HPCF Series — Filter & Preventive Maintenance – South-Tek Systems

Applies to: HPCF Series — 1, 2, 4, and 6 K-cylinder/day configurations

Does NOT apply to: HPCF-SFI — see HPCF-SFI Filter & Preventive Maintenance

Following the maintenance schedule in this article is essential for protecting system performance, purity output, and equipment longevity. Many maintenance-related failures are not covered by warranty. Contact South-Tek Systems before performing any maintenance beyond routine filter replacement.

🛑 Safety Before Any Maintenance: Stop the generator and isolate it from all electrical and pneumatic supplies before beginning any maintenance task. Fully depressurize the system — confirm all gauges read 0 PSIG — before opening any filter bowls, piping connections, or components. Wear appropriate PPE throughout.

Maintenance Schedule Summary

The table below summarizes all scheduled maintenance tasks. I = Inspect / Clean R = Replace

Item	Daily	Monthly	6 Months	1 Year	5 Years	700–1,000 Hrs
Alarm check (PLC Home Screen)	I
Leak check (system piping & fittings)	I
Filter auto-drains		I
Inlet filter elements (particulate, coalescing, adsorber & booster inlet)			R
Pressure gauges (test)			I
Booster drive air filter & inline filters			I/R
Muffler / muffler element				R
O2 analyzer verification / calibration				I	R
CMS (carbon molecular sieve) top-up				I	I/R
Process valve & solenoid inspection				I
Process valve & solenoid rebuild					R
Booster service (hot swap)						R

Inlet Filter Elements

Filter Configuration

All HPCF Series units include a standard four-element filter train on the incoming air supply, plus a separate particulate filter on the booster air drive inlet:

Filter	Type / Rating	Quantity	Replacement Interval
Particulate (N2 inlet)	5-micron / ISO Class 3	1	Every 6 months
Coalescing	0.01-micron / ISO Class 1	1	Every 6 months
Adsorber	0.003-micron activated carbon / ISO Class 1	1	Every 6 months
Particulate (booster inlet)	5-micron / ISO Class 3	1	Every 6 months

⚠ Use Only South-Tek Specified Filter Elements: Using filter elements not specified by South-Tek Systems may cause equipment damage that is not covered under warranty. Contact South-Tek Systems for current filter part numbers for your specific unit configuration.

🛑 Drain System Warning: A plugged or failed filter auto-drain will cause water and oil to carry over into the adsorber, causing permanent damage to the PSA adsorbent media. This damage is not covered by warranty. Inspect filter drains monthly and confirm bowls are not accumulating water.

Filter Replacement Procedure

🛑 Do Not Remove Filter Bowls Under Pressure: Never attempt to remove a filter bowl unless both the air supply gauges clearly read 0 PSIG. Valve off the incoming air supply and relieve all system pressure by opening the wedge valve located downstream of the filters before proceeding.

Stop the generator and close the incoming air supply isolation valve.
Open the system depressurization wedge valve (located downstream of the filter train) and confirm all gauges read 0 PSIG.
Disconnect the drain tubes from the bottom of the filter bowls if they are tied into a condensate drain system.
Remove each filter bowl by rotating it while gently pushing up; once it begins to rotate, pull it straight down.
Inspect the inside of the bowls. If the auto-drain is functioning correctly, the bowls should not contain standing water. If water is present, investigate and correct the drain system before reinstalling.
Unscrew the filter element from the bowl or housing. Inspect the element — if it is excessively dirty prior to the scheduled 6-month interval, increase change frequency going forward.
Clean the filter bowls thoroughly with warm soapy water and rinse completely. A light air gun (oil-free) may be used to remove debris. Dry all components with a clean, dry cloth before reinstallation.
Install the new filter elements. Replace all O-rings at each filter change.
Reinstall filter bowls in the reverse of removal. Confirm each bowl is fully seated before re-pressurizing.
Reconnect all drain tubes.
Slowly open the incoming air supply isolation valve and re-pressurize the filter train. Inspect all filter connections and bowls for leaks before returning the system to normal operation.
Reset the filter timer on the PLC — see Resetting the PLC Filter Timer below.

Resetting the PLC Filter Timer

After completing a filter change, reset the filter timer in the PLC to restart the maintenance interval tracking:

From the Home Screen, press Menu and enter the user password (6557).
Press Alarms / Filter Parameters.
Press the red Alarm button to open the Alarm Status screen.
Press Filter Info. The status will show Overdue for any filter that has passed its interval.
Press the green button next to the filter element that was replaced to reset its calendar timer.
Press FRP Freq and press the Reset button to confirm the replacement and restart the run-hour counter for that element.

Booster Service

Hot Swap Program (700–1,000 Run Hours)

The HPCF Series booster is an air-driven amplifier. It is not field-serviceable — all seal and internal component service must be performed at the South-Tek Systems facility. To minimize downtime, South-Tek operates a booster hot swap program:

South-Tek recommends keeping a spare (pre-serviced) booster on-site at all times.
When the booster reaches 700–1,000 run hours (depending on site conditions and air quality), swap in the spare unit.
Ship the used booster back to South-Tek Systems for refurbishment. It then becomes your next on-hand spare.
To initiate a booster swap or order a spare, contact South-Tek Systems at (910) 415-1880 or submit a ticket at southteksystems911.zendesk.com.

ℹ Plan Ahead: Booster refurbishment takes time. Contact South-Tek Systems well before the service interval is reached to ensure a spare unit is available and downtime is minimized.

Operator Booster Inspection Tasks

While internal booster service is South-Tek's responsibility, operators should perform the following routine checks:

Interval	Task
Before / after each use	Perform an overall visual inspection of the booster and all visible connections
Every 20,000 cycles (~3–6 months)	Check for gas leaking from vents or external leakage; check overall performance. Inspect and re-torque air drive tie rod bolts to 25 ft-lbs and gas barrel tie rod bolts to 15 ft-lbs.
Every 6 months	Test all pressure gauges; inspect, clean, or replace the drive air filter and the booster inline air supply and inline nitrogen supply filters

ℹ Booster Inlet Aluminum Filters: If particulates or PTFE tape fragments are found inside the booster chambers during service, check the two aluminum inlet filters and blow them out with oil-free air. When re-installing, ensure exactly 2 threads are exposed from the PTFE tape wrap.

Process Valve Rebuild

All PSA process valves should be rebuilt every 5 years or 15,000 run hours, whichever comes first. This work requires a South-Tek Systems rebuild kit and must be coordinated with the South-Tek service team. Contact South-Tek Systems to obtain the specific rebuild kit and step-by-step instructions for your unit configuration.

Long-Term Maintenance Items

Item	Interval	Notes
Muffler / muffler element	Annually	Replace annually; a restricted or failed muffler increases exhaust backpressure and reduces PSA regeneration efficiency
O2 analyzer verification	Annually	Verify accuracy using a known test gas connected to the generator sample line; contact South-Tek Systems before recalibrating
O2 analyzer replacement	Every 5 years	Contact South-Tek Systems for the correct replacement cell for your unit
CMS (carbon molecular sieve) top-up	Annually — inspect; top off or replace as needed	Sieve should fill to the top of each PSA column; if depleted or contaminated, contact South-Tek Systems for guidance
Process valve & solenoid rebuild	Every 5 years or 15,000 hours	Contact South-Tek Systems for rebuild kit parts and instructions specific to your unit configuration

Contact South-Tek Systems

Phone: (910) 415-1880

Email / Ticket: support@southteksystems911.zendesk.com