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SurfLung
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Wed Feb 19, 2020 11:24 am

Ready for the New Oil Seal
Image
- Last night I managed to dig out the rest of the bad oil seal. It still looks chewed up around the rim but the snap ring groove is still good (I installed it in the photo above to be sure). The snap ring will be removed before installing the new seal.
- What you're looking at here is the end of the drive shaft for the fan. It goes right into/thru the oil pump. The sequence of parts will be: New Seal, Snap Ring, Washer, Fan Bushing, and fan with integral shock spring. The fan actually connects to the shaft thru the Fan Spring. The spring looks like a recoil spring and has a hook in the end and that catches in a notch on the fan bushing.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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antique diver
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Wed Feb 19, 2020 6:56 pm

That first photo of the seal body coming out was pretty ugly. I was hoping that the area where the seal seats in the body is ok, and now it looks like you have it under control. Good job Eben... how would you like a part time job in Texas?
The older I get the better I was.

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SurfLung
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Fri Feb 28, 2020 10:40 am

We'll See...
- The seal that came out was a 2-piece affair... front and back with the back cup crimped over the front cup. It was difficult to know what I was digging out because I'd never done this before and didn't know what oil seals look like inside. I think if I had realized it was a front and back style, I would have worked at opening the crimp. Then maybe drill a hole in the front seal and use a puller. Wouldn't be able to do that with the back cup but it might have come out easier if I hadn't already chewed it up getting the front cup pried out thru the crimp. 2-piece oil seals are kind of rare. When Jim sent me the new replacement seal, it was just one piece unit. I asked where's the other half?
- My first attempt at installing a new oil seal leaked... It's possible I damaged the outer sealing surface. But also possible I just didn't install it with a proper sealing compound. The seal is metal on metal slip fit on the outside. The seal around the fan shaft is a very sophisticated synthetic material that's backed by a circle of spring tension. Jim sent me a new seal and I'm awaiting delivery of a sealing compound before proceeding.
Image
- This is the new 1-piece seal. I'm going to install it with some bearing retainer sealant on the metal to metal outside surface. Gotta get it started gently onto the shaft and then tap it squarely with a socket until it's fully seated with sealant. Let it cure for 24 hours and hopefully it will seal up my oil leak. Many thanks to Jim Shelden for guiding me through this and supplying the seals. Apparently oil seals like this are commonly available at stores that sell bearings. But I looked into it and there seems to be 1001 varieties... Much easier to just get the correct one from Jim! :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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SurfLung
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:07 am

Up and Running... Finally!
Image
- A lot of mistakes and fixing of mistakes later... I have the Tornado/Kidde up and running. When we left off I was fixing the fan shaft seal that I screwed up by over filling with oil. Fortunately Jim Shelden had some replacement seals for me. I installed the first one badly. But the second try sealed that fan shaft up nice and dry. Some might question the ice pick method for removing the bad seal. It was to avoid disassembly. (see below)
- So I've been testing the filter system at the same time and proceeded to fill my test tank 25 times with no problems. This compressor is supposed to fill at 4 cfm at 3700 rpm. My motor runs at 3450 rpm and that calculates to 3.68 cfm fill rate. Just about every one of the 25 test fills r an a 42 cf tank in 11.5 minutes... Which works out to 3.65 cfm. Needless to say, this compressor unit is working perfectly.
- So then I figured I would hook up the automatic pressure switch. I had already tested it for function using a volt meter and pressurizing it. AND, I already figured the correct place to wire it on my starter switch. But once again I think I got too rough in trying to fit the wiring into tight places. Some how or other, I broke the stop/reset switch on the motor starter. Dang It!
- So, I was able to replace the Stop/Reset switch function with a toggle switch across the pressure switch jumper. Since I have an overpressure valve for safety, I decided I don't need the pressure switch... You can see it in the plumbing but its not wired in. I did a neat installation of the toggle on the starter switch housing, closed up the patient, and called it finished. It fills tanks faster than a raped ape... (compare to my RIX SA3 and Mch-6)
Image
- Explanation of the Plumbing: I'm testing those filters under proper Scuba conditions... By that I mean; I'm using the proper filter media, I'm using a check valve in front of the filters, and I'm using a Back Pressure Regulator (BPR or PMV) after the filters... to maintain a minimum 1800 psi in the filter system for proper efficiency. I had to make a re-packable Lawrence Factor filter to get the proper filter media... Which is 13X Sieve, Carbon and Hopcalite. The check valve is the long skinny tube coming up to the filter system. The BPR is the rectangular piece on the end of the fill whip. The thing that looks like an upside down gauge is actually the original pressure switch... It's not wired in.
- "Don't Fix What Ain't Broke" - I have a tendency to keep screwing around with stuff and that made for some unnecessary and tricky repairs that I caused myself. I told my friend Jim Shelden, I'm going to quit fooling around with this compressor and restore it to simple operation... I will simply QUIT BREAKING IT! Jim told me an interesting story to confirm my decision. He says these Kidde compressors are built to last forever. The 4th stage pistons don't have rings but they fit like a glove and they're hardened so they don't wear out. Same with other pistons and rings. But they DO wear IN... So if you take them apart and put them back together, they're not thje nice worn in fit they were before you took it apart. So, don't take these things apart unless you absolutely have to.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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couv
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:23 am

Very nice Eben. When can I come by to pick it up? :)

You may have mentioned this earlier, please forgive my laziness: Is there a duty cycle on the compressor or can you fill to your hearts content all the way up to an air bank?
A sincere THANK YOU to all at VDH who make this wonderful resource available and to all the thoughtful contributors.

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SurfLung
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:33 am

couv wrote:
Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:23 am
Very nice Eben. When can I come by to pick it up? :)

You may have mentioned this earlier, please forgive my laziness: Is there a duty cycle on the compressor or can you fill to your hearts content all the way up to an air bank?
Thanks Couv. I have quite an extensive manual with specs and parts list but never saw a duty cycle. Jim Shelden told me he once had two of these things running side by side in his dive shop for 30 some years... Filling tanks and keeping his air bank topped off.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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SurfLung
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Tue May 26, 2020 10:45 am

Latest Configuration...
Image
- My original Olmeva 4-Tube Filter Array was a bit of an overkill for my RIX SA-3 Compressor. So I swapped it over to the Tornado/Kidde 3000 and it works out great. The Olmeva condenser is working great. And the other three tubes provide SUPER moisture absorption and filtration capacity. I have two tubes of pure 13X sieve for moisture absorption abd the final tube is 3-parts: 13X, Acitvated Carbon, and Hopcolite.
- Between the filter array and the compressor, I have a check valve so that the Kidde auto dump just dumps the condensate in the hose and doesn't reverse the air from the filters. Directly after the filter array I have a PMV to maintain 1500 psi or more for optimum filter efficiency. And durectly after that I have a rebuilt Overpressure Safety valve set to release air at 3000, psi.
- The compressor itself continues to fill at a true (FAD) rate of 3.5 cfm when starting with an empty scuba tank. :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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antique diver
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Tue May 26, 2020 2:13 pm

Nice setup. I was wondering if this machine was louder than the Rix due to higher rpm?
The older I get the better I was.

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SurfLung
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Re: Tornado 3000-4-3

Wed May 27, 2020 10:53 am

Good Question! I actually think the RIX SA-3 is louder. Although the Tornado/Kidde is running at 3400 rpm and the RIX is 2300 rpm, the T/K is very smooth and the crank case is enclosed. The Rix is also smooth but the bottom of the cylinders and swash plate are out in the open. I think my Aerotecnica Coltri MCH-6 is actually quieter than the RIX as well. Not by much... All three are plenty loud and I wear ear muffs.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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