The twenty gallon tank ups our capacity and traps just about everything.
I don't like auto anything, as they are all alright until they mess up, then it's a bitch.
I prefer to drain my water, then I see how much and what's in it.

[hammeredabone]

HotRod31, You should be able to get an auto drain at Graingers. Also check a refrigeration wholesale house in your area that will sell to the public. Auto drains are very common in the HVAC field for buildings that utilize pnuematics for there control system. Hankison is one manufacterer of auto drains I like.

[river1]

harbor frieght has a autodrain. just replace the plastic line with copper and your good to go. they drain every time the compressor cycles.

later jim