Small Catch-All filter driers blocking up prematurely?

[guy.cashmore]

Hello,

Has anyone else seen any cases of small Sporlan 'Catch-All' filter driers blocking up prematurely?

The ones I have seen blocked were manufactured in early/mid 2012 (date codes about 1512 to 3012), used R134a and were made in China..

Earlier date codes were made in USA and we never had a problem with them..

We are an OEM manufacturer, we have been using these for many years without any trouble. I won't say how many of these I have seen blocked but it is not just one..

[cadwaladr]

i have never had a problem with sporlan? use them on all types of equipment including transport which use piping and fittings that can give problems with moisture,to be honest did not know about them being made in china will check my stock,i carry about 10 variants sizes in my service van,is there not a connection with parker now ? have parker took over sporlan again i will check with my supplier,the other point maybe a problem with you in the manufacturing process?

[Magoo]

Cut open one of each / US and China and compared the contents in each. I have never had any issues with the US sourced ones.

[monkey spanners]

Not had any problems with normal ones but have had issues with bi-flow driers where the check valves fail in a few days.
If Sporlan have move their production to China I will stop buying them. Have had warranty problems with many China made products.

[The Viking]

New staff on the assembly line?
New supplier of your OFN?
Any other changes to your system?
Have you cut a couple of them open to see why they are blocked up?

You might be looking at a symptom and not a cause...

:cool:

[Magoo]

unfortunately a lot of our components are made in china these days, branded from original manufacturer, but made in china. Check out the suppliers before purchasing, stipulate OEM sources.

[cadwaladr]

the chinaman has started building airliners for the mass market hope he is better than the rumour.

[charlie patt]

same as cad no recent problems and i suspect we use um on the same stuff weve all had the danfoss sol valves leak and the didital controllers that wont take any amperage nowadays the only thing i was always told by a wise old engineer to silver in braise driers as they had a wax dressing on the dessicant and if u get um to hot the wax breaks down and blocks up .. i still do this but dont no if its still curent but its never let me down so i keep doing it

[guy.cashmore]

Thanks chaps for all your replies.

We have been making our units in the same way for about 15 years and never had any issues before, nothing has changed in our factory for the past 6 years, almost all the same staff even..

We have sent some blocked ones back to Sporlan for investigation, but not had a reply yet.

We have previously cut open some blocked Chinese made ones but they were really clean inside, dirt doesn't seem to be the cause of the blockage

We are going to find and cut open a USA made one and see if the internals are the same - I will post some pictures of what we find later today.

[guy.cashmore]

We have cut open a used USA made item also now.

It is immediately obvious that the polyester end pads are made from a different type or grade of materiel - the USA made pads I would describe as a 'light and fluffy open weave materiel' (just like you would expect any common fabric filter to be made from). However with the Chinese made item, I would describe the pad as 'hard, dense and closed weave' - almost like the materiel has been compressed or its internal structure has collapsed?

The core itself is really clean in both items, appears to be the end pads are the problem.

Chinese on the left, USA on the right:

11140

[monkey spanners]

Heres a few i found blocked,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcrnzxbEtSk

[cadwaladr]

Well after what I have seen,sporlan the Chinese ones will not be bought and will tell my supplier to avoid putting them on his shelf!

[guy.cashmore]

Update - we have received some further information from Sporlan/Parker.

They have told us that when they moved the production from USA to China, the design of the polyester end pad was changed.

What they are currently refusing to tell me, is what these changes actually were....

Having cut open several (new, good used and failed used) filter driers of both types, it is obvious that:

1. The materiel used in the end pads is different between USA and China production.
2. The end pad is the cause of the blockage!

Still very interested to hear from anyone else who has seen a problem with these?

Thanks, Guy.

[mickthefridge]

Any news or further feedback on these drier cores

Having some problems on a site and would be interested to hear if Parker provided any feedback

Regards
Mickthefirdge

[PRESS]

Quite a few traditionally good products have lost quality ever since they got started to be manufactured in china. China has however managed to make most parts cheap and affordable. At the end of the day one has to chose between price and quality. Its unfortunate when its driers which clog disintergrate and give al sorts of problems. Further to the dilema manufacturers are hesitant to take responsibility for their mess.All the best with resolving this challenge.