Altaros Compressor
Hello,
we would like to take this opportunity to introduce our Altaros compressor for the home bottle filling on high air pressure up to 300bar/4500 psi .
At the same time, we want to answer your questions and ask your opinion on our compressor. We welcome all comments and type of information that would interest you and should be on our web.
Or some technical improvements that you would like on compressor in the future.
Here is few photos:
Compressor video test with temperature meassurements
Parameters.
Output pressure Max 300bar, 30MPa, 4500 PSI
Input pressure Min 5bar, 70 PSI
Max 10bar, 145PSI
Size (Height x width x depth) 30x30x60 cm 11.7 x 11.7 x 23.6 inch
Weight 5 kg 11 lb
More detailed information can be found on our website:
Or in our manual:
Thank you for your comments, which will surely help make the compressor even better than it is now.
All Replies
Unk;
Looks like it is going to be the adjustment on the down stream side of the “T” coming out of the water separator.
Knife
Hoot, I just looked at the PDF on the altaros site, and yes, that is the input control. It is # 13 on the illustration.
New concept for ARK. I know, but —Get the Book! Get the BOOK! GET THE GD BOOK!!! :rofl:
My Wife uses this line on me all :biggrinn: the time.
Or as she puts it, if first you don’t succeed, read the Dayum instructions! I hate it when She’s right!
Grrrrr!!!
Knife
Hoot, it explains it in the video, but I am afraid I am going to have to go back and look at it again.
Can’t remember Shit these days! Grrrrr!!!
I at this point, don’t see how this would serve any differently than having an aftermarket pressure regulator on your outlet of compressor. But then again, maybe I will learn something differently watching the vid again.
Knife
:hoot:
Where is the air flow setting screw? Is it on the shop compressor or on the Altaros booster??? Is that the same one as the desired air pressure, shutoff screw, on the outside of the Altaros box?
I am delighted with the Altaros booster!!! It is a jewel, but I don’t understand how to adjust this air flow setting screw…
I’m old…can anyone explain this?
Hoot:
There may have been a bit of a misunderstanding.
I’ll try to explain it better.
The minimum value of the inlet pressure of 5 bar (72 PSI) Value is required so that the gear ratio piston is able to create the necessary power to high pressure piston so that piston create the outlet pressure amounted to 300bar (4500 psi).
It is due purely gear ratio and it has nothing to do directly with the speed of filling. Filling speed obviously depends on the inlet pressure, but the reason is that when it is greater input pressure so to the medium cylinder is filled with more air and at one stroke will thus to compress more air.
To achieve an output pressure of 300bar (4500 psi) must by inlet pressure at minimum size of 5 bar (72 PSI). To achieve an output pressure of 200bar (3000 psi) enough 1/3 less inlet pressure therefore about 3,5bar (50 psi).
Possibility to fill the bottle to 300bar (4500ps), therefore any air source (compressor) which is able to deliver pressure about value 5 bar (72 PSI) and more .
ATTENTION !
Production rate of the drive (workshop) of the compressor has no effect on whether it can be used to achieve 300bar (4500 psi), only has to meet the conditions of the minimum output pressure of 5 bar (72 PSI)
workshop driving compressor performance = how many supplied liters per minute or CFM indicating only how fast it will move our booster compressor = how many does the stroke per minute!
Number of strokes Altaros booster compressor, the movement range of about 20 to 40 per minute, depending to amount of air supplied (not the amount of pressure). The speed of movement of the piston is thus significantly smaller than conventional high-speed compressors.
Important: even the smallest compressor with a small amount of air supplied, for example, 0.5 CFM and the outlet pressure of 5 bar theoretically can fill bottle to 4500 PSI, the only difference from a normal compressor is that he will take a very very long time. In this case at Altaros booster compressor must be over Air flow setting screw reduction limit for air flow to the boosters and thus slows booster. It will ensure for workshop driving small compressor the necessary time so that he could keep the outlet pressure to the minimum required value of 5 bar in his air tank.
So even small workshop compressors will not melt down. With the correct setting Air flow setting screw everyone workshop driving compressor can run only 60% of the time and maintain the desired output pressures.
Air flow setting screw thus serves to ensure that the movement speed of Altaros booster compressor adapted amount of air supplied from the compressor drive workshop and therefore that the booster compressor slowed enough that the inlet pressure is maintained at the highest possible pressure (10bar is best of course – 145PSI).
Dearest UNK Hoot!
For whatever reason, the Altaros doesn’t (as per their specs) does not require an oilless compressor. The only reason I can figure that it might not, is that by design, it doesn’t get hot enough on compression to be a danger with an Air/Oil mix. As it is the combination of heat, petroleum and pressure that can set off such a mixture, it makes sense. As an hpa bottle is pressurized, (or the interior cylinders of a compressor) heat in generated. However the Altaros never gets “Hot” by design. I can only surmise that this is why Tom at Shoe Box will not recommend using a standard, OIL lubricated firstage, as the pistons in the SB can get quite hot on the piston surface.
I am using a Ingersol Rand up-right Comp. that uses oil, (synthetic, not that, that matters) and is sold by tractor supply. It is a 145 psi, 11.5cfm @ 90 psi, unit. 60 gal best that I remember, but that doesn’t matter either. I used it for cylinder head porting for several years. It can really put the air out!
For whatever reason, I got a really good deal on it new in store. I noticed lately, that they had gone up “A LOT” Grrrrrr.
I check it regularly for any oil in the air,and nada. The shoe Box however does get silicone oil in it from its system. Apparently this is not dangerous as is a petroleum based oil, and will not compression detonate, (Think of how a diesel engine works, compression, fuel, oxygen,= Ka blam , you’re off and pressure, running. LOL!!! (It’s called Auto Ignition)
I bought a cheap, (50.usd) water/oil separator, combo at HF and have not seen a bit of oil in its filter yet. Not in two years of using it to test, and or remove the oil.
The HF unit has two canisters. One with the blue beads for moisture separation, and one with an odd foam for the OIl removal. It is staying perfectly clean.
Hope this helps at least a little.
Altaros cleared customs and hit NY Metro post at 5.00 pm this evening. I can almost hear it chugging along now! :biggrinn:
For what it is worth, 1 Bar is apx. 14.5 psi. 😉
Knife
Oh!!! Got ya. Hurting too much too think clearly today. Grrrrrr!!! 😉
:hoot:
Let me clarify the Altaros air pump booster situation a bit. The Altaros minimum air flow “in” needs to be 5 BAR (MPa 0.5), and a maximum 10 BAR (1.0 MPa) air flow. A six gallon 2.6 SCFM “pancake” compressor won’t be able to keep up with that consistent air flow. You CAN fill with this size compressor, but it will run constantly, and when the scuba tanks air pressure gets up to around 3200 psi, there is an almost non-detectable gain in pressure, and the compressor runs and runs, and eventually burns up from it’s own heat.
So, 5 BAR is a constant 72 psi, therefore the compressor you use must be big enough to maintain 72 psi minimum on a constant basis. My 150 psi, 2.6 cfm, 6 gallon pancake can only maintain about 55 to 60 psi as it runs constantly. Thus, as the scuba tank pressure rises, the fill rate gets slower and slower, and the pancake gets hotter and hotter.
The maximum 10 BAR/145 psi, on a consistent basis, will take a large compressor to keep up with that demand. The benefit is the Altaros unit will fill much faster and enable you to fill to 4500 psi without any problem.
I’ve been shopping, but trying to find an oilless compressor really narrows the field. I am assuming a piston/oil lubed compressor might transfer oil vapor into the scuba tank and possibly cause dieseling in a pcp air gun. I suppose an air/oil filter for compressors would eliminate this problem. I do know you need a moisture collector on your compressor. There’s one in the Altaros unit, but given the amount of water I catch in both water filters, I certainly recommend you pick up an inexpensive water collector and put it between the compressor and the hose.
The confusion here is compressors here are not rated in MPa, or BAR of output. That makes it a bit difficult for the common Western man to determine which compressor to obtain. Perhaps one of our engineering types can do the math and advise us. Then we would know what to buy.
As of right now, all I can say is get the big one that has at least 4.0 cfm per minute at 90 psi. Better minds than mine can/should correct this recommendation, as I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about!
Hoot:
Thanks for responding Knife. I meant that the compressor fills to 175 psi but can only output up to 125 psi of regulated air.
P.s, the Husky 30 Gal. is on sale for $269.00 until 1/05/17. Not sure if it’s a good one or not but the reviews are good and the price is right.
Don’t know Mugg’s,
Have no Idea as to what cfm it would be at higher psi. I do know you wrote that it was max 175 psi, then wrote 125 max. ——-
Knife
:rofl: No Kidding, Right?
It hit customs this morning! Woo-Hoo!!! :biggrinn:
Knife
Hi guys, I’m in need of you’re expertise. Going to order the Altaros Compressor Booster in the next couple of days and need to buy a compressor to drive the thing. The compressor I have in mind is the Husky 30 Gal. 175 psi (model C303H), sold at Home Depot. It puts out 5.1 SCFM at 90 psi. I read that the max output is 125 psi. I have a 88 cu.ft./4500 psi tank and would like to fill from 3000 to 4500 psi. I don’t know a thing about air output and thIs is where I need your help :2cents: ….. Would like to fill the tank as fast as possible with this set up. Of the following what’s the best option? Option 1: use 90 psi at the rate of 5.1 SCFM, or option 2: turn regulator up to 125 psi and fill from there? Not sure what the SCFM output would be at 125 psi though. Let me know what’s best :8:
P.s, the Husky 30 Gal. is on sale for $269.00 untile 1/05/17. Not sure if it’s a good one or not but the reviews are good and the price is right.
Well it sure is better than the titanic. :fishing:
So they are still using the Wright Brothers plane for their Trans Atlantic mail service?
LOL!!! :biggrinn:
Knife
:hoot:
It will take about one week.
Hoot:
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OK, It came in. Had to play tag with the usps to get it. Was supposed to go to the PO, and didn’t. Somehow, It went to home address. Kinda scary,as neighbors are not all that honest. They like freebies! Grrrr!!!
Now to what I thought. After years with a chain drive Shoebox, the Altaros was a bit of a let down. The how is the odd part.
With the Shoe Box, there is a bit of a ritual to get them ready to operate.
1. Put silicone in the felt feed pad on top cylinder.
2. Put a pea size dab of Lithium Grease on the piston on the lower cylinder.
3. Put Air Tool Oil on the top cylinder rod, on the outboard side to lube it where it goes thru
the brass guide.
4. Put same oil on all bearing surfaces of the pump arms. There are three.
5. Put lithium grease in the roller guide under the high pressure rod guide.
6. Put light coat of same oil on chain, if needed. Check chain tension.
7. Connect power/Air supply/Air Tank being filled/ open valves to supply air and suba tank.
8. Take a break. You’ve already spent valuable time you could have been filling a tank. And hope
you didn’t forget anything. If you have, you will be replacing “0” Rings. (Ask How I know),
along with a complete teardown. Grrrrrr!!! No doubt, I still left something out of this list!
9. OK, remembered what it was that I forgot. Put the dayum fan turned toward the pistons and turn it on full force. (Whew)! could have toasted another set of “o” Rings Right There!!!
Whew, I’m already tired, and I haven’t even started the filling.
10. If you need to fill for more than 2 hrs. Repeat almost all of the ritual again. EVERY TWO HOURS! :angrymob:
Now here’s the let down of the Altaros.
1. Connect power supply for the cutoff and valving (One line) /Air Supply/fill hose for tank.
Relax. Your Filling!
And therein lies the rub. I had gotten so accustomed to the ritual of the Shoe Box, that I felt like I was neglecting the Altaros. Worried myself to death as to what I had forgotten. Well, turns out that what I had forgotten was how to relax, and let a well engineered piece of equipment do its job. I almost felt, No, I did feel guilty. I was filling, and really didn’t do anything. Just Plug and Play.
My 88 CF tank was at 4300 psi, and it filled to 4500 psi. Well, slightly over 4500. Almost 4600 psi.
Time, a little over 15 min. according to my wife. Seemed more like 20 to me. (Sounds familiar!!!) :confusedn: Both the low side air cylinder and high side were cold, NOT COOL, but cold to the touch. Input air was set at 90 cut on, 140 cut off, set @ 100 cfm output on the Reg.
This was with a Ingersol Rand UpRight, with a 3.5 HP continuous 7.5 HP load rating.
I will be testing in depth over the next few weeks, but I can tell ya guys, I’m impressed!!! :8:
One more little tidbit. When you put foam, (Which plenty comes with the packing, which was superb!) The unit is whisper quiet. I can actually cast bullets right next to it, and not go bonkers. Something that was near impossible with the Shoebox. So I can actually accomplish something in the shop while filling. Before, bottle filling ran me out of my own shop. LOL!!! :rofl:
On a side note, if you need more than 2 hrs. for filling with the Altaros, it just keeps on keeping on. No need to stop it and do a thing. Just keep doing what ever you were doing. No required, interruptions. If a shoebox finishes, it stops. If you are not there to disconnect everything, it cal slowly leak down. If the same happened with the Altaros, it will restart itself, and keep the bottle at the desired pressure. Heck, it even purges its own water separator. At $603 USD, including shipping, and with a two year warranty. Seems hard to beat to me. In fact at even double the price, it still has more liveable features, with less moving parts to wear out.
A welcome Win-Win for me! 😉
Knife