it was a rainfresh unit…
there are many types…
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@toolboy thanks. I think I have looked ar several of those already but did not realize yours was those. I think i have looked at a million different things for filters, coolers and dessicant units lately.
yes the one caveat I made above.
the aluminum is the structure of the small filter.
most people here don’t need a filter for 30 cfm
this is only 150 $ and is 22 cfm. ( I’m not sure the CFM is accurate on this but Campbell Hausfeld does a really bad job of giving the specs for their air products(edit: doubtful this is 22 cfm now))
I believe using a water filter as a large desiccant cell introduces unnecessary risk at a marginal cost saving and I would recommend new users to buy products made for this task instead.
This is the desiccant filter I use it’s almost doubled in price in the last couple years they sell a slightly cheaper version of this at Eastwood as well.
this CAM-air is rated at 16 CFM which is about perfect for our small plasma set ups
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also the rainfresh FC-200 you install has a maximum pressure rating of 100 psi, both the brochure and install manual recommends operating it at 75 psi or less and is there is any chance of it being a higher psi to install a regulator set to 75 psi . “Recommended regulator setting is 60 - 75 psi”
also the cannister or sump has a limited service life of 5 years in its ideal conditions before a replacement is needed. which is filled with cold water out of sunlight (I would think UV from the plasma and lack of cooling that the water provided would reduce this service life even further).
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@TinWhisperer can the cartridge for the Devilbliss unit be opened up and the beads baked to reuse them? I thought i had seen a thread saying could be done but cant remember where i saw it.
yes they can be. I have two of the internal cartridges’ that I swap.
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point well taken…and I agree
Your research and presentation is fantastic…
I may change it in the future…but for now it is doing it’s job…the biggest cause of failure of these units is water hammering.
I have seen copper water lines and fittings blow out on 60lbs of water pressure due to continuous water hammer effects…there is very limited impact of air pressure like water…
Everything has warnings and safety limits set by the manufacturer to protect them from people like me…ahahahaha…
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@Dobber shielding it is a good idea, however I would lean towards something with solid walls. It’s the little pieces that exit the expanded metal that have a higher chance of blinding you.
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I’m super leery of using a water filter for desiccant. At the least you should fab a shroud for it to protect in case of catastrophic failure.
I just run the larger new harbor freight desiccant filer Combo and swap my beads when they change color. Beads are cheap.
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@brownfox not only are they cheap but they are really easy to dry and use again as well. how big is the one you are using from harbor freight? the largest one i have found from them has a cannister about 4 inches tall…would like to find a larger one so i dont have to change beads so often.
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I have this combo. I may buy a second dessicany and replace the filter. Never had anything in it.
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That’s the same one I have. I hadn’t considered changing the other side into desiccant. I wonder if desiccant could just be added to the filter bowl?
Im not sure if the air path inside it is right or if the filter element takes up too much space to make it worth it.
@brownfox added some desiccant to that side and to another similar filter I had. You are correct…not sure that the volume is worth it but we will see. I need to quit being lazy and just build a decent container. It wont be see thru but it will hold a significant number of beads and then immediately following I will connect the small one with the see thru housing…I figure that one should work as a tale tale for when the large one becomes saturated.
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Any good idears for an aftercooler? I have a craftsman 30gal that I’m sure isn’t helping air supply temps since it’s barely over rated CFM requirements of my plasma. That’s going into my filter / desiccant, then into a spare 7 gal 125psi tank, then into the plasma.
Not sure if I’m supplying clean enough air, as my expendables are wearing out within about 1-2 larger cuts (10 mins or so?)
Search this forum for “Derale”
It is a transmission cooler people ( including myself) are using to cool the air temp between the pump and tank of air compressor. Add a water separator between it and the tank. Cools the air and removes maybe 2/3 water going into the tank.
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Well should I piece together that setup, or just buy the compressed air dryer from HF?
@apynckel in the best case scenario. actually all of the components kinda help one another. the after cooler cools the air enough for the harbor freight powered air dryer to process the air further, it then moves on down the line to a dessicant media dryer that pulls the final bit of moisture from the air then through a very good air filter and finally into your plasma cutter.
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