Altaros compressor booster mini review

[rsterne]

Voltar is correct, the storage tank volume only affects how long the compressor will take to cycle, not the percentage of time it will have to run.... The same compressor with a 60 gal. tank will be on 3 times as long, and off 3 times as long, as with a 20 gal. tank.... but the percentage of time when running the Altaros will remain the same....

Knife, I have no idea how much the CFM will drop off at 120 psi instead of 90 psi.... but 11.5 CFM is 325 L/min.... At 120 psi (8 bar) it may be similar to the middle unit on the Altaros website, which delivers 250 L/min at that pressure.... At 65% duty cycle, they say 75 min. to top off a 4L tank from 200 to 300 bar.... so for a 9 L tank (Great White, etc.) that would be nearly 3 hours.... just about the same as my Freedom 8....

Bob

[Privateer]

I guess if you don't have a big tank there's no reason to ask questions.
I'm thinking for the price and only filling the Guns air tube itself?
This offers the $ savings I'm looking for anyway.

[aceflier]

What's the website ? I can't find it on google. Thanks!

[Privateer]

http://altaros-compressor.com/

[Underwhelmed]

I'm thinking of getting one to use with the compressor at the shop where I work.

We have a Kaesar Aircenter rotary screw compressor with a refrigerated air dryer unit built right into it. Plenty of super dry, clean, plentiful air.

[customcutter]

Neither pump generates moisture.  The moisture comes from the humidity in the air.  The smaller pump runs hotter and when the hot air hit the cold tank or piping it condensates easier than it does with the larger pump.  You still need a dessicant or drier.  I know there is a small one on the Altars, but will it be sufficient for heavy use in high humidity?

[n2omike]

Neither pump generates moisture.  The moisture comes from the humidity in the air.  The smaller pump runs hotter and when the hot air hit the cold tank or piping it condensates easier than it does with the larger pump.  You still need a dessicant or drier.  I know there is a small one on the Altars, but will it be sufficient for heavy use in high humidity?

When a compressor runs almost continuously, it runs hot, and produces a lot of moisture.
Running the Altaros off a first stage compressor that is too small, will result in a lot of moisture being produced.

[DocMortal]

For my setup I will be running a water separator filter and regulator first then about a 20 inch long 2 inch wide dual stage dessicant filter which is not expensive. If you make it yourself. Then it goes into the altaros.. which also has a water separator and small dessicant filter built it.

Almost forgot to add that I purchased a diablo filter that will go after the Altaros to my 4500 60 mn scba tank. Further drying the air

I will be monitoring the color of my dessicant filter to see how much moisture is being produced.

Both of you guys are correct and thats why I'm taking precautions. How much moisture depends on where you live. Hopefully me living in the high desert will help me out finally lol.

Only way to find out for me is testing testing. Luckily dessicant changes colors as it absorbs.

[customcutter]

Neither pump generates moisture.  The moisture comes from the humidity in the air.  The smaller pump runs hotter and when the hot air hit the cold tank or piping it condensates easier than it does with the larger pump.  You still need a dessicant or drier.  I know there is a small one on the Altars, but will it be sufficient for heavy use in high humidity?

When a compressor runs almost continuously, it runs hot, and produces a lot of moisture.
Running the Altaros off a first stage compressor that is too small, will result in a lot of moisture being produced.

Only if you are feeding it with moisture laden air.  You can't. Produce something from nothing.  It can only condensate the moisture already in the air.  Which from my understanding you don't want in your PCP anyway.

[Euro2]

I have another question. So
1. Part of input air goes to drive compressor
2. Another part is being used as boost pressure.

Is #1 exhausted outside or somehow it's being fed in to #2?

Shoe box can be used as helium compressor - it can pressurize "low" input pressure helium tank to PCP levels.

Will altaros waste (exhaust) part of input pressure or it will feed all input?

Thanks!

[rsterne]

The drive air is exhausted, not used in any way.... so unless you can re-pipe Helium directly to the "middle" stage you would be wasting it....

Bob

[KnifeMaker]

Exactly!

Mine left its home country yesterday. Grrrr!!! Worse than christmas!

Knife

[Bizill]

The drive air is exhausted, not used in any way.... so unless you can re-pipe Helium directly to the "middle" stage you would be wasting it....

Bob

I thought I read that it was used for cooling and then expelled.  Wouldn't want to waste all that Helium.

[DocMortal]

Mine should be here middle of the week. 

[KnifeMaker]

Mine hit customs this morning!!!

Yes, as the air is exhausted from the unit, it passes thru a chamber surrounding the cylinder walls,and cools the cylinders and then is vented to the atmosphere.

So yes, it does do something, and yes, helium would be lost unless a recovery system was some how attached to the exhaust ports. Don't see how this would be an easy or efficient thing to do however.

On the other hand, the air being exhausted, is only the air used to drive the pump. I don't see any reason why some one capable of plumbing it differently couldn't run Helium to the pressure cylinders, and compressed air to the  power compression section. But I have not had actual eyes on it as of yet. Other than pic'.

Knife

[DocMortal]

Pretty good idea.

I got my compressor yesterday !..  I have had time to mess with it a little. Like people have mentioned it's an air hog if you want it to pump fast.

Really depends what kind of compressor you have... Bigger is better for sure.

I have 175 psi husky 30 gallon "quiet" compressor manual states it can run continuously but will i do that... No.. lol

Manual recommends 50% run time... so for every hour you can run 30 minutes...

With that in mind I set up 130 psi with a SLOW flow rate. So Basically have it running about 5 minutes then off for 10 minutes.

I want to just slowly reach 3000 psi ..which it did about 8 hrs.Running slow Then do a hardcore test from 3000 psi to 4500 psi.. on a 60 minute tank.

I think that will simulate a pretty good scenario...

But you guys can give some ideas...

Right now a big problem I see like has been discussed is moisture and a lot of it. How do i know..

I have a regulator water separator before my 2 stage dessicant filters.

After about 8 hrs the compressor must of had about 1/4 of water in the tank.. water separator had a bit also.. but my whole first stage dessicant was pink... talking about a foot long of dessicant .. then luckily my 2nd stage was nice and blue...

Since then I reloaded my first stage dessicant and added 2 more water separators before my dessicant filters.

So My Setup for now... 3 water seperators before my 2 stage dessicant...then Altaros has it's own water seperator and it's own small dessicant filter.

I also use a diablo dessicant filter into my scba tank.

I will keep you guys updated but I see the biggest hurdle is best to have a big compressor for fast fills and a way to resolve the moisture from the compressed air from your shop compressor.

You can use a smaller compressor but trade off is you will have to slow down the flow or you will be running your compressor into the ground.

Minimum maybe 20 gallon tank... But try to get 175 and up psi so it will work down to 100 to 140psi.

I will keep you guys updated as i go... this weekend I will try to get a nice test going.

It does work awesome and Im happy with is so far since i dont need it to be really fast with my huge scba tank.

Sorry for spelling etc long post... I'm at work...lol

[KnifeMaker]

Doc;

Mine left customs this afternoon and hit the NY Metro  po  at 5.30 pm eastern. So almost here!

You said, you used it for 8 hrs. What was the psi in the tank before starting? Ending was 3000? How was the heat of the Altaros itself?

Thank you, Knife

[DocMortal]

Yup was 0 bud just got the scba tank 97cu 60 min.. Glad to hear your is near.. Maybe like 4-5 days away?

Pumped from 0 to 3000
Altaros barely warm. It's a nice for the price and quiet !

But you need to plan for the moisture

[KnifeMaker]

Yup was 0 bud just got the scba tank 97cu 60 min.. Glad to hear your is near.. Maybe like 4-5 days away?

Pumped from 0 to 3000
Altaros barely warm. It's a nice for the price and quiet !

But you need to plan for the moisture

Thanks Doc! It left NY Metro PO last night.
your fill came to apx. 375 pdi per hour, so not bad. And very pleased with your report of the temp on the Altaros. Not bad, Not bad a all!  

Looking forward to your full fill times going full on, from 3000 to 4500 psi.

Knife
Knife

[DocMortal]

Great to hear knife....

We need dairyboy to come in here and give us an update . I'm very curious to see his dessicant filter in the Altaros I'm almost sure that dessicant is saturated with water.

Hope not but I live in the desert one can assume its dry, but the compressor gets so hot then cools running so much... causes moisture to be removed From air at a rapid rate.

I have a rather cheap solution for a dessicant filter setup but it's on the unsafe side but I enclose it in steel just in case it let's go PM me if you guys are interested . Your own risk of course.

Can't wait to give it a rather full bore test on sat.  I say rather because my compressor kicks on at 130 psi... I will set it to pump 140 psi...

So will be a bit of time where its below the regulator I will still keep it at 30 min run time and 30 min off time.