Bauer Junior ii E1
My battle with getting my MrodAir Extreme doesn’t have a predictable, good outcome. Still waiting for a solution to its oil in air problem, but at least I now have another compressor to actually use. Thanks to my CFO (wife)!
Ordered a Bauer Jr II E (230 volt single phase) from Joe B. it arrived in a few days, on a pallet and well secured. Weight was somewhere around 150-160 pounds.
Top and sides of box and lift off in one piece. Made it easy for the two of us to lift it off the pallet. No lifting out of a tall box.
Fully uncrated.
Included accessories
Size comparison with the “bad” Airmax predecessor. Pretty comparable in size if you include the required water bucket. Build level isn’t even fair to compare. I couldn’t wait to fire the new Bauer up. I had already rewired the garage for a 4 prong 240 volt outlet. I anticipated swapping out the Bauer’s existing power cord with one that fits my outlet
What? No power cord. That is a surprise. Are no compressors plug and play? I guess I’m supposed to wire one into this junction box.
I found the motor’s wiring diagram and a bunch of wires inside the junction box. Called Joe B. and got some encouragement and general advice about going through one wire at time — process of elimination. After figuring out how the wires should go together, I realized there wasn’t any way to turn the compressor on or off. A call to Joe B. verified that’s the way they come. That meant also creating a motor control box. My anticipated three wire connecting project was now something bigger.
Motor wires connected
Put together a quick and dirty motor control box. I’ll change the internals to a contactor and add red & green push buttons later. Also, needs a thermal circuit breaker. This was enough to get things started.
Install filter cartridge and fill with oil. The compressor ships without oil in it. Took about half the supplied bottle to fill. You can’t see the level except via the dip stick. Fill in small amounts at a time because I didn’t know how much the compressor would actually need.
Finally, late at night, it was ready for initial run. 15 minutes without any load. Very little oil came out of bleed tube.
First pressurized run topped off Great White from 3800 to 4500 psi in six minutes. That’s with me slowing down the process by gradually adjusting the final stage valve incrementally up in pressure (counterclockwise).
Very pleased thus far with the compressor. Didn’t fumigate the garage like the Airmax. (All the spiders are dead post the Airmax fumigator). Delivered air from the Bauer is clean, cool and no longer a worry. The only downers were having to create a motor controller and figure out the motor wiring.
Wife is happy we did this and says this is a lesson on not being too cheap and ending up spending a lot more.
I have even had time to post in the Vulcan Bullpup section instead of working on a compressor.
[edited for grammar & show correct picture for wires]
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Thanks to Joe giving the OK to using more brutane, I got all fittings disassembled and rearranged in the way I want. Took just a bit more force and some bigger wrenches. Always cautious to avoid breaking anything, I had been too gentle. Took all the joints apart to move the gauge AND keep the bleed valve oriented to vent the foster end. Cleaning out all the old Teflon took the most time. Had to make a special beaked tool to clean the inside threads. New teflon tape to seal. Didn’t take much torque to reassemble. No leaks.
Now that the configuration matches the Bauer diagrams, I can read the compressor’s pressure on the whip gauge. The tank’s gauge will show the filling pressure – best of both worlds. Also, a lot easier to get bled down to correct pressure at shutdown. Another benefit is I can now look at that valve to monitor for leaks in the compressor. End result is pretty close to my Photoshop mockup.
Joe B also reassured me that the special Foster QD’s valve is 5,000 PSI rated. That’s the valve that shuts of the Foster if nothing is connected. I’m still not going to point it at anything or anyone, but I’m less leery of it withstanding pressure.
Happy camper here.
$3,995 for 115VAC or 230VAC for a Junior II, Gas versions are more. Always go for the 230VAC if possible.
I have at 25-30 in stock ranging from JRII, to Oceanus in Yachting Package as well as Divemate 8, 10 and larger units for SCUBA shops and Paintball stores.
Joe has been great to respond with help. We talked a bit and I clarified what I was having issues with the valve gauge order. Not the FQD being able to come apart.
I have been encouraged to use more torque taking the fittings apart. They aren’t thread locked, Just Teflon. Time to exit surgical mode and engage beast mode. If I still can’t get them apart, he’ll have me ship them back and they’ll do it for me.
Really happy to have quick dealer support. 🙂
Gary,
I just tried to call you. If the FQD is too tight and won’t connect completely, I’ll replace it and ship Priority to you no charge.
Please call on Monday and tell Adam said it is ok to send to him an FQD x 1/8″ F-NPT fitting at no charge nor ship cost.
Edit- If I can make it to the shop and then the Post Office, I’ll send it Priority today.
Edi2- Wait, not sure of why you are having issues, so might be easier to explain on the phone. re-reading your post suggests it IS connected and under pressure. I (and many others) have the same set-up without issues, but obviously your’s needs a fix. It seems as though you are bleeding it, and the hose and the FQD are still under pressure? Please call my cell at 714-612-5956 and we’ll sort it out.
Edit3- OK All, figured out he wants to swap the position of the gauge and the shutoff, and he can’t disconnect THOSE parts. I thought it was under pressure and he was trying to release the FQD.
The proper procedure is to shut both valves, the one on the compressor on the fill hose assembly, and the valve on the Great White. Then bleed via either the Great White bleeder or the one on the hose assembly. If that isnt’ working, call me ASAP so I can ship today.
I see, I know you said you could not break the fittings loose, I hope they are not over torqued, I don’t have the specs but they are available, I am sure Joe will help you out with this, another option is to add another gauge between the filter and the hose, I know somewhat tight clearance down there and the hassle of getting all the right fittings.
That is a way to work around that scenario. I’d still like to be able to know the compressor’s pressure without opening the fill valve. Can’t do that in the current configuration.
I hope I am not missing something here, but if you kept the fill wipe hooked-up to your tank, with the tank valve closed after filling, then could you bleed down the compressor as instructed?
Maybe Joe B has some input on this.
Here’s a funny problem… The Joe B foster fill whip that came with Bauer isn’t configured the way needed to follow Bauer’s shutdown instructions. Basically, the pressure gauge is on the tank side of the whip’s fill and bleed valves. That is a problem because Bauer has you bleed down the compressor to 80 bar and leave it pressurized to protect the seals & filter — kind of like what we do with our guns.
My fill whip won’t let you do that because the gauge is on the wrong side of the valves. The Bauer made whips (and their diagrams) have the pressure gauge on the compressor side of the valves.
Here is how it would be configured to enable following Bauer’s shutdown procedure. The gauge would simply be moved to the other side of the valves.
One interesting thing that almost lets you get away with the “wrong” configuration is that the foster fitting dead heads (is closed) if nothing is connected. One could try the vent down by disconnecting the foster with fill valve shut and bleed open. Then close the bleed and fully open the fill valve. That would pressurize the segment after the valves. Then vent down with the bleed valve. I’m scared of doing it that way because the foster’s valve would have to withstand the full pressure of the compressor without anything else bolstering its valve. I can just see part of that foster fitting blasting out propelled by 4500 PSI.
The Bauer diagrammed gauge sequence won’t let the gauge read the tank pressure as readily, but the tank already has its own gauge. What I need is the whip gauge to read the compressor pressure.
I have a note into Joe B asking about this and whether I can get a different whip configuration. I can’t budge the fittings to reconfigure it myself.
Even with a “big boy” compressor there are things to sort out.
Joe B had it on sale for 4K + shipping.
I was considering a Coltri or Airetek 45, but after seeing that price and being just burned by “under buying” I decided to just go for it.
How much did it cost?
Thanks. Feels like I got my life back after working on & thinking so much about getting the Airmax sorted.
Congratulations on the new BauerJr, Guy. Looks like a great unit.
Nice setup! I know ranges and dryers don’t include power cords from the factory because the power outlets vary and they aren’t standardized.
Filling the bucket before use, Emptying the bucket and blowing out the air at the end of each use was indeed a drag. Air cooled is so convenient. Just plug in and turn on. The Bauer setup is also more compact and neat than my Airmax setup (with its bucket and outboard Alpha filter). My impression is the cost difference is made up in the robust build, extra cooling, cleaner air delivery, user confidence, convenience, speed and quieter operation. It obviously costs more, but after looking over the JR’s many additional safety and air handling components, noting how strongly it is built, and hearing how little strain it has while running, the cost differential makes perfect sense.
Cannibalized my power meter panel from the Airmax and mounted in my motor control box for the Bauer. Got some measurements as the Bauer goes from no load up to when pressure reaches PMV opening. As expected, load rose with pressure. It was really odd to me that the Airmax power load stayed nearly the same as pressure increased. It never really was low even at low load.
Next up is to add a mount tube to hold the foster fill whip.
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Glad to hear Joe was able to help you out to get it set-up to the Bauer Specs and the way you wanted it.