Paintball Air Filtration

[Toestr]

I just purchased a PCP rifle pump to fill tanks, and when I was purchasing I was mindful to get a model that had an included filter (advertised as oil/water separator). When I got it threw some oil into the piston and gave it 100 non pressurized pumps as per instructions to dissipate it. While doing this I found condensation coming out the end of the fill whip, which concerned me, as that is what would be going into my tank and possibly cause corrosion, or worse oil getting into the tank. The filter is pretty dinkey (pictured below) and it sits in the fill whip, so anything it catches is could be pushed through and into the tank regardless.

My questions are: how is the filtration set up on field compressors, and am I being too concerned with this?

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[punkncat]

I have been to fields that use breathing air quality and been to some that you are pumping straight up trash into the system.

By and large there should be pre filtration, like a car air filter or foam on the intake side. There should be staged oil and water filtration on the output side and most importantly regularly serviced.

[XEMON]

punkncat covered what you need.
Let me add the type of filter on those things are absolutely useless ... A proper moisture separator alone will be more (up to 10times) than the price of those PCP compressor.
The oil separation system are a bit cheaper ...

but do you really need that much?
that depend on how often you fill, what oil you use and how humid it is where you're pumping the air.

For home use, a little in-line desiccant placed on the air inlet should be enough for the moisture (I can post a picture if it helps)
For the oil, the type of oil you use is the big question.
There are oil specifically designed to handle high pressure (stick with mineral/non synthetic).
We used to keep oil in scuba tank to maintain proper lubrication of the inside of the tank and prevent corrosion on the bottom.



Before the internet burn me to the stake, let me say I am certified to inspect scuba tanks and have done so for the last 20 years. I've rebuild and repaired hundreds of scuba regulators and I now work on equipment requiring -100f few point and absolutely no hydrocarbon.

[Chuck E Ducky]

CP use to have built in fill nipple filters. That’s why they would fill so dam slow most people would pok em out with nail. But they worked.

Clean fills depends on who services the air systems. Some fields are better then others. I have gone 10 years without blowing a burst disk due to dirty air. To 2x a year at a certain field who’s air is dirty and pumps are tired.

I regularly clean my tank regs so I know who the culprits are.

[Toestr]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. It should be mentioned that I'm using a hand pump.

I am using the included oil for lubrication (silicone I assume, as that's what is recommended), and putting a few drops in every 1500-2000 strokes.

By desiccant are we talking like silica packs? There isn't much room for anything over the intake, as it is located on the top of the piston, right under the handle.

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[Chuck E Ducky]

With a Hand pump your not going to be introducing much contaminates. It’s not like you will be pumping the thing up on dirt or in super dusty conditions. Those hand pumps need a good amount of force to use. I wouldn’t worry about that with a hand pump. Be careful not to over oil. Wouldn’t want it getting into the tank. Take your time filling with a hand pump. Heat will cook the seals if you rush the fill.

[XEMON]

Using a hand pump also means you're not going to fill it 10 time a day every day ... So that will naturally limit the contamination ...

The desiccant filter I'm talking about are those:
The blue turns pink when they're spent/wet and you just replace the whole thing (~$10/each)
(I have no association with this model/brand, it's just a Google search image for reference)

[Toestr]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm not too concerned with particulate stuff, mostly just oil and condensation. Like I said, a few drops of oil in the piston every 1500-2000 pumps, and then 100 pumps to flush it through.

The desiccant filter is definitely too big to fit without some serious modding. I'm filling in my basement, which isn't particularly humid but more than upstairs I'd imagine.

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[Chuck E Ducky]

You are not going to have any issues with a hand pump. Just use it the way it was designed and you won’t have any issues.

[punkncat]

Honestly, with what you are dealing with and according to what you are shooting I would have ZERO concern for it up and until/if you start seeing grey goo where the oil or grease of your marker is mixing with any substantial amount of water. If you are on an STBB or the like you will never have to be concerned.

Edit- if you do see that consider dropping your tank reg and cleaning it out.
I played at a field that for a long while didn't take care of their water filtration, draining/cleaning. It took a while before people started putting together things like 'noid failure and the water in the system. About the time that larger groups of people started holding the shop for the field accountable for the lack of care did they actually do something about it.

[Cunha]

AKALMP guardian air filter is one you can use between your tank and the fill whip at your field to help out.