Back Pressure Regulator or PMV Video
- This is a demonstration of how two back pressure regulators work on my RIX SA-3E Scuba compressor. It's my understanding that back pressure regulators and/or PMV valves are needed to settle and condense moisture so it can be drained from the system before filtration.
- I have two black colored moisture collector towers that are standard for the RIX. I have installed a temporary pressure gauge on the line after the 2nd moisture tower. (This is what the RIX manual instructs to do so that you can check and or adjust the back pressure regulator if needed). After that is a gold colored over pressure valve. Then after that is the gold colored rectangular shaped RIX "Back Pressure Regulator" which has a pressure gauge on top. This device is factory set to block air flow until the pressure reaches 1800 psi. The gauge on top registers pressure in the line AFTER the Back Pressure Regulator so, you won't see the needle move until the first gauge reaches 1800 psi of pressure.
- With the help of my compressor guru AntiqueDiver, I have added a filter array that has yet another Back Pressure Valve just before the gauge that registers the pressure in the tank I'm filling. The needle in this gauge does not move until the back pressure in the filter array reaches 1500 psi.
- This crudely edited video gives an unscripted, unsophisticated oral explanation and then you can watch the needles as the compressor runs. Please excuse the background scenery... I have the compressor set up in our utility room for the winter. (In the summertime, it will have a different mess in the background.)