CASCADE PANELS
Cascade panels come in all shapes and sizes and can be custom made to your exact specifications. We build cascade panels to order for 2,3,4...10 or more storage bank systems, compressor inputs, regulated outputs, full pressure outputs and gauges.
Coastal Fire Systems will build your panel with all stainless steel tubing, line and check valves, Synflex Flexible Tubing, stainless steel mesh covered flexible hoses, brass regulation valves, and liquid filled gauges.
Contact us for a free price quote and design assistance. Mobile or stationary, Coastal Fire Systems can build one for you.
Cascade panels are only necessary if you don't own a breathing air compressor.
If you own your own breathing air compressor, cascade panels are not the most efficient filling method for you.
A more functional way to fill SCBA and SCUBA cylinders is with the ACFV detailed below.
The above picture is representative of a simple three bank cascade control panel with ASME or DOT storage bottles. Bottle filling is relatively simple and only requires the operator to set the regulator to the desired pressure and turn on and off the valve banks until the SCBA’s are at the desired pressure. Typically 2216 – 4500 PSI
Starting with full storage the operator turns on the air valve for bank No. 1 and fills the empty SCBA’s to the maximum desired pressure.
As the air in bank # 1 begins to drain down it will not have enough pressure left to fill the SCBA. At that point the operator shuts off bank # 1 and turns on bank # 2 to top off the SCBA. This procedure continues through bank 2 and bank 3 (if so equipt).
When the final bank in your system is below your desired SCBA refill point (2216 or 4500 PSI) your system is considered empty. You can boost the final bank pressure with a suitable booster pump, or you can refill the cascade system from an air compressor-purifier or an outside vender.
There are many ways to accomplish cascade filling. It can be manual as described above or automatic with pneumatic valves inside the cascade filling panel. Your system can be fitted for an air compressor-purifier that can simply refill the banks as they are drained or automatically top off the SCBA’s you are filling as your storage drains down.
Contact us, describe your refilling requirements, we can build a panel to meet your individual needs and budget
Automatic Fill Control Valve. (AFCV)
If you own a breathing air compressor, the automatic fill valve system is what you need.
With Auto Fill Control you just connect your empty cylinders to the air lines in your fill enclosure. Set the regulator to the desired fill pressure and turn on the fill valve. Its that simple.
The (AFCV) control panel will start each filling cycle by drawing air off storage. As pressure in the storage bank drops below the SCBA cylinder set point, the control panel will automatically route purified air from your compressor to the filling SCBA cylinders. When those cylinders have reached the desired pressure, the controller will automatically re-direct the purified air from the compressor to refill storage.
This method is simple and safe as there is minimal operator interference with the filling process. There are no bank valves to operate, or gauges for the operator to monitor. AFCV is simple, safe and less expensive than cascade control
Auto Fill Control is fast as it automatically takes advantage of the breathing air compressor directing air pressure where it is needed automatically.
Auto Fill Control is less expensive to buy and service than cascade panels as there are fewer valves, gauges and fittings.
"Auto Fill Control Valve, Where Less Is More."
Let us build one for you!