Breathing Air CompressorOperating Procedures

A Guide to Filling SCBA Bottles

With the Bauer UNIII 18H-E3

Compressor / Fill Station

Breathing Air Compressor Rev 2

Training Outline

1. The new breathing air system – what’s thesame, what’s different

2. Prelude: Things to do in preparation forcylinder filling

3. System operation

Fill Station SpecsBauer Compressor Unicus 18H-E3

Pressure 6000 psig

Stages 4

Charging Rate 18 scfm

Motor 15 hp, 1350 rpm

Purification P5 Securus

Air Flow Diagram

Prelude:Electrical Panel Circuit Breaker

Three PhaseCircuit for

Compressor –Leave ON at all

times !

Electrical Disconnect Box –Leave ON unless servicingcompressor.

Compressor – (PowerButton on Controller)Leave in Standby fornormal operation.

Prelude:Check Oil Level

• Set compressor to “OFF”

• Check oil level (Viewthough left-side door)

• Return compressor to“Standby”

Prelude:Cylinder Inspection

• Check hydro test status– Less than 5 years since latest hydro test

• Inspect for physical damage to cylinder– Nothing worse than minor surface scratches,

abrasions, or cuts

– Valve assembly in good condition

• If any problems noted, DO NOT FILL and tagOOS!

• Fill in log sheet with requested information

Prelude:Operation Log Sheet

SCBA Fill Log(4800psi Fill Pressure)

CHECK OIL LEVEL BEFORE STARTING COMPRESSOR!

Date Start Finish

Cylinder Information

Remarks:

Operator

Compressor Hours

Hydrotest Date Initial Pressure, psi

Important: Any cylinder with deep gouges, exposed fiber wraps, a damaged

valve, other signs of obvious damage, or that is 5 years past its last hydrotest

date should be tagged and removed from service!

OSFD Cylinder #

System Operation: Front Panel

Operating Controls - 1

Show Home ScreenCompressor Status

Previous Screen

Screen NameView Next Screen

Panel LightAlarm Off

Operating Controls - 2

Enter this in Log Sheet

Operating Controls - 3

Show AlarmHistory

Operating Controls - 4

Cylinder Filling - 1

• Organize cylinders by grouping similar initialpressures

• Don ear protection• Confirm Fill Station setup

– Bank valves, Fill valves, Bleed valves all closed handtight

– Fill Selector set to “Fill From Banks”

• Load cylinders into fill station– Connect fill whips and open cylinder valves– Close door - Cylinders cannot be filled with door

open!

Cylinder Filling - 2

• Open Bank #1 supply valve; set regulatorpressure to 4800 psi. Open individual fill stationvalves to fill cylinders, at desired rate, to fullpressure of 4800 psi

• If Bank #1 pressure falls below 4800 psi, close it’ssupply valve and open supply valve from Bank #2to continue cylinder filling (note that compressorwill start when any bank pressure drops below5000 psi)

• Repeat with other banks as necessary tocomplete filling

Cylinder Filling - 3

• Close individual fill station valves, open accessdoor, close cylinder valves, open bleed valves

• Disconnect fill whips and remove cylinders

• Place cylinders that had initial pressure over2500 psi back in service or in the “Ready forService” storage area. Cylinders with initialpressure under 2500 psi are returned to the“Need filling” storage area for topping off.

Cylinder Filling - 4

• Fill subsequent cylinders, in similar fashion, inorder of decreasing initial pressures bychoosing the Bank with the lowest pressurestill above the cylinder group being filled

• Check for cylinders needing “top off” (musthave cooled to room temp after initial filling).Fill to 4800 psi per filling procedure and placeback in service.

Cylinder Filling – Completion

• Replace fill whips in their retention slots• Close access door; close (hand tight) all bank, fill,

and bleed valves; reduce regulator setting backto zero.

• Leave Fill Selector valve in the “fill from storage”position

• Wait for compressor to automatically shut down.Bring up “Status 2” screen on the controller andrecord “Total Run Hours” on the SCBA Fill Log.File completed log. Return to “Status 1” screenview. Do not turn off power.