Air compressor piping question(s)

[smalltown]

I must admit upfront that most of the time I can understand, and with a little advice get myself headed in the right direction. However deciding on how or what to use for piping has my stumped.

I've looked at all the compressor posts that I can find. Especially those on Garage Journal.

Iron pipe seemed like a good idea, but I am reading that the Home Depot or Lowes pipe isn't the best of quality, and the fittings such as ball valves have the same issues.

I've read the posts that tilt the piping away from the compressor, and those that tilt it toward the compressor.

I looked at the Rapid Air, but wonder about A: rolling the coiled pipe out straight, and 2: it also might be a pain/expensive to install a TEE fitting and all the necessary adapters to get the drop pipe to go up and over the main line (to keep moisture out).

I thought about copper. I can sweat a copper pipe, but I am unsure if I need to be careful which solder I use.

My garage is 30 X 32 so we are not talking a Herculean effort (unless your me), but I do want to do it right.

If I was to construct a "radiator" out of "L" type copper behind my compressor, with a drain might I get almost all the water out before my first "outlet" a hose reel ~ 18" from the radiator? from the hose reel my piping would run to the rear of my garage ~32' to a second drop.

lastly I have read that I should not have full compressor pressure on the main line, but I look at all the posted pictures and very few have a regulator very close to the compressor outlet. Am I reading this wrong and full pressure is ok on the main line, but simply install regulators where the hose reel or tool are connected ?

And really last I can't get my head around the idea that we install 3/4" or 1/2 " piping then just before we use it we neck it down to say 3/8".

 

[stang2007]

I have the Rapid air 1/2 master kit in my Garage... for easy install its great!!

If you have the $$ and time for copper, i say go copper.

as for max pressure for the main line... i would say that depends on the compressor and its max PSI.

 

[smalltown]

stang2007 was it easy to roll out straight? I see some people have actually made a jig just to roll it out straight. I didn't want to start building jigs. How are you keeping the moisture under control?

 

[94EG8]

While somewhat expensive aluminum is probably the best setup overall that I've seen yet.

3/4 pipe will work better a couple of reasons: 1) There will be less moisture. 2) The larger pipe acts as a reservoir.

As far as regulators go, I don't see any need to regulate the air pressure at the compressor. I have one regulator at my main drop, the rest are unregulated. My air hammer has a built in regulator, anything else I need to turn the pressure down on has an inline regulator just before the tool (I think the only thing I have one on is my paint guns, everything else gets 150psi)

 

[Kaizen]

I ran 5pieces of 3/4 black pipe 10 feet each along the wall behind my compressor pitched back to a drain loop before the compressor. It takes out the water and I only need to worry about that drain mostly. Thing is doing this is to get rid of moisture. In the end with everything I spent 200 bucks which I should have just spent on a decicant drier. I have 3/4 hose and a 3/8 at the end. It plain ***** trying to use a nailer dragging a big hose around. That's why it's reduced. Besides small hose provides plenty of psi for most tools. If I could do it again I'd put in a drier/pressure reducer setup. I have one on mine. I want more control using sanders and paint guns. No way I would do a radiator setup again


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[matt_i]

I thought about copper. I can sweat a copper pipe, but I am unsure if I need to be careful which solder I use.

My free advice is to use Sta-Brite #8 silver bearing solder on your joints, also use the same Sta-Clean flux. It is considerably stronger tensile and won't creep under load, as compared to the typical "lead free" solder you get as a commodity at the big box.

 

[Ironhorse74]

My free advice is to use Sta-Brite #8 silver bearing solder on your joints, also use the same Sta-Clean flux. It is considerably stronger tensile and won't creep under load, as compared to the typical "lead free" solder you get as a commodity at the big box.

I am with you on the Sta-Brite #8. Wow is it expensive. 50 bucks for a roll.

 

[mds5951]

I made a setup similar to this for my drops, I also sloped down and away from the compressor. The theory behind that is if I sloped towards the compressor the water would have to fight the airflow anyways to make it back.

This way the water naturally flows with the air and I can drain it at the drops..... Does it make any difference... I dunno. But it made sense to me haha




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[Cyberbear]

From what I've read over the years, black pipe was intended for gas service, not air with water vapors going through it. Based on this, I've always used galvanized pipe for my systems, and when I did use black pipe, it rusted and would clog my air line filters. Copper is great if you don't mind the expense and it can only do what all pipe does, carry air to where you want it.

 

[smalltown]

How about the quality of the metal pipe in Home depot or Lowes?

mattI with regards to the Silver solder yes it looks expensive per role. Can I sweat my copper pipe joints using this Silver solder with a common hand held propane gas cylinder ?

 

[psjoyal]

RapidAir has their FastPipe system that is straight lengths of tubing if you are not interested in rolling out the coiled stuff.

 

[stang2007]

The Rapid air system was pretty Easy to get straight, I laid mine out on a warm day was 80+ deg. after that i pulled (not he-man) the line taught when installing.

as for moisture, I purge the line with the included dump valves once the compressor has finished running. My system Goes up to the ceiling so the low points are the compressor and the Dump Valves.

 

[ford33]

You may be over thinking this installation.

What are you going to do with compressed air? It is to fill tires with air or conduct laboratory analysis and need clean dry air? Something in-between perhaps.

 

[smalltown]

ford33 Yes I know that I am probably over thinking it. I over think everything to a fault, I could have worse issues, but that's the way my brain was programmed.

I need air for general garage use, but have plans on doing some amateur painting of small Cub Cadet lawn tractors.

 

[Bib Overalls]

I followed this diagram when I laid out my compressed air system. Note the "drops" go up before going down. This keeps condensed water in the trunk line from running into the drops. This condensed water flows through the trunk to the lowest point where it is collected in a drip leg.

 

[smalltown]

Bib looking at your thumbnail why do you have 3 outlets that are full pressure? Is it that some pneumatic tools require quite a bit of pressure?

Been sitting here comparing galvanized pipe prices between HD and Lowe's.
The 1/2" x 10" pipe is about the same price, but the HD is rated at 300 PSI, and the Lowe's is 150 PSI. I was quite surprised also to read that they have so many different lengths of pipe available. Maybe that means I wouldn't need to worry about having odd pieces threaded at HD.

 

[Rrumbler]

Somewhere in this forum is a thread about this same exact subject/question. In it, I did a comparison of copper vs. one of the aluminum kit systems, and found the the copper system, sourced from either Lowe's or Home depot was only slightly less expensive than the aluminum kit for the same exact design and specification. However, adding in the need to solder the copper system vs. just slipping the aluminum kit together, the labor, if you wanted to consider it, made the copper system more costly. I also did a comparison using "Sharkbite" connectors on the copper, and it was considerably more costly due to the cost of the "Sharkbite" Components. I was at Lowe's the other day, and just for shits and giggles, I looked at pipe; copper was cheaper for a ten foot stick than black pipe or galvanized. So, all things considered, I think I would opt for one of the aluminum systems if I were going to install one today.

 

[smalltown]

Rrumbler yes I noticed that a 1/2 copper type L x10' is $13.98 and the 1/2 " x10 galvanized is $13.75

 

[JohnnyK81]

I wouldn't worry too much.

I used 1/2" copper pipe from HD around my 2 car garage (My compressor puts out about 16cfm at 90psi). I have the compressor switch off at 150psi.

I had never soldered copper before. No leaks, no complaints at all about the HD ball valves. They seem of good quality.

I have a large (3/4 or 1" rubber hose) going from the compressor outlet to the copper on the wall, where there is a drop and a ball valve at the bottom. I have a few more drops and valves around the garage, although to be honest, I've only used the one where I have a permanent hose connection, so, overkilled it a bit. Only ball valve that has ever seen any moisture come out is the drop right at the compressor.

 

[DTE]

I have 1/2 black iron from lowes with no problem sealing. all the fittings went together good. Lowes will thread the pipe also if needed. And I bought a Harbor frieght threading kit and it cut some poor looking threads but they did not leak.

 

[Ironhorse74]

3/4 pipe will work better a couple of reasons: 1) There will be less moisture. 2) The larger pipe acts as a reservoir.

/QUOTE]

If you have 100 feet of 1/2" pipe it will hold 1 gallon of air. 100 feet of 3/4" pipe will hold 2.3 gallons. While 3/4 holds more than twice as much volume as 1/2" the end result is negligible. I don't possibly know how a larger diameter pipe would have less moisture.

 

[Kaizen]

3/4 pipe will work better a couple of reasons: 1) There will be less moisture. 2) The larger pipe acts as a reservoir.

/QUOTE]

If you have 100 feet of 1/2" pipe it will hold 1 gallon of air. 100 feet of 3/4" pipe will hold 2.3 gallons. While 3/4 holds more than twice as much volume as 1/2" the end result is negligible. I don't possibly know how a larger diameter pipe would have less moisture.

minimal difference but 3/4 has more steel to act as a heatsink so it would marginally have a better ability to cool the air and therefor less moisture.

 

[sberry]

You don't need most of this **** for a small garage, run a piece of pipe or 2 to a good place to mount a regulator and filter and they hose to a reel. Put a T after the reg so you could hook another hose on if you want a fixed whip.
I really wonder how we ever managed before the net convinced us every brain fart was good and necessary.

 

[DTE]

You don't need most of this **** for a small garage, run a piece of pipe or 2 to a good place to mount a regulator and filter and they hose to a reel. Put a T after the reg so you could hook another hose on if you want a fixed whip.
I really wonder how we ever managed before the net convinced us every brain fart was good and necessary.

This is true. you can angle your pipe however you want, you can run it uphill or down , you can do all these things but it will still blow whatever water builds up in the system out at the point where you open the line. Unless your compressor is going to be running about non stop all day water should not be much of a issue for the home mechanic. sberry is right hook up a line and use it.

 

[Kaizen]

You don't need most of this **** for a small garage, run a piece of pipe or 2 to a good place to mount a regulator and filter and they hose to a reel. Put a T after the reg so you could hook another hose on if you want a fixed whip.

I really wonder how we ever managed before the net convinced us every brain fart was good and necessary.

The reason I did this to mine was I had so much moisture coming out that in the cold weather my tools would ice up. I had to bring them inside the house to defrost


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[sberry]

How did it work? May also be a bit different than AZ.

 

[easlers]

well I have worked in maint. for a steel mill. We would only run black pipe for air lines and I,ve put in miles of it. I am now in the process of installing new compressor after they pour my concrete this coming week. I am using black pipe. You are better off to get your pipe and fittings at a comercial pipe supplier because they know not to sell junk. They don't want any law suits. Galvinised pipe will flake off and clog you filters and regs.The drawing that showed the rise and offset for your lins is exactly what I'm using. These plastic lines will decrease in integrity and will need replaced. I priced the rapid air system and what kills the cost is the drops are tto high. To each his own but for me good old black pipe. Important use industrial pipe sealer like RECTIFIT. It has a yellow tint to it but is the best I've used. Good luck with your project!

 

[Kaizen]

How did it work? May also be a bit different than AZ.

Sorry just saw this. Assume you meant me. Worked awesome. I can sandblast without any issues as well as use any tool in below freezing temps. Doing my new garage now though and I think I will try something like two moisture separators instead. I shied away from it to save money but all the piping and two drained and fittings were 250 bucks ten years ago. I'm more concerned with the wall real estate now and maybe a sound enclosure inside so my needs have changed.


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[myredracer]

This is my setup that I built over the past year. IIRC, the overall length of the 3/4" copper is around 40' between compressor and filters. I am shocked and amazed how much water comes out. Besides the water that the autodrain spits out every time it stops, there is a LOT of water that drains out of the pipe just ahead of the filter setup. So much in fact, that if you were doing some painting, you might as well take a spray bottle and mist the whole surface first... I have an IR water filter/separator, Motorguard filter (after the dessicant dryer) and a 2 quart Wilkerson dessicant dryer that I got on ebay for cheap. The air is probably as dry as you can get without spending a lot more $$.

Soldering copper pipe is easy. Not a plumber but I've done lots over the past 50 years in houses and never had a single leak. I had a couple of leaks in my setup in the photo but at a union coupling and a threaded joint. The key is making sure the copper is well cleaned.