air filter / regulator setup anything diffrent i should do ?

[sweetk30]

got the comp were I want it in the shop . need to hook it up to the main line manifold unit . so I whipped this combo up and figure run the plan buy you guys before I lock it all down and get the connector hose made 1 time.

anything I should do differently ?

 

[jallyn]

Looks like ball valve, filter/water trap, regulator, downhill into a drip leg. I like it.

 

[md21722]

Its generally a terrible idea to put the filter/water separator and regulator at the tank unless you at least have an after cooler. You want it as close to the point of use as possible. The reason is that once that compressor runs for a while, air coming out of the tank is going to be over 100F and condensate is going to go straight through the filter/water separator. Plus, all that black iron is going to have rust and scale in it, and you don't really want your tool to have it.

I can't remember all that you have done, I remember you have that bigger 2545 and the smaller 234. Was there a third tank? Will the 234 be used much? I would plumb the two tanks in series and put the regulators at point of use.

What I do, is take my 2 5HP compressors, which do not have after coolers, and run them about 25 feet into a 3rd tank, and from there, I have an outlet that feeds the points of use where the filter/regulators are. I drop about 15 degrees going between the compressors and the 3rd tank, and what comes out of air tank is generally about room temperature, even after the compressors are running for 40-50 minutes straight. Before I had the 3rd tank in series, it was just in parallel, and I would get condensate at my tools. Shuffling some of the lines around and putting it in series all but eliminated it. In your case I would use the 234 tank as an extra expansion device/water drop and then go to the distribution system.

 

[sweetk30]

ya this is the big 2545 80gal . he is in 1 corner of shop .

the 234 60gal is in the other corner and just off that is the extra 60gal balance tank for the system .

I will mostly be using the 2545 unit and its set ofr 175psi turn off. the smaller 234 and 60gal tank is 140psi off and tank is rated for that also . so why I will be regulating the line from the big unit.

I know its not perfect . but what I got to work with and about tapped out on this project .

I will add a point of use filter at a few common used outlets tho to be safe .

I don't use this 8hrs day for 5 days a week . but when I want air I know I got it .

thanks for pin point help guys . keep it coming .

 

[jallyn]

Do you need every cfm the system can provide? If so I understand the 175psi being regulated down to match the 140psi compressor. But if you don't need every last cfm then it would be more energy efficient and easier on the big compressor to have them both cut out at around 140 psi.

 

[md21722]

Given the additional information, I think what you are doing makes sense. You could even use a 1/2" air hose rather than get something special made up. Heat after the tank is not normally an issue for what you've got there.

 

[sweetk30]

ya 1/2" hose would choke it down . . . 3/4" lines in shop and the manifold stuff is 1" with the filter/reg unit plumbing . . .

getting a hose made not crazy money for me with local hose shop .

figure this one I could just do a reg hose over the FANCY steel braided .

 

[sweetk30]

Do you need every cfm the system can provide? If so I understand the 175psi being regulated down to match the 140psi compressor. But if you don't need every last cfm then it would be more energy efficient and easier on the big compressor to have them both cut out at around 140 psi.

this big pump fills / top's off fast so droping to the 140 would cost me money at this point for a new switch and time to swap out .

also lower switch cuts in even lower also . . . . don't wana drop to low before kick on of pump . . I be looking for why my tools don't perform as they should.

 

[md21722]

I think the savings on electricity is overrated any who, I mean what is it an extra 2A (10%) while it goes from 150-175? Energy savings is more important to those with demand meters where starting current is more of a factor.

 

[md21722]

ya 1/2" hose would choke it down . . . 3/4" lines in shop and the manifold stuff is 1" with the filter/reg unit plumbing . . .

getting a hose made not crazy money for me with local hose shop .

figure this one I could just do a reg hose over the FANCY steel braided .

I don't think 1/2" hose for 1 foot is going to matter. 1/2 still flows something like 100 CFM. If you are using that much air you aren't running of 7.5-8 HP worth of compressor. I have air tools that use 35-37 CFM at free speed. I replaced a short length of 1/2 with 3/4" when rearranging things and didn't notice an improvement. It's not like we're in a shipyard running huge vertical grinders that use 3/4" to the tool.

 

[sweetk30]

ya I figure with lines hard to walls and comp bolted to floor with rubber pads a short flex line would be best to connect the 2 setups . this big boy gets a bit of a rythem going . . . nothing crazy tho . just hold your hand to it and feel it . now just sitting on floor it dosnt go anywere . . . . unless I make it more with a engine hoist !