Refrigerated Air Dryers
- Thread starter bmwpower
- Start date
Refrigerated air dryer
I highly recommend a refrigerant dryer because it virtually eliminates all moisture in the airlines. Plus there is no need for water separators at each valve. It may be overkill for power tools or tire inflation; it’s essential with spray painting or sand blasting fine media. Make sure you purchase a unit sized for the air compressor output.
I have used a Speedaire similar to this One one for 10 years on my 5 HP 2 stage Speedaie compressor.
I highly recommend a refrigerant dryer because it virtually eliminates all moisture in the airlines. Plus there is no need for water separators at each valve. It may be overkill for power tools or tire inflation; it’s essential with spray painting or sand blasting fine media. Make sure you purchase a unit sized for the air compressor output.
I have used a Speedaire similar to this One one for 10 years on my 5 HP 2 stage Speedaie compressor.
Cebby
Well-known member
Wouldn't it be possible to make a homebrew one with a dorm fridge and long coil of copper tube? $1100 is a bit steep for a hobbyist like myself.
kartracer55
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- Jun 21, 2005
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Cebby said:
Homebrew drier < homebrew still
REFLEXX
Well-known member
Harbor "Fright" has one for $299 (minus the typical 20% off coupon). Any experiences with this one??? I'm debating the fridge or the drains.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40211
It seems like cooling makes the air system much less complex, but it's another electrical device to go bad eventually.
I've got a $50,000 CNC machine to protect. Water in my air can toast a $10,000 spindle motor.
I'd also like to know what others have done as far as Refirgerated Dryers.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40211
It seems like cooling makes the air system much less complex, but it's another electrical device to go bad eventually.
I've got a $50,000 CNC machine to protect. Water in my air can toast a $10,000 spindle motor.
I'd also like to know what others have done as far as Refirgerated Dryers.
REFLEXX said:
If I had a $50K CNC, I might spring for the $1K unit. However, this HF unit looks promising. Although, I'm not sure what are the typical items to go on these units? Are the HF noiser, etc? Maybe a dryer is a dryer.
Anyone have one of these things? The price is attractive.
914forme
Well-known member
That looks interesting I am not a big harbor Freight fan. But then this is a good price, does it have to run all the time or can you turn it off when you are not running air thru the line. I would not use it for painting as a have turbine HVLP at my disposale. But I wuld use if with my sand blaster and powdercoaring setup.
I am thinking I would come off my main line and run a seperate set of piping just for clean oil and water free air. Remeber you have to run an oil seperator after this thing just in case some oil gets introduced into the system though I don't know how that would happen. And then I would have a set of dirty lines. I would probally use a diffent set of quick disconects on the clean lines that way tools hand hoses don't get crossed over. Put a ball valve in place to shut off the line except when I need it and only run the drier except when
I need it.
I am thinking I would come off my main line and run a seperate set of piping just for clean oil and water free air. Remeber you have to run an oil seperator after this thing just in case some oil gets introduced into the system though I don't know how that would happen. And then I would have a set of dirty lines. I would probally use a diffent set of quick disconects on the clean lines that way tools hand hoses don't get crossed over. Put a ball valve in place to shut off the line except when I need it and only run the drier except when
I need it.
Refrigerant Air Dryer
The refrigerant dryer’s compressor runs much like a home refrigerator. Cycling on and off automatically when hot air from the compressor raises the temperature of the passage coils. My air compressor has run 24x7 (I don’t want to wait for it to build pressure) for 10 years needing no repair other than a yearly condenser coil cleaning.
I cannot say very much about Horrible Freight other than once I spend 30 minutes in one of their retail stores, and walked out disappointed. The only merchandise that I would consider purchasing was the line of Channel Locks. I found it rather comical that they were the only items under lock and key!
Speedaire’s refrigerant dryer is still made in the USA. Seeing that Ingersoll Rand, Devair (DeVillbis), and Eaton refrigerant dryers are all made in China, you may want to cut out the middleman. Plus there is not too much to loose with the price tag on the HF unit.
The refrigerant dryer’s compressor runs much like a home refrigerator. Cycling on and off automatically when hot air from the compressor raises the temperature of the passage coils. My air compressor has run 24x7 (I don’t want to wait for it to build pressure) for 10 years needing no repair other than a yearly condenser coil cleaning.
I cannot say very much about Horrible Freight other than once I spend 30 minutes in one of their retail stores, and walked out disappointed. The only merchandise that I would consider purchasing was the line of Channel Locks. I found it rather comical that they were the only items under lock and key!
Speedaire’s refrigerant dryer is still made in the USA. Seeing that Ingersoll Rand, Devair (DeVillbis), and Eaton refrigerant dryers are all made in China, you may want to cut out the middleman. Plus there is not too much to loose with the price tag on the HF unit.
I have one question about these! i noticed they all seem to mostly use r-134a refrigerant. is it already "charged", or do you have to take care of filling the refrigerant when you get it? also, are there better brands for theses? Is this something worth spending a few extra dollars on for something like an Ingersol Rand? I will be needing one that can handle 25+ cfm. Thanks a lot!
PAToyota
Well-known member
They come with the refrigerant - just like a refrigerator, dehumidifier, window a/c unit, etc. The refrigerant is self contained (not like a heat pump or remote air conditioner) and the air just flows through the unit.