Air line filter/regulator placement

[kapster]

I'm setting up my 60 gallon air compressor and was wondering about placement of the filter regulator. I have a 1/2" filter regulator and a 1/2" hose reel to go with it.

My question, I've read you want some pipe distance before the filter/regulator for the air to cool down and condense. Is this a big deal or make much difference? I would kind of like to put the filter/regulator right out of my compressor. It's that or have about 4ft of pipe between them. Do I want the f/r as close to outlet as possible or doesnt really matter?

 

[pacmktg]

What you have read is correct. You need as much space as you can for the air to cool.

 

[plinker]

When the air moves through the pipe line it cools (hence why the drain frosts up when you let all the air out at once). The ideal place for a filter regulator is at the end of the pipe line. Any mositure should be condensed and get trapped by the filter.

If you want the filter/regulator near the compressor, you could do a radiator style pattern with the pipe but it may take up space depending on how you do it.

Or what you can do is have a hose run into a smaller 20 or so gallon air tank and run the filter/regulator from that tank. The up side to this is then you have a semi portable air tank. You do need a gauge and pop-off on the small tank, by the way.


I dont have a shop yet, so thats what I've been doing and it works pretty good. I tried running a filter direct off the tank and when I was running the compressor it for a long time, I would get moisture in my air hose. Lucky thing I was not painting. The small tank fixed that.

 

[pipsters]

IIRC Milton says 50' from outlet to filter

 

[hp246]

It helps to put drops in periodically too, with drains at the bottom. The more line you use, the better, kinda like and evaporator on a still.