Air Line Size

[mayday0017]

I am in the process of installing my drops and what not in the garage and realized something interesting. The port coming out of my compressor is smaller then the line I am connecting... I am running 1/2 from the compressor to my drops then stepping down to 3/8" from there. Does it matter if the system starts out smaller then 1/2? Or will the air overcome this bottle neck in the system?

If anyone has any good links on the forum or elsewhere talking about stepping up and down in air hose size I would be interested to read, but really not sure what to search for....

 

[mayday0017]

It has been awhile since I messed with Fluid Dynamics, I remember once you step down a fluid line it will never regain volume after... But I want to say with Gas (air) over time (not sure of distance required) it will regain the drop. (But I could be wrong, which is why I am asking this here)

 

[Big Top GT]

Isn't air considered a fluid?

Therefore, the glass is always full.

 

[akdiesel]

You also have a lot of restriction with the standard 1/4" quick connects most owners use.
Your distribution line is acting as a second storage tank. You probably don't have two or more sources using air at one time, and you also may not use large air tools that require the 1/2" quick connects.
The compressor's cfm will dictate how big the outlet port is.

 

[Falcon67]

I would just run 1/2" everywhere and T off for your 1/4 quick connects. Not sure why you want to neck down the drops - no real $ savings there. 1/2 black is reasonably cheap as is. You can run 100'+ with 1/2" pipe and not incur any appreciable volume loss. TP Tools has the most linked to/referenced air line diagram on the planet IMHO:
http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

 

[mayday0017]

Not really "trying" to neck down drops, just the hose reels I have mounted are not 1/2"... The real question is does it matter that the supply line (factory hard line) coming out of the tank that you would connect your own lines to is not 1/2"?

 

[akdiesel]

No. It will be fine.

 

[RECox286]

Unless you are using a blasting cabinet, you shouldn't notice any problems.

Stick with your layout.

Uncle Bob

 

[Falcon67]

I jumpered from a 25 gallon portable with a 1/4 out to a system of 1/2" lines, before I upgraded to a 60 gallon stand alone. No problems, other than water in the lines from an overworked compressor.

 

[BD1]

Larger ok , we do it all the time on industrial air piping installations.
Remember, AIR DON'T CARE !!

 

[akdiesel]

One thing to keep in mind the bigger the distribution line the bigger the dp across the main tank and your distribution line, thus creating a JT. So make sure you have a filter or a trap approx 3-5 feet down the line from the main tank.