Compressor Filter Location/Size Check

[ChappyEight]

Hey, great forum. I've been digging through posts for the last hour or so and I've not been able to find exactly what I'm looking for (granted I found a lot of other awesome stuff).

I'm going to be plumbing my 2-car garage (finally) this weekend for air and I had a couple quick questions. I intend to have 5 outlets total that will consist of:

1. One outlet will be for painting, which will be preceded by a 5 micron filter and then a .01 micron filter.
2. One outlet will be dedicated to air tools, which will be preceded by an F-R-L setup (I'm guessing 5 micron for the filter there as well).
3. For now, these three will all be general purpose air. Eventually I'll make one of them be another F-R-L setup but I'm not sure where I want that to be until I have the system installed and study my usage patterns.

For the record, I'll have a 50 micron filter/regulator right after the compressor.

What I'm wondering is do I need filters at each of the general purpose outlets (3-5) as well? If so, is a 25-40 micron unit sufficient or should I go with a 5 micron filter?

Thanks in advance, and again, great site.

 

[ChappyEight]

Surely someone could give me some direction. Heck, just lie to me.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

I use IR filter/regulators at every outlet on my air system (5 total). Make sure you do not use an oiler anywhere if you are planning on painting anything (if you want it to look nice that is...) Mine are this model:

IR Filter/Regulator

I also have a Milton filter at the compressor outlet. I never have had a problem with the air in the garage.

Your choice in filters looks like it will work very well for what you are wanting to do.

 

[kartracer55]

Let me just say that 1 micron = 3.937E-5 inches (.00003937). A 20 micron filter will filter out particles smaller than .001 inches. Thats pretty small.

If I were you, and I ran copper, I would run a ~20 micron filter/separator as far down line as possible, but before you first drop. This gives the air time to cool. Then, run a regulator at each drop. There is no need to have 2 regulators in series like that.

If you run black pipe of galvanized, you need a filter right at every hose
Valve off your paint leg and run all sorts of crazy filters and desiccant's on it.

 

[Vinko]

I use IR filter/regulators at every outlet on my air system (5 total). Make sure you do not use an oiler anywhere if you are planning on painting anything (if you want it to look nice that is...) Mine are this model:

Have you ever compared the IR to the Parker-Watts or the Wilkerson filters?

I run Parker-Watts on every drop, but am doing some modifications to the lines, and will be switching out a few of the filters/separators. I haven't really researched the brands enough to know if there's a difference in quality.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

I had a Wilkerson on my last compressor and it did fine.Still have it in fact as a backup but it was a 1/2 NPT and the new Milton is a 3/4 NPT. I plumbed the system with copper and mainly use the filter at the compressor as a water trap. It all but eliminates water at the my drops (I have not had any water at the drops in the past 6 months....).

I don't remember the micron rating of the filters but I don't think they are much more than 20 to 25 microns. They work fine with my setup as I do very little painting (no paint booth and 5 micron filters are stupid when you are spraying outside...) and mainly use air to run tools. One advantage I do have is the first drop in the garage is over 80 feet downstream of the compressor which gives any water vapor plenty of time ot condense going thru my cold basement.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Forget the lube devices. Just manually lube air tools as needed. That way you don't have issues with lube in the air hose, you don't have to worry about lube on items when you use the blow nozzle. etc. Lube devices are best used for bench work where air tools are permanent, dedicated to a work bench air hose installation such as transmission shop build up bench, etc. For average joe in his garage, its better to not have it.

Charles

 

[ChappyEight]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll nix the oiler idea and I'll go either with a filter at each drop or right before the run.

Really appreciate the advice.

 

[ChappyEight]

Out of curiosity, anyone ever use one of these, or any, Ingersoll Rand filters?

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

The filter you linked to is the same one as the filter/regulator that I linked to above. They are a very nice filter and I haven't had a problem with them so far. I don't know about well they remove the water as I have never had a problem with it since I moved the compressor location and ran new airlines.

 

[wineslob]

Just some numbers for compressed air filters:

Van Air (big supplier) considers 5 micron as "coarse".

1 micron as "standard" and .01 as "fine".

We use the "B", 1 micron, just after the compressor(s) and a "C", .01, just before the air enters the building. These are big filters, the elements are 18" long and 3" in dia , designed for high flow. On a small system you are probably just fine with what a filter housing comes with, IE: the Parker Hannifins, Watts, Norton, ect..
For painting I'd get one designed for that and put quick disconnects on it, so you only use it as needed.

 

[ChappyEight]

The filter you linked to is the same one as the filter/regulator that I linked to above. They are a very nice filter and I haven't had a problem with them so far. I don't know about well they remove the water as I have never had a problem with it since I moved the compressor location and ran new airlines.

Thanks for the info. The only difference was that I'd linked to the 3/8" version. I haven't seemed to really hear anything bad about IR products.

I'll probably go that direction.

*Edit: You're right, that was the very same link. I fixed it now.