Which Wilkerson Air Filter/Regulator

[atvkid4eva]

Looking for a quality Wilkerson Filter/Regulator for my shop compressor. The compressor is a Champion 80gal and I am going to be installing a 3/4" Rapid air system. From what research I've done, I believe 1/2" inlet/outlet will be fine. I was wondering if anyone could recommend to me which Wilkerson regulator/filter combo would work well for this application. Maybe provide a part number if you currently use one?

 

[fluid power]

Let me check at work tomorrow. We are a distributor for Wilkerson. If it isn't on my shelf, the lead time is terrible!

 

[matt_i]

What is your intended use for the air (?) A cyclonic filter would be stage 1, coalescing filter = stage 2 and dessicant filter would be Stage 3. Stage 3 is where you could paint reliably. Blowing up tires stage 1 is great.

 

[bugman-74]

I have a 7.5hp 80 gallon and I run the 3/4" R28 series along with an FM28 series filter (particulate & coalescing). I think an important consideration is to use aluminum bowls and also try to source the "US Made" units rather than the SK made ones. Strangely enough McMaster has stock and competitive pricing on them, and if you dig down into product detail they also mention country of origin (though I'm sure all contain the "...from global components" fine print). Grab the matching joiner clamps and end blocks for a clean install.

 

[atvkid4eva]

I have a 7.5hp 80 gallon and I run the 3/4" R28 series along with an FM28 series filter (particulate & coalescing). I think an important consideration is to use aluminum bowls and also try to source the "US Made" units rather than the SK made ones. Strangely enough McMaster has stock and competitive pricing on them, and if you dig down into product detail they also mention country of origin (though I'm sure all contain the "...from global components" fine print). Grab the matching joiner clamps and end blocks for a clean install.

I have a 80gal Champion compressor. Do you have 3/4" female threads coming out of your compressor after the shut off or did you have to go from 1/2" to 3/4"? I will be running 3/4" Rapid air throughout the shop, so I figure it would be best to go with 3/4" inlet and outlet on the regulator/filter. @bugman-74

 

[pcmeiners]

Purchased my Wilkerson filters/regulators years back, I only purchased older models all metal devices. Today's wilkersons are plastic ****, under engineered for profit. It is not only Wilkerson, most manufacturers are are also "engineering" for profit, not quality; as to engineering for air flow, that went by the wayside years back. Just checked ebay, there still are quite a few older model, all metal (or mostly metal) regulators and filters listed, price has gone up considerably in a few short years.

 

[bugman-74]

Do you have 3/4" female threads coming out of your compressor after the shut off or did you have to go from 1/2" to 3/4"?

Mine is a Quincy - but yes it has a 3/4" female connection. I agree, I would go with the 3/4" connections at the regulator/filter.

 

[pcmeiners]

Personally I go 1or 1 or 2 pipe sizes larger for regulator/filters and use adapters to get them down to my pipe size; for a 3/4" pipe I would use 1" - 1 1/2" devices. This way the devices have less friction/pressure loss adding to the system. Almost all devices made recently have very poor flow design. Accountants and CEOs are the new fluid dynamics Engineers.

 

[fluid power]

I have 4 B18-04-FK00B on the shelf. This is 1/2" with plastic bowl and bowl guard. Flows 121 SCFM at 60psi. Let me look and see if I can put a combo together with separate components.

 

[stonesfan68]

Personally I go 1or 1 or 2 pipe sizes larger for regulator/filters and use adapters to get them down to my pipe size; for a 3/4" pipe I would use 1" - 1 1/2" devices. This way the devices have less friction/pressure loss adding to the system. Almost all devices made recently have very poor flow design. Accountants and CEOs are the new fluid dynamics Engineers.

You have to be careful about oversizing compressed air filters. The filters are designed for a given flow rate. If you go well below that flow rate then the filters become much less efficient and are likely to not work very well at all.

 

[pcmeiners]

Have you dealt with filters from the pre 70s? Designed correctly, far larger than today's filters. Look at today's coalescence filters, tiny plastic bowls, undersized ports/flow paths, highly restrictive. I will stick with my all metal, oversized filters.

 

[cosmopedro]

I have 4 B18-04-FK00B on the shelf. This is 1/2" with plastic bowl and bowl guard. Flows 121 SCFM at 60psi. Let me look and see if I can put a combo together with separate components.

So, does it matter if the filters are 1/2" and the air lines are 3/4"? Wouldn't the 1/2" openings restrict airflow? I'm asking because I have a F18/M18/R18 combo that I'm hoping to clean up and use on a Champion 80-gallon 5HP compressor myself...

Sorry this is so late in the game on this thread... I was planning to drop a new thread and Garage Journal said to look for ongoing discussions first...