[Silverback]

I've played with a few combination, built a few different setups and finally have a simple, cheap setup that works.

One, nothing is going to work well at the compressor, the air temp is just too high there. You need to get at least 20-30' of line between it and the drier assembly.

Do a web search for a "franzinator," it's a separator similar to what was already described here as made out of a driveshaft... After making a few I will say that the HF separator basically does the same thing and by the time you build your own, kill all the leaks... you'll be better off spending the money at HF:
http://www.harborfreight.com/desicca...yer-97686.html


my setup ended up with about 30' of 1/2" from the compressor to my filter/separator assembly. That is connected to a standard inline air filter (one of the deals with the clear bowl on the bottom, mine is actually the big Kobalt one), connected into the HF drier, and then that is connected to an motorguard M60, the outlet of that assembly is split into 2, one going straight to the basement hose reel, the other to the garage.

This setup works great for painting, running a plasma cutter, blasting cabinet...

[001mustang]

My Sharpe dessicant dryer has an inspection window so you can tell when dessicant is spent. Pretty easy to replace spent dessicant in Sharpe. My Sharpe seals well. Sharpe is aluminum.

Does HF model have a dessicant inspection window?
Easy to replace media in HF?
HF seal ok?
Does HF rust inside?

[Silverback]

heh, he said cheap... your sharp probably cost me more than my whole setup incluing all the fittings to get it to connect together, assorted valves so I can turn off any part, quick connects...

that said:
- no inspection window
- the only hard part about swapping desiccant is the way I mounted it (literally, untread cap and dump it out, in theory with it mounted to the wall you can unthread the bottom cap, dump it, unthread top cap to refill, no disconnecting air lines or anything)
- No leaks- that was the big hassle with home built, I spent a lot of time chasing leaks with my older setups
- No rust that I've seen, though I don't see why it couldn't. that is the reason that I have the motorguard after it, nothing steel comes in contact with the air on the other side of the motorguard.

[66GMC]

The pressure drop thing is a great idea!

This is what I did ... an idea spawned from a post by another member here on HR.com.
It seems to work very well. Very little condensate even makes it as far as the filter.


What you can't see in this pic are 4 ball valves and a small "manifold" to collect and drain any water that gets trapped in any of the legs of the cooling tower.

It's all plumbed using 1/2"copper water line, and uses truck air-brake hoses to isolate the vibration from the compressor.

[001mustang]

I suppose you could drop even more condensate if regulator positioned upstream cooling tower.

BTW, I like 66 GMC 305E V6.

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by 001mustang

I suppose you could drop even more condensate if regulator positioned upstream cooling tower.

BTW, I like 66 GMC 305E V6.

Really?
I had always thought that cooling / conditioning the air was the first step, and that regulating the pressure was the last step in the delivery process.

Yep, that 305E was sure a reliable and torquey mill.
Didn't see a lot of them up here, though.
Most Canadian model 910's were equipped with 250 or 292 inline 6's and a 3-on-the-tree. I've seen a few 283 4 spd, and a couple with Powerglides, but zero TH350 until the 67-72 showed up.

[001mustang]

Some advantages for regulator upstream and some advantages for regulator downstream heat exchanger.
Condensate drops out following neg pressure change like DanielC said.
I wouldn't move your reg unless you air is too wet.
I run regulator down stream in paint booth.

[Silverback]

I run my regulator as close to the hoses that I'm using as possible, more pressure in the lines means more delivery. Even then usually I keep it set at 90psi, and most things that need less also need a fairly high volume, like a spray gun or blast cabinet, so I put a regulator right at the inlet to whatever it is...

[DanielC]

The biggest reason why I use the regulator upstream, at the compressor is that is where it is on the compressor. Ideally, I would use some metal pipe to cool the air down, as close to the compressor as is possible, because the hotter the air is, the more heat it will transfer into the pipe. For me to use a down a down stream regulator, I would have to go and buy one. I gpt lucky. The second tank was just given to me.

Remember the title of this thread had the word "inexpensive" in it.

I like the idea of the wall mounted manifold to cool the air.

[66GMC]

True enough ... this setup turned out to be not all that "inexpensive".Probably well over a $100 when the dust settled.

The 1/2" x 8' copper tubes were about $20 each, plus all of those elbows, and of course the ball valves and air brake hoses. Not to mention a little material being scrapped along the way.

As with most of these inventions, the budget seems to multiply exponentially! LOL

[Silverback]

I removed my compressor mounted regulator and orignally plumbed it downstream (though eventually I replaced it because I determined that it was actually restricting flow)

[matts37chev]

Originally Posted by 66GMC

True enough ... this setup turned out to be not all that "inexpensive".Probably well over a $100 when the dust settled.

The 1/2" x 8' copper tubes were about $20 each, plus all of those elbows, and of course the ball valves and air brake hoses. Not to mention a little material being scrapped along the way.

As with most of these inventions, the budget seems to multiply exponentially! LOL

so ultimately he may still be better off getting something like this.
especially since it has a regulator and gauge included
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DVR-130525/

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by matts37chev

so ultimately he may still be better off getting something like this.
especially since it has a regulator and gauge included
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DVR-130525/

Wellllll ... I dunno.
The cooling tower is a one-time investment, and requires very little maintenance.

I sold a Wix Aquacheck system to a customer which worked quite well, but I suggested my cooling tower idea to him in order to extend the life of his filters. I do know that he came up with a cooling tower design of his own, but I left the store and no longer have him as a customer. It would be interesting to find out how the two worked together.

[ogre]

66gmc
you did this and needed 4 drain valves
__ __
| | | |
| | | |
| |_| |

had you turned it 90 degrees like this
you would have needed 1 drain valve
________
________]
[_______
________]
[________

good idea though

[deadbodyman]

Originally Posted by oldred

That system with the second tank is what we used to call a "Thump tank" and it does indeed work quite well. Another common setup I have seen uses a large pipe set vertically or, as was often done, a large drive shaft was used. This does work quite well and does for the reasons described just keep the "Thump tank" on regulated pressure.


BTW shouldn't be Physics class?

Take that drive shaft (or 4" x 12" pipe threaded at both ends with caps) and just fill it with desicant balls from HF ...Your "in" tube goes to the bottom ,the out side is just tapped into the top cap...Dont use PVC though...