Air line setup question.....

[chrisexv6]

Finally getting around to plumbing compressed air to my garage, have a few equipment questions.

The compressor sits in my basement. Ive plumbed a copper line out the side of my house, down to underground, then over to my garage. It goes up about 2' to enter the garage. Basically the high point of that line is where it exits my house. I have that portion of the line pitched back towards the compressor, and will install a drain leg at the low spot.

Im basically looking for advice as to what to install where. I figured I wanted an air line available in the basement, and one outlet to the garage line. I was going to put a regulator on the garage line in the garage itself, so I dont need to worry about guesstimating the pressure I get out there. That stuff seems simple enough. Where Im a little confused is about filters/water separators.

Do I need one IN the basement? Or would a drain leg handle that? I was guessing I definitely need one on the garage line, most likely where it enters the garage? What should I be looking for in regards to the filter....a coalescing? In addition to a coalescing, should I put a standard 5-micron filter on the line coming right out of the compressor? (even before the first regulator)

I dont plan on any painting in the garage, just didnt want to ruin decent air tools with "wet" air. Been looking around Ebay and I see lots of Norgren, Parker, Wilkerson stuff....is any of it any good? Wilkerson seems to be most abundant........dont know if that means anything.

Thanks in advance.

-Chris

 

[bmwpower]

How are you going to drain the water that is underground? Sounds like you need a drain somewhere outside as the water that collects there will never really get removed.

Coellescing filters are for trapping oil. It doesn't sound like you need one of those unless you are going to be needing oil free air.

I would put one filter/separator after the tank if you're going to using tools in the basement. Then I would put one after it enters the garage. That should be sufficient for regular use.

Any of the brands you mention are good, industrial/laboratory type devices. Just make sure you get the right filter for your job. Those companies make so many different types of filters its nuts. You want a 5 micron with the proper fitting sizes on the ends. Metal bowl, too.

Hope that helps.

 

[chrisexv6]

Thanks for the advice.

Did a little more searching around here and noticed someone made the "vault" setup for a drain before it enters a second building. I might follow the same idea. Granted Im in CT where it will freeze, but Ill just remember to "winterize" the line if there is a chance of freezing.

So I think this is how its going to end up running:

One line off the compressor, using some sort of flex (either short rubber hose or metal flex hose). The flex will feed into a filter. The output of the filter will go to a copper tee setup, with one line going over my workbench in the basement, and the other line going out to the garage. I will put a water separator on the garage line right before it exits the house. I will put a separator/regulator on the line that stays in the basement on the drop going to my workbench/workarea. Inside the garage I will add another separator and regulator.

The line to the garage will be sloped as much as possible in hopes the water will pool right as it enters the garage, where I will install a vault in the ground with a drain leg (unfortunately the line to the garage is already concreted, so I cant get any extra slope out of it......although there should be enough already). Im also kicking myself for using only 1/2" copper, but cant do much about that now (hey Im sure it beats the 3/8" rubber hoses that Ive been lugging around for the last 3 years ).

Does this sound decent? I think this should be able to keep the air clean and moisture free enough for my uses.

Thanks in advance.

-Chris

 

[RPH]

Coalescing filters are not just for oil. I have a pair of ceramic elements that I got off a steam system to reduce the water content in it. They work great with air.

 

[Steve in Mi]

I think the vault will be necessary as the cooler ground temp is going to ring out that wet hot air going to the garage and if it isn't below the frost line it will freeze and bust the line without some means of draining the water off.

All the names you mention are fine. Be sure to match the expected operating range to any regulator you pick. There seem to be many that will handle say 200 psi inlet but offer a limited output operating range. An example would be an instrument air regulator able to handle say 200 psi. in and a regulated output of between 0 and 30 psi.. My opinion is that the 165 psi air my compressor puts out is unsafe for many uses in my shop so I wanted to reduce the pressure on the system (I will use further reducing regulators at various air outlets in the shop). Turns out that many of the regulators capable of the 165 have a limited upper end. If you shop eBay, it's not always spelled out what the complete spec.'s are. The one I selected is 200 psi inlet pressure 3/4", 0 to 125psi. outlet. If I ever need anything more than the 125 up to 165 (or 175 published output for this compressor) I will need to provide bypass piping to get it. OR, a different regulator.

 

[chrisexv6]

Thanks for the further info.

The vault seemed like a good idea, now Ill just have to follow thru with it. Digging a pit is always fun the piping then becomes the easy part.

I picked up 2 Wilkerson filter/regulator combos off ebay. Max input psi is 150 (200 if I convert to metal bowl). My compressor cuts out at 135, so I should be OK. Flow rate on the outlet is 80SCFM. My compressor puts out 10 SCFM @ 90 psi, 17 (I think) at 40 psi. So the regulator will not be cutting down the flow any (which is more than I can say about the HF piece of junk they will be replacing!!!) The port sizes even match my piping size so thats a good thing.

The only thing I need to think about now is lubrication for my tools......I have one tool (finish nailer) that is oil-free. Didnt want to install a lubricator because then Id have to filter any oil getting to the nailer. Also, how does one handle air chocks and the like? Surely you dont want oil in those and then getting into things like tires, do you?

Maybe I should just manually lube my tools (no perverted comments please!!)

-Chris

 

[RAYJAY]

I myself would not filter the air going out to the garage, ever drop or hookup would get a filter and a pressure reg.

what size line are you running to the garage ??? and how many feet of pipng are running ???

I did my air line's to tp tool guide lines and I have zero water


http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

Jeff

if you need help just call TP tool there great to deal with

 

[Junkman]

You mention that the line in the garage is already done, and you also mention copper. If you have the copper line encased in concrete, it has a life expectancy of about 2 or 3 years before the copper will have pin holes from the lime in the concrete. When you put a pipe in concrete, it should be a iron pipe, not copper.

 

[chrisexv6]

The line to the garage is 1/2" (I know, should have been 3/4" but some of it was already there so I didnt bother changing over).

The line is surrounded by 4" of packed gravel which is under a concrete patio. I assume some of the concrete may have made its way down thru the gravel to the copper. 2-3 years is fine........the underground line was a "Plan B" sort of thing.....one of these days Ill get around to implementing plan A, which would bypass the whole "underground" issue....it will just take more time.

For the setup, I planned on running the pipe directly to the garage with nothing inline (no filter, reg, etc). The only filter/reg on that line will be when it enters the garage (or where I want the source of air to be). I dont think Im doing multiple drops in the garage....having a hose in there doesnt bother me. As for the basement, Im not 100% sure yet. I know I will have at least one main "drop" near my workbench.....my work area isnt that large, so other drops may or may not be necessary (and I can always add them at a later date).

-Chris

 

[Steve in Mi]

If you have the copper line encased in concrete, it has a life expectancy of about 2 or 3 years before the copper will have pin holes from the lime in the concrete.

That certainly doesn't match my experience, not at all. You do know that copper was used for in-floor heating (yes burried in cement) in the 50's and I'm awear of a system installed in the latter 50's still in operation in the 90's. It may still be in operation but I don't know the current owner.