Thread: Please Help with Compressor/Pneumatics

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Ok I'm sure there is a very simple way to solve my problem but I am just not thinking of it. Im pretty new to compressors and pneumatic props. I built an air cannon. I have it attached to a 7 gallon resevoir tank that is connected to my 10 gallon compressor. I have the compressor set to where its pressurized to its max 115 PSI. Then I have an output regulator from there to my resevoir tank of 115PSI. Then another Regulator on the intake of my resevoir of 30 PSI so that that is what the cannon shoots out. Is there a way that i can fill my resevoir tank from my compressor to 115 psi but yet only have 30 PSI shoot out fom the cannon? And then have like a "low limit" setting of 50 PSI in the resevoir. That way The cannon will shoot more times before the resevoir has to be repressurized (reaching 50 PSI) and thus kick on the compressor every couple mins. Thanks!

I would think that you could use your main compressor regulator to set the regulator to 115 psi. Go straight from there to your reservoir tank (the reservoir would then charge to 115 psi.) Then put a 30 psi regulator on the output of your reservoir to your air cannon.

As far as the low limit, if your compressor has a manual setting for that, you can set it to 50 psi. Your compressor tank and your reservoir tank will stay at the same charge.

be aware though that in the case of air cannons (depending on how you set it up) putting a pressure regulator after the air tank but before your solenoid valve will generally cause a fairly large air restriction (unless you use some seriously huge expensive regulator). And I don't mean a restriction in pressure but in flow rate. If you want to allow the cannon to fire more often and don't mind spending some cash I owuld suggest buying more resevoirs. You can literally pipe two together with some half in tubing that will allow almost instant flow transfer and will help keep your pressure up for longer. Or you could just have multiple connection tees at each resevoir which would increase your flow rate (although if the tanks your supplying it with have a higher pressure rate you would need multiple regulators on your air cannon tank or again you would have a bottle neck.

As far as the low limit concept, I don't know of any simple or inexpensive method to keep the resevoir from imediately draining your main compressor tank. Again a solution to that though is multiple resevoirs (most of which should be kept at the higher 115 pressure) placed in your haunt with devices like your air cannon, or any other high flow device fed off a resevoir (or series of resevoirs) kept at the lower pressure required by the prop. I have six resevoirs in my haunt (two linked together with large diameter pipe acting as one large resevoir) as well as the large tank the compressor comes with, this keeps my compressor from kicking on too often (although I have no control of my compressor's auto on feature. it's set from the factory). The only down size is shelling out 25 to 35 bucks a tank (plus the cost of hardware) and then in the off season finding places to store the tanks.