DeVilbiss DAD-500 desicant

Any desiccant will work. Check moror guard and Jr tech.
Also do be aware on used systems, you may need a rebuild kit, if not maintained good, screens and other items may be corroded.
 
i used to have the cam-air. its the dad-500 before devilbiss bought out that company. i used to get activated alumina beads from ecompressedair.com. would come in 50lb boxes. after using that drier for about 5 years i can say the best thing i ever did was get rid of it and replace with a refrigerated drier. around here in the summer the main chamber would fill with water within 2 weeks. the beads would be saturated in a few days of use. it was pretty much worthless as a main drier. would work fine though as a secondary after a refer drier. by the time you maintain that drier for a year you could have bought a good refer drier. imo a waste of money.
 
I suppose it all depends on frequency of use. The desiccant works for me because I don't paint as often as years past. Two or three times a month and 1-2 hours at a time for a general idea, often less than that. I also isolate the canister/paint regulator when not used and use air from another shop regulator for tools etc.
However if the use is heavy, and daily then I agree with Jim and a refrigerated unit is the way to go with the desiccant after the reefer for final insurance.
 
Being in the HVAC biz,I know 'about' desiccant and what we call 'driers'.
I use what is called a Sporlan,5/8" Flair.30 c.i. liquid line drier which is, a 5/8" od copper line flared to said 'drier'. Which can be changed at will to remove moisture and way cheaper than 'snakes',mounted gun or at the 'wall before the gun hose. I still use those 'bulbs' at the gun for 'protection' because and always because schidt happens along with a psi gauge At the gun inlet to assure Me Of what is the actual psig In the Gun is.
It's really simple when you understand it and the Main gig Is, Clean,proper CFM Into the Gun IS,what makes You Happy in the End.
 
I'm with Jim on the refrigerated dryer get one and don't look back, if right after the tank get a high temp unit. Buy once, cry once you will not regret it.
 
yes im not sure what kind of cfm the op is running but if you 25cfm or less then go buy the harbor freight refer dryer. i know someone who has had one for years. they work great. he uses it daily now for about 8 years. there are other people on here who have bought them as well. all good reviews that i have heard. you can pick one up on sale for prob same price or even less than the dad500. think they are in the high $300 range not on sale
 
Well I just went and bought the DAD500, hardly used and the filter are like new all for $250. New desicant too. I think I enjoyed seeing the guy's two car garage neatly filled with tool boxes and equipment plus a C4 corvette and a 944 he was putting a SBC350 into. I should have taken a picture, you would have gotten a laugh.
Anyway, I don't paint very often and have a heat exchanger after the compressor pump to cool the air back down to ambient before it goes through the first condensate filter. Then into the tank, then back out through the regulator and in through another filter (who's plastic bowl broke last night at 1 am, so my compressor woke me up since my M.B. is above the garage.)
I plan on replumbing my setup to now use the DAD500 but only have air going through the desicant filter when I'm spraying paint. I bought a used Hankison dryer last year for $70 but never hooked it up. I'd have to hang it on the wall and more load on my garage electrial ciruit.
My compressor pumps up to 165 psi before it shuts off. Most regulators and filters are rated up to 150 psi max. I should probably put a regulator at the tank outlet before the DAD500. What regulator do you guy use if you system pressure is above 150 psi?
 
just turn the pressure down a little on your compressor. it will save some wear and tear on it and also generate a little less heat. just adjust it in the pressure switch on the compressor.
 
Thanks Jim. I had that idea but had the more pressure is better mentality. I think I'll turn it down a bit. My regulator is rated up to 150psi max but only 1/4" npt inlet/outlet. Am I giving up airflow using 1/4" npt or should I get a different regulator with 1/2"npt? My hoses are 3/8" ID and am using high flow prevost and milton V connectors. I tend to over think these things.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top