Stupid compressed air question.

[zendriver]

Well, two questions actually.

After doing a plumbing repair job with PEX today, I don't want to use anything else, including running compressed air lines for my new garage.

I have read the endless PEX versus anything else discussions (arguments) but a common point that I am seeing his that plastic airlines tend to not cool the air, whereas copper or galvanized pipe will, therefore eliminating problems of the condensation water in the airline. So here goes.

Stupid question #1

Isn't it the cooling of warm air that causes condensation/water in the first place?

Stupid question #2

What's wrong with using warm compresses air?



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[930dreamer]

Cooling the air allows the moisture to drop out, moisture is bad for air tools, blasting cabinets etc.

 

[michael9218]

Nothing wrong with using warm compressed air that I know of. It isn't cooled intentionally. It cools as it runs through the pipes. When it cools, moisture in the warm air condenses.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Just the action of compressin' the air causes it to heat up,...

It usually cools movin' into the tank, because it's so much bigger than the line from the compressor,...

Simple high school physics,...

Unless yer a very hi-volume air user, the material the lines outa the tank are pretty much irrelevant, so long as plumbed with drop lines, 'n drains,...

 

[ddawg16]

Warm air is fine. Of course you'll have a water separator...right?

BTW....1/2" PEX has a smaller dia than 1/2" iron or copper. It's not the actual PEX tubing but rather the fittings.

 

[bczygan]

Ayuh,.... Just the action of compressin' the air causes it to heat up,...

It usually cools movin' into the tank, because it's so much bigger than the line from the compressor,...

Simple high school physics,...

Unless yer a very hi-volume air user, the material the lines outa the tank are pretty much irrelevant, so long as plumbed with drop lines, 'n drains,...

So that begs this question.

What about a portable pancake compressor and a short air line to say, a trim nail gun?

Is it ruining the gun?

 

[Bondo]

So that begs this question.

What about a portable pancake compressor and a short air line to say, a trim nail gun?

Is it ruining the gun?

Ayuh,.... Why would it hurt the nail gun,..??

It's compressed air,...

The initial air dryin' takes place it the tank,...

The hottest, wettest air would be directly from the compressor head, before the tank,...

 

[rburke65]

zendriver...welcome to the Garage Journal from Ohio! Does your pancake compressor have a drain on it?

 

[Zrexxer]

Nothing wrong with using warm compressed air that I know of. It isn't cooled intentionally. It cools as it runs through the pipes. When it cools, moisture in the warm air condenses.

There is nothing wrong with using warm compressed air, but there is certainly a problem using warm compressed air that's still saturated with moisture. The minute that pressure is released in the tool - impact wrench, nailgun, whatever - the condensation is going to happen THERE instead of where you can control it.

Then you get impact wrenches that are drooling rusty water out of every opening, and nailguns that drip on the work. No air tool is designed to digest quantities of condensed water.

 

[Trey T]

Most of the time you won't have problem with moisture in your nail gun bc nail guns are used intermittenly. Between you shooting the nails, the temperature drops and/or moisture has time to settle out. However, if you use a grinder, the continuous demand of air pulls the entire air volume as it discharge from the pump (hot air).

 

[rlitman]

Most of the time you won't have problem with moisture in your nail gun bc nail guns are used intermittenly. Between you shooting the nails, the temperature drops and/or moisture has time to settle out. However, if you use a grinder, the continuous demand of air pulls the entire air volume as it discharge from the pump (hot air).

If you read the literature from CP, they indicate that water is actually critical in lubricating things like jackhammers.

I wouldn't worry about moist air in a nail gun. It won't hurt continuous use tools like a grinder either, though condensation can freeze up at the exhaust port and cause the tool to slow down after much use.

Things that really do not do well with water:
sandblasters (it causes sticky clumping sand)
plasma cutters (causes premature consumable erosion)
paint (causes all sorts of issues).

Outside of that, I wouldn't worry too much. Though I would not install PEX right at the hot outlet of a compressor. PEX loses much of its strength as it gets hot, and the hot gas exiting a compressor pump is WAY above the temperature that PEX can handle.

 

[Trey T]

I run both intermittent and continuous air demand tools. Grinder can get sticky is it has water running through them. Water push out the oil all the time causing premature wear on the tool. There are reason why ppl (C/I) invest a lot of money in dryer system.

In a general practice, avoid the water and you'll get better work results. I've had my great share of experience in autobody work/paint and other fabrication - SAY YES TO DRY AIR.

 

[G_P]

Warm air is fine. Of course you'll have a water separator...right?

BTW....1/2" PEX has a smaller dia than 1/2" iron or copper. It's not the actual PEX tubing but rather the fittings.

Yeah, some of the PEX fittings have ID's smaller than 3/8". If you want the performance of 1/2" you will have to run 3/4" pex to make up for the restriction of the fittings.

 

[CNGsaves]

Nothing worse than pulling into filling station for little air in tires . .
. . . . and out comes steady stream of water !!