Air dryers

[Earl Weiss]

F74G-4AN-AD1 : Norgren Excelon Filter, 1/2" NPT, No Indicator, Auto Drain, Metal Bowl, 5-Micron

Norgren's F72G, F73G, and F74G General Purpose Filters are part of Norgren's Excelon Modular System. The Excelon design allows for inline or modular installation with other Excelon products, and the quick release bayonet bowl allows for quick filter replacement. These filters also have a highly...

www.onehydraulics.com

Same as this? https://www.mcmaster.com/7390K65/

 

[MEP001]

Same as this? https://www.mcmaster.com/7390K65/

Looks to be the same.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Looks to be the same.

Dang - $50 Cheaper thru McMaster.

 

[slash007]

They do seem slightly different. Same model # in the beginning, but casing looks different so not exactly the same item.

 

[MEP001]

casing looks different

The McMaster photo is a 3D render. There might be a difference somewhere, but all the main specs are the same.

 

[Greg Pack]

We took the doors off our harbor freight dryer today and found the automatic bowl drain had clogged up with some sediment. That may have been the moisture issue on busy days. My manager cleaned it out and will see if it starts working properly again. Looks pretty simple inside. If you would buy a window unit that was made in China I'm assuming this is about the same thing.

 

[slash007]

I disconnected the outlet line from the air dryer and turned the air on, and I have so much water in my lines. Ran it for 45 seconds at full pressure and still had water in it. I wonder if an auto drain separator before the air dryer would do the trick. I checked the air coming in before my air separator by my SS equipment and full of water. Checked the air coming out of the separator and it was pretty dry, so doing a great job. That one is an SMC125 that I bought from KR>

 

[Greg Pack]

Is it possible you've got a bad bay check valve and HP water is managing to get in and contaminating the air system?

 

[slash007]

I guess anything is possible, that even sounds likely at this point. I've always had water in the lines, but seems to have gotten worse over the last 2 years. Where would I even start checking?

 

[Toms PTcarwash]

Sounds like you are filling up that dryer with water. That will definitely make it freeze up.
Is your auto blow off working? Maybe disconnect it, open the drain valve and get all of the water out of the compressor tank. Then close it back up and run the system a bit. If you get a lot of water back in the tank in a short period of time, then shut off the air from the tank, and open that drain valve again having it open to your air lines. Try all functions on all bays and see if any water or chemical dumps out.

 

[slash007]

Sounds like you are filling up that dryer with water. That will definitely make it freeze up.
Is your auto blow off working? Maybe disconnect it, open the drain valve and get all of the water out of the compressor tank. Then close it back up and run the system a bit. If you get a lot of water back in the tank in a short period of time, then shut off the air from the tank, and open that drain valve again having it open to your air lines. Try all functions on all bays and see if any water or chemical dumps out.

That has to be my next step. The auto drain does work, and I have it set to drain quite often. I also have it manually turned on at least twice per week. Some really cold days coming up and not many people will be washing. I'll try it soon. Crappy part with check valves is I've had some of them fail intermittently, so hard to pinpoint as it could work then fail again later.

 

[cantbreak80]

Another quick and temporary troubleshooting solution would be to install a check valve on the dryer's outlet.

But yeah, I'm betting you've got a leaking check valve pushing high pressure water into the compressed air system.
Just today I repaired all the pre-soak check valves for a customer. Every single cv had damaged o-rings and was blowing up the air supply line to his FloJet presoak pump.

 

[Toms PTcarwash]

Good idea with the check valve!

When you are trouble shooting, keep in mind any of your systems that operate below the lowest pressure of your compressor output, should not be able to push water back into your compressor.

 

[slash007]

For some reason I just took the excess water as normal, but it really is way too much. My other wash is a SS only wash with a small compressor, and I get zero water in my lines. We just drain the compressor a couple times a week. I probably need to let the compressor drain run for a while until there is absolutely no water coming out and start that way. I have 5 bays, and in the attic there are 2 check valves per bay, one for spot free and another for Tire Cleaner. I replaced them all about 3 years ago, but I guess one could have failed. Can't think of any other check valves that would do it unless one from my Razor is bad. Come to think of it, I did have the Razor installed 2 years ago, it could be that. Or the Profile that was put in last year lol.

 

[slash007]

Good idea with the check valve!

When you are trouble shooting, keep in mind any of your systems that operate below the lowest pressure of your compressor output, should not be able to push water back into your compressor.

Yeah, would have to be one of the check valves tied to the SS high pressure line, or something on my Razor or Profile.

 

[slash007]

Yeah, would have to be one of the check valves tied to the SS high pressure line, or something on my Razor or Profile. Couldn't be the Foam Brush or Triple Foam

 

[Greg Pack]

Yeah, would have to be one of the check valves tied to the SS high pressure line, or something on my Razor or Profile. Couldn't be the Foam Brush or Triple Foam

Any luck? Also, I would check the auto drain in the unit to make sure it is functioning.

 

[slash007]

Any luck? Also, I would check the auto drain in the unit to make sure it is functioning.

Not yet, was planning on trying to mess with it today. We've had snow storm after snow storm here. I will check the auto drain, all I've seen come out of it are a few drops of water when it was running.

 

[slash007]

Quick question. When do you need to put in a lubricator in series with the water separator?

 

[Toms PTcarwash]

A lubricator is normally used for air tools such as an auto repair shop or industrial manufacturing.
I can't think of anything in a car wash that would want or need oil in the air supply.