PVC airline explosion - pictures

[TheEquineFencer]

So many contradictions in this thread about liquids being incompressible or being compressible. You can compress a liquid, and different liquids will compress differently. A lot of the compressibility depends on the viscosity of the fluids. If a liquid was not compressible, we would all be able to run water in a brake system in a car, but because of the difference rates as to which a liquid is compressible, hydraulic fluid is the better choice.

from a physics site:



From a Hydraulic/Pneumatic website: http://hydraulicspneumatics.com/200.../Article/False/70094/TechZone-HydraulicFluids



Bottom line......Don't Use PVC for an air line.

I guess to simplify it, if you take all the people that think PVC airlines are 100% safe and put them in a large PVC pipe at 200+ PSI test pressure, then whack the pipe, one of two things will happen...it'll knock some sense into them or they'll find out how dangerous it is.

 

[K13]

Re: Home Depot Clearance Thread 2015

No need for insults. Some were just not informed when they installed it. I had it in my old house for 6 years and in my current for 4 years. Wasn't aware of the issues until after installed at the new place.

My point was about arguing that it is safe once you have it installed. I am sure many people have installed not knowing the dangers but once you do know and you still insist on using it....

 

[DekeT]

Not trying to derail the thread, but this discussion points to a big part of the whole misunderstanding with thinking PVC for air lines is ok - there is no distinction in the pressure rating (nor can there be because again, a psi is a psi) therefore no difference in labeling (show me in the OP photos where the pipe is labelled for liquid).

So if someone goes to buy pipe and has no understanding or knowledge of the difference in potential energy between compressed gas and fluids, they simply look for a pipe with a psi rating greater than the system pressure. Why not have manufacturers label PVC "liquid only" or "not for air"? Maybe some do, I can't recall. But then we get into bigger issues of admitting liability, nanny state handholding, etc.

Good point. People are out there unwittingly exposing themselves to injury. I personally think confusion over pressure ratings is problem enough that pvc or other strictly liquid supply should be labeled "not for gas".

 

[BD1]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pvc-cpvc-pipes-pressures-d_796.html

Maximum operating and required minimum bursting pressures at 73oF (23oC) for PVC pipe fittings according ASTM D1785 "Standard Specification for Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) Plastic Pipes Schedules 40 and 80 are indicated in the diagram and table below:



1.ASTM D2466 - 06 Standard Specification for Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Pipe Fittings, Schedule 40
2.ASTM D2467-04e1 Standard Specification for Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Pipe Fittings, Schedule 80
•1 psi (lb/in2) = 6,894.8 Pa (N/m2)

Note! The maximum operating pressures derates with temperature. At the maximum operating temperature for PVC - 140oF (60oC) - the strength is derated to approximately 20% of the strength at 73oF (23oC).

Be aware that maximum operating pressures varies with the fittings design. Consult the manufacturing data.

Here is right from manufacture, NO, NO , and NO !
http://www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=787

Can PVC or CPVC pipe be used for compressed air lines?
Article Title: Can PVC or CPVC pipe be used for compressed air lines?
Article Summary: Use of compressed air or gas with Harvel PVC/CPVC piping products
Article Date: 1/8/2008
Article ID: 787
Share This:
No, PVC and CPVC pipe should not be used for compressed air lines.
Here is what the manufacture has to say about it.

WARNING! The use of plastic piping with compressed air or gasses can result in severe bodily injury or death.

Harvel’s PVC and CPVC piping products are “rigid” thermoplastic materials. Harvel Plastics, Inc does not recommend the use of PVC or CPVC piping products for testing, transport, and storage of compressed air or gas. The compressibility of air and/or other gases result in tremendous amounts of stored energy, even at lower pressures. Should failure occur in a compressed air or gas system for any reason (i.e. improper assembly, mechanical damage, etc.) the failure mode will be very dramatic in nature due to the physical characteristics of the rigid piping in combination with the immediate release of stored energy. Under these conditions, the velocity created by rapidly escaping air and the resultant failure mode can throw shards of plastic in multiple directions (i.e. shrapnel/projectiles). This scenario creates a substantial hazard to personnel and property within the vicinity of the piping should a failure occur. Several cautionary statements and alerts against the use of rigid PVC/CPVC piping for use with compressed air or gasses are available through the Plastic Pipe Institute(PPI), American Society for Testing(ASTM), various other trade organizations, manufacturers, safety codes, as well as several State and federal Agencies(i.e. OSHA).

Compressed air or other gasses should never be used in testing. Extreme care should be used to assure complete venting of all entrapped air when filling the system with water or other liquids used in testing. Whether hydraulic hand pump or available water line pressure is used, any slow build-up of gauge pressure in a completely liquid filled line shows some entrapped air in the system. Pressure should be immediately released and the line re-bled. Failure to do this can lead to a catastrophic failure when the decompressing gas suddenly accelerates the solid water column if a faulty joint separates.

PVC and CPVC piping systems are not recommended for compressed air lines. Improper installation, especially poor cementing techniques can lead to an abrupt release of tremendous stored energy. Shattering of pipe and fittings is then apt to occur at directional changes and at point where the system is rigidly restrained due to instantaneous whipping action imparted by the escaping air. Internal surface cracks, due to the stress, ca be initiated which will tend to propagate and cause shattering, hairline or pinhole cracks over a period of time. There is also evidence that certain additives to system lubricants will initiate internal stress cracking which will again lead to similar failure over extended periods of time.
OSHA, NO , https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

 

[MScott]

Some people are never going to be convinced.

Remember: "Convince a fool against his will; he holds the same opinion still."

 

[readhead]

PVC aside, the best comment so far is "Missouri is not an OSHA state". Boy are they in for a surprise.

For some of the unconvinced, it is impossible to have a battle of wits with an unarmed man.

 

[djjsr]

PVC air lines are alive and well in my area where there are no inspections of commercial operations that I can tell and since Missouri is not an OSHA state we don't even have the threat of an OSHA inspection to bear.

I assure you that if a PVC air line explosion causes an injury or death at a commercial/industrial location, OSHA will be there.

Missouri OSHA offices:

Kansas City Area Office
Two Pershing Square
2300 Main Street, Suite 168
Kansas City, Missouri 64120-2416
(816) 483-9531
(816) 483-9724 Fax
Toll Free (Missouri Residents Only): 1-800-892-2674
Voice Mail: (816) 483-9542


St. Louis Area Office
Robert A. Young Federal Building
1222 Spruce Street, Room 9.104
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
(314) 425-4249
(314) 425-4255 Voice Mail
(314) 425-4289 Fax
Toll Free (Missouri Residents Only): 1-800-392-7743
Voice Mail: (314) 425-4255

 

[sublimate]

If a liquid was not compressible, we would all be able to run water in a brake system in a car, but because of the difference rates as to which a liquid is compressible, hydraulic fluid is the better choice.

You could run water in your brake system (and many do by accident because they don't change it often enough). Water won't compress any noticeable amount at the pressures in your brakes.

BUT the problem with water is it boils and a relatively low temperature and turns to steam (a gas) which DOES compress quite easily.

Of course the other problem with water is it leads to rust.

 

[Olafur]

Update:
This installation is NOT 6 months old. The shop moved 6 months ago and they installed quite a bit of new airlines (green 3 layer pipes: pp-rct/pp-f/pp-rct) . However they reused part of older existing airlines to save time and money. This part is probably 8-10 years old and is all PVC-U including the line that burst.

And it didn't burst right away. I started leaking and they noticed the hissing sound but just kept on working. After leaking for few hours the explosion occurred.

My apologies for the confusion.

 

[buddyboy]

I'm going to use pvc for my airlines.

I'm going to be installing it this afternoon while my wife is at the store getting some dog food for our pitbull (ran out yesterday)

I'll have the kids keep an eye on the pitbull in the back yard while I work in the garage.

I'll post up pictures of the whole process later...

 

[readhead]

I hope the wife gets home with the food before the dog eats the kids. You are using sprinkler pipe, the thin stuff right? Much lighter and easier to handle.

 

[DekeT]

I'm going to use pvc for my airlines.

I'm going to be installing it this afternoon while my wife is at the store getting some dog food for our pitbull (ran out yesterday)

I'll have the kids keep an eye on the pitbull in the back yard while I work in the garage.

I'll post up pictures of the whole process later...

Remember that psi rating is just a suggestion. They over-engineer that stuff to take a lot more load as a buffer.

 

[buddyboy]

I hope the wife gets home with the food before the dog eats the kids.

oh boy, i didn't think about the dog being hungry, i was just thinking the kids could watch the dog and vice versa while the wifey was out.

calling wife right now!

she can stop into home depot to pick up some sprinkler pipe on the way home

 

[MoparTrucks]

I assure you that if a PVC air line explosion causes an injury or death at a commercial/industrial location, OSHA will be there.

Missouri OSHA offices:

Kansas City Area Office
Two Pershing Square
2300 Main Street, Suite 168
Kansas City, Missouri 64120-2416
(816) 483-9531
(816) 483-9724 Fax
Toll Free (Missouri Residents Only): 1-800-892-2674
Voice Mail: (816) 483-9542


St. Louis Area Office
Robert A. Young Federal Building
1222 Spruce Street, Room 9.104
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
(314) 425-4249
(314) 425-4255 Voice Mail
(314) 425-4289 Fax
Toll Free (Missouri Residents Only): 1-800-392-7743
Voice Mail: (314) 425-4255

You are very correct and I frequently deal with them during accident investigations but its after the fact which doesn't help the poor slob who lost an eye.

Missouri has its own program approved by OSHA and OSHA does do inspections, particularly for large corporations, but no small business owner I know has ever been inspected and some of them have been in business since the 1970s. Maybe they just ignore the rural areas?

I would think that it would be mostly smaller operations that use PVC air lines but maybe thats not correct and its equally surprising that insurance companies haven't figured this out. I mean, it wouldn't take a genius actuator to figure out to add a question on the insurance forms about compressed air use and the method of delivery. Anyone know if this has ever come up?

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I'm going to use pvc for my airlines.

I'm going to be installing it this afternoon while my wife is at the store getting some dog food for our pitbull (ran out yesterday)

I'll have the kids keep an eye on the pitbull in the back yard while I work in the garage.

I'll post up pictures of the whole process later...

I guess if your wife is standing near it when it explodes she'll get "banged"?

 

[nine4gmc]

I guess if your wife is standing near it when it explodes she'll get "banged"?

 

[plow]

My current system is Sch 40 CPVC. I feel good about it as the pics I've seen are the cheapo thin wall stuff. The PVC in this thread LOOKS like ( NOTICE I SAID LOOKS LIKE?) our (USA) electrical conduit. The swaged female end just screams **** in my mind.

I had a fitting blow out ( NOT BLOW UP! A BLOW OUT! meaning the pipe was forced out of the fitting) on an extension I did once, but it was due to a bad glue joint.

And honestly, I may go with it again in the new shop when it's time. It depends on what materials are available to me at the time of install. I haven't seen anything to date that would turn me away from using CPVC (As long as it is Sch 40).


Then again, I'm the one that built the dry cut saw using a radial arm saw an a 5 horse motor.

 

[nine4gmc]

My current system is Sch 40 CPVC. I feel good about it as the pics I've seen are the cheapo thin wall stuff. The PVC in this thread LOOKS like ( NOTICE I SAID LOOKS LIKE?) our (USA) electrical conduit. The swaged female end just screams **** in my mind.

I had a fitting blow out ( NOT BLOW UP! A BLOW OUT! meaning the pipe was forced out of the fitting) on an extension I did once, but it was due to a bad glue joint.

And honestly, I may go with it again in the new shop when it's time. It depends on what materials are available to me at the time of install. I haven't seen anything to date that would turn me away from using CPVC (As long as it is Sch 40).


Then again, I'm the one that built the dry cut saw using a radial arm saw an a 5 horse motor.

Do you mean to say schedule 80? Schedule 40 is thinner wall than. schedule 80.

And as for the dry cut saw thingamabob, pics or it didn't happen!!
I've been racking my head on building June from a burnt out chop saw and external dc motor with speed control but I'm open to other ideas.

 

[plow]

Oh it happened alright. It's posted here somewhere, or at least a link to it. I'll look.


The CPVC I used is Sch 40. The OPs looks like Sch 10.


Disclaimer for the saw..................It aint safe! Don't build it! ................But it works really well.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

My current system is Sch 40 CPVC. I feel good about it as the pics I've seen are the cheapo thin wall stuff. The PVC in this thread LOOKS like ( NOTICE I SAID LOOKS LIKE?) our (USA) electrical conduit. The swaged female end just screams **** in my mind.

I had a fitting blow out ( NOT BLOW UP! A BLOW OUT! meaning the pipe was forced out of the fitting) on an extension I did once, but it was due to a bad glue joint.

And honestly, I may go with it again in the new shop when it's time. It depends on what materials are available to me at the time of install. I haven't seen anything to date that would turn me away from using CPVC (As long as it is Sch 40).


Then again, I'm the one that built the dry cut saw using a radial arm saw an a 5 horse motor.

Would you mind if I took out an insurance policy on you?

Tommy

 

[G-force]

When I got my shop in 2006 it was plumbed with PVC, the heavy duty stuff. When I finally got my compressor I ripped it all out and went with copper. I found numerous cracks while removing it and what was there was very brittle IIRC. Shop was build in early 90's.

 

[Ditchdigger]

A plant I millwrighted in was plumbed for air with 2" schedule 80 PVC when I started working there about 15 years ago. It was regularly exploding at 116psi line pressure. At that time there was a green ABS plastic pipe that was indeed rated for air. In the event of a failure it would split, but not shatter.

I remember it being difficult to glue. I replaced all the PVC with it and a few years later it was no longer available when I needed to extend the system.

 

[Caman]

You want the best thing to plumb a shop with? Check this stuff out

http://www.transair-usa.com

It's aluminum pipe so it doesn't rust and it's lightweight. Slips together super fast. Easy to modify if needed. Looks pretty dang awesome as well.
I've got around 2 miles of this stuff plumbed in my building, and with next years expansion I'll probably be adding at least another mile or two. Pretty cool stuff and way easy to work with.

Though I will say, it's not for the faint of heart, joe homeowner will **** his pants at the price.

 

[Richard Cranium]

how much does this stuff cost?

 

[Caman]

how much does this stuff cost?

Depends on size and fitting style. But off the top of my head for 25mm It is like $50 for each 20' stick. We also have 40 and 63mm here that get even more crazy, they have sizes that go all the way to 6"(I couldn't imagine what that costs). Fittings start at around $20 each for a straight 25mm union and go up to $200 for a 63mm ballvalve. Like I said it ain't cheap but the labor and headache savings is well worth it. And the amount of changes we make on a daily basis just loosening the fittings and everything slides apart is a huge time saver, all the fittings and pipe are reusable as well.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I don't use PVC at home. I just do as another poster said and use good quality rubber hose and a hose reel. No piping at all. We do have PVC at the work shop though and it always springs leaks. Never exploded and it is luckily far enough away from us that it would not likely cause an injury. It is way up in the ceiling and behind walls with a drop down hose reel in the ceiling. The full time mechanic there has been replacing it with nylon air brake tubing just because it is all we have and we have to do something. It has a burst pressure of somewhere up around 1000 psi and it comes in rolls so you can have very long runs without any joints.

I'm sure even that isn't the right stuff but I'm sure it's better than PVC.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Because they are lazy and cheap but don't want to admit it.

There may be folks who don't know it's a ticking time bomb.. I used to be that guy..

However, now thanks to the wonderful world of GJ, I'm healed of my lameness..

 

[DeathMagnetic]

All heavy copper for me

 

[Richard Cranium]

before I join G.J. I would of plumbed my garage with pvc. But now I have learned. May of saved my life or sight. Who knows....Thanks Guys..Richie

 

[TheEquineFencer]

FYI:


https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

 

[Kellyblues]

I'm new here and I'm sure I'm going to ruffle some feathers with this one. Pressure is pressure or what ever the exact argument is really not what people should be looking at. Stuipd is stupid and there's always room to improve. Using PVC of any kind for a compressed air system is stupid no matter how you slice it.

A very good friend of mine is a 3rd generation and very well respected plumber plumbed his shop air in PVC. I tried nine ways to Sunday to talk him out of it. I even offered to buy the material to go copper , he wouldn't have any part of it. I begged and begged him to use something metallic simply to reduce the danger of injury to anyone. He used the highest rated 1/2 on the market. It's still fn plastic! Heat it ,cool it,heat it,cool it,heat it,cool it over and over and over. Expand ,contract,expand , contract over and over and over. Shake it around. Don't think because it securely mounted and never gets touched that it doesn't get vibration. 8 years almost to the day my friend lost an eye,his oldest son dearly bled to death when out of the blue that fn PVC let go. His son caught a piece with his neck just below his ear. If his mom wasn't a long time trauma nurse and there he would have bled out. As my friend recovered I piped every fn inch in black pipe and I paid for it.

It's not if,its when its going to let loose if you use pvc for a compressed air system.

Black pipe or coper IF your experienced enough to properly braze it or it threaded. IMO anything else is flat stupid.

I've been an industrial maintenance mechanic for many years. There's reasons pvc isn't used for compressed air. SAFTEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's damn sure not because they enjoy spending the $ for black pipe or coper.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I'm new here and I'm sure I'm going to ruffle some feathers with this one. Pressure is pressure or what ever the exact argument is really not what people should be looking at. Stuipd is stupid and there's always room to improve. Using PVC of any kind for a compressed air system is stupid no matter how you slice it.

A very good friend of mine is a 3rd generation and very well respected plumber plumbed his shop air in PVC. I tried nine ways to Sunday to talk him out of it. I even offered to buy the material to go copper , he wouldn't have any part of it. I begged and begged him to use something metallic simply to reduce the danger of injury to anyone. He used the highest rated 1/2 on the market. It's still fn plastic! Heat it ,cool it,heat it,cool it,heat it,cool it over and over and over. Expand ,contract,expand , contract over and over and over. Shake it around. Don't think because it securely mounted and never gets touched that it doesn't get vibration. 8 years almost to the day my friend lost an eye,his oldest son dearly bled to death when out of the blue that fn PVC let go. His son caught a piece with his neck just below his ear. If his mom wasn't a long time trauma nurse and there he would have bled out. As my friend recovered I piped every fn inch in black pipe and I paid for it.

It's not if,its when its going to let loose if you use pvc for a compressed air system.

Black pipe or coper IF your experienced enough to properly braze it or it threaded. IMO anything else is flat stupid.

I've been an industrial maintenance mechanic for many years. There's reasons pvc isn't used for compressed air. SAFTEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's damn sure not because they enjoy spending the $ for black pipe or coper.

LOL....Ruffle some feathers? Heck you plucked them...good post.

 

[94EG8]

You want the best thing to plumb a shop with? Check this stuff out

http://www.transair-usa.com

It's aluminum pipe so it doesn't rust and it's lightweight. Slips together super fast. Easy to modify if needed. Looks pretty dang awesome as well.
I've got around 2 miles of this stuff plumbed in my building, and with next years expansion I'll probably be adding at least another mile or two. Pretty cool stuff and way easy to work with.

Though I will say, it's not for the faint of heart, joe homeowner will **** his pants at the price.

This is more or less what I have. The stuff I have comes from Topring, but it's blue aluminum pipe. They use brass push connect fittings though, very similar to shark bite/techtite PEX fittings (actually I have used some of those fittings due to availability and cost) I think retail pricing is $55 for a 13' length of 22mm tubing (3/4" pipe) fittings are mostly around $30 each, ball valves are around $70. However, as stated it wont rust, wont violently explode, it's extremely easy to install and reconfigure (reconfiguring black iron pipe just flat out *****) Topring actually has some special fittings that allow you to tap into an existing system with the air still on. There's nothing faster, easier, lighter, etc out there. It just costs a lot. Also, We have a short run of the Aircom version of this stuff at work, it uses the same style fittings as transair, nice stuff, but I like Topring's fittings better.

 

[Kellyblues]

LOL....Ruffle some feathers? Heck you plucked them...good post.

Well damn. It kills me how many times someone in a professional capacity says don't don't don't don't don't and they just wont listen. And then they are SHOCKED when something goes wrong. It like the kid that came to me a couple years ago asking about upgrading his vehicle. I walked him through what he needed to know to look at. 6 months later his car wont idle no matter what he does and asks me to look at it. 2000 Camero V6. After a 450hp crate 350 V8 and he did NOTHING else he couldn't understand why it wouldn't idle because some guy on the internet forum said he did it. I told him he had more money than brains and told him to ask someone else.

For the love of god money and greyhound if ANYONE has PVC for airlines make immediate plans to replace it or at LEAST start phasing it out. IT WILL BLOW EVENTUALLY.

Thanks for the compliment.

 

[rieferman]

Great post

I'm new here and I'm sure I'm going to ruffle some feathers with this one. Pressure is pressure or what ever the exact argument is really not what people should be looking at. Stuipd is stupid and there's always room to improve. Using PVC of any kind for a compressed air system is stupid no matter how you slice it.

A very good friend of mine is a 3rd generation and very well respected plumber plumbed his shop air in PVC. I tried nine ways to Sunday to talk him out of it. I even offered to buy the material to go copper , he wouldn't have any part of it. I begged and begged him to use something metallic simply to reduce the danger of injury to anyone. He used the highest rated 1/2 on the market. It's still fn plastic! Heat it ,cool it,heat it,cool it,heat it,cool it over and over and over. Expand ,contract,expand , contract over and over and over. Shake it around. Don't think because it securely mounted and never gets touched that it doesn't get vibration. 8 years almost to the day my friend lost an eye,his oldest son dearly bled to death when out of the blue that fn PVC let go. His son caught a piece with his neck just below his ear. If his mom wasn't a long time trauma nurse and there he would have bled out. As my friend recovered I piped every fn inch in black pipe and I paid for it.

It's not if,its when its going to let loose if you use pvc for a compressed air system.

Black pipe or coper IF your experienced enough to properly braze it or it threaded. IMO anything else is flat stupid.

I've been an industrial maintenance mechanic for many years. There's reasons pvc isn't used for compressed air. SAFTEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's damn sure not because they enjoy spending the $ for black pipe or coper.

 

[Kellyblues]

This is more or less what I have. The stuff I have comes from Topring, but it's blue aluminum pipe. They use brass push connect fittings though, very similar to shark bite/techtite PEX fittings (actually I have used some of those fittings due to availability and cost) I think retail pricing is $55 for a 13' length of 22mm tubing (3/4" pipe) fittings are mostly around $30 each, ball valves are around $70. However, as stated it wont rust, wont violently explode, it's extremely easy to install and reconfigure (reconfiguring black iron pipe just flat out *****) Topring actually has some special fittings that allow you to tap into an existing system with the air still on. There's nothing faster, easier, lighter, etc out there. It just costs a lot. Also, We have a short run of the Aircom version of this stuff at work, it uses the same style fittings as transair, nice stuff, but I like Topring's fittings better.

Ive not personally handled any of the AL pipe. Shark bite fittings are another story. They work, they work great don't get me wrong. Two laws of anything mechanical. 1. If it can go wrong, it will. 2. The more components that make up something the higher the chance of failure. It looks nice, easy to install and it has a very low failure rate and is safe if the pipe itself ruptures. The fitting however are another story , the are friction lock fittings and are prone to loosen under vibration.

The other easy install system I see out there uses nylon. IMO one notch about PVC.

I work at the largest and most producing snack food facility in the world. That's a fact, not my opinion. Ive watched my employers spends hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to save money in compressed air delivery. We have 3 multi stage Centrifugal compressors. One 750 HP amd two 500 HP compressors. If its under 100 PSI we use mant things. Poly flow, nylon and a host of other things. Over 100 PSI its black pipe or copper. about 10 years ago they spent a TON of money going to these high strength aluminium pipes and shark bite style fitting with a capital project to replace our low side header which is 85 psi. 18 months after it went in it got changed back to threaded black pipe.

The AL pipe in a home shop is probably just fine with the exception of the cost. For a length of pipe that costs that much and you still have to be mindful of it getting hit or crushed your no farther ahead of using copper. Now if its available and low to no cost I would go for it in a heartbeat but I would use compression fittings. If its a propitiatory OD size and compression fittings or anything else other than what they sell then its not worth a **** alls nothing IMO.

You have an idea of what Ive done for a live for many years. Im installing a new compressor in my garage this weekend along with a new supply system. Im using copper. Where there's places of potential damage by heavy traffic or frequent movement around it will be shielded with black iron pipe. Ive watched companies drop massive amounts of money out of their pockets while bending down to pick up a penny and cause themselves massive hardship, By watching them I know what NOT to do. Black iron pipe along with the proper filtration and you will never have to worry about it one ioda. Copper shielded with black iron pipe in sensitive places is the next level down IF its brazed properly.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ Thanks for sharing your expertise with GJ . . . glad KellyBlues is here !!

 

[gnpenning]

Spent part of the day tearing our PVC from a large cabinet shop. They had two large compressors. The older pvc you could just give it a quick tug and it would break apart. The newer stuff I had to cut. Given time it would be the same. Can't believe they never had any explode.

 

[94EG8]

The fitting however are another story , the are friction lock fittings and are prone to loosen under vibration.

There really isn't any serious vibration going on in my case that worries me. I have a flex line between the compressor and beginning of my run. The proper Topring (Itap-Fit) fittings are also quite deep compared to Sharkbite fittings. I'm certainly not naive enough to think that they can't fail, but they seem to hold up well. We ran a ton of this stuff at work about 10 years ago and haven't had any issues yet, nothing seems to have moved. The Transair and Aircom stuff does use compression fittings though if the fittings really worry you.

I work at the largest and most producing snack food facility in the world. about 10 years ago they spent a TON of money going to these high strength aluminium pipes and shark bite style fitting with a capital project to replace our low side header which is 85 psi. 18 months after it went in it got changed back to threaded black pipe.

Why? It's fine that they did, but I'd like to know what the reasoning behind it was. Were the fittings or pipe failing or was it for some other reason? I'm running 150psi through mine day and night at home.

 

[Kellyblues]

There really isn't any serious vibration going on in my case that worries me. I have a flex line between the compressor and beginning of my run. The proper Topring (Itap-Fit) fittings are also quite deep compared to Sharkbite fittings. I'm certainly not naive enough to think that they can't fail, but they seem to hold up well. We ran a ton of this stuff at work about 10 years ago and haven't had any issues yet, nothing seems to have moved. The Transair and Aircom stuff does use compression fittings though if the fittings really worry you.



Why? It's fine that they did, but I'd like to know what the reasoning behind it was. Were the fittings or pipe failing or was it for some other reason? I'm running 150psi through mine day and night at home.

First let me be clear. I wasn't knocking what your using. Sounds to me like your using you head and know what your messing with. And its at home. Far less vibration. Your house does vibrate. Doors close, wind blows and a host of other things that add up. Anything above mild vibration will eventually shake loose the vast majority of press lock friction fittings. This is why at work everything is flanges bolted, threaded, brazed or welded as close as can be up to the point of use. We have a lot of harmonic vibrations because we use a lot of vibratory equipment. Conveyors mainly. Every mechanic there was against the new piping. The shark bite style fitting failed and where the main header pipes were flange bolted the broke at the flange. Was a GD nightmare. Anything past mild vibration makes aluminum a bad idea. At home Im sure its just fine. No less than using copper other than the extensive cost.