Short life on plasma cutter consumables

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I have a shop with 5 Cutmaster 38s and 4 Firepower FP-25s working.  The consumables seem to burn out pretty quick.  There is a moisture problem but I have bought some La Man extractors.  I am running on a 25 hp Ingersol Rand compressor and it gives out alot of heat.  I was thinking of purchasing an air dryer system to put on the compressor.  I need some advice and ideas.  Thanks!
Reply:I do not have near the machine srunning you do our that large a compressor.   I did have moisture problems.I tried the "air cooled radiator approach to drop moisture out and it did work to an extent.  I also tried putting the coils in a water bath but it made a mess outside and was only marginally better.So where I am at now is..Get a bigger compresor so it doesn't have to run as much and some water drops out in the tank.Keep the air cooled radiator on the tank output and add a vertical riser with a drain at the bottom.Come off the riser through an oil/water sep unit and into a refigerated dryer.at the point of use on the sand balster cabinet and the plasma cutters, put a motor guard coalescing filter at each.If those steps don't do it I QUIT!Of course I am in FL where we routinely have 90% + humidity and it usually rains every afternoon to ensure it stays hot and sticky.StevenInspiring Thought for the Day:Some people are like slinkies ... Not really good for anything....but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Reply:Having a secondary tank helps.  I use a 35 gal compressor with a 35 gallon secondary made from an old compressor.  The main tank compresses the air then runs the air up and across the ceiling and back down to the secondary located on the other side of my shop.  I live in GA where the humidity is pretty high all year long.  I used a moisture trap made from a long piece of black pipe for a while.  It worked pretty well, but I decided to go this route to provide more air on startup and to act as a secondary moisture trap also.  It substantially increased my consumble life over the moisture trap alone.  Any moisture trap or secondary tank should be placed away from the compressor to allow for the air to cool...otherwise, the water vapors will not condense becasue the air is still hot.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Thanks for sharing that Smithboy...I may try that myself before I spring for a refidgerated dryer.I also saw dessicant setups but didn't want to have to deal with changing  that out all the time...StevenInspiring Thought for the Day:Some people are like slinkies ... Not really good for anything....but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Reply:Motor Guard "toilet paper" air filters on every machine. I have had one on my plasma cutter since 90 or so, and it makes a big difference.The two things that kill plasma tips are moisture, and starts. You cant do anything about how many starts you do- you gotta cut what you gotta cut.But the less moisture you get in the air, the better off you are.Here is the Motor Guard link-I usually swap out a filter every month or so, let the old one dry out for a month, and use it again, and they last quite a while.http://www.motorguard.com/air_2_3.html
Reply:Does the Motor Guard use toilet paper literally? What about refrigerated dryers, if its less of a hassle I was thinking of getting that then changing filters all the time. Originally Posted by RiesMotor Guard "toilet paper" air filters on every machine. I have had one on my plasma cutter since 90 or so, and it makes a big difference.The two things that kill plasma tips are moisture, and starts. You cant do anything about how many starts you do- you gotta cut what you gotta cut.But the less moisture you get in the air, the better off you are.Here is the Motor Guard link-I usually swap out a filter every month or so, let the old one dry out for a month, and use it again, and they last quite a while.http://www.motorguard.com/air_2_3.html
Reply:No, its not real toilet paper- its a brown paper filter, that is tougher than toilet paper.I dont have a real refrigerated drier, so I cant say how that would work. But I know the paper filters work.
Reply:Go to a wrecking yard in your area and see if you can find an air dryer on a wrecked semi truck. Works wonders with a drop leg in the line and a filter. Always have the air outlet on top of the airline. Not on the bottom or the end.If it's HOT, Don't touch it
Reply:Dumb question here,but could some inert gas be used if occasionally the plasma cutter is used.  I know it would cost more than air, but if the machine wasn't used all that much.  What inert gas?  I don't know.  Is this a dumb idea?
Reply:sure, you can use an inert gas- in fact, for production cutting of stainless, they often use nitrogen. Argon would work too, of course, but current argon prices would buy you a new compressor about every 4 big tanks full.My Compressor runs at something like 40 Cubic feet per minute-even throttled down to 50psi, and a lower flow by the regulator on the back of the plasma cutter,  imagine how quick that will go thru a 250 cubic foot tank of argon, at 61 bucks a fillup.Thats why they use nitrogen, but it still aint cheap.