Air compressor water trap location

[titus211]

I currently have a 5HP 60 gallon IR air compressor in an exterior, un-conditioned storage shed. The air from it immediately runs into a PneumaticPlus "3 in one" particulate and coalescing filter and air regulator. This then runs in a 50' long 1/2" rubber air hose underground through a 2" PVC pipe into the main shop which is an air conditioned space. As you can probably guess, there is a significant amount of water at the air drops inside the shop.
Researching it looks like I need an air cooler of some sort to allow the water to condense and be drained, so I'm planning on making a DIY air cooler with either black iron or copper pipe that zigs back and forth with drains. (similar to this: https://www.fordtruckzone.com/threads/air-compressor-water-trap.668275/)

My question - should it matter where I put this DIY pipe water trap? I'd prefer to put it out in the storage shed where I have more wall space, but I didn't know if in the summer when it gets over 90*F out there, will it cool it enough to condense the water? Or am I going about this all wrong?

Crudely drawn layout attached for reference.

Thanks!

 

[Mike70]

I think your filter package should be in the shop. It will work better after the air has cooled. Afraid you will always have water in the underground portion and there is no way to drain it. Somehow need to eliminate the underground "U".

 

[RegalX]

Mount your aftercooler between the pump and the tank. Mount a basic filter/moisture trap with an auto drain in between the output of the aftercooler and the tank. When the compressor shuts off and the check valve closes the pressure will drop and the water will drain.

 

[Bretny]

Dig up the low section of the underground line, put a tee in. That's now your drain. Extend the drain side to above ground and put a ball valve on it. A drain dosnt need gravety to work with compressed air.

 

[nadogail]

After looking at several of the probably very effective water trap designs built by forum members I began to wonder why float type condensate traps, like those found on steam systems are not used.

 

[lonewolf55]

I think your filter package should be in the shop. It will work better after the air has cooled.

Yup. The further away from the compressor the better it will work

 

[niget2002]

Like someone else mentioned, your filter that you currently have needs to be in the shop. No matter what you do in the shed, the temperature of the air underground will always be cooler and will condense out. You need to trap that moisture as it exits the ground and comes into the shop.

The idea to put a valve on a T underground makes a lot of sense too, or else all the moisture in that hose will end up filling up your filter all the time.

 

[redmondjp]

What everybody else said above. Move your filter/regulator to the shop. The low section of hose in the ground will fill up with condensate and you have no way to drain it. As air moves through this section of the line it will pick up previously-condensed water which the downstream separator hopefully removes, but this is far from ideal. Best bet is to have pit at shop end with drain on that line so you can manually drain the moisture every so often.

 

[brownbagg]

there two question here
1) drain water from tank ( that be the tank peacock)
2) or remove water from air supply to tools

if the aftercooler unit works, you will still have water in the tank to rot the tank out, really need to remove the water between pump and tank

 

[RegalX]

My aftercooler setup works impressively well, I haven't gotten a drop of water out of the tank, and just a few dribbles out of the coalescing filter.

 

[Bretny]

the aftercooler unit works, you will still have water in the tank to rot the tank out, really need to remove the water between pump and tank

I made one of these right away when I got my 60gal. I hardly ever drain the tank any more.