Full shop air line routing question

[Dad Was A Racer]

As my 30x50 shop building nears completion, I'm planning how I want to route full-shop air access. I have a two-stage 50gal Quincy that will feed the system from inside the shop.

I have read that a closed-loop system, where the line makes a continuous circuit around the shop with drop-outs is better for maintaining consistent pressures and best CFM flow, but it's a much bigger PITA than a dead-end system down each wall.

Can anyone give me some advice on how important the closed-loop is vs. the typical dead-end system plumbing?

FYI, I'm plumbing it with 1/2" galvanized pipe.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Can't comment on closed vs. open loop but I'll jump ahead and tell you what others will tell you: DON'T use galvanized, use black iron or copper or a RapidAir system. Galvanized will rust and flake more readily.

Someone will also post a picture or a link to a diagram example of a fully plumbed shop. If I find it I will post it and shortcut this thread. Best of luck.

 

[sberry]

I have a full sized shop, 80x80 and my runs are mostly 1/2 pipe. Steel is bigger ID than tubings. You go not need a loop, many ideas you see and read on the net are good ideas but their root is industrial where the scale can be different, designs different. Many with process air and use beyond. 1/2 is good for 3/4 impacts beyond 100 ft. It will quickly drain this comp, a 3/8 hose will drain it sandblasting.
A couple well placed hose reels beat a hundred hydrants every 4 ft.
A building that size could be managed from 2 fil/regs , maybe even 1 depending on design but it is often as easy to add a second just prior toa reel and lets the transmission occur under hi pressure.

 

[matt_i]

My opinion is the "full loop" system is more for a big shop or big plant where the future is not fully known, or "demands" can happen out of sync or at random times. The loop gives basically 2 pathways to feed a "demand".

In a shop where you have a mostly-planned layout, you probably already know where the heavy air useage will be, I'd guess either hand-held air tools (sander, drill, grinder) or a blast cabinet.

In those cases I would just increase the pipe diameter that feeds those areas.

Things like blowing out "mechanisms" for cleaning purposes or inflating tires require a minimum amount of air.

I'm actively working on my air layout and using copper pipe for the reasons noted above by Dan. Mostly its 1/2" Cu pipe but there are parts where its 3/4 and parts where its 1".

 

[Dad Was A Racer]

Based on what I've read here, I will now officially scrap the galvanized idea (well, I did back that up with a google search, too). Now it's down to either copper or RapidAir Maxline 1/2". I will have a dedicated larger diameter line running from the compressor to the blast cabinet filtration and regulator, but I gotta believe 1/2" will handle most anything else I plan to run, like grinders, sanders, 1/2" impacts, etc. The Maxline is 70 cents per foot but the fittings are MUCH more expensive than copper. Once I have to transition from copper pipe to brass fittings, the fitting cost is comparable. The copper line is $1.13 per foot locally, and sweating joints will probably take more time than the compression fittings on the Maxline. But man, the copper should would look snazzy...

 

[mike93lx]

Unless you are going to polish and apply varnish, the copper won't look snazzy for too long and will just blend in, as it should, imo. I would spend more because it is pretty.

Personally, my time in the garage is far too little to spend more time on something for a minor savings. A project that can be done quickly is way better than one that can be done cheaply if it takes a bunch more time

 

[sberry]

1/2 will supply blast cab with that comp. I am not sure where the idea it takes larger pipe comes from. It is steady but lower than blasts that come from running impacts. Probably half the demand of a heavy 1/2 air gun. A 3/8 hose will run It out of air blasting, it really shouldn't be using more than the pump output. 20 cfm or so.
I like 3/4 for a manifold where there may be a few turns, one that is straighten out 1/2 is good for transmission. Mine transitions and then had only 1 or 2 fittings on the main in 100 ft. There are a couple more turns on the secondary but they precede the 3/8 hose reels which is where the real losses occur,,, very little happen on the hi pressure on 2 stage systems. This is why you have a better comp, so a regulator can be supplied constant above it's head demands.

 

[astroracer]

I ran 3/4" black pipe from the compressor and plumbed it right down the middle of the shop. 1/2" drops run across the ceiling and down the walls. The 3/4" feeder ends in a 1/2" drop down to a hose reel and I have never had any flow issues running the big blast cabinet off any of the drops.
Mark

 

[Rbreddin]

for a 30'X50' shop, and a 50gallon tank compressor - I'd scrap the idea of using 1/2" anything and focus on 3/4".

get a 200' rapid air master kit or get a 100' master kit and buy one of the additional 100' rolls (just tubing) that they sell.

you can find both on ebay pretty cheap.

 

[zmotorsports]

Personally I would bump up from the 1/2" as I think that would be the minimum for much air use and shop size. My last shop was 34'x34' and I ran 3/4" down the sides and then drops were 1/2" all in copper. It worked well for the 25+ years I worked in that shop.

In my new shop that is 50x60 I used the Aircom 1" system as I wanted more volume as well as options because I am sure my son will be working in the shop every bit as much as I am and want to have plenty of air supply available.

I didn't do a closed loop system but it is close as I have it ran along the back wall and down each side with about 10 drops in the shop and one drop in the RV/storage bay. So far working in it for coming up on a year now I have not had any shortage of air no matter the tools we're using and I feel the larger size piping does provide a bit more volume than merely my 60 gallon tank on my Quincy compressor.

You can see the full installation of my Aircom system in my shop build attached in my signature. I ended up purchasing three of the Aircom Pro2 kits off of ebay. They are a well put together and quality kit, very similar to the RapidAire kits.

 

[sierradmax]

I plumbed 3 wall drops and rarely use them. I use a hose reel in the center of my shop mounted to the top of my two post lift 99% of the time.

 

[BillK]

I guess it just depends on what you are doing with the air ? Here at my business we are in a 30x60 unit. The 7 1/2 2 stage compressor is in the far back corner. I used 1/2" copper and just ran it across the back and up both sides. I have never had a lack of air. My bead blast cabinet is in back near the compressor and it works just fine.

Other than the blast cabinet I really do not have a lot of air tools so I cant say how it would be if you need to run a 3/4" impact or other large air tools.

 

[engineer2]

Here is a 80x60 shop. A loop isn't much harder to run and it'll give you future versatility for drops. 3/4" loop with 1/2" drops should be plenty. I like copper because you won't get rust in the lines and it's easy to install.

 

[sberry]

If I was doing it again would get a couple rolls, one in the op's case would do it but 3/4 of one of the air lines and do home runs. I would skip changing sizes. I have basically 3 drops in 80x80 and complete overlaps in coverage.

 

[Dad Was A Racer]

After getting great input here, I've ordered the 3/4 RapidAir master kits to plumb the entire shop with 3/4 (no step downs) using Fastpipe. I like the neatness of the straight pipe over the flex line. I got enough material to do a complete loop around the shop with all the drops I could need. Do it right the first time and forget it...

 

[PelicanPines]

We now want pictures... of the progress... start in the beginning... show mistakes too...

 

[Dad Was A Racer]

Photos to come once I get started... Building is still under construction so there ain't much to see.

 

[Streetbu]

I plumbed my 24x34 shop with 3/4" galvanized. It's funny how people mention how much galvanized will that with water, then in the next breath say how you have to install some massive contraption to remove the water from just before the main line. Wouldn't that mean there would be little to no water in the lines...? Well after ten years and some heavy usez, I have had zero issues with my system. 3/4" was overkill for me, but it added storage capacity and the price difference was less than $20 for.

 

[ItsNemo]

A full loop really comes into play if you have more than one thing using air at the same time. Upstream tools will starve the downstream ones. If you're just using one tool at a time, then a dead end system is fine.

 

[sberry]

It's very rare to "starve" tools. Way too much fear here. This air comp is to run 1 at a time anyway, I have ran 2 sanders on 1/2 and a guy would have to know and pay attn to notice.

 

[zmotorsports]

After getting great input here, I've ordered the 3/4 RapidAir master kits to plumb the entire shop with 3/4 (no step downs) using Fastpipe. I like the neatness of the straight pipe over the flex line. I got enough material to do a complete loop around the shop with all the drops I could need. Do it right the first time and forget it...

Nice. I don't think you will be disappointed.