Compressor Regulator and Hose Questions

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 6, 2014

sberry said:
IMOP there is no better way than you dunnit. Putting a service valve there where is should be solves so many problems and you never got to discharge the tank to work on it or for leaks when its not used.

I'll give it a try with the coupling connections between the manifold and the compressor. I guess as long as I keep the service valve closed when I'm not using it, it's not that big of a deal.

I'm working on the manifold right now.

Tipsy

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 6, 2014

I got most of the manifold soldered up today. I'm debating how to transition from the manifold into the regulator/oiler and out of the regulator/oiler up to the hose reel. I'm thinking soft hose with barbs and hose camps might be the simplest solution.

I'll only need a few feet of hose for the transitions. Is there something I can buy by the foot or do I need to buy a 25' hose (more than I need) an cut it up?

Tipsy

sberry · Feb 6, 2014

I like to design around a standard length hose, take up a slack loop maybe so it can be stretched out. I have 3 fixed whips, the one at my bench is used there by taking it off one hook, can take more down if needed. As the stuff gets old you need to fix it. I swap the end with factory ferrule to the coupling end and don't have anything against a barb and clamp off a feed.
You can could cut 25 ft hose in half, buy some barbs for fixed connections. Buy extra hose, cut in pieces to barb to manifold as needed.

sberry · Feb 6, 2014

I learned the hard way with a fair amount of experience and can say in the end simplicity has its place, even worth a little sacrifice short of perfect sometimes. Most of the re-do wish work revolves around that, I finally figure out that my first thought wasn't the right one and build it twice, the easier or better way the second time.

You are right, in your case the supply is local, the valve is no big deal. I got a few parasitic leaks and should figure out where they are at. I had added a coupling for a temp hookup, should be removed. There is a valve shuts this off from the manifold.

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 6, 2014

sberry said:
I learned the hard way with a fair amount of experience and can say in the end simplicity has its place, even worth a little sacrifice short of perfect sometimes.

I just got back from Northern Tool. Goodyear 3'8" x 25' was on sale for $19.99. Three (Goodyear) whips would have cost nary twice that. Not the most elegant solution but it should do the trick. I bought a bunch of barbs and I'll make (1) the line from the compressor to the manifold, (2) the line from the manifold to the regulator and (3) the line form the regulator to the hose reel.

I should have it finished up tomorrow. I just have to figure out what kind of blocking I'm going to add between the trusses in the garage attic to hang the hose reel from.

Tipsy

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 10, 2014

Finished up this weekend:

Compressor and Water Separator

Regulator/Filter/Oil Lubricator

UniStrut in Attic

volleyball · Feb 10, 2014

How much did that cost you to build

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 10, 2014

I didn't really keep track. Three 10' lengths of 3/4" "M" were $17 each, I think. You can pretty much see what fittings I used and do the math on HD's website. The 1/2" ball valves were probably $8 each. And I didn't have a good torch, so I bought one. The hose reel was about $65. The Unistrut was less than $20.

Tipsy

b-body-bob · Feb 10, 2014

Nice work. I'd like to build one of those to cool the air but don't trust my soldering skills.

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 10, 2014

b-body-bob said:
Nice work. I'd like to build one of those to cool the air but don't trust my soldering skills.

Full disclosure; I hadn't soldered copper since I was a teenager, helping my dad 25+ years ago. So, I plugged one end and pressure tested it before hanging it on the wall. Good thing, because there was one leak, which I fixed before hanging it.

I left it pressurized for about two hours yesterday while I was in the house. When I came back to the garage, I heard a hiss. It developed a leak in another joint. I just bought a small cloth flame protector and will attempt to resweat the joint while it's on the wall.

My solder joints would probably get an "F" in plumber's school. But then again, I bet if a plumber tried to land an MD11, it would be ugly, too :lol:

Tipsy

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 10, 2014

TipsyMcStagger said:
I left it pressurized for about two hours yesterday while I was in the house. When I came back to the garage, I heard a hiss. It developed a leak in another joint. I just bought a small cloth flame protector and will attempt to resweat the joint while it's on the wall.

I just resweated the leaky fitting.

Victory is mine!

Tipsy

sberry · Feb 11, 2014

Take the lubricator out.

volleyball · Feb 11, 2014

He wants to oil his tires and is very useful for air dusting too. Will make a paint job shine.
I don't use an oiler at all.

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 11, 2014

volleyball said:
He wants to oil his tires and is very useful for air dusting too. Will make a paint job shine.
I don't use an oiler at all.

The oiler is empty. If needed, it's there.

Tipsy

b-body-bob · Feb 11, 2014

TipsyMcStagger said:
Full disclosure; I hadn't soldered copper since I was a teenager, helping my dad 25+ years ago. So, I plugged one end and pressure tested it before hanging it on the wall. Good thing, because there was one leak, which I fixed before hanging it.

Funny how just a mention like that pops an idea into my head. It would be threaded on both ends to attach couplers, so all I would have to do to set it up for testing is to thread a ball valve on each end, then thread the couplers into those. I could even use the coupler on one end to fill it, and stick a pressure gauge on the other to figure out if it's leaking. Once I've bought 4 or 5 ball valves to use for drains, what's a couple more, right? :beer:

J Persons · Feb 11, 2014

TipsyMcStagger said:
The oiler is empty. If needed, it's there.

Tipsy

The oiler is the only reason I bought the Bendpak work station. The air locks and the bridge jack require oiled air for warranty purposes. It also has a port for non oiled air.

volleyball · Feb 11, 2014

Yes, oiler at tool, not at supply. You oil the copper contraption and the reel and you will have oil all the time for months to come. And no oil at the tool.
I have a can of air tool oil that I use to put a drop or two into the tool

hippie2cams · Feb 11, 2014

I have to agree there, there is to be no oil except at the tool being used all other air should be dry regulated air and no exceptions. :lol_hitti

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 11, 2014

volleyball said:
Yes, oiler at tool, not at supply. You oil the copper contraption and the reel and you will have oil all the time for months to come. And no oil at the tool.
I have a can of air tool oil that I use to put a drop or two into the tool

The oiler has been dry since the day it came out of the package.

Tipsy

volleyball · Feb 11, 2014

TipsyMcStagger said:
The oiler is empty. If needed, it's there.

Tipsy

You just put it up. Not like its been there for years. This thread may have been the only thing that alerted you.
If you put a regulator at the source, have a gauge at the output to have a true source of pressure. There will be a difference.

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 12, 2014

volleyball said:
You just put it up. Not like its been there for years. This thread may have been the only thing that alerted you.

I'm not following. Are you suggesting had it not been for this thread, I'd been unaware that I chose to install an empty oiler?

Tipsy

volleyball · Feb 12, 2014

What I am saying is that you have something does does not belong there.
Combo units come empty. It just went up. We alerted you before you filled it.
I would not have that there. Someone could fill it trying to be helpful.

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 12, 2014

volleyball said:
What I am saying is that you have something does does not belong there.
Combo units come empty. It just went up. We alerted you before you filled it.
I would not have that there. Someone could fill it trying to be helpful.

LOL...thanks. I'm aware that I don't want to paint or fill tires with oiled air. I appreciate your input (that's why I'm here) but I had no intention of filling the reservoir for everyday use prior to reading the above comments.

No one is in my garage when I'm not there and certainly no one who is would have any idea what an oiler is, no less any inclination to fill it (particularly without first asking).

Tipsy

R6 Racer · Feb 18, 2014

I have a question for you Tipsy.
Did you realize that when you switched sides of the gauge & the output, (picture from post 14 to the pic in post 36) you did gain a line shut off but you lost the ability to regulate your line pressure precisely?
The gauge you kept shows tank pressure, the one you removed shows line pressure. The regulator & gauge you removed allowed you to precisely control your line pressure. I keep my tank at 145psi But always run my line pressure at 90psi.
I apologize if I missed someone else stating this earlier in the thread or if you already addressed this. But if not & it were me I would have left everything on, switched sides like you did & added the on/off valve to the output side.
That way you can keep your tank at full pressure & have total control of what your line pressure is for the tool your using at that time. Not all tools require the full air pressure of your compressor & pressures that are too high for a specific tool will wear out your air tools prematurely.

Steve

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 18, 2014

R6 Racer said:
Did you realize that when you switched sides of the gauge & the output, (picture from post 14 to the pic in post 36) you did gain a line shut off but you lost the ability to regulate your line pressure precisely?

Does't the regulator mounted on the wall regulate line pressure?

R6 Racer said:
The gauge you kept shows tank pressure,

The gauge I kept showed tank pressure in the original configuration as well, no?

R6 Racer said:
the one you removed shows line pressure. The regulator & gauge you removed allowed you to precisely control your line pressure.I keep my tank at 145psi But always run my line pressure at 90psi.

I must be missing something obvious; what purpose would it serve to have a regulator regulating a regulator? The gauge I removed was part of the chintzy regulator mounted on the tank that came with the compressor. I replaced it with a better quality regulator mounted a bit closer to the consumer. It's my understanding that the regulator should be as close to the consumer (tool) as possible.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate the discussion.

Tipsy

R6 Racer · Feb 21, 2014

"The gauge you kept shows tank pressure"
Your right, it still does, I was just using that statement to identify that gauge.

I must be missing something obvious; what purpose would it serve to have a regulator regulating a regul.. ...to the consumer (tool) as possible.
(saving space)

Your right, my bad, I was scrolling the thread without my glasses on. I mistook the wall unit as an oiler & a filter , hence my regulator goof up :willy_nil

. Again oops, sorry.

This gettin old **** *****!
I like your cooling layout, are you getting much water out of it yet?

Steve

Charles (in GA) · Feb 21, 2014

TipsyMcStagger said:
The oiler is empty. If needed, it's there.

Tipsy

You don't want to ever use that oiler. After you do, all of your lines and hoses are contaminated with oil, FOREVER, and you cannot get it out.

Charles

TipsyMcStagger · Feb 22, 2014

R6 Racer said:
Your right, my bad, I was scrolling the thread without my glasses on. I mistook the wall unit as an oiler & a filter , hence my regulator goof up. Again oops, sorry.

This gettin old **** *****!
I like your cooling layout, are you getting much water out of it yet?

Steve

No worries. Like I said, I appreciate the input.

I haven't used the compressor enough yet to truly evaluate the effectiveness of the separator but I can tell you this much; when opening one of the ball valves to depressurize the system....it's freakin' LOUD! :bounce:

Tipsy

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