Replace compressor pipe to tank?

[bmwpower]

I finally got a new compressor (new for me) today.

I'd like to replace the pipe that goes from the compressor pump to the tank. It's a hodgepodge of pipes and fittings put together by the PO. The union leaks a lot as well as some other areas on the pipe.

I thought we had dicussed this before, but couldn't find the thread... can I replace this line with a braided hose or something similar? There's a good amount of heat coming off the pipe so I'm not sure what would be appropriate here.

Does anyone make a generic finned pipe that I could use?

[wilbilt]

I need to replace mine, too. It is copper, but some funky size like 7/8"OD. I haven't been able to find such an animal locally.

[bmwpower]

I need to replace mine, too. It is copper, but some funky size like 7/8"OD. I haven't been able to find such an animal locally.

Mine starts out with a galv nipple, then goes to a galv union, then to another galv pipe, then to copper for a ways, then to a check valve, then back to a couple of galv reducers. It would be nice to put something there that will make it easy to take on/off, yet keep tight.

So soft copper with compression fittings on the ends?

[Danglerb]

Copper is what I would use.

BTW maybe its 7/8 now, but started as 3/4?

[TNToy]

You know what I would like to try?

Find a junk car with a compact A/C condenser, and plumb that between the pump and the tank. If you could drop the air just 20 degrees, you could take a LOT of water out of it right there.

You know it would handle the pressure, and it shouldn't be too hard to adapt one to copper line with compression fittings, either.

[Franz©]

"Find a junk car with a compact A/C condenser, and plumb that between the pump and the tank. If you could drop the air just 20 degrees, you could take a LOT of water out of it right there."
NO, it won't!

7/8 od copper is nominal 3/4 copper in plumbing terms. For the line between the compressor and receiver steel tubing is preferable to copper. It needs to have a pigtail wound into the line to supress vibration.

If you can't find steel tube, type L copper will work. Should be available from any plumber who installs water services to houses.

[bmwpower]

"Find a junk car with a compact A/C condenser, and plumb that between the pump and the tank. If you could drop the air just 20 degrees, you could take a LOT of water out of it right there."
NO, it won't!

7/8 od copper is nominal 3/4 copper in plumbing terms. For the line between the compressor and receiver steel tubing is preferable to copper. It needs to have a pigtail wound into the line to supress vibration.

If you can't find steel tube, type L copper will work. Should be available from any plumber who installs water services to houses.

Why wouldn't the condenser work? That's essentially what an aftercooler is.

What do you mean by pigtail? All the current Quincys I see don't have a pigtail, but a single piece of copper tubing with a right angle bend.

[IDASHO]

Why wouldn't the condenser work? That's essentially what an aftercooler is.

It would certainly work at cooling the air before it gets to the tank....

But it wouldnt get rid of the water.

[W-Cummins]

I see you got it so how does it work and where was it leaking the oil?

William...

[Junkman]

I would contact Quincy (http://www.quincycompressor.com/) and procure a service and parts manual for the compressor. Then I would contact a local Quincy Dealer (www.scalesair.com) and have them order you the correct line for the unit from the factory. If you are concerned about the water, then put a automatic drain at the bottom. I am not a fan of using non safety approved devices on a air compressor. I would only want parts that are specifically designed for the intended purpose.

[Franz©]

Pigtail = a complete 360° loop of pipe or tubing designed to minimize vibration transferr. You're right, a lot of "compressor units" built since 1960 do not employ vibration reduction between the machine and the receiver. There simply isn't any substitute for cheap when it comes to taking quality out of a machine.

Aftercoolers are entertainment devices that make customers and purchasing agents feel good. The amount of time the compressed air spends in an aftercooler is insufficient to lower the temperature of the airstream more than 1 or 2 degrees, and that ain't enough to drop water from an airstream. Factory aftercoolers are also very profitable to manufacturers since the life to failure and replacement is generally just longer than warranty, if the aftercooler is even covered by warranty.

Removing moisture by cooling a compressed air stream ain't rocket science, it's been done for years, but it just ain't profitable for manufacturers to do it cheap and well.
http://z6.invisionfree.com/ToolBoxTalk/index.php?showtopic=1461

[Junkman]

How about posting a picture of your Franzinator device? Dimensions and specifications will also be appreciated. Thanks

[Danglerb]

I don't see the hazard a failure of the tubing between the compressor and tank would present. The tank has a large area so the forces are very large, but the area of the tubing wall is small so the force that could be released isn't large.

[wilbilt]

Difficult to see in this photo, but mine has a piece of soft copper bent in a "U" shape. It is kinked, because somebody once used it as a handle.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/wilbilt/emglo.jpg

This homebuilt bomb has a "pigtail"...
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k37/wilbilt/pigtail.jpg

[bmwpower]

It would certainly work at cooling the air before it gets to the tank....

But it wouldnt get rid of the water.

Yea, I got that. No one said it would remove the water, just condense it out of the air.

[bmwpower]

I see you got it so how does it work and where was it leaking the oil?

William...

It works pretty good. As for the oil, it just looks like it's possibly coming from multiple places at a very slow rate - a seal or two, maybe from a couple of areas I don't know the names of just yet. :)

[bmwpower]

I would contact Quincy (http://www.quincycompressor.com/) and procure a service and parts manual for the compressor. Then I would contact a local Quincy Dealer (www.scalesair.com) and have them order you the correct line for the unit from the factory. If you are concerned about the water, then put a automatic drain at the bottom. I am not a fan of using non safety approved devices on a air compressor. I would only want parts that are specifically designed for the intended purpose.

It's not the original tank, so I'm not sure a factory part would fit since the dimensions might not be the same.

[MAD]

I used a soft copper "pigtail" and compression fittings for the pump to tank line as well as the connection to the unloader/control switch on the Compressor I recently put together. I have not had to buy tubing in a while. That stuff has gotten expensive over the last few years.

[bmwpower]

Anyone with a Quincy? Can you take a pict of the stock pipe going to the tank? Is it offset?

[Jared]

I would definitly do what franz said and put a pigtail in it.

[bmwpower]

I would definitly do what franz said and put a pigtail in it.

I understand his reasoning, but I'm not why I don't see this on all of the big manufacturers today: IR, Quincy, etc. They all have a bent line going to the tank - no pigtail. Their lines are also bigger though.

[bmwpower]

Will,
That soft copper line you used.... what type of fittings are on the ends?

Ridgid pipe (like I have now) is just too hard to manuever into place and get it to line up just right. Soft copper you can bend it a little if needed. I'm thinking this is what is supposed to be on there.

[wilbilt]

Will,
That soft copper line you used.... what type of fittings are on the ends?

Ridgid pipe (like I have now) is just too hard to manuever into place and get it to line up just right. Soft copper you can bend it a little if needed. I'm thinking this is what is supposed to be on there.

It has flare nuts on the ends. There are two 90 degree bends, so it is like a sideways "U". I guess I'll have to talk to a plumber to find the tubing and get it bent.

[engnerdan]

Aftercoolers are entertainment devices that make customers and purchasing agents feel good. The amount of time the compressed air spends in an aftercooler is insufficient to lower the temperature of the airstream more than 1 or 2 degrees, and that ain't enough to drop water from an airstream. Factory aftercoolers are also very profitable to manufacturers since the life to failure and replacement is generally just longer than warranty, if the aftercooler is even covered by warranty.


The air to air aftercooler I purchased with my compressor works wonderfully, I know so because after a combined total of 2.5 hours of continuously running, you could not touch the outlet pipe of the compressor but you could hold your hand on the outlet pipe of the cooler, in addition there was a total of 10 oz of water in the bottom of the tank and no noticeable moisture in the lines or tools.

-Dan