Plasma cutter air feeding alternative ?

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Hello from Madrid Spain !Owner since some days of an hypertherm powermax 30 plasmacutter, I wanted to ask you some advices about feeding it with compressed air ...I'm actually owner of a very good silent compressor that produce low air quantity per each minute :50l/mn ... Impossible to use it with the plasma cutter that needs 114l/mn.One picture of my compressor :http://www.axels-modellbau-shop.de/k...-24::2473.htmlI'm completely satisfied with this machine, the produced air is perfect, it is silent, construction quality is excellent.I was thinking to another alternative to feed my powermax without buying another compressor in using an air tank of 100 or 200 liters like this one :http://seysu.es/compresor-abac/depos...66-con1516.htmIn this case, I would get about 125l or 225l if using a 200 liter tank that would be sufficient for me ...more than 1 minute cutting !According to your own experience, do you think that this alternative is a good one ? For me, it would be more satisfying keeping my excellent werther compresor, avoiding maintaining a second machine, sparing space, money and avoiding a noisy compressor !Many thanks in advance for your comments and let me wish to everybody an Happy new Year !
Reply:Adding extra air storage will increase your plasma run-time, but it will also increase your compressor's run time as well. You will need to check your compressor's duty cycle to determine if it will stand up to the increased run time.
Reply:Thanks welds4d,Yes I know that the compressor's dutycycle will increase : I will check how much time it will run till it stops switching to security mode ... But I have confidence because it stays cool even when recycling a lot without any pause. I think that I will buy the air tank, the biggest one that I can store (200liter) in my shop.
Reply:Be sure to drain the condensation from the air tank, and have a filter/separator between your air supply and plasma cutter. This may be a good place to inquire about filters. The sort which use toilet paper rolls are very effective.http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php
Reply:Large propane tanks make pretty good compressed air storage, and are low cost and readily available.  These should be mounted upside down, with the valve at the bottom, as there is no other way to drain off any condensate.With a bit of ingenuity the air storage tank(s) can be made to run dry, and the condensate accumulate somewhere where it will not become a problem.Cheers,  Tony._________________________________Transmig 310 + Argoshield LightOxy acetyleneOxy propanePrehistoric stick welder_________________________________
Reply:And what about the air filter sold by Hypertherm for their units ?http://www.rapidwelding.com/dynamic/....aspx?c=228570
Reply:Haderimouve - Have you considered cylinders filled with either nitrogen or high pressure compressed air?
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepHaderimouve - Have you considered cylinders filled with either nitrogen or high pressure compressed air?
Reply:About cylinders filled with high pressure gases or air, I think that this solution here in Spain is very expensive ... cylinders are very expensive, at least I need two of them, refilling is complicated ... But a lot of people told me that high pressure air is the best solution to use clean air for a plasma cutter ...I don't know what to do ...
Reply:In Australia, all propane tanks are date stamped, and cannot legally be refilled after ten years.Ten year old tanks are crushed for scrap metal, or get put into land fill as worthless rubbish.Propane tanks are tested and used at far higher pressures than would be needed to run a plasma cutter, and unless there is serious rust, or obvious damage, it will work fine.  Tanks in absolutely pristine condition are scrapped because of age only.Try asking at your local scrap metal dealer or rubbish tip for an outdated propane tank.You should get a large one for only a very few dollars. If your existing air compressor is otherwise o/k, some extra air storage may be all you need.Cheers,  Tony._________________________________Transmig 310 + Argoshield LightOxy acetyleneOxy propanePrehistoric stick welder_________________________________