compressor set up.

That red striped thing is a valve core just like what you have in your tires on your car. Just my two cents here but if your using a tankless compressor you are going to be getting alot more water in the line than a tanked compressor would. But no mater where you put the trap it's going to work the same. I have a California air tools compressor then about five feet of line to my regulator and trap attached to my spray booth then about five feet of line to my airbrush. Even after running over a hour I get very little water in the trap and none through the other side in the line.

Your moisture separator is the straight through type.  The connection at the bottom is the outlet.  That should go to your airbrush.  Otherwise, it will have no effect.  The red thing is the drain valve.  It needs to be at the bottom.

Your regulator is not really a regulator, just a flow valve.  It will limit air flow and work somewhat the same, but it's not really the same thing.  

Unless you have a lot of humidity, I suspect you have enough metal between the compressor and separator to cool the air enough.

Don

I just did a little more research, and the Q&A on this  page says the blue end is the output side.  Apparently there are arrows on the body.

This is the item itself,

https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/1-4-in-air-filter/A-p8602468e

From what i am reading, this item is for a "large" unit, ie automotive, connects to the gun not inline or permanetly attached as i did.

From what i have been looking at looks like i made several mistakes, going to return everything except the compressor and start over

looks like back to the drawing board.

My regulator and moisture trap are separate but the combo ones from HF are a good choice. https://m.harborfreight.com/14-in-Air-Line-Filter-Regulator-with-Gauge-68228.html

Usually, compressors come with something like this, an all in one unit.  A real regulator has a diaphragm mechanism that will set and hold pressure.  If you can put a little distance via a hose or pipe between the compressor and the separator to cool the air, moisture separation will be better.

When I first started airbrushing, I had a compressor similar to yours and I just hooked my airbrush directly to it.  That type of compressor probably puts out about 25 to 30psi max. and it worked pretty well.  It's not ideal, but it will get you going.  You could experiment on some empty plastic bottles.

Don

Looking at your compressor, it looks like a diaphragm type. Diaphragm compressors typically require a bleeder at some point in the outlet side to provide overpressure relief, otherwise you risk either rupturing the diaphragm or stalling the motor and possibly burning it out. 

Phil_H

Looking at your compressor, it looks like a diaphragm type. Diaphragm compressors typically require a bleeder at some point in the outlet side to provide overpressure relief, otherwise you risk either rupturing the diaphragm or stalling the motor and possibly burning it out. 

 

 

Here is what Phil is talking about:

This is from the Badger 350 manual.  The diaphragm compressors can stall if the output is blocked, and that's not good for them.

Don

and this is from the 180-11 manual