Installing Shop Air Compressor System

[ToolCrazyDude]

Hi Guys,

Just picked up a used dewalt 80 gallon 2 stage air compressor (17 cfm) and looking to run air supply lines throughout the garage. I'll be keeping the air compressor in a back room in the garage so I don't have to hear it running, but that means i need to run supply lines into the main part of the garage. I've done a decent bit of research but I'd like to hear people's experiences first hand since I've only ever had small compressors. My questions are:

Do I need to bolt the air compressor to the concrete or will bolting to a pallet suffice? I did see anti-vibration pads are suggested.

For supply lines I've seen most recommend steel pipe. Is this the best? Any reason I can't run an air compressor hose along the ceiling to my air hose reels?

Any suggestions for pipe mounts? The garage walls aren't straight (Areas stick out like vertical ventilation columns every so often) so debating if I pipe for each bend or if I have the line run over top of these "stick out" areas.

Some suggestions of flexible "whip lines". What diameter line should I shoot for? What does this whip line connect to?

Can I leave this compressor plugged in and on 24/7 like I did my smaller one?

How often do you suggest draining the tank?

Any other suggestions or comments about regular maintenance?

I'm looking to install in the next several weeks so any feedback is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[rattle_snake]

no. not the best way. use pads

no, but it works OK. yes, don't use hose on ceiling, it will sag and collect water. I used blk pipe.

uni strut, w/ pipe clamps

3/8" hose for whip, Milton V connector.

yes 24/7

weekly

what is you plan for reg/filter? if clean pipe it can go at comp, with steel pipe it should be at whip/outlet.

 

[cj7jeep81]

I have mine on a pallet, and haven't had any issues (I like keeping all my my stuff semi-mobile). I am currently putting in a permanent system, and am using 1/2" copper. My total run will be about 140', and with the online calculators I've used, that should still flow about 25cfm, which is more than my compressor puts out (its similar to yours). I am putting in a handful of quick connects, and have a drain at each one to get rid of any moisture.

I leave my compressor on 24/7 currently, and as long as no leaks in new system, will continue to do so. I should drain my tank a lot more often than I do, weekly would be good. Make it easy, replace the crappy valve with an elbow going to a normal quarter turn valve, then run some hose from that. Then just put the hose in a bucket, open the valve, and drain.

Only maintenance I'd recommend is check/clean the air filter, and change the compressor oil.

 

[sz0k30]

I don't remember my instructions, but I have seen that some that say not to leave a compressor on the pallet. I have a 60 gallon on the pallet, but I added "compressor pucks" under the legs. Mine is plugged in all the time, but I have a 90* ball valve at the output plug. Turned off all the time except when in use.

 

[redmondjp]

For the air lines, I would seriously look at the RapidAir 3/4" piping system. You can have it all installed in less than a day. Put a ball valve air shutoff valve right at the tank up where you can easily reach it, so you can shut off the tank and keep pressure in it when you aren't using the system.

 

[pattenp]

Typically if motor is over 3HP you will need to hardwire it, not use a plug to be electrical code compliant.

 

[larry_g]

One suggestion from me is to have part of your piping system running at tank pressure with a place to tap into it with a QD. Then go into your regulator if you must for a regulated section of pipe. Me I run at with a tank pressure of 150psi cutout and don't regulate pressure till needed at point of use.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[ToolCrazyDude]

Any suggestions on pipe dope vs. Teflon tape for the black pipe?

 

[Bigblockyeti]

I'll be using PEX for my air distribution. Uponor uses it in their factory to distribute air for making PEX. Much cheaper and faster than Rapid Air, steel pipe or copper.

 

[MileHighRover]

When I was shopping for my compressor I saw a bunch of manufacturers that stated if the compressor was left on a pallet for use, the warranty would be voided. I understand that to mean the pallet does not dampen vibration sufficiently and may cause problems.

 

[matt_i]

Any suggestions on pipe dope vs. Teflon tape for the black pipe?

Hate teflon due to the stringy mess it makes when you take it apart. The little strings can get into things and cause problems if you are using spool valves or cylinders/flow controls. Loctite PST is what I am using.

I'm installing my own similar system currently, its been about an 8 year journey to collect components and such. I'm using sweated copper/ Stay-Brite #8 silver-bearing solder.

Leaving the compressor 'on' 24x7 is something you can try at first to gauge leaks but I would work towards a solution of having it electrically interlocked with (lights, presence sensor, dedicated switch).

Any quick connector is preceeded by a ball valve. They all leak, or will leak, at an unacceptable rate in my book.

Its also important to pay attention to low point drains as that's where moisture will ultimately collect and then you should allow for blow-downs of some form.

Steel pipe is cheapest, and is dirty inside and outside. Lots of sweating and wrenching but its very robust too. I chose copper over AL due to the ease of modifications and that I can get components at any of 3 local box stores instead of being "single sourced" to a vendor for pipe + fittings. I used strut channel "unistrut" to mount the pipe and B-Line BVT hangers to isolate the Cu from the steel.

I have a petcock on the bottom of my tank and don't love the degree of difficulty, plan to change that and run a remote valve using NiCopp brake line, evenntually to be automated.

Good luck, it takes a bit of head scratching and drawing and trying to think of the various needs for your compressed air before you begin.

 

[HenryAZ]

Any suggestions on pipe dope vs. Teflon tape for the black pipe?

I use Loctite 561 thread sealant stick for all NPT connections, including all the black pipe I ran for my garage compressed air system. I've never had a leak with it over many years of use. It's easy to apply, and I wipe off the excess from the joint once it is tightened up. It is also easy to clean the threads for reuse if you ever need to take a joint apart.

 

[zmotorsports]

In my new shop I have my compressor stationed in the RV/storage bay so it is not inside the shop. I have it sitting on anti-vibration pads and not bolted to the floor, same as it was in my last shop for 25+ years and it never moved.

I have the RapidAir piping system ran up the wall in the RV/storage bay and then through the wall into the shop up near the ceiling. Connecting the air compressor tank to the rigid piping is a 1" flexible hose then to a water separator/pressure regulator mounted on the wall with the 1" rigid piping coming out of that.

My RapidAir piping is then ran around the perimeter of the 2k square foot shop up near the ceiling using the supplied mounting hardware. I have 7 air drops using dual manifolds about 4' above the floor and then an additional 2 air supplied drops feeding two separate hose reels, one at my 2-post lift and one above my man door just inside the front of the shop. I also have an air drop with dual manifold in the RV/storage bay.

So far I have been very pleased with the RapidAir system on how it installed and how it looks. I had copper in my last shop but very much prefer the system I have now.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I prefer Rectorseal #5 for pipe sealant. Works great and is not hardening so you can get it apart down the road if needed.

On the air hose vs pipe thing...I ran black pipe over to a hose reel with 50-feet of hose on it to pull where I need it.

Within a few years I noticed my compressor was cycling when it shouldn't indicating a leak. Long story short....the hose had tiny leaks all over it. when sprayed with leak detection fluid, it fizzed everywhere.

So, I'd be concerned about running more hose then what you really need to. Pipe is harder to install, but at least you only have to mess with it one time.

Phil

 

[ToolCrazyDude]

So I stopped by Menards today to take a look at what was available and start mapping out what I want to do. The guy I talked to suggested galvanized pipe versus black steel pipe due to the black pipe being more susceptible to rust. It made sense to me, but a quick google search says the galvanized coating can come off and ruin air tools as well as cause bodily harm. So maybe eliminate galvanized pipe?

Google seems to say that copper is the best type of pipe for compressed air. Is that the case? I only need to run about 30' and at ~$16 per 10 foot section that doesn't seem too expensive.

Any advice on where i can find fittings for the whip line to connect it to the pipe?

 

[cj7jeep81]

So I stopped by Menards today to take a look at what was available and start mapping out what I want to do. The guy I talked to suggested galvanized pipe versus black steel pipe due to the black pipe being more susceptible to rust. It made sense to me, but a quick google search says the galvanized coating can come off and ruin air tools as well as cause bodily harm. So maybe eliminate galvanized pipe?

Google seems to say that copper is the best type of pipe for compressed air. Is that the case? I only need to run about 30' and at ~$16 per 10 foot section that doesn't seem too expensive.

Any advice on where i can find fittings for the whip line to connect it to the pipe?

What pipe are you looking at that? I'm using type L copper (little thicker than type M), and 1/2" pipe is only $11.38 here (even cheaper if you buy 10, but that won't help you). You could run larger, but for that short of a run, unless your compressor is putting out like 40cfm, you really aren't gaining anything.
As for the fittings, I got everything at Menards. I will have a main line running from the compressor around my building, about 9' high. Wherever I need a drop, I'll put in a tee fitting and a couple of elbows (tee faces up, then 90 degrees towards wall, then 90 degrees down). Then 4' of pipe to another tee. Out the front of the tee is a 45 degree fitting (facing down), then a 1/2" NPT female adapter. Out the bottom of the tee is a short piece of pipe, then a ball valve (to drain any collected water). I'll then just use a quick connect fitting with 1/2" mall NPT on one end, to attach my flexible hose.

 

[engineer2]

Anti-vibration pads are best, hockey pucks are cheap and work too.

Copper is excellent and lots here like Rapid-Aire. I've seen factories and warehouses (for conveyor controls) done in copper and zero problems in 25 years.

Big box stores sell hose barb adapters, but they may not have the size you need. PEX to NPT fittings work too.

 

[matt_i]

You don't need the thickwall copper, either type far exceeds the psi rating of an air system at 2" and under. Where I would pay attention is the solder. "Lead free box store" can creep over time under load. The silver-bearing will not.

I got disappointed at the straightness of the 10' x 1/2" sections in Menards and left. I don't know if its a manufacturing issue or they set a pallet on the middle of the span. Home Depot had much straighter pipe.

As far as where you get the hose, some people use a hydraulic hose, I'd buy it with JIC female swivels and some NPT-M to JIC-M adapters. Alternatively you could dial up McMaster Carr and buy some barbed "push on" hose fittings and a piece of airhose. The last air hose I got from them was Goodyear Ultra Grip which is a pretty high end hose.

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/copper-tubes-dimensions-pressure-d_84.html

 

[FTG-05]

Anti-vibration pads are best, hockey pucks are cheap and work too.

Copper is excellent and lots here like Rapid-Aire. I've seen factories and warehouses (for conveyor controls) done in copper and zero problems in 25 years.

Big box stores sell hose barb adapters, but they may not have the size you need. PEX to NPT fittings work too.

I'm in that camp. I can't imagine using copper or black iron.

The person who mentioned the proprietary fittings is right - and that is a negative. But: Buy once, Cry once. Once done, you're done for life.

 

[nautique1228]

I used 3/4” copper main line with 1/2” drops. Only reason I used copper was bc I had a friend who was a pipe fitter and gave me like 60’ of the 3/4” and split ring hangers for free. It was really nice and didn’t take me to long. I would go with copper again but I also would use one of the rapid air systems if it ended up costing me less.

 

[nadogail]

I like Copper with 50-50 Solder. It isn't a potable water system, so I see no need for lead free solder.

 

[ToolCrazyDude]

I did look at the rapid air system but I didn't like the fact that the kit used proprietary fittings because I want to be able to readily change my setup as I get more tools/capabilities. Also, the shortest 3/4" kit looks like it runs about $160. For a ~30 foot run, I think I can hit the same price or better with copper and all the fittings. I also read the heat transfer properties of copper are better at condensing out the moisture (without rusting!). That's why I've decided on copper but to each his own.

Thanks for the comments on the types of solder! I had no idea, I've got to take a look at what I have at home. The only thing left is the fittings and whip hose. I saw a few helpful comments on this I need to look into.

 

[930dreamer]

Please post some pics with your progress.

 

[ToolCrazyDude]

Went to the hardware store today to buy all the supplies but I ended up walking out empty handed. I couldn't find the right fittings to connect the copper pipe to the air compressor lines and didn't want to buy everything until I knew it would work. I was only able to find one fitting for 3/4" that actually had threads and of course none of the fittings they had sized it down to the necessary size. After a google search, I found the below fitting at lowes which I think would work with the linked whip hose, correct? I think these are the missing pieces and then I can proceed.


https://www.lowes.com/pd/NIBCO-3-4-in-x-1-2-in-Copper-Threaded-Adapter-Fitting/3608370

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z1K7INQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[cj7jeep81]

If you want to use a quick disconnect like you have in the pic, something like this would work, then just get a quick connect with 1/4" npt male instead of female.
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...k-bushing/310b1214/p-1560494220360-c-8564.htm

 

[ToolCrazyDude]

I ran the entire air system this weekend with 3/4" copper. It was about 50' of copper which is a lot more than I thought it was going to be but it always works out that way. I test fitted everything first and then took it apart and sweated the pipes which doubled the work but I knew everything was going to fit. I decided to go with two 45 degree pipes for every 90 to limit pressure loss. I also included two ball valves for draining purposes throughout the entire system. The biggest pain was actually the whip lines I purchased and acquiring fittings to attach them to the copper pipe. I'll attach another photo that shows the issues I had with the whip hoses.

 

[bullnerd]

I bought large rubber isolator feet from Mcmaster carr. Surprisingly quiet.

This one.

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/63965K66

 

[ToolCrazyDude]

The whip hose I used was complicated to tighten. First of all, the teflon tape I used the first time leaked slightly so I had to take it apart and use pipe dope which solved the problem. Secondly, and the biggest problem, was the ends of the whip hose didn't spin independently of the hose. That means that once you tighten one end of the hose, as you go to tighten the other, it causes everything to twist up into a mess (see attached). I really wish I could've found a whip hose with ends that twisted independently as it would've made everything SO much easier to fit up. Luckily no kinks in the hose so I think it's ok for now. As is typical, I got it done with pure rage and a 30 pack of busch light. On to the next task

 

[richard7]

put a air chuck on hose reel and a quick connect on whip then the whip will not twist up when you tighten it

 

[YukonXL04]

put a air chuck on hose reel and a quick connect on whip then the whip will not twist up when you tighten it

That will work. Also you can try to twist the hose as if you were loosening it, then when it tightens it uncoils. Usually works for me

 

[sberry]

I take the swivel apart, also use a hyd swivel sometimes as a union. Using 45's is a good idea but cost more and one of the benefits of 3/4 or 1/2 for that matter on steel is that the piping is 2x as good as it needs to be to do the work that compressor can do and also to meet tool demand. Especially if pumping 2 stage.