Pipe to use with my air compressor

[LA1]

What is the best type of pipe to use for my air compressor. Where to buy, and fittings and what not to use

 

[Grant Gunderson]

PVC….. just kidding. I used black iron pipe for mine. It’s easy to cut and easy to cut threads with the proper dies to get the exact layout you want.

 

[ncornilsen]

I like to use a 200F rated flex hose from the compressor to the hard piping on the wall, then copper from there.

Pex-AL-PEx is another good system, like Rapid air.

Standard pex with metal fittings might work at pressures less than 150, but keep it 100% out of sunlight.

dont' use PVC. Some people get away with it, but its a big risk and could really hurt someone.

 

[Dmcastino]

I've used standard plumbing Pex for the past 4 years and I've been extremely satisfied with it.

The ease of installation, low price, ease expandability were all top of mind for me when I made the choice in materials.

 

[kbeefy]

I am just finishing an install with Pex, seems good so far.

 

[vwpieces]

Another Pex vote. Only a year on my install but it's the best affordable option and easy to install and modify for later additions to the system. Standard PEX-B with Stainless steel clamps. All the fitting are reasonably priced if you plan out the run and buy online.
And unless you spend big bux on water control setup you will get water.... Steel pipes rust and will eventually send rusty water and rust flakes into your tools.

 

[racecougar]

While "best" can be arbitrary, the term would tend to steer you toward plumbing specifically designed for the job, like Pex-Al-Pex systems.

Maxline 3/4″ Master Kit | RapidAir Products

Discover the 3/4" MaxLine Master Kit for efficient air distribution. Perfect for workshops and garages, it offers durability and easy installation. Shop now!

www.rapidairproducts.com

 

[Benw455]

I'm using 1" black pipe with 1/2" drops with ball valves to drain the water. Works for me in my 30x40.

 

[charbar]

I've used and seen plenty and I won't use anything other than a RapidAir type system anymore.

Always been curious about using regular Pex. I'm sure it would work fine but I've used lots of pex for actual water plumbing and I feel like RapidAir is a superior option over pex for air. Mostly because of the line-to-fitting connection (compression vs crimped copper ring) and RapidAir STAYS where you want it (bending, etc)

 

[engineer2]

I like copper, but RapidAir is probably cheaper these days.
I don't like black iron pipe because of rust problems.

 

[Walkers]

Rapid air is just pex Al pex. Copper is too expensive to consider at the moment for all but the smallest system. Black iron can still be had reasonable at plumbing suppliers and steel yards (not at Home Depot).

 

[Jwallace1]

i have been going back and forth on what to use and i think I'm going to use copper, its really not any more expensive than black pipe from what i have seen, easier to make connections, i have actually thought about using press fittings, make up the whole system and rent the tool for a day or half day. the rapid air looks nice but it comes on a roll and i don't want to fight with trying to get it straight. i messed up and should have done it before my shop was full of stuff

 

[fsae0607]

I have a mix of 1/2" black & galvi pipe. Works fine for me since I just plumbed a 2-car garage. Been working great for over a decade now.

I have two drops with a filter separator/regulator (in that order) before each quick-connect, so the filter will catch any particles before the regulator and any tool I connect.

 

[Metal-Marc]

LoL again?

 

[jeep63]

While "best" can be arbitrary, the term would tend to steer you toward plumbing specifically designed for the job, like Pex-Al-Pex systems.

Maxline 3/4″ Master Kit | RapidAir Products

Discover the 3/4" MaxLine Master Kit for efficient air distribution. Perfect for workshops and garages, it offers durability and easy installation. Shop now!

www.rapidairproducts.com

I just installed this and I really like it. My last garage was copper, done in 2005. I Ike the simplicity if maxair system.

 

[PWC Repair]

I also just installed a Rapidair Maxline kit. I'm VERY thrifty but also prefer quality. I searched everything and compared prices on various fittings........Just buy the Rapidair kit and be done with it.

 

[rshadd]

I installed PEX with sharkbite fittings.

 

[thammel]

I used copper last year. I like the looks and the flexibility of fittings and the ease of doing it myself. Of course, you may need to brush up on your soldering skills. Mine turned out great.

 

[nadogail]

I have a 20 Gallon Oil Less Big Box store Devillbis (sp?) in one corner of a 2 car garage, right by the big door, I plug 2 3/8" air hoses into a tee mounted on the compressor; one hose goes to the tool currently in use. The other runs through the trusses to the man door and is near the patio in case I need low pressure air there.

My air system is just the minimum lowest budget possible.

 

[matt_i]

Best...316 seamless stainless tube with swagelok fittings.

Next in my book is copper.

 

[HenryAZ]

The one advantage of black iron pipe is that it acts as a heat sink to condense water out of the lines. You need to provide risers and drops to let the water fall away from your manifolds, though. It is definitely not the easiest vs. the other methods mentioned, but the extra time spent piping it will pay back. Make judicious of a few unions so you can assemble sections and then join them together in place.

 

[fourjeepin]

PEX. I had PVC before I knew better. When it failed, I installed the PEX

 

[gmcgeo]

PEX

 

[kaymccampbell]

Just remember, if you cut and weld a lot, choose a metallic air line vs a plastic one. I've had a nice blob of hot slag burn through plastic air line.

 

[cannuck]

I used air brake tubing and fittings easily available at any HD truck store for my last installation (3HP in 1000'shop). In my storage shelter on farm I used all rubber (2HP). All with full port ball valve drains In new shop (that won't get built until material prices correct) I will use aluminum as I need large header coming out of 600 gallon main tank and around perimeter of shop (30HP compressor) and automatic drains on tanks, ball valves on drops.

 

[racecougar]

Agreed that drains and shutoffs at each drop are worth the small upfront expense. I'll also suggest a large main shutoff at the tank.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

The one advantage of black iron pipe is that it acts as a heat sink to condense water out of the lines. You need to provide risers and drops to let the water fall away from your manifolds, though. It is definitely not the easiest vs. the other methods mentioned, but the extra time spent piping it will pay back. Make judicious of a few unions so you can assemble sections and then join them together in place.

Won’t copper do the same, without concern about rust?

 

[PeterN]

Didn't RapidAir used to have a flexible tubing with an aluminum core and nylon external sheath? I remember seeing videos of tools needed to straighten out the tubing. Looks like now it is just nylon tubing - unless you get the larger rigid tube.

I think I answered my own question by looking a little further on the RapidAir website. I believe the line I am referring to is the Maxline product.

 

[racecougar]

Yes, see the link in post #7.

A tubing straightener might make things easier/quicker, but I had no trouble straightening mine by hand on the floor, working alone. Same goes for making bends; I just picked an object with the radius I was after, weighted/held it down, and pulled the tubing around it.

 

[PWC Repair]

I also had no trouble at all bending my Maxline where I wanted it........and it stayed put. Try that with pex.

 

[toyotadriver]

Did mine in copper. I like it. Haven't priced it lately.

 

[TJMtl]

I went with Prévost.

 

[antman213]

I used PexAL 1" from ebay. Worked out great! just be sure to plan your layout well. and be cautious of online fittings. I ended up using X-Pando to seal up the leaks I had. The compression fittings were great except you need to make a square cut. (Chased that issue early on).

 

[antman213]

FYI PexAL and Maxline are the same product, or atleast I'm 99% sure. I straightened mine out with a home made straigtener.

 

[HenryAZ]

Won’t copper do the same, without concern about rust?

I think to a much lesser degree, due to the wall thickness of the pipe, with black iron pipe providing much more metal to act as the sink. But then, I've never tried copper on compressed air.

 

[metlmunchr]

I think to a much lesser degree, due to the wall thickness of the pipe, with black iron pipe providing much more metal to act as the sink. But then, I've never tried copper on compressed air.

Actually, the opposite is true. Heat flow, and therefore the ability to cool the compressed air, is directly proportional to the thermal conductivity of the metal, and inversely proportional to the thickness of the metal. Thermal conductivity of copper is greater than steel, so heat flows thru copper faster than steel. And the thinner the wall of the tube, the faster heat can pass thru the wall to the outer surface which is the only place cooling can happen as heat is transferred to the surrounding air.

 

[tester19]

Love that Stainless flex house coming out of your compressor!
For comparison sake the 3/4" Rapid air tubing is about $2/ft.
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[Citation]

OP,
What is your intended application? How much flow do you need, how long are the runs, how pretty does it need to be? Is the risk of a line failure critical?

In my little garage I used cheap air hose to create an air drop away from my compressor. Very cheap but limited flow. Not a big deal as I just wanted something to air up tires without having to run a hose through the garage.

I helped a friend run air in his 10,000 sqft auto shop. His air need are generally limited and so was the budget. We used basic 1/2" pex and the crimp fittings. It was easy and cost effective given the 300ft of air lines. The lines generally went into reals from the ceiling. The pex is out of sun light and he keeps the line pressure around 125 psi. It's not the prettiest look but sufficient. It it's easy to route and we didn't need wips at the reals since pex is flexible. I would consider standard pex ok if this isn't mission critical.

If reliability is more important and cost less so then pex-aluminum stuff with better fittings makes more sense. At work most of our stuff is stainless but some is copper. No idea what our compressors look like.

Again, what are the needs?

 

[LA1]

PVC….. just kidding. I used black iron pipe for mine. It’s easy to cut and easy to cut threads with the proper dies to get the exact layout you want.

thanks, i just passed soda through my nose when i saw PVC

 

[LA1]

thanks for all your replies. You have given me lots of ideas..... oh Pex piping , just got my house re-piped with Pex , the copper started to develop pin hole leaks or little specks of blue/green. so Plex pipe will work ok ?