Compressed air needs a filter!
So... I was wondering to myself over the weekend why my regulator wouldn't regulate... Which brought back lots of wonder about these super cheap little compressor/tanks jobs like the one parked in my garage that go tank, main gauge, regulator, output gauge... With no filter prior to the regulator.
When the regulator worked over the weekend - and when I say worked, I could set a pressure, and it would leak down the main tank to match. Grumble... In any case... I could live with that until I made a trip to Harbor Freight or somewhere to get a cheapo filter/regulator combo befitting of the (ahem) expensive nature of this compressor.
Not so tonight. So it was time to be a bit more forceful in dis-assembly of the regulator. I quickly discovered that the reason it didn't appear to be serviceable was because it had bonded itself together with mineral deposits. I don't remember pumping water through it, but who knows. In any case, a considerable quantity of CLR and some wire brush work later, I removed all the gunk. I replaced the two o-rings and silicone sprayed all the gaskets. I left off some decorative trim, and hit the power switch.
Let's just say I was happy when I shot some oil in the oil hole and the blow-by pressure didn't shoot it back out.
It's still a crapulicious regulator, but it works, as I said until I visit the Harbor Freight again. Remember kids... dihydrogen monoxide is bad. Bad!
