I use a Motor Guard M-26,it has replaceable filters, have had it for about 8 years, not a bit of trouble.

 

Thanks Brian, I'll check it out

 

Another big help, is to build an inner cooler, and after cooler. Some copper tubing in a garbage can filled with water, or ice works great.

 

Not to hijack this thread but that after cooler CEP showed would be a great way to cool a water cooled TIG torch. I think the large garbage can is a bit overkill tho. My guess is a 5 gallon bucket would work.

BTW, to cool a TIG torch you would run water thru the copper instead of air of course.

 

Nice cooler CEP!

I have a refrigerated dryer which does a great job. I picked it up off CL years ago for $100. I found that putting an electric auto-drain on my tank really cut the amount of water that reached the dryer.

Here's an old thread that has some photos of my setup.
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?47000-Air-dryer-for-plasma-cutter

The most important thing you can do to drop moisture ahead of your plasma cutter has to do with proper plumbing practices. Small hoses/lines keep moisture in the air. Large lines move at a lower velocity and drop water. Years ago we were hooking up furnaces at the farm. We temporarily ran an air hose on an overhead cable between two builds. As a result, water collected in the droop of the hose and froze solid. Lines should have slope back to a drain point. Pull air off a tee rather than the bottom of the drop. Put a valve at the bottom of all your drops to drain any water that may collect.

 

Nice cooler CEP!

Cool cooler cep!

Thanks!

Couple years ago my inner cooler developed a leak. So I bought an Ingersoll Rand refrigerated cooler. Guess what? It doesn’t work as well as the home made one!

 

+1 on the motorguard- often called a "toilet paper" filter, because the paper filter it uses looks like a roll of TP.

 

If I remember right, I think Jim Colt says extra filtration is unnecessary. At any rate, I put the Motorguard M100 on my Cutmaster.

An M100 is just an M60 with two extra filters.

http://www.tooltopia.com/motorguard...2BRC6yszC1_75v5wBEiQAD-hdz-eZMFilUuf1Ml0UJk3-szcQxmo3CMoUDRfaWujfuM8aAhTI8P8HAQ

https://www.pricefalls.com/product/...2BRC6yszC1_75v5wBEiQAD-hdz2fU_Us4-moMOiTwLSlb8uH5lxQAH_fHcOdesz_mHSIaAnQq8P8HAQ

 

Call hypertherm one of their reps told me at a show the other day which one they now recommend I have the name wrote down at shop I think it was called the eliminator its in their catalog

 

Cool cooler cep!

 

Pretty sure the M-100 is the kit with an M-60 and two filters.
I prefer the M-60 over the M-26 for fixed/rigid applications since it has 1/2" MPT ports instead of 1/4" (good for quick connects).
It uses the same filter but has a slightly higher flow rating. Both flow ratings are far above what the PM-45 requires.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I'll probably go with one of the motorguards but I'll call hypertherm first

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

I use a Motorgard M60 filter into a campbell hausfeld desiccant filter then into the PM45

The internal water trap on the PM has always been spotless.


BTW,
you can also use the PM30 consumables on the 45 .... it gives you a finer cut for thinner material.

( the PM30 .... NOT the PM30xp)

 

I use a Motorgard M60 filter into a campbell hausfeld desiccant filter then into the PM45

The internal water trap on the PM has always been spotless.


BTW,
you can also use the PM30 consumables on the 45 .... it gives you a finer cut for thinner material.

( the PM30 .... NOT the PM30xp)

Thanks John T, didn't know that about the consumables, great news

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

CEP
Is there a drain at the bottom of your home made cooler to get rid of the condensate?

 

Yes there was, one to drain the copper tube, and one to drain the garbage can.
The drain for the copper tube, I always opened it first, to blow the water out.

 

Where do you live? This matters if you are in a humid climate....if in a desert climate with low humidity, and you are using a Powermax45 you will not need any additional filters or moisture removal devices. The 45 has a built in particulate and coalescing filter with an auto drain.

If you live where humidity is high, then an auto drain on your compressor is a must. A 20' length of copper pipe (downstream of your compressor) with a down-leg and a coalescing moisture filter at the end (lowest point) will work for most of the moisture. That may be adequate.

If you are high humidity and do a lot of cutting (more than typical hobbyist) then the best solution is a refrigerated dryer.

Many put too many filters, dryers , etc on their plasma system and create air starvation (every filter will drop some pressure under flow conditions.). Always install a pressure gauge after all filters, hard plumbed at the plasma air inlet. Monitor this pressure when air is flowing at the torch....for a Powermax45 the flowing inlet pressure must be above 90 psi and below 120 psi for best results.

Best regards, Jim Colt

 

I'm in the Nashville TN area. Gets humid in the summer months. Thanks for the input. I guess that's why there isn't a single easy answer