air filters for plasma

[okieusa]

Hey everyone
New user here, own a mm210, love it!, going to buy a plasma machine for the shop, looking for input on best filter/trap combo for my air lines.
Thanks
Richard

[russell]

Auto paint supply stores sell a filter commonly called a toilet paper filter...its called that because thats what the filter looks like.

I think I paid around 75 bucks for mine...they work very well.

You can get it to fit either 3/4 or 1/2 pipe...





russell

[JeramyK]

Hi Russell.

HTP makes some nifty products for a nice moisture free system.

http://www.usaweld.com/product_page/accessories/a4.html

We installed the HTP Max Dry system for general air tool usage and we have the HTP Super Dry cartridges on his plasma cutter and HVLP spray gun. He swears by them and HTP guarantees no moisture will get past them.

-Jeramy

[Dave Haak]

Richard,

Check out the two links below. The bottom link has info on the filter toward the bottom of the post. Also check Franz's posts for info on separators. Scott V also has an interesting system. To steal someone elses term, the subject has been discussed nearly to "ad nauseam".

Dave


http://www.motorguard.com/home.html

http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/...6309#post16309

Nearly forgot my manners- Welcome to the forum, Richard.
dh

[Franz]

Shoot Dave, Ad Nauseum, are you trying for a job playing a doctor on TV?
I thought we settled on Kotex as the ultimate filter a month ago.

Maybe we oughta pressure ROCK for another board for Frequently Asked Questions so the new guys can just check there. Of course, ROCK will probably want to be pressurezed with pure Co2 derived from consuming carbonated malt beverages.

[russell]

THANKS for the link Jeramy..looks like an excellent system...

on that Ad Nauseum...I had that one time...a big dose of ex-lax will cure it in no time...



russell

[ventureline]

I've you have alot of water in your system, the canisters and paper filters will cost you an arm and a leg. Go with a standard Lincoln or Hastings Hurricane system with a manual drain. Simply leave the drain partially open. This system is idiot proof, lasts for years, and takes out 98% of the water.

If you have lots of money check out a refrigerant system, that'll freeze the moisture out of the air.

[okieusa]

Great links as well
By the way FAQ's are never on boards, hence the name FAQ with the awnsers included
Richard

[echo8287]

Put a liquid drainer on your air compressor drain and it will drain it automatically. Put a drier on the outlet before it goes to your equipment and maybe a dirt leg on your piping too.

[Roger]

Moisture removal from compressed air always works better after air has been cooled to or better below ambiant temprature.

1st filter should be a Separator which are availabe from sear, building supply stores, walmart, ... they remove impurities to 5 microns with course filter and remove water/oil particulant by centrifuge or changing flow direction. Air flow is from outside of filter element to center.

2nd filter should be Coalescing filter. They are depth filters that force air stream through torturous path. As water/oil particulant small drops become big drops until they exit outside of filter element and drop to bottom of filter bowl. Air flow should be from center to outside of element or from top to bottom of element. They can filter water/oil particulant down to .01 micron. Toilet paper coalescing filters are plumbed wrong for water to drop to bottom of filter bowl so they have to be changed and dried when saturated. That's ok if they aren't used a lot and your air isn't real humid. Auto paint stores and compressor dealers sell coalescing filters.

To remove more water/oil refrigeration drier could be used to condence water vapor so it can be filtered.
Desiccant filters can also be used to absorbe water vapor directly to lower dew point. Desiccant filters are place down stream of coalescing filter . This level of moisture removal isn't needed for plasma cutters.

[okieusa]

Thats what i needed to know, we have very low average humidity here in the Big Horn Basin (high desert), but do have pretty severe temp changes in the summer, My airgas rep says moisture is the biggest killer on plasma cutters, so want to do it right the 1st time, around here everyone uses Hypertherm, airgas man says most lincoln plasma units he takes back, he did not know much about the miller 625 , so probably going with a hypertherm 600 or 1000
Thanks Again
Richard

[Mike Sherman]

The way I do it in my shop is this; I start with the air compressor, move to the holding tank with an automatic drain, then the refrigerated drier, then an oil/water serperator. At this point the air lines are branched off, air tools and the plasma (plasma has one more filter on it) get the air now. If you dry it anymore than this, you will need to add oil regularly to your tools. The rest of the air is then sent through another seperator, filter and then desicant before being used for painting or polyurea spraying. Below is the air compressor I use.

[Mike Sherman]

This should be the automatic drain on my holding tank. It blows out every two minutes.

[Mike Sherman]

This is the refrigerated drier.

[Mike Sherman]

This is the first seperator before we split for the paint booth area or to the tools. There is actually two of these, one on each of two lines. But the point is the same, air tools get air that still has some oil and water in it. It definately helps keep them lubricated. Also, all of our pneumatic motors on the paint mixers get the air at this point also. There isn't really any oil to speak of in my air because the compressor is a rotary screw type. So, mostly there is a little water left in the lines to help lubricate the tools. We used to dry everything nearly 100% but like I said, we then had to oil all of our tools every day.