A very common failure point on drum pumps is the air motor section. Downtime and repair costs can be greatly reduced by installing an FRL — Filter, Regulator, Lubricator — directly at the pump.
The FRL at the air compressor does very little for water that forms farther downstream. As compressed air cools, more moisture drops out of the air. After 10 feet of hose, fittings, and bends, water continues forming and travels directly into the pump air motor.
As a rule of thumb, your coalescing filter should be one size larger than the compressor air outlet. For example, a 1/2" compressor outlet should use a 3/4" coalescing filter. A coalescing filter is made specifically to remove water from compressed air.
Recommended Coalescing Filter:
Water Separator
At the drum pump, install a smaller FRL inline just before the air enters the motor. The filter removes additional moisture, the regulator controls air pressure, and the lubricator adds a very small amount of oil. TSL works well for this purpose and helps keep the air motor seals lubricated.
Recommended Lubricator:
Lubricator
This simple addition can dramatically extend air motor seal life, reduce corrosion, minimize downtime, and save hundreds of dollars in unnecessary repairs.
