What air compressor regulators and filters are you using?

[Michael Mayo]

I have been fighting moisture in my air supply ever since I got my big compressor. So this thread really caught my eye. I did some YouTube searching and found a very ingenious way of obtaining dry air on the cheap. The video shows how a guy plumbed an automotive A/C condenser into his air path straight out of the compressor head and then back to the compressor tank via an auxiliary air tank which he uses as the water trap reservoir. I think you can pickup a used condenser at the junk yard pretty cheap and then all you have to by is some tubing and fittings. The aux. tank you could also source used off of Craigslist I suppose. I would need a small compressor tank rated to at least 175 psi. as that is the max for my machine. I am definitely going to do this as my blast cabinet will work so much better once I rid it of the excessive moisture in the air lines.

[Scott T Smith]

Mike, I've been using the Wilkerson manifold type products with my 2 stage compressor for about 15 years, and am somewhat dissatisfied with their regulators. I've had to replace two of them in the past ten years, and am about to replace my third one. I'm trying out a different brand (Coilhose Pneumatics) that appears to be US mfg.

[Mike Heidrick]

Scott - which model regulators do you have?

I have only had junk ones so far so to me the Wilkersons are amazing. Today I got a another regulator/lubricator and some NPT ends. This stuff is super super solid feeling. Ill take some pictures when I get teh setup mounted on the little Puma. L mount should arrive tomorrow.

[Scott T Smith]

Scott - which model regulators do you have?

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Mike, I'm using a couple of the B28-06-FL00 models.

They work fine in terms of filtering and regulating the pressure, but after a couple of years the diaphragms start leaking. Sometimes a rebuild kit works for several months to a year, and then it starts leaking again.

I'm feeding them with 175PSI air, and typically regulate the output pressure to 90 psi. One of mine occasionally has a 20CFM demand on it for 30 minutes at a time (bead blasting cabinet).

I concur how they feel and are made; it's just been frustrating for me to have to maintain them.

[Michael Mayo]

Mike, I'm using a couple of the B28-06-FL00 models.

They work fine in terms of filtering and regulating the pressure, but after a couple of years the diaphragms start leaking. Sometimes a rebuild kit works for several months to a year, and then it starts leaking again.

I'm feeding them with 175PSI air, and typically regulate the output pressure to 90 psi. One of mine occasionally has a 20CFM demand on it for 30 minutes at a time (bead blasting cabinet).

I concur how they feel and are made; it's just been frustrating for me to have to maintain them.

In my quest to rid my compressor of moisture I found these guy's on Ebay. They have an integrated pressure switch/magnetic starter that I am going to purchase. They say in their ad to call them if you don't see what you need. So I called them today to inquire about the integrated pressure switch/starter. I spoke to a guy named Mike and he was very friendly and helpful with my questions about the part I need. I will bet you that if you called them and asked about the regulator issue you are having he would have an answer for you. He has been doing this for a long time and it won't cost you anything to give him a call. By the way the pressure switch/magnetic starter only costs $129 + $15 shipping which is the cheapest I could find anywhere for a mag starter plus it comes with an adjustable pressure switch. My pressure switch is a very light duty part that is directly wired to the motor so everytime the motor starts there is 25 amps applied to the switch contacts and they keep welding closed causing the compressor to keep running until the blow off valve kicks in. I filed the contacts and that fixes it for a short time but it goes right back to sticking shut because the switch was never designed to handle that kind of amperage. So with the magnetic starter should alleviate that problem once and for all.

Give these guy's a call I am betting he has a really good solution for the regulator problem.

Pacific Air Compressors
888-483-4169 and ask for Mike very pleasant guy to talk to and very knowledgeable.

[Mike Heidrick]

Michael, his regulator, Wilkerson B28-06-JL00, is not an electrical/ mag/pressure switch. It is a manual adjusted air pressure regulator to control the pressure in the lines after it.

I think your high price searches were due to looking for mag switch. Had you researched motor contactors, overload relays, and momentary push buttons you will see that $130 is about 3X what a "mag switch" setup costs (minus your pressure switch of course).

[Michael Mayo]

Michael, his regulator, Wilkerson B28-06-JL00, is not an electrical/ mag/pressure switch. It is a manual adjusted air pressure regulator to control the pressure in the lines after it.

I think your high price searches were due to looking for mag switch. Had you researched motor contactors, overload relays, and momentary push buttons you will see that $130 is about 3X what a "mag switch" setup costs (minus your pressure switch of course).

My apologies I understood exactly what he was talking about I just wanted to share what I had learned/found during my search for a pressure switch. The guy at Pacific Compressor was very knowledgeable and helpful and I am confident he could easily assist as it relates to the pressure regulator issue that was being discussed. When I did my search I was looking for magnetic motor starters and hence the high price returns I assume. The pressure switch/magnetic motor starter combination I purchased was significantly less expensive than the dedicated magnetic starters I had come up with in my search. I did not search the other things you mention as I was in the hunt for specifically a pressure switch and found the one I ordered which takes care of two issues i was having a bad pressure switch and a switch that was not designed to handle the 220 V. current that is being applied to the switch contacts.

[Mike Heidrick]

Here is my install.

[Scott T Smith]

Mike, that's a nice, clean installation!