Installing air lines with hose reel

[notenuftoys]

Here's my situation: my wife bought a 75ft hose reel (3/8" ID with 1/4" npt connections) for Christmas. I'm finally getting around to installing the lines to feed it from the compressor. Total run of hard line is about 25ft.

I initially planned on running 1/2" hard line to the hose reel, but now I'm questioning whether it will be enough. I'll primarily be using this for tire rotations, inflation. This will be the only line run in my garage.

What's the professional opinion? Will the 1/2" be enough or should I upgrade to 3/4"?

 

[sberry]

I/2 is already 3x as good as the hose.

 

[notenuftoys]

I/2 is already 3x as good as the hose.

Ok. That was my thinking.

 

[sberry]

It wont even know the pipe is there.

 

[notenuftoys]

Thanks for the quick replies.

One other question: I'm shopping for a new regulator/filter. Will a 3/8"npt work, or can I go as small as 1/4" inlet/outlet?

 

[sberry]

The 3/8 ported ones are right for this. Do not worry about the ends on the hose, they are fine. Here is one to exact same you are doing. I used a hydraulic ****** to the valve to allow a swivel elbow before the unit but it could be walked around on it also depending on design/location and it was stuff I had on hand.

same, 1/2 pipe to 3/8 fil/reg to hose with 1/4 ends. I use a 1/4 port to the hose as it was fittings I had in my hand. In your case valve at the tank, first thing, reason one is here is that its on a system. 2 more on the same live circuit.
The obsessive in me would have 3/8 on the out and then reducing bushing to the reel but it makes so much more than it needs now its irrelevant.
I was in Walmart the other day, they had regs like this.
I also have 75 on the reel, most of ours are 50 but this can go thru a port for outdoor and it helps get around a little better for tire fill.

 

[notenuftoys]

Does it matter if the filter/regulator is by the compressor or by the reel? It's less than 25ft.

My compressor is under my workbench, and my plan is to mount the fil/reg right by the workbench, then on the outlet side have a T, one route to the reel and the other to an connector right at the bench.

Good call on the valves. I'll pick up a couple of those.

 

[Lucid Moments]

Theoretically I believe it is best if the filter/regulator is as close to the outlet as practical. As a practical matter I doubt it matters much if at all.

 

[icthruu74]

I did this about a year ago, and I also think you can’t go wrong putting in plenty of unions and ball valves. I put in unions near anything that I may want to remove, like the filter/reg, to connect the hose reel and I even used one in the middle of the longest run.

 

[dkmc]

Those 1/4" connections on the reel can seriously restrict flow. 1/2" pipe supplying the reel is plenty overkill. Worse part about this is, your wife bought the reel, but instead of putting it up herself, she stopped short and left you with the task. I'd make her install it if I were you....

 

[southalabama]

My wife buys women’s shoes. I wouldn’t get to picky if she bought a hose reel.

I think you’ll be fine on air flow.