Oil separator?

[ALKUL]

Hi, im intrested on knowing how you guys makes your oil separators, are they all manually controled with a on/off valve? is there possible to make them automatic f.e. with a electical controled valve and use timer to control it?

Do manufactors makes some oil separators for ,small' systems like this? All the separatos that i found in local shop are HUGE!

What areu you guys using?

[JSU]

the henry 5180 is a small factory one. you can make one yourself but a self automated one is hard.

[gkiing]

You would have to have some kind of automated solenoid and/or an oil float.. would be quite difficult to fabricate. I suggest using a manual valve for oil return with a homemade copper pipe + copper/steel wool separator.

[Coyote]

how about using a timer?

so you could open the valve automatically when a period of X secons passes.

i dont really know how you know when to open the valve, etc.

[ALKUL]

when you use an manual one. how do you know when to flush?

[Tonic]

I suggest you to use small motor controlled by timer... timer isn't a big
problem, just find a electronic scheme and make it

About motor, it should regulate a hand valve with belt, something like as
motors in hovercrafts, they're rotating air-screws with belt (belt transports
motor's rotations to air-screw's axle)

[gkiing]

You open the valve when the resevoir in the bottom of your oil sep is getting full, or every half hour to hour is my best estimate.

[Coyote]

You open the valve when the resevoir in the bottom of your oil sep is getting full, or every half hour to hour is my best estimate.

i know that you should open it when the reservoir is getting full, the thing is who do you know that is getting full? most DIY oil sep i have seen are copper pipes, you cant see through them.

i guess a timer should be ok. that and a solenoid and you are done.

[ALKUL]

so when you have your system running you must always flush every hour or so and if you for get it you vill mabe have problem in the system. that is not godd arrangement i think. I would rather trust a timer/electvalve to do the job. I will problebly make it like that if i cant get me a fabric made oilseparator. Do you know if danfoss makes some separator that would be good for 2nd. stage?

[Epsilon]

Most cascade users open there hand valve every time they fire up the system. The systems do not run 24/7 remember that.

I am planning to build a cascade allso, and i will be using a large amount of cappilairy tube. Around 3m 0.026" + 3m 0.028" (i do not have more 0.026" ;)) or something probably will be enough.

[gkiing]

You mean cap tube for the oil to flow through?

[Epsilon]

You mean cap tube for the oil to flow through?
correct :)

[Tonic]

What about cooling oil? Does capillary tube cool fairly?

[gkiing]

Not sure.. but you could always find a compressor with an oil cooler loop and then use an oil cooler, that might solve the problem. Or have the oil return going to an oil cooler --> captube --> suction.

[Tonic]

Not that much compressors have oil cooler loop (most popular compressor also, like as
Danfoss SC12,SC15, Tecumseh 1/3HP,1/4HP etc.)

There's other option, you can use some of rows in condenser to cool oil

[gkiing]

I'm using a tecumseh 1/4hp AEB1380AXA on my main pc directdie and it has oil cooler loops, I simply dont use them. You can find a compressor with them if you look around.

[Tonic]

Well, it depends on compressor's model. Generally I saw there compressors
without oil cooler loop.

BTW, I have also a Tecumseh compressor, it's 1/3HP and don't have this loop ;) Say,
what is your opinion about your compressor? I like my compressor, nice shapes and
loud level isn't that bad ;)

[ALKUL]

is it really nessesary to use a olie coller? If you adjust the system that way that the gas from the suction tube cooles down the compressor/oil....

[Tonic]

It isn't necessary. You can use suction pipe to cool oil, as gkiing said.

[ALKUL]

Im not talking about suctionHX. Just talking about if you have the suction temps inside the compressor low, it will cool down the compressor so the most of the oil will stay in the compressor. the rest would stay in the oliecooler??

[gkiing]

Oil coolers are not necessary on these small units if they are charged properly.

@tonic: my tecumseh 1/4hp is pretty quiet and small, its got a funny shaped top though, sort of oval with a slanting edge on one side. Good compressors though, even without a start capacitor it has no trouble starting even after I tried a mix of CO2/r290 in it (single stage).

[ALKUL]

is there some kind of rule to follow when to decide the lenght of the captube for the oil return?

[gkiing]

not that I know of

[kayl]

is there some kind of rule to follow when to decide the lenght of the captube for the oil return?

not that i know of, i have used a short lenghth of 0.028" not sure what ppl use, would be interested though.
when i did mine, i open every hours or so few seconds then shut.


Oil coolers are not necessary on these small units if they are charged properly.

@tonic: my tecumseh 1/4hp is pretty quiet and small, its got a funny shaped top though, sort of oval with a slanting edge on one side. Good compressors though, even without a start capacitor it has no trouble starting even after I tried a mix of CO2/r290 in it (single stage).


yes oil coolers are really only needed in static systems with no fan on condenser, ie just shut those oil cooler lines if have them.
for cascade use you place a desupaheater before the oil seperator, most ppl just use a coil to blow some heat off before it gets to the oil sep.
most important is that you arnt running too high supa heat other wise the compressor will burn the oil with high discharge temps and hot compressor.

tonic those compressors are common in australia i have played with 3 of the 1/5+ models of the compressor, wouldnt mind a 1/3Hp though. find them in the really large fridge freezers.

[ALKUL]

I can get a oilseparator for free :banana:

but its a 2,46 liters (0,65USgallons)
It is a Danfoss OUB4

Do you thinks it is to big?