Air Compressor accessories needed? Oiler? Dryer? Drain Kit?

[jjwithers]

I've read previous threads but still scratching my head...

I moved recently and have a decent sized garage for motorcycle building. Finally.
I got a 60gal Ingersoll compressor with 18CFM and a max PSI at 135.

I'm currently starting my run my 3/4 Maxline tubing throughout the garage.

-I plan to run a hose reel near the compressor for tires and such.
-I'll probably add another hose reel for tools, and two other wall outlets with couplers for tools as well.
-And finally, I have a Snap On Blast Cabinet that a friend sold me.

The blast cabinet is the only thing I have figured out so far. I plan to install the dryer/filter/regulator going into the cabinet.

Questions:
Should I add a regulator coming out from the compressor? Or Should I put regulators at each wall coupler outlet? Or both at compressor and wall outlets?
Should I add a dryer/oiler for tool outlets?

Should I get a compressor drain kit and if so, any affordable recommendations?

I'm wondering if Harbor Freight will be OK for some of this stuff or not...

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Neggy]

if you have a blast cabinet you don't want an oiler in the system, if you are putting a drop of air tool oil in your tools every time you use them, then skip the oiler.

Once there is oil in the main lines you'll never get it all out... so no spray painting

A water separator is IMHO a great thing to have, empty it often, and if you really want to get the water out of the supply, make it so you can put a container of ice around it ( coffee can or pail slid under it ) and that will remove the water... but you'll be emptying more often.

Good air line design has you take the air from the top of the pipe.. as water will run down the bottom, and at any drop down a wall, take the air from a few inches up via a Tee, and leave a stub where you can put a drain.... and drain them after every use. Make a provision for a catch can as the water will be crappy and will stain walls and floors. Pitch the line so the water runs to the end where the drain is. Drain the compressor tank after every use.... I leave my drain at the bottom of my old Craftsman compressor open a c hair with a pan under it.... the air loss out the bottom is nothing but there is a lot of water at the end of a couple of cycles especially on humid days

if you ever see natural gas lines, they always tee and leave a capped stub hanging down.... that is where any **** in the lines should collect instead of going to the burner

 

[Bayday]

Apart from the blast cabinet, do you want to set the air compressor cut-out pressure higher than the pressure limit of any other components & tools? If not, then I say forego the cost and flow restriction of any extra regulators.

You should absolutely plan to drain your tank after each session. It comes down to the person and convenience. The built-in drain is sufficient for a highly diligent person. Ease of access to the tank drain is really beneficial to the less diligent. For those that will likely forget, consider automatics. I have no recommendations other than to say I have been unhappy with a float-type automatic I've used (it's developed issues triggering and then sealing between discharges, but I've yet to determine what's to blame).

If your pneumatic tools include any with particularly high flow demands (e.g. a large impact wrench), you should put some thought into the cumulative piping restrictions. For such tools, it may just be easiest to have a large bore hose, as short as possible, with high-flow fittings, connected as close to the tank as possible.

 

[MarkH]

What you need is determined by what you do with the air. If inflation, cabinets, rare tool use all we have is a drainable water trap. This is in addition to the traps at the bottom of vertical pipes. If heavy tool use we add oilers. If for painting and where dry air is needed we add water filters. In a hot area we have also added air coolers for painting. Most of the time 30+ feet of copper between the compressor and the tap cool the air enough.

To do this we have separate taps from the from the same source to go through the right filters. We use different types and sizes of fittings on the hoses to prevent mixing them up and putting a hose that is for the oiler on a paint gun. A little color coding also helps. The paint lines use the largest high flow fittings and hose. The rest we have not found a reason to go beyond the average size fittings.

Our first setups where fairly simple but since we had enough air to handle anything we wanted to do we kept adding uses. I think the main shop is on its third and hopefully final set up.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

my shop air system has an aftercooler, a water separator, an oil coalescer, and a refrigerated dryer. the first two are to protect the latter, and the latter is like magic.

 

[jjwithers]

Thanks guys.
Can oil go backwards into the lines with an oil lubricator? I was planning on using one at an outlet or two but I'll skip it if it is safer. This statement had me scratching my head:

Once there is oil in the main lines you'll never get it all out... so no spray painting

It sounds like avoiding a drain kit and diligent draining is the trick. The Maxline tubing kit has drain valves at the bottom of each outlet/junction box so that can get the moisture out of the lines. I'll just have to develop a routine of when to drain the compressor tank.

 

[Bayday]

Can oil go backwards into the lines with an oil lubricator?

I have no experience with them (though I probably should given my current pneumatic tool lubing habits or rather lack thereof). I imagine that any reverse pressure scenario (from the oiler's perspective, such as anytime you draw air from an upstream node, or anytime upstream is vented/disconnected/leaking) may pull oil upstream of the oiler. A check valve should defeat that issue (though with a flow restriction penalty).

This statement had me scratching my head:

Perhaps you're thinking of spray paint rattle cans? I think @Neggy is referring to pneumatic spray guns, which would incorporate any contaminants from the the pneumatic system into the spray, possibly causing trouble.

I overlooked the obvious in my earlier response: if you have any tools that would benefit from a more stable operating pressure below the compressor cut-in pressure, then a regulator would of course be useful. I'm not familiar with any such tools, but they probably exist.

 

[The Cobbler]

Should I add a regulator coming out from the compressor? Or Should I put regulators at each wall coupler outlet? Or both at compressor and wall outlets? depends. if you want a constant pressure on all coupler, 1 regulator is fine. I would prefer each outlet have it's own tho



Should I add a dryer/oiler for tool outlets? some things you want dry air. most importatnly for things like spray painting, sandblasting, plasma cutter etc . most tools don't mind wet air . I would not use an oiler unless you use it on a dedicated line but really , unless it's a production line, a few drops of oil each day is sufficient for most things.

Should I get a compressor drain kit and if so, any affordable recommendations? the easier it is to drain the moisture form the tank the more likely you will do it (probably) several auto drains seem to be alright. there's one that has been recomended on here several times that is a pneumatic operated auto drain . it cycles with the compressor using air from the bleeder line . they are about $100

 

[matt_i]

An oiler is something good for an application around a 1970s tire shop where air-operated impacts are exclusively used all day every day.

Without that scenario keep all oil out of the system. Use an F-R only.

For easy maintenance I always recommend 3 levels of filtration, cyclonic (spins the air to remove high-mass particles); coalescing (uses a filter element); and dessicant (the magic hygroscopic crystals or bentonite). Refrigerated dryer is excellent but not afforded to mortals over a long period of time with a lack of paying work. You select the depth of filtration on the class of work...blasting usually can get by with just the cyclonic. Painting takes all 3.

 

[The Cobbler]

on the oiler topic, I am always surprised when I take apart a pneumatic tool to repair it,and see how oily it asctually is inside . It's not like I'm totally **** about oiling my tools, and when I had a crew of guys working for me, they were even less so I suspect

 

[larry_g]

With a cutout at 135psi I would not run a regulator at the receiver. I would put it at the point of use and then to the point of having the point of use a Tee so that you have two points to connect to, one regulated and one not. Many times you need the flow and pressure of a non-regulated line.

As for the oiler. They are for use on the INLET of a machine that needs constant lubrication. And yes they will send oil back up the inlet line under certain conditions. I know of no home or repair shop that should have an oiler connected to the pneumatic system. In manufacturing oilers are common and I used them a lot there; so I do have experience with then and pneumatic systems in general.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[toyotadriver]

As mentioned, don't install an oiler. Just put a couple drops of oil in the tool inlet when using the tool. Air filter is a good idea.

 

[redmondjp]

Another vote for skipping the oiler. 80% of the time that my compressor is in use, it is while using a blow gun to clean/dry parts. The last thing that you want is to blow an oil mist onto things that you are trying to clean. Every few uses, I add a few drops of air tool oil to the inlet of my air tools and that works just fine.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I'm not an **** person, but I do drain the tank after each use. Second motor, pressure switch and head, same tank. Our climate isn't too humid, but certainly not desert either . There is always water in the blowdown. After many years, I got smart and put a ball valve on the drain. I can just kick it to close. I don't have a dryer, but I do have a water filter.

 

[cvairwerks]

One easy mod that will help on the drain issue... Connect the drain line to the bottom bung of the tank, but use a quarter turn valve at a convenient height and location. Route the downstream side of the valve to a nearby drain, thru the wall outside or into a covered container, based on your situation. Remember to use appropriately rated hose and valve for the upstream end.

When it’s time to drain, no crawling on the floor or under stuff to reach the drain valve.

 

[jjwithers]

Great advice everybody. I'm a bit frustrated with Ingersol Rand as the drain valve broke after the first use and would not seal up. And the regulator they sold me is expensive, and massive, and does not come with a mounting bracket. You have to call them to find the bracket and it's $30. I'm half way though running my air line throughout the garage. I can't wait to get this system up and running.
Another snag is that the outlet of the compressor is 1/2", the hose kit is 3/4" with 1/2" outlets, AirCompressorsdirect sold me a 3/8" dryer and most couplers and such are 1/4".
I've been trying to map out and purchase all sorts of adapters. It's a Pain...

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Great advice everybody. I'm a bit frustrated with Ingersol Rand as the drain valve broke after the first use and would not seal up. And the regulator they sold me is expensive, and massive, and does not come with a mounting bracket. You have to call them to find the bracket and it's $30. I'm half way though running my air line throughout the garage. I can't wait to get this system up and running.
Another snag is that the outlet of the compressor is 1/2", the hose kit is 3/4" with 1/2" outlets, AirCompressorsdirect sold me a 3/8" dryer and most couplers and such are 1/4".
I've been trying to map out and purchase all sorts of adapters. It's a Pain...

McMaster-Carr is your friend for NPT adapters with sealant.

 

[gnpenning]

Might be late for this since you have done a fair amount of work, but TP Tools website has some great information and diagrams for laying out airlines.

Moisture will be different depending on location, what works in one area may not work in another. Many great threads about different ways to control moisture all depending on your needs (location and equipment you plan to run) and pocket book. I have a trap similar to the Franzinator that I've been using since the 80s that has worked well for me, I have plenty of history of it working in my situation, Someone else would never want it, for each there own.

My IR has a ball valve drain, what did yours come with?

My Atlas Copco I had to add the ball valve and extension.

Be sure and post pictures.

 

[jjwithers]

This is what came out of the bottom of my IR compressor that I have since replaced. You spend all that money and something stupid like this fails. It would not close using my fingers, then with a wrench... still air pissed out. Annoying.

 

[Rinspeed]

on the oiler topic, I am always surprised when I take apart a pneumatic tool to repair it,and see how oily it asctually is inside . It's not like I'm totally **** about oiling my tools, and when I had a crew of guys working for me, they were even less so I suspect

I try to put three or four drops in every time, or every other time, I use an air tool. I agree though how much is in there when you take them apart.

 

[FMB4]

I too would pass on the 'oiler' (a drop or 2 of OT oil is, as mentioned previously, the way to go imo.


A good drain valve, as mentioned, is important. My nearly 30 year old CH unit came with an automotive radiator style drain V. I drain the tank after each use and leave the D valve open until the next use (which is mostly once or twice a mo these days). Btw, there are a number of 'pull cable' operated drain Vs that have pretty good feedback.

Meanwhile, I've never seen a tank drain valve like the one you show.

 

[cvairwerks]

This is what came out of the bottom of my IR compressor that I have since replaced. You spend all that money and something stupid like this fails. It would not close using my fingers, then with a wrench... still air pissed out. Annoying.

It's ******* air because there is some **** under the o'ring preventing it from sealing. Clean the **** out and if you haven't dorked up the mating surface, it should seal fine.

 

[jjwithers]

It's ******* air because there is some **** under the o'ring preventing it from sealing. Clean the **** out and if you haven't dorked up the mating surface, it should seal fine.

I saw that but I have a feeling that happened after I removed it. It's been kicking around my garage since I pulled it off and my garage isn't exactly clean. I was grinding all sorts of metal to make my own pressure regulator bracket, etc.

 

[The Cobbler]

the oring is distorted and that's probably the leak. those style drains are usually fairly robust IMO .