Using a Yong Heng as a N2 Booster

[enazle]

One of the problems I encountered using 6000 PSI Nitrogen is turning in and exchanging a more than half full tank. The benefits of having a ready source of clean and dry air are great enough to me that I was willing to accept turning in a tank with air still in it. However, once these Yong Heng Compressors price dropped to $200 delivered, I got to thinking I could feed the N2 into one and use it to boost the gas and top off my smaller 30min scba tanks to 4500psi. The description on their Amazon listing is not exactly accurate. It has a blurb in the details that the working pressure is 3000PSI but the big description that comes up during a search says 3000-5000 psi. And it says paintball in the description and I mistakenly associated it with HPA. Every thing else is perfect and the system works really well.

Doing the math I determined 20-25psi would supply enough gas through the 1/8" tubing I was planning on using. The first hurdle I had to overcome was reducing 4000psi in my bulk tank down to 20-25psi. The solution came from Palmer Pursuit who makes regulators for paintball guns.  I called the company and talked to the owner Craig Palmer about what I was trying to do and he directed me toward his Inline Stabilizer with 1/8" NPT ports. $93 
https://palmerspursuit.com/collections/regulators-1/products/inline-stabilizer-regulator-3

Below is a list of the other parts and pieces to put this together.
From Ebay
Chemlube 751 half gallon synthetic COMPRESSOR LUBRICANT Diester ISO 150 $55

From Amazon Prime
1ea  1/8"MIP Air gauge $13


From GlowShift.com
7/16-20 Male to 1/8-27 NPT Female Thread Adapter $11

From Lowes
2ea 1/4" comp to 1/8" MIP Brass fittings $4
25ft  EZ-FLO  1/4-in Inner Diameter x Polyethylene Tubing $8

$410 Total

Operating Procedures

I called Craig Palmer and he recommends I set my Primary Reg to 1000psi or below so that the target psi is in the middle range of the Stabilizer. The stabilizer acts like a booster in reverse. It brings the pressure down in a ratio base on input. I don’t necessarily know the difference between a stabilizer and a regulator?  When I first contacted Palmer I explained what I was wanting to do and this device is what he recommended.

The key is to leave the low pressure bleed partially open.  So to get things going start the machine with both bleeds open. Open the target tank's pressure against the check valve in the male foster connected to the YH Filter.  Then introduce the N2, adjust the flow on the stabilizer where the motor starts to drag and back off a bit and air is still exiting the LP bleed. Then close the high pressure side and the pressure will build until the check valve in the foster connection to the target tank opens. When max pressure is reached open the high side bleed then turn the machine off, then shut off the N2.

What I learned is the target psi on the stabilizer is about 20 psi.  The burst disc are specked to be 1mm and they are more like .27mm. I had to double up the disc to keep it from popping the disc. One other small issue I have to overcome is the low pressure bleed screw vibrating loose since it isn’t tight. I’ll have to fig something up to make it snug in the fitting when left partially open. 

[Wayne52]

That's some excellent in depth information that you've provided no doubt !!!  I've often thought about checking with the suppliers in town here but never have gotten around to it.  I do know that using those big steel tanks like that don't require the same stringent specs like the carbon fiber tanks.

[Doug Wall]

Interesting, but when you throw in the cost of the N2 (rental and refills), I wonder if you wouldn't do just as well, by setting up a really nice desiccant system on the YH? You could set up a pretty nice 2 stage (separator + desiccant) system for about $250-300, and then just have to change out or regenerate desiccant every so often. Just my thoughts, and not dissing your system. More than one way to do things.

[enazle]

Interesting, but when you throw in the cost of the N2 (rental and refills), I wonder if you wouldn't do just as well, by setting up a really nice desiccant system on the YH? You could set up a pretty nice 2 stage (separator + desiccant) system for about $250-300, and then just have to change out or regenerate desiccant every so often. Just my thoughts, and not dissing your system. More than one way to do things.

This may not be the best solution for someone who shoots everyday.  Different ways to skin a cat. It would be really hard for me not to justify the use of N2. Quality/ Cost verses convenience tilts so far in favor of a bulk air tank. I have made my decision on the path to take in my particular circumstance.

I should add that here where I live it seems the air drips with moisture. I’ve tried using desiccant filters in the past only to have them break down and fill regulator full of grit.  I converted to nitrogen and haven’t regretted it one bit. Somehow I feel more assured that I’m not pumping a bunch of &^^& into my guns.

[KnifeMaker]

It would seem peace of mind is worth the  cost of admition here.


Knife

[OleTomCat]

I have wondered about running an input line to my YH compressor from my Shop Air compressor. 

Which burst disk did you have to double up on? 

Are you still using post compression filtration?

Do you think if you lowered the input air pressure further you wouldn't have to leave the vent open?

[enazle]

I have wondered about running an input line to my YH compressor from my Shop Air compressor. 

Which burst disk did you have to double up on? 

Are you still using post compression filtration?

Do you think if you lowered the input air pressure further you wouldn't have to leave the vent open?

I do not see any benefit of doing that. The only reason I am is to prevent moisture build up. I also have had really bad experience with a desiccant filter that disintegrated and ruined a bunch of equipment. Your shop compressor will only create more moisture for you existing filters to attempt to remove.  Take a look at this thread, it shows what will happen.  https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=174642.0

[HunterWhite]

This may be all wrong, but could you regulate to say 1000 or 2000 PSI and only use the second stage of the air compressor?

Hunter

[enazle]

This may be all wrong, but could you regulate to say 1000 or 2000 PSI and only use the second stage of the air compressor?

Hunter

I can't see how with how this pump works.

[HunterWhite]

Ah, I don't know how it works. I've seen pictures that show a pipe that looks like it connects the output of the low pressure cylinder to the input of the high pressure cylinder.
Is the connection internal?

Hunter

[OleTomCat]

I'm using inline Desiccant not putting it in the tank.  The Moisture is in the air regardless of if I compress it with the Yong Heng or the Shop compressor so I will have to remove the same amount of moisture either way. I check the desiccant after every bottle I fill so I don't let it go long enough to break down.

I have wondered about running an input line to my YH compressor from my Shop Air compressor. 

Which burst disk did you have to double up on? 

Are you still using post compression filtration?

Do you think if you lowered the input air pressure further you wouldn't have to leave the vent open?

I do not see any benefit of doing that. The only reason I am is to prevent moisture build up. I also have had really bad experience with a desiccant filter that disintegrated and ruined a bunch of equipment. Your shop compressor will only create more moisture for you existing filters to attempt to remove.  Take a look at this thread, it shows what will happen.  https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=174642.0

[enazle]

I finally got to use my fill station. I have 5 pony tanks and use them down to 3600 psi. So to refill, I first refilled all the small tanks directly from my Nitrogen tank. After all were filled the big tank was down to 4100 psi but so were all my pony's. I then topped them off with the YH booster to 4600 psi in about 5 to 10 minutes each. In total it took about 200 psi off the nitrogen tank.  I have a video and will figure out how to post it up later.

One other note. Do not use IORMAN foster fitting listed above. the check valve assembly failed and started leaking.  I bought replacement parts from www.airtanksplus.com and believe the quality to be much better.

[enazle]

Are you still using post compression filtration?

Do you think if you lowered the input air pressure further you wouldn't have to leave the vent open?

I didn't adequately answer these two questions the first go around. As for the post compression filtration, I am only using the OEM filter. Since the N2 I am using is high purity with no moisture in it, I only need the inline filter to catch oil vaper which thus far appears to be zero. I am using the expensive Chemlube 751.

On the second question, I found that once the compressor starts and the N2 is flowing, I needed to shut the low side bleed and adjust the N2 flow to overcome the vacuum up to 5 psi or 8 inHg. Then I shut the high side pressure to start the fill cycle.

[OleTomCat]

Great thanks for the information...

[enazle]

So, I'm on my third fill cycle with the YH N2 Booster. Total run time is about 1.5 hours total. The inline OEM cigarette butt like filter is pristine, there isn't even an oder of oil our moisture. My bulk tank is down to 3900 psi. I will keep updating as time goes by. I have a run meter to put on, it's hard to track of run times because of the starts and stops between tanks. 

[Louie_Munster]

I’m planning on the exact same setup. I bought a YH compressor before of learning of Nitrogen for my AT44. I decided to keep the YH to boost the pressure of the 6K nitrogen tank to fill my CF SCBA tanks. I bought a fill station from Joe to fill the SCBA tanks. I’m new to PCP so any info learned is info appreciated.

[aimsmall]

man that is an awesome ideal! keep us posted on how well it keeps going as the big tanks pressure continues to drop.

[HYspd]

tanked N2 is dry, clean and faster than air...



i use an air powered booster that runs off a dedicated inline reducer set at 100psi...to fill airguns...

basically the high pressure side of the booster has a T....the tank hooks to one side of the T, the high pressure inlet of the pump hooks to the other side of the T and the leg gets the pressure reducer and powers the pump's driving cylinder...

so it lays out as tank-pump-airgun


too heavy and complicated to backpack for walk about but easily car trunk portable for quick refills or to setup on a seperate table when bench shooting....

[enazle]

First problem occurred. The on off switch looks like the housing broke or failed, not really sure. So I replaced it with a DPST toggle switch and I was back at it. I really like this set up and am pleased with the results thus far.  Topped off 3 30 min and one 60 min tanks from 3800 to 4500 in less than an hour. The bulk tank dropped 125 psi.

[Voltar1]

tanked N2 is dry, clean and faster than air...



i use an air powered booster that runs off a dedicated inline reducer set at 100psi...to fill airguns...

basically the high pressure side of the booster has a T....the tank hooks to one side of the T, the high pressure inlet of the pump hooks to the other side of the T and the leg gets the pressure reducer and powers the pump's driving cylinder...

so it lays out as tank-pump-airgun


too heavy and complicated to backpack for walk about but easily car trunk portable for quick refills or to setup on a seperate table when bench shooting....

how exactly is N2 faster than air?