air compressor plumbing

[Doc1976]

I am building a small manifold for my new compressor install using iron pipe. I am having a hell of a time getting the joints between the iron pipe and the filter/regulator to seal. started with Teflon tape, too many leaks. I switched to rectorseal 5 and the pipe to fitting connections are perfect, but one of the pipe to regulator joints just will not seal. I have tried three times now, cleaned the threads, used joint sealant, and tightened the hell out of it. Still leaking air. Now its not leaking a lot but any is unacceptable to me. Any suggestions? Im afraid to tighten any more, and I dont want to keep taking it apart, I'm afraid the threads in the quite expensive to me filter and regulator are going to wear out.

on a side note, how is one to get the joints tight and at the same time get all the turns and angles to line up so things are on the same plane and square?

 

[The Cobbler]

"tightened the hell out of it" probably you over-tightend and stretched the fittings.

 

[Orangestang]

Try Teflon tape and then pipe dope on top, not quite the same but this is what I see sprinklerfitters do.

 

[Doc1976]

Im dealing with 3/4 inch pipe and only using an 8 or 10 inch pipe wrench as to not over tighten it. I am not a professional plumber and have not dealt with iron pipe much before so its hard to say if i'm over tightening or not enough. But out of 10 joints, only one was still giving me trouble.

 

[Doc1976]

Try Teflon tape and then pipe dope on top, not quite the same but this is what I see sprinklerfitters do.

well I assembled it once more tonight with a different piece of pipe where it was leaking. If it still doesn't seal I may try this. I may also use JB weld and hope I never want to take it apart

 

[engineer2]

A brass pipe may be more forgiving.
Sometime Chinese pipe people make bad thread. Tool get dull, they just keep using.
Try pipe dope on both the male and female threads.
Make sure overtightening hasn't cracked the filter housing.
To get everything to line up, design with minimum critical turns, or use a union here and there. I would put a union on each side of the filter so it can be removed.

 

[ItsNemo]

Try Teflon tape and then pipe dope on top, not quite the same but this is what I see sprinklerfitters do.

This is what I do too...also they do take a fair bit of tightening to seal up, not man handling with an 18" pipe wrench, but a good heave.

Filter/Regulator and such I put brass fittings in first and connect that to the black iron.

 

[John T]

I am building a small manifold for my new compressor install using iron pipe. .
. I have tried three times now, cleaned the threads, used joint sealant, and tightened the hell out of it. Still leaking air. Now its not leaking a lot but any is unacceptable to me. Any suggestions?.

on a side note, how is one to get the joints tight and at the same time get all the turns and angles to line up so things are on the same plane and square?

where did you buy the iron pipe?

big box stores often have some boners with buggered threads.... I'd swap out the fitting for another

make sure you use a few unions...
makes it much easier to take apart.

PS:
Do NOT use jb weld.

rector 5 is good stuff.

should be enough. with good/clean threads.

 

[Doc1976]

I ran out this morning to test it, I wont be able to concentrate at work wondering if my last try worked. As of now all my joints seem to be air tight. I don't know if it was the particular piece of pipe I was using or if I had not tightened it enough before but it seems to be good. I am leaning toward the problem being ****** china pipe. Can we start producing things in America again PLEASE? I would gladly pay a little more if needed to get some quality materials. Next time, I will get the pipe threaded locally and see if there is a difference. thanks to everyone for their input.

 

[Doc1976]

This is what was giving me so much trouble. The piece in the center between filter and reg.

https://i.imgur.com/wMKbUBW.jpg

 

[engineer2]

Access to i.imgur.com was denied

 

[Doc1976]

Access to i.imgur.com was denied

Damn It! I'll have to repost tonight, sorry

 

[John T]

I am leaning toward the problem being ****** china pipe. Can we start producing things in America again PLEASE?

the last black pipe fittings I got were inked Korea on the bag... china on others..

to answer your question, NO we will never be major steel producers again.

the cat is out of the bag. we had an agreement with china a few years ago for them to halt their production of steel.

after the meeting, they doubled their production.

nothing was done.

Trump went over there and praised there leader for forwarding their country.

china has a long term vision to be world leader ....and it won't be long.

this is VERY possible in a communist country..... they don't fight democrats vs republicans and get NOTHING done.
they slowly and methodically take over.

half the members on this board are oh so happy to show you their latest harbor freight purchase with coupon.
Xi Jinping thanks you for helping his countries cause.

ok rant off.

 

[Wamsutta]

This is what was giving me so much trouble. The piece in the center between filter and reg.

https://i.imgur.com/wMKbUBW.jpg

I don't have any advice for you but wanted to say that's an awesome photograph. Clear as a bell.

 

[bob15]

Black pipe fittings that are USA made: Ward & Anvil brands

MSC, Grainger, Zoro, McMaster among others sell them.

http://www.wardmfg.com/about-us-2/

https://www.anvilintl.com/products-overview

 

[Doc1976]

here we go



the manifold itself seems to be holding pressure but now the lead hose I had locally made has a leak at the female thread end. I may never get this simple little job done. I don't think I have had something so small and simple give me so many issues.

 

[Doc1976]

So this is the fitting in question, is there a specific fitting that this is meant to be mated to? I need to go onto 1/2" pipe but it is not sealing. In fact it seems to be slightly flaring out the pipe and making it hard to thread on and off. Am I missing something? First time I have plumbed a compressor this way and I must be doing something wrong.

 

[Ohmthis]

I believe those are JIC fittings for hydraulic systems. There will be fitting with a JIC male on one side and NPT on the other. They make fittings that crimp that are NPT. It may be easier (less fittings and chances for leaks) to have the hose remade.

 

[Doc1976]

I believe those are JIC fittings for hydraulic systems. There will be fitting with a JIC male on one side and NPT on the other. They make fittings that crimp that are NPT. It may be easier (less fittings and chances for leaks) to have the hose remade.

If it is a hydraulic fitting the guy that made it screwed up. I clearly told him I needed ends for 1/2 pipe.

 

[billyjp2]

That is not JIC. Most likely npsm, it's meant to seal on that cone on the inside, not on the threads. It's not really meant to be used with iron pipe. You could probably grab a hydraulic adapter, fixed female to male, Google Eaton Weatherhead C3209x6x6 and see if that makes sense, (I'm assuming this is 3/8)

 

[engineer2]

Generally, you want unions on the outboard ends of the filter/regulator assembly for ease of service. No big deal if you didn't.

 

[Doc1976]

That is not JIC. Most likely npsm, it's meant to seal on that cone on the inside, not on the threads. It's not really meant to be used with iron pipe.

and that would be why its not sealing. looks like a trip back to the hose shop for a different end. what kind of end should I be expecting to get that work with iron pipe. I am wanting a swivel for ease of installation.

 

[Doc1976]

Sooooooo, went back to the shop and got the correct end installed. got it home went to put it on and..........leaking air like crazy. took it back down AGAIN and come to find out they had a bad run of fittings supposedly and the threads were cut wrong. Long story short had another complete hose made and now finally my system is air tight and working great. thanks everyone for their input and help.

 

[Ohmthis]

Glad it all worked out for you. Tracking leaks down ****. Besides the hissing air, your compressor will run more offer causing more electrical usage and pump/motor wear/tear. We had to check for leaks quarterly at a job I had once before. It takes awhile to check 6,000+ feet of pipe and all of the associated fitting.