[Dartok]

Hello All,

Just getting started in this field and have been reading all that I can to get good information and help as necessary.

I have a Torchmate 3 5' x 10' machine on order with a 120 amp Thermal Dynamics A120 plasma cutter.

It will have digital height control and I will be building my own water table that will handle heavy plate.

The machine will be used for light production and for research and development purposes.

My question is about air dryers. I know that I need one, I just don't know which one to get. I have an 80 Gallon 7.5HP twin cylinder vertical air compressor with cooling radiator. I only use this sparingly for other tools and cleanup so the plasma will have access to the lions share of this compressor.

The A120 torch is rated for 7CFM @ 80 PSI so I should have plenty of air.

I am having a problem getting a straight answer about which way to go with the air dryer setup. my initial thought was to get a Refrigerated type dryer by Hankison or Ingersol Rand, but lots of people have been mentioning desiccant style dryers.

If anyone has some real knowledge based on what I have coming I need the help.

Thanks all:

[Geof]

Dessicant dryers have limited capacity; eventually the dessicant has absorbed all the water it can and has to be replaced or regenerated.

Refrigerated dryers have endless capacity; the water is condensed, collected and expelled.

Probably the dessicant dryers have a lower initial cost but when replacement is considered I would not be surprised if they are more expensive overall. I don't know for sure because all I have are refrigerated dryers.

[Big John T]

For limited use, hobby use, and areas with generally low humidity the Desiccant dryers are the most cost effective. Make sure you get the type that can be regenerated (take the desiccant out and heat it in an oven to drive out the water). These can be made rather simply with the purchase of some bulk desiccant and some pipe and fittings. Just remember to screen the openings and have a filter between the dryer and your machine.

If your trying to make a living with a CNC plasma torch your time is better spent making parts than servicing dryers. In this case a refrigerated dryer is the most cost effective solution.

In the end you must determine which one is best for your situation. Take into account your time, the average humidity where your compressor is and your budget...

John

[Dartok]

I was afraid of that. I appreciate the information. What are some reliable brands of refrigerated dryers. I have been looking at Hankison and Ingersol Rand machines.

Any information or experience with dryers people are using would be helpful.

Thanks

[Robin Hewitt]

If you aren't doing lots of cutting have you considered a nitrogen cylinder? That's dry as a bone, drop it to any pressure you want. The gas is real cheap but they usually get you for the cylinder rental and you need to see ahead to order a new cylinder before you run out. OTOH the initial outlay is comparatively tiny compared to a commercial dryer, less to go wrong and you don't have to run the compressor at all

[jimcolt]

A refrigerated Dryer is the best way to go for plasma applications. It is best to size it to handle the full flow capacity of your compressor......Graingers has some good quality units under the Dayton brand name also. it is also important to use good plumbing procedures for your shop....use copper plumbing, and ensure that all air taps are at the highest points in the plumbing systems...and drains are at the lowest.

Jim Colt

[Dartok]

Thanks for the help everyone,

I am looking to run the airdryer only for the plasma torch so I'm not sure just how big to go, but I was looking at this brand online and had a person with a torch reccommend it based on experience, but I am still learning.

Arrow Model F-20 refrigerated air dryer. 1/2" inputs and outputs. 35 - 39 degree dew point and should handle all the air from my compressor no problem.

let me know.

Thanks for the grainger tip Jimcolt, I'll look it up.

[plain ol Bill]

Lots of folks are using the refrigerated unit from Harbor Freight. I plan on getting one to use on my table when I get it to the using point of fabrication.

[douglasco]

Lots of folks are using the refrigerated unit from Harbor Freight. I plan on getting one to use on my table when I get it to the using point of fabrication.

Thats good to know. I'd like to hear from some more people using them. Maybe put a cheap trap after it for backup. Do they just sell them online or can you get them in the store?

[plain ol Bill]

I haven't seen one in the Lacey, WA store but they do have them on their website. Last time I looked they were $299

[superbee]

I have looked at the air dryer that Harbor Freight offers and had a few concerns with it. My "day" job is heating,air,and refrigeration service so I am probably more critical than most. I read the manual for the unit on HF's web site and the main problem I had with it is a section that mentions the unit overheating and requiring you to shut the unit down allowing it to cool off. If you have a severe moisture problem that would also require shutting down your plasma table-not good. I have not bought a dryer as the RTI Eliminizer combo filter has done very well for me but I do plan on installing a dryer at some point. One source I found on the web is buydryair.com and the units seem to be well built with a 2 year warranty, and Copeland compressors in all of them. The price on most any unit will be higher than HF so it comes down to how hard you intend to work the equipment. Good Luck in your search. Mike

[douglasco]

Maybe thats just standard disclaimer info that HF puts into everything??? I don't think it will have to work to hard since i'm in Colorado, its not like Florida(what a miserable place). The more i think about it, i should probably just try a desiccant filter. But how do you monitor 100psi for humidity?

[Dartok]

The dryer that I ended up with is an Ingersoll Rand DS10 that can be had for around $650.00. It can handle the CFM of the 120 AMP torch no problem. I also went with Belair prefilter at 1 micron and Belair postfilter at .1 micron. All of this in addition to the dryer that is incorporated on my Thermal Dynamics A120 plasma torch should provide all the dry air I need.

I read alot about the dessicant filters but decided against it because of the volume that I plan on doing, I didn't want to change it out all the time, we have very wet air here.

Thanks

[Big John T]

Let us know how it works...

John

[malardjs]

I have been very happy with the refridge. dryer I bought from Harbor Freight. 300 bucks and it has ran flawlessly for moer than 3 years. I was skeptical at first and bought the extended warranty. I have a CNC shop with a Ingersol Rand 7.5hp screw compressor that works 10 hours a day, 5 days a week running 3 Haas machines. I would recommend this dryer for any small shop.

John
JMS Machining & Design, Inc.
(719) 632-5599