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Q: How Often Do You Hydro Test cylinders?

A: Unless the Breathing Air Storage Cylinders you are currently using are the newer UN Breathing Air Cylinders, hydrostatic testing is required at 5 year intervals. The new UN cylinders require testing at 10 year intervals. We have different options available to help with your Hydro Testing. Within a certain area we offer Cylinder Exchange Programs. We can also remove the breathing air cylinders at our shop from Mobile Air Units for testing as well.

Q: What is Compressed Air?

A: Compressed air is typically comprised of “ambient air” that has been stored at a pressure greater than atmospheric.

To create compressed air energy is required to essentially put a given volume of air into a smaller contain than it currently exists. By reducing the volume that the air is stored in the pressure is raised. Consequently the more air that you place into a container the higher the pressure becomes.

A pump of some type is typically the energy source used to compress the air. The pump may be taking ambient air pressure and placing it into your car tire. As the process continues the pressure inside the tire is ultimately raised.

In the fire service and in SCUBA diving, to limited depths, compressed ambient air is breathed in order to sustain life in a hostile atmospheric area such as a room filled with smoke.

Compressors used may be of many different designs such as rotary screw or vane, reciprocating, etc.

Q: What Is Compressed Air Used For?

A: Compressed air has numerous applications, anything from providing pressure for your automobile tires to its use in BREATHING AIR applications. Many occupations expose personnel to atmospheres/environments that are not suitable for breathing. Firefighting is among the most common of these occupations. Firefighters, in order to work in hazardous environments, a room or structure filled with hazardous smoke and toxins, must have an alternate source of BREATHING AIR. That source is typically a cylinder worn on the firefighter’s back that contains compressed ambient air at pressures up to 5500PSI. The air is delivered from the tank through a series of regulators and a face piece in order to allow rescue and interior firefighting operations.

Q: Why Use BAUER COMPRESSOR OIL (Synthetic) In Breathing Air Systems?

A: OIL-0024 BAUER COMPRESSOR OIL (Synthetic) is designed and manufactured for continuous running Breathing Air Compressors in Portable and Mobile Breathing Air Systems.Bauer Compressor Oil (Synthetic) is also composed and produced for extended running stationary Breathing Air Compressors and Industrial Air Compressors that are used in production plants and other applications.

Lubricants are either synthetic or mineral oils. Synthetic oils are designed for heavy-duty use and continuous running over a wide temperature range (+5 °C to +45 °C). Bauer Compressor Oil (Synthetic) ought to be changed after 2,000 operating hours or after two years, whichever occurs first. The specific servicing interval is indicated in every model’s operating manual. Bauer Compressor Oil (Synthetic) OIL-0024 is sold in gallons. Refer to your Breathing Air System operating manual to determine how much you need.

Mineral oils are designed for light duty compressor use and for a narrower temperature range (+5 °C to +35 °C). Mineral oil ought to be changed after 1,000 operating hours or after 12 months, whichever occurs first.

Bauer Compressors are designed to inject a precise amount of Bauer Compressor Oil (Synthetic) into the final stage’s guiding piston at constant pressure. The Bauer Compressor Oil (Synthetic) drips down onto the spinning driving gear. This produces a fine oil mist, which lubricates the bearings and cylinder walls.

Three main reasons for lubricating Breathing Air Compressors are:

  • minimizing friction,
  • minimizing wear, especially in the cylinders and bearings,
  • cooling the unit.

Careful selection of adequate lubricants is of prime importance. Since these are in contact with Breathing Air Systems, they have to be physiologically and toxicologically safe. Brands have to be certified for the use in BAUER Breathing Air Compressors. The choice of oil also has fundamental influence on the compressor’s lifetime and warranty.

Q: Why Should I Not Service My Own Breathing Air Compressor?

A: We are seeing more and more customers opt to service their own breathing air systems in an effort to cut down on expenses. We want you to understand what the real cost/issues could potentially be. Recently we have seen instances where improperly serviced purification systems have resulted in fires and other significant damage to the unit. In each case it was the lack of knowledge regarding how the breathing air system should be serviced that resulted in the mishap. The bottom line is that an attempt to save money resulted in significantly greater expense to the owner…not what was intended. Our best advice to you is:

1)     Have your equipment continuously serviced.

2)     Use a trained authorized service technician.