Air Compressor Installation

[hunterguy86]

I will be purchasing a new IR compressor for my garage soon and I am looking into the setup of the filter and regulator. I am going to go with a design shown in the link below. My question is what is the 1/2" tee in the top left of the picture for? Seems like you would just bring a flex line from the compressor directly in. So why the tee?

http://www.tptools.com/Water-Separator-and-Regulator-Piping-Kit,7428.html?b=d*8092

 

[930dreamer]

Not sure about the "T", an elbow would work also. Another thought, if you wanted to run the piping to another location it would be on the same plane using the "T".

 

[excavator]

i think too have another feed line for future tools. THe metal line will reduce moisture and the drain valve is ideal the way it shows

 

[kenfain]

The diagram represents a typical air drop. The tee is where the drop connects to the main trunk line. I don't see why it wouldn't be acceptable for a line from the compressor. But that's what the tee is for. If you look at the other end. It says "attach air hose here ". So it's a drop. By the way, some professional air guys say it's useless to put a water seperator that close to the compressor.

 

[Bob C]

It absolutely is worthless. Put your water trap as close to the first drop as possible.

 

[hunterguy86]

Thanks for the info. This will be going in a small two car garage. I don't plan on doing any painting or sand blasting, just using air tools.

What's the best way to prevent moisture? Do I even need to worry about it? I don't plan to run any length of pipe for remote drops.

 

[sberry]

Simple is good, air is a bit different than electric in the amount of hydrants needed. You are correct that you don't need a drop every 2 feet. A fixed whip if needed for something dedicated and a hose reel. I don't mind manual.

 

[mds5951]

You need to look at the big picture to understand what it's showing....
In this diagram it would be the tee in the green or yellow section
http://www.tptools.com/Modular-Metal-Piping-Kits,2035.html

 

[Grounded Ken]

Water is a byproduct of compressing air. The only way to eliminate the water is thru a drying system (refrigerated, regenerative or deliquescent). A coalescing filter will take out oil particulates and the larger water particles. This kind of filter will probably take care of your needs.

 

[James_B]

... By the way, some professional air guys say it's useless to put a water seperator that close to the compressor.

Yup. The rule-of-thumb that I keep encountering is that you need a minimum of 25 feet of line between the compressor and the water extraction/separation system, and that 25 feet should be as large a diameter as is possible/practical so the air travels as slow as possible in those 25 feet.

 

[hunterguy86]

Yup. The rule-of-thumb that I keep encountering is that you need a minimum of 25 feet of line between the compressor and the water extraction/separation system, and that 25 feet should be as large a diameter as is possible/practical so the air travels as slow as possible in those 25 feet.

So what is the best way to set up my small garage?

 

[James_B]

Good question.

When I install my compressor (got to get the power feed upgraded on the house we bought late last year as my 18cfm compressor needs 20+A and the 100A fed to the house really isn't sufficient), I'll be doing a downward sloping switch-back run in large diameter metal pipe before the air enters my desiccant type air dryer (to be eventually replaced by a refrigerated dryer). If I were really serious, I'd set up the initial section of the pipe as a Liebig Condenser to cool the air leaving the compressor air even more to reduce the amount of moisture the air can carry.

Even a short rubber connecting hose from the compressor to as long a straight run of pipe as you can fit your garage (sloped with a water drain drop at the end) and more rubber hose to make up the 25 feet to the dryer would be preferable to a short run from the compressor to the dryer.

 

[CNGsaves]

So what is the best way to set up my small garage?

Put your compressor in far back corner of garage. Install black pipe steel airline up near ceiling and run it all the way across the garage. THEN install the "drop assembly" in your first post that drops down and has water trap.

Also install a T in middle of that long run so you might add another drop later (say near your bench).

That long distance of black pipe steel will cool off the air and give you best chance for dry air after the drop. Remember to slightly angle the pipe down towards that first drop so any water will go that way. You then could install reel up near front of garage and pretty much reach everywhere. Good luck!

 

[James_B]

I know of a couple of places that run more than 100+ feet of sloped black pipe between the compressor and dryer and that black pipe run does most of the water removal work and the proper air dryer just cleans up the last little bit.

 

[hunterguy86]

What diameter and what thickness is preferred?

 

[porschedude996TT]

I ran my in wall 3/4" copper air line low on each wall and have 42" risers for each outlet. At the end of each wall run I have a 1/4 turn valve to drain water. I chose vertical risers thinking water doesn't like to climb as much as it likes to fall.

 

[James_B]

What diameter and what thickness is preferred?

It really does depend on what sort of flow rate you're looking at.

The kit in the original link you posted uses 1/2" pipe, but I'd prefer it a bit bigger. At my old employer, we used 3/4" galvanized water pipe, and for most installations, this would be fine. Standard galv water pipe is rated for a max of 300 psi, so that's plenty unless you're running a multiple stage compressor. A 10 foot length of 3/4" will cost less than $20. and 500 psi rated tees are less than $5 each.

Of course, the bigger you can go, the better it will be.

I'm looking at using 2" galvanized water pipe. A 10 foot length is less than $50, and as a bonus, each 10 foot length will act like an extra gallon and a half of air storage tank.

 

[James_B]

Just a heads up.

If you're putting in a system and need really good particle filtering, at the moment, Spray Gun World has a special on the .01 micron rated MotorGuard M60 filter and the M100 filter kit (M60 + 2 replacement filters).