Stuart in MN
Well-known member
You selectively omitted the rest of my post.
Air compressor lines - Whole garage distribution system -Ideas/Feedback wanted
- Thread starter gsebast1
- Start date
You selectively omitted the rest of my post.
NitroGarage
Well-known member
Pex in my dads shop since 2010. Probably 200 feet or more.
Sent from my SM-N960U using The Garage Journal mobile app
Sent from my SM-N960U using The Garage Journal mobile app
Bretny
Well-known member
I've run systems in several of my garages over the years. I'm a backyard mechanic that likes to do things "right." I paint occasionally and use quite a few different air tools. What I've learned, for my needs, is the following:
1. I love the attached design and it's what I base my set up on. I don't run a dryer, but I'd like to at some point. I also don't run a looped system. Mine is dead headed.
2. I've always run 1/2" copper, but in my new garage I'll be running 3/4" at least for the main feed and then 1/2" drops.
3. I would NEVER run black pipe. I had a 12" piece in my system temporarily
for a while. When I went to remove it, it had a bunch of rust scale inside. No thanks...
That is a problem with black pipe but surely you know you need dry air for painting. Why would you even let the moisture hit your tank. After all tour compressors tank is also made from steel.
A dryer before the tank is quite easy to build your self.
For,those that don’t want to thread black pipe or solder copper, look at Prevost.
https://www.prevostusa.com/#
They make their own fittings and their own pipe. Pipe is aluminum with exterior coating. This helps with cooling. No connection is permanent. All are torqued to their specs and can be undone at anytime. For those that want a super dry system, look at the tapping flanges that come our the side of the pipe. Super easy to cut with a pipe cutter and just deburr.
I installed in would do it again. Adding to this system is super easy compared to black pipe and copper.
https://www.prevostusa.com/#
They make their own fittings and their own pipe. Pipe is aluminum with exterior coating. This helps with cooling. No connection is permanent. All are torqued to their specs and can be undone at anytime. For those that want a super dry system, look at the tapping flanges that come our the side of the pipe. Super easy to cut with a pipe cutter and just deburr.
I installed in would do it again. Adding to this system is super easy compared to black pipe and copper.
danb35
Well-known member
Yes, you mentioned it earlier in this thread. But where do you get it? And how much is it?
sberry
Banned
I wish I would have bought a couple 100 ft rolls of 3/4 to do my long runs. I am way up in a ceiling, black is a pain in the rear and super slow, would have been done in a day vs a week with no leaks.
sberry
Banned
How does one love the attached design and not like anything about it or the features that make it what it is?
This is a good case of things we see and read a little on not always making sense on our scale. That is a bit like industrial averaging, doesn't really apply so much to the 1 off user. I have a pipe runs level or down right to a filter, some don't even have conventional drip legs. They have a ball valve at the end of the pipe and then in to a filter so there is a service disconnect ahead of the equipment which is a fil/reg and a reel or hose with the quick connect on the tool end of the hose. 1 connection for the user.
In smaller garages the service disconnect can be a valve at the compressor. Might be the only other equipment on the line other than drain in the filter, possibly a union.
Im doing my system now with Rapid Air and some copper. I wanted a cooling loop of copper and copper coming in from the compressor shed behind the shop. Saw guy here with a great idea of using refrigerant coil as the loop for cooling. Its a 50' coil that just loops and spirals down pushing the water down (well gravity) and then it will fall to the lowest point with a valve. Above the valve is a 'T' to go over to the water filter. After that, it switches to Rapid Air
sberry
Banned
If you are dead ending with an up and over system you should have a T at the end with a drip going down and the feed going out the top vs just an elbow. That whole system is designed for a plant with air use beyond the drips and in a loop.
Lonnies Performance
Well-known member
I used 3/4" copper with Sharkbite fittings... much better than soldering 18' in the air. It is holding up well & was very easy to put together.
