Airflow Regulator Question

Ok I’ma [D)] I’m having a difficult time with getting the airflow regulator to work on my Central Pneumatic A/B compressor (from Harbor Freight). the compressor has the water trap on it & here’s the problem… I have to turn the pressure knob up in order to have air going thru it. If I cut the pressure down from 40psi to 30psi and pull the trigger on the A/B the pressure drops & does not come back up when I release the trigger[%-)]
I’ve tried putting the regulator before the water trap but, still having the same problem, Should I take the regulator back & exchange it? Any ideas?
TIA,
Eddie

Eddie - when you say it drops, does it drop about 5-7psi and stay there or does it drop to 0? If it’s the first thing then that’s normal. I set the pressure on my spraying by pressing the trigger on my airbrush and dialing it to 20 or whatever I want that way. When I release the trigger it pops back up about 5-plus psi.

If it’s dropping to 0 then that’s a bird of a different flavor!

Eddie,

What Tom said, and this too: check for debris in the intake port of the regulator. It doesn’t take much. Do not disassemble the regulator, that is a job for experts and will probably void the warranty.

What bothers me is that the pressure doesn’t go back up when you release the trigger. Mine always does. That could be debris, a bad regulator, or a bad pressure gauge.

Do you have a storage/stilling tank in your set up?

Put the water trap after the regulator. It shouldn’t affect pressure at all. Drain it after each session.

When I leave the pressure alone it runs at like 40 psi and drops to 5-10 psi while using and returns to 40 psi upon release of the trigger. This is normal (even w/out adding a regulator) But, when I adjust the pressure to lets say 30 psi… pull the triggerand watch the air pressure drop back to 0 psi and stays there even when I let up off the trigger.[B)]
I am frustrated about this & it is drivin’ me bonkers [banghead]

Here’s my A/B compressor http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=521&pricetype=

and the regulator
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?function=Search

I’ve checked for debris in the intake & am considering taking the daang thing back today[B)]

Ed,

The link to the regulator did not work, but sounds like a bad regulator to me.

I’ve always been a bit wary of Harbor Freight…

Dixie art has the Paasche regulator for ~$30. That’s what I’ve used for years.

Thanks Russ, here’s the link again for the regulator
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?function=Search
if this don’t work, it’s item# 36797
I’ll be taking it back in a little while. Here’s a link on the regs page
http://da.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=air+regulators&Submit=Go
what y’all think?

Eddie-I’m having the same issue with my Passahe H/Campell-Hausfield air compressor. However, the regulator is mounted in such a way as to make it difficult to remove & replace. What I did ( that seems to help) is to mount another regulator after the moisture trap. I crank-up the regulator attached to the air compressor and then use the regulator after the moisture trap to ‘fine-tune’ it, much like Tom described. Also, I bought a double action/gravity a/b (Omni 4000) 'bout a month ago (and haven’t painted with it yet [:(]) but just blowing air thru it, it seems to be less effected than the Passahe H.

Hope this helps.

I’m considering exchanging my regulator for one that has a water trap on it as well. HF has one instock (in store) when I was there getting this reg. Think it was about $15.00
I see what you’re saying, having 2 regs & a water trap between them. Interesting idea tho.

Ed, the regulator you bought appears to be more suited to pneumatic tools than air brushes—could well be part of the problem. When you turn it down form 40 psi to what looks like 20 psi, you may actually be shuting it down below its minimum detection limit.

All those regulators appear to be intended for pneumatic tools. IMHO, there are two parts of an airbrush rig where compromise is not the best policy: the brush itself, and the regulator.

You need one that gives you accurate and precise readings between 20 and 5 psi. You shouldn’t have to interpolate more than 2 psi on the gauge

Seems UPS is to deliver it today[:D] which is why I’m trying to find a regulator that’ll work. Guess I could “convert” my air tool compressor over? [url]http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42321Thanks Russ, I’m trying to get this set up to run the Badger 175 [that was suppose to be here yesterday

You can use any compressor that puts out at least 30 psi—but the regulator has to be accurate from 5 to 20 psi.

If you are in a hurry, check the local artists’ supply places. Most of the larger ones will have airbrush regulators. I’m assuming there is not a LHS to try…[:(]

Well, I went & returned that regulator and decided to check out a few places (Michael’s, Beverley’s) and neither had anything on regulators[:(] Michael’s had a regulator for the can. I don’t think it’d work though.
Russ, there use to be a LHS here but, it shut down awhile back[:(!] It was the only one in town and thanks to my father allowing me to head up to Reno with him now & then I found a decent hobby shop up there[^] Thanks to espins1 whom I met not too long ago there[:D] High Sierra Models has a decent supply of models, accessories & even A/B stuff. I just don’t know when I’ll be going back up there[sigh]
Anyhow, I stopped at Home Depot & picked up a regulator & got it on and seems to work so, we shall see what happens when I get the Badger[:P]

I have this image of someone trying to attach an air hose to a badger…and the badger is very upset…

[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

Good luck! If this doesn’t work, check out Dixie Art and Bear Air.

Thanks Russ, I appreciate your sharing your “image”[:-,] But, with my luck,… we shall see[;)]
Just checked the UPS truck site & it’s in town & enroute[^] But, I think I’ll send 'em an email asking that Dale Jarrett take over the route[(-D][(-D]

BTW: It’s “Ross,” not “Russ.” 'Tis a fine old Celtic name, that as far as I’ve been able to find out, means “wood chip.” [:)]

[#oops] my bad Ross[:I] Celtic ay? Have you traced your family tree down yet? or, did ya shake it up?[:D]

Aye! Another fine Irish lad. [;)]
I be half Irish meself. [swg]

Eddie - I used a Lowes regulator for awhile and it did the job, a true hobby regulator will do you better but especially since you won’t be going down too far below 15psi with that brush you should be ok I would think…

I must have been really tired when I replied to your email because I totally missed the part about you depressing the trigger and the pressure not coming up when you let go. Good luck to ya and I noticed it was out for delivery too, hope it makes it there!! (My new airbrush is scheduled to be here Fri, I’m hoping no one inbetween LA and here “misroutes” it too!!! [V])

[#offtopic] Actually, I was named after my father’s best friend when he was in the USAAF.

I’m one quarter Polish, one quarter German, one quarter Bohemian (not Czech), and the other quarter is most of northwestern Europe—mostly Scots, English, Irish, Dutch, Flemish, etc., usw., ad infinitum et nauseam[#dots] and somewhere in there a tiny bit of Cherokee. I’ve got a geneology somewhere in the attic that goes back to somewhere in the 1200s, although it is incomplete before 1400. I’m technically related to both the Irish and Scots Kennedys. However, according to ancient heraldic law, anyone who’s given name is a clan name may claim (or be claimed) as that clan’s own. Ergo, I am also adopted into Clan Ross.

Hey! Let’s get together, get drunk on single malt, and go steal some sheep! [:o)]