debris inside tank

nevekd128 · #1 11-27-2009, 02:45 AM

in my gun i saw this white powder substance. then i cleeaned my gun and aired it up, and it came right back in the reg. so it has to come from the tank. i know that it had to have entered when it last got filled. so is it dangerous to try and refill it, and should the shop be held liable to clean out the tank?

it was a white course type of powder, and he said the compressor had a leak, but i dont think that should affect the output

nevekd128 · #2 11-27-2009, 10:09 AM

so no
one has a suggestion?

Tabris17 · #3 11-27-2009, 10:12 AM

Best thing to do is to clean your tank out again and then buy a filtered fill nipple. Bob Long sells one on his website that comes with a dust cover. This should help prevent or at least greatly reduce the impurities getting into your tank as the compressor is giving you 'dirty' fills but unless that compressor themselves are filtered you're generally going to get some kind of impurities into your tank.

nevekd128 · #4 11-29-2009, 02:19 PM

well my reg is pretty old.
could it be those clear orings breaking down?

Tabris17 · #5 11-29-2009, 07:42 PM

It could be a number of things. But if you're not getting leaks or anything like that and it's a fair amount of powder, I would think it would be coming from the compressor.
At least with a filtered fill nipple, you're not paying that much (the bob long comes with the dust cover so it will be more then normal) and it would be the first step in tracking an issue with your tank if there is one.

chris@CrossFire · #6 11-30-2009, 09:44 AM

We are seeing this issue increase in regularity with the hydros we do. That is from the filter on the fill station. They have a life on them and need to be changed. Like other filters they just get clogged bot on these when it is time to change them they decintegrate. So this causes a white film or powder. When we see it in our regs during rebuilds it looks like gritty Ivory bar soap all over the internals. This will deffinately cause a failure and needs a full cleaning of the bottle and reg. The filters are not cheap and maintenance takes a while and sometimes you need a service call to have it done properly.

rcontrera · #7 12-02-2009, 02:26 AM

Poor air quality is an unfortunate side effect of poor business practices on the part of the shop/field.

Compressors require moisture separation as well as filtration to give clean, dry air. If the air going into your cylinder is clean and dry, you will never have debris unless you put it in the fill nipple.

Water itself is relatively harmless in the tank until there are any other contaminants that can cause corrosion of the aluminum lining. That corrosion can be as benign as just surface discoloration or as insidious as sloughing off of the surface (can look like powder), stalactites and/or pitting.

Additionally, shops that don't change out their filter cartridges regularly will eventually saturate the filter chemicals and cause them to break down. The chemicals will work their way down the piping to the fill station and can clog filters, valves, regulators, etc.

The best filter you can have for your own equipment is to only get fills from a quality air system. A quick and easy test that diver have been doing for years is to check the air before pumping it into your cylinder. Bring a clean white handkerchief and put it over the fill outlet. Carefully crack the inlet valve for a second to blow some air through the folded handkerchief and then immediately shut the air off. Now, inspect the handkerchief for any debris or moisture. If you see anything, show the operator/owner and tell them it is time to change their filters. If you get a blast of s**t or one of those swaggers and a "We been doing this a long time boy!" then pick another shop/field. Make sure you tell your friends too!