You pull the old filter element off a compressor that has been running for years, turn it over, and the label is half gone. The maker may not even sell parts for it anymore. This is the moment a lot of plant maintenance people end up searching for a brand they have never heard of, and one of the names that keeps coming up is Keltec Technolab.

We carry a large Keltec range, and the collection is big, a few hundred listings. This guide walks through what is in it, what each family does, and how to match a part before you order. We are going to stick to what is on our shelves and what the product pages say, rather than guess at things we cannot verify.

What Keltec Technolab makes, in plain terms

Keltec designs and manufactures compressed air treatment equipment, including desiccant dryers and filtration, aimed at industrial and process use. In our store that shows up as five families: filters and filter elements, oil/air separators, dryers and dryer parts, condensate drains, and compressor lubricants. A lot of the listings are replacement parts that cross to other brands' part numbers, which is why people land on them in the first place.

Filter elements: where most people start

The KWS elements in our listings are replacement coalescing filter elements. A coalescing element catches the fine oil mist and liquid water that gets past the compressor, merges the droplets, and lets them drain away. If you want the longer version, we wrote up how a coalescing filter works and when to replace the elements.

Price depends on size. In our range the smaller elements start near $112 for the KWS14 and the larger ones run into the hundreds of dollars, with the KWS1294 near $464 at the time we looked. The point of the number in the part name is that it tells you the element size, so match it to your housing, not to the nameplate on the compressor.

The KP series filters work as a staged set. A pre filter takes out the bulk particulate, a general purpose filter sits in the middle, a high efficiency filter catches the finer oil, and a carbon filter handles vapor and odor. If your application needs clean air at the point of use, you need to think about the stages in the right order, which we cover in the article on building a treatment train. You can browse all of our air filters if you want to compare brands.

Separators: the part that fails quietly

An oil separator element sits in a rotary screw compressor and pulls the oil out of the air before it leaves the machine. When it plugs, the compressor works harder, the pressure differential rises, and oil carryover goes up. Keltec KV series separators are offered for common compressor makes, and our air oil separator guide covers how to tell when yours has reached the end.

Dryers: KRAD and the parts behind them

Our Keltec dryer listings include KRAD models, from the small KRAD-80 near $1,970 up through the KRAD-500 and KRAD-750, which sit around $10,000 and $12,500 on our site. We also carry dryer parts like thermostats, membranes and dryer filter kits. The listings for the KRAD units are brief. If you are sizing one, tell us your flow rate and inlet conditions and we will confirm the model before you order. That is how we handle it, since the product page does not publish a full performance table. For a broader comparison of types, see our desiccant air dryers and air dryers.

Drains: the small part that wastes the most air

The Keltec zero loss drain we stock is rated at 250 CFM. A zero loss drain opens only when there is condensate to release, instead of blowing air on a timer. If your old drain hisses all day, you are paying for that air. We wrote up the numbers in timer drains versus zero loss drains.

Synthetic compressor oil that crosses to the big names

The KOA467C-05 synthetic compressor lubricant comes in a 5 gallon pail. According to the listing, it is compatible with a long list of OEM brands, including Quincy, Atlas Copco, Champion, Sullair, Ingersoll Rand and Gardner Denver, and it is described as a long-life synthetic with excellent demulsibility, a high viscosity index and built-in oxidation stability. It is positioned as a value replacement for branded fluids in rotary screw compressors. Prices in the Keltec oil line run from about $216 to $349 per 5 gallon pail depending on the formula.

One caution: never mix chemistries in the sump without checking compatibility. Our compressor oil guide explains why.

How to match the right Keltec part

Start from the part you have. If it is an OEM number from another brand, search the Keltec collection for a crossover. Many of the listings show the original manufacturer and OEM number in a table on the product page, and the oil listing shows dozens of crossover numbers. If you only have the compressor model, send us the serial plate and we will find the part. It takes less time than guessing and ordering twice.

A few rules we follow:

• Match the element size to the housing, not to the compressor.
• Check pressure and flow ratings before you swap filters or drains.
• If a dryer is involved, confirm inlet temperature and flow, not just horsepower.
• Do not mix oil types without confirming compatibility.

Where to start

Browse the full Keltec Technolab collection and filter by the family you need. If you are not sure which listing crosses to your part, call us with the model or the old part number and we will confirm it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Keltec Technolab?

Keltec Technolab designs and manufactures compressed air treatment equipment, including desiccant dryers and filtration, for industrial and process applications. We stock the parts, filters, dryers and oil.

Are Keltec parts compatible with other compressor brands?

Many are sold as replacements that cross to other makers' part numbers. The KOA467C-05 oil listing, for example, lists compatibility with Quincy, Atlas Copco, Champion, Sullair, Ingersoll Rand, Gardner Denver and others. Always confirm against your own part number.

How do I know which filter element I need?

Match the element size to your filter housing and check the original part number. Send us the old number or the housing label and we will confirm the Keltec equivalent.

Can I mix Keltec synthetic oil with my current oil?

Do not assume you can. Mixing different oil chemistries can cause problems in the sump. Drain and flush if you are changing types, or check compatibility with us first.

What does a Keltec KRAD dryer cost?

On our site the KRAD-80 is about $1,970, the KRAD-500 about $10,030 and the KRAD-750 about $12,520 at the time of writing. Tell us your flow and inlet conditions before you order.