Recommendation for an air compressor oil/water filter

[MrWolf]

I have a HF purchased MCGRAW 21 Gallon, 175 PSI Oil-Free Vertical Air Compressor. I tried using the HF oil/water filters but could not get it to not leak air. Yea I know, get what you pay for. I use the compressor for normal stuff like air tools, tire filling, paint gun, etc. Can someone recommend a filter that works and won't break the bank?
Thanks,
Ron

[firefly1957]

Chances are it has a defect talk to Harbor freight they may replace it .

My father had one of those it was so loud it would shake the whole house while running in the garage!

[Shopdog]

Heat is your #1 enemy in compressor water seperation. Irrespective of brand,the typical "fruitjar" style separator ain't gonna be much good located right at the compressor. You need to do the research,as it's a little more involved than most folks think. There are ways to do it on a budget but I'm VERY reluctant to suggest anything as each shop has their own level of interest. Some systems require welding,some require other investment.

I will give you an example though;

Imagine a 30g compressor... it's hot and humid which is worst case. We have two distinctly different situations. #1- roofers are running two guns,running hard. They are well ABOVE compressor...so the huge amts of moisture in the lines can't defeat gravity,so all the funk ends up staying at the tank.

#2 example,still hot and humid but this time we have a cpl framing guns and a trim gun running at a good pace. BUT,the compressor is up by the truck,and this crew is in the basement. Lines are running downhill,ALL the moisture ends up right at the guns.

Also,in the two examples above;

Be VERY aware of contaminating your hoses. This WILL show up later if you try paint with that hose. #1 ex above,hoses are reasonably "safe"...#2,you'll get oil blowby from compressor in your lines,this can definitely cause issues for some paint.

You can ignore all this if you want. There's plenty of info out there but remember,each shop has different requirements...very hard to make one size fit all. Even the quick connections make a difference. Good luck with your project.

[Tall]

The oilless compressors are a bad idea. I ran cast iron pipe around my shop with water drops. There is a drain valve below every drop, with a plug in outlet 6" above each drain valve. I also have a water separator mounted next to the compressor. Cheap is not good.

[.429&H110]

Youtube has a few home built air dryers that look good.
I have an artist in the family that discovered he could airbrush with a CO2 tank. Clean, dry, quiet, portable.

I had a huge refrigerated air dryer at the University that was planted in a hot dark noisy dirty location
some genius put it in the cellar of the power plant next to the coal breaker.
That was one miserable place to work on an unhappy unit.

I had big desiccant units that worked surprisingly well that made very dry air for big walk-in freezers
that really kept frost to a minimum installed happy atop the boxes, clean and quiet.

Every air dryer of any kind needs maintenance.

[Handloader109]

The oilless compressors are a bad idea. I ran cast iron pipe around my shop with water drops. There is a drain valve below every drop, with a plug in outlet 6" above each drain valve. I also have a water separator mounted next to the compressor. Cheap is not good.

So you say. I've a 15 year old dewalt that I can't kill. I don't use it much the last couple of years, it's too loud unless I wear ear muffs, but it still produces 150psi air, and it's destroyed it's plastic cooling fan. But turn it on and it just runs. It my backup to a 2hp HF quiet compressor. It's 2 years old and has gotten a decent amount of work. I can talk and have a conversation standing next to it. One of the quietest tools in my shop.
Just sayin.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[country gent]

Im putting the airline and drops into my shop now. When setting it up work it to your advantage.The drops come off the top of the line over and then down. Mine come of the line up 6" then over and down in an inverted u, this helps to keep moisture out of the drops and air tools. It also allows for one drain valve to drain condensate. Mine will be into the drain pan pan under the unit for my mini split. The air compressor manifold are outside the shop only the drops are coming into the shop. When done I will have 8 drops in the shop with 2 couplers on each drop for air tools airlines and machines. 1 drop at each lathe the mill drills and grinder will be dedicated to an air hose with blow gun. I have roughly 80 feet of 1" line in the manifold plus the drops so I picked up some volume on the tank also.

[elmacgyver0]

If this is just for a home garage just put a ball valve on the feed from the tank before the regulator and the oil/water filter, turn off the air when your done using the compressor.
That is what I do.
I also use one of those turn the knob bathroom timers that switch a contactor to operate the compressor, that way it won't run when it shouldn't.
If this is for a commercial shop buy a decent scroll compressor and stop messing around with cheap home junk.
I'm all in favor of cheap home junk, but not for a commercial venture.

[fg-machine]

This might sound dumb , but it worked for me .

About 5 feet from the compressor I put a drop with a ball valve , it caught a lot of the water . Then a typical water / oil separator.
Then next to it I put a 2 ft long piece of 6" schedule 80 pipe , air in the bottom , out the side near the top . Threaded pipe cap on the top .
And then stuffed it as full of cotton t shirts and socks sourced from goodwill as I could possibly get it .

I wouldn't say it kept air dry enough for painting, but for general shop use it worked just fine .
Every 4-5 months the shirts and socks came out and made a trip to the laundromat.

[MrWolf]

Thanks for the jnfo folks. Some additional info. This is in my garage about 75' from the house. The compressor noise is not bad at all. I will not be using the compressor all the time. Disabled/retired with a lot of other projects. I am not planning on doing runs, just using using an automatic reel; pull out what I need, reel it back when done. I probably won't even leave it full with as little as I will probably use it. Could always drain it each time if I had to. The HF filter I bought was purchased years ago and I finally got around to trying it. Even with Teflon tape it still leaks so a return is not feasible.

Thanks

Ron

[Tall]

I have an F9600 water separator inline with my Ingersol Rand 7 1/2 HP compressor. It's this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27535367148...Bk9SR4Cko8u2Yw

[Dave W.]

We put automatic tank drains - spitter - on the bottom of our tanks. The are electrically operated and open every 45 minutes to let excess moisture out. The are plugged into timers so they only operate at night when nobody is around. No moisture problems at all.

[45DUDE]

I bought a MCGRAW 21 gallon last year but with the oil compressor. No problems an no leaks. I bought a filter at a hardware store.

[MT Gianni]

The oilless compressors are a bad idea. I ran cast iron pipe around my shop with water drops. There is a drain valve below every drop, with a plug in outlet 6" above each drain valve. I also have a water separator mounted next to the compressor. Cheap is not good.

I would recommend using black threaded iron rather than cast. Cast has a problem holding air pressure and needs a rubber seal or lead oakum joints. It also requires cutting to tap it.

[Tall]

I do not know why I used the word "Cast". It is extruded seamless black iron tubing.

[country gent]

A make shift air cooler can be made from a transmission oil cooler Plump in to the compressor between compressor and tank. plumb a water drop off the line to the tank. This will remove most moisture before the tank and put cool air into the tank system. Mounted to a wall with a fan blowing thru it it will remove water and cool the air flow.

Some compressors come with this cooler mounted of the the compressor and the fan is in the drive pulley. You really want to remove moisture before the tank as its what destroies the tank with corrosion. Some tanks now have a rubber coating to protect them.

Measure a tank with a PI tape when no pressure then pump up to shut off and remeasure at the 150-175 psi.

[ebb]

What Tall said, I have the three loops 7 feet tall right out of the compressor with a petcock at the bottom of each. Drain them before painting or every couple of weeks. Leave them cracked when painting

[MrWolf]

Think I found another inline filter when I was putting up a shelf for those big black storage tubs. Have to dig and see. Was a lil to sore to really look today. Thanks
Ron