Cleaning Air Regulator???

[Neura]

So when I had things temporarly installed for the compressor the air regulator was a bit too close to the compressor, it now has a bunch of lime scale build up and a little calcium and is leaking out the blowoff port. What is the best way to clean it? this is a Milton regulator good for 300 PSI.

The regulator is out and taken apart.. so my Wife is picking up some fish tank detailing brushes for cleaning the filter systems figure this would work nicely to at least loosen the calcium and scale for some of it, but is it safe to use CLR on the regulator? and then maybe rinse with soapy water and let it completely air dry before reassembling?

 

[hetkind]

the cost of a replacement regulator is low, but this time, put a water trap between the regulator and compressor...

and where did the lime scale come from?

 

[e-tek]

I don't see how that can be lime and calcium.....unless your air is heavy in those minerals! The air in a compressor has atmoshperic air in it, which is pretty pure. The sediments are from the iron in the tank - rust scale.

Oh wait - maybe you're talking about a water filter??! HVAC compressor??!

 

[Neura]

no talking about an air compressor, just thought to check a few other things on the compressor as well, the compressor came out of an esso car wash.

Just recently drained the tank as well which was rusty water not a lot though. The stuff in the regulator is green, and almost looks like what happens when you have 2 different metals touching (iron and copper).

I did have the previous configuration done with copper and fitted directly into the regulator, it was also just soldered with regular old solder plumbing solder not silver solder.

New line configuration is all done with Black Pipe and uses teflon tape at all connection joints, and has a 3/4" 2 wire hydraulic line between the tank and the main loop now.

 

[PontiacFan]

Cheaper to throw it away & buy a new one?!?

 

[neverenoughtools]

Soak it in CLR

 

[tdkkart]

A little white vinegar on a Q-tip will clean that up, or mix up a batch of 10% vinegar/water and let it soak for a couple hours.

BTW, hardly anyting to worry about.