Clean compressed air (1 Viewer)

[Oregon FJ40]

I'm having a problem with lots of moisture getting to my air tools, despite having a moisture separator in my lines. Been researching DIY options online from aftercoolers off the compressor, to a copper piping system up and down the wall to cool the air and condense the moisture after the air tank. Seems to be a multitude of options and opinions with variable success. Running a 3.7hp Husky compressor with a 60gal tank. What are you guys running to condition your air?

 

[Skreddy]

I have 50’ of air hose coiled around my compressor tank in an upward spiral so any moisture will drain down, then the outlet of the tank has a tee with a ball valve on the downward side to drain and the coiled hose on the upward side. After the coil, the hose connects to a water separator, then a desiccant filter, then my air lines. I did this change a week ago because blasting my tub was getting moisture after 15 minutes or so. Since I did this I’ve blasted around 4 hours and am getting no moisture at my air outlet. I’m also draining that hose and my compressor tank daily now.
I think copper or another method is better than the coiled air hose, but I had the hose and fittings already. I’ll likely redo it one day.

 

[Woofythewolf]

Something I’ve been looking out for is a broken window air conditioner for free or cheap, because they almost all use copper tubing (easy to solder to) and can do 300 psi no problem.

I’m just going to put one of those between the compressor and the tank so it can cool and have the water precipitate out, and then enter the tank to actually separate in the stagnant air.

I’m doing it for my plasma cutter, otherwise I only get about 5 minutes per desiccant filter which is a royal pain.

 

[Skreddy]

I got a cheap desiccant filter off amazon and you can stick the desiccant in the oven to dry it out. I’ve had to dry it twice now in my 4 hours of blasting constant (have enough for 2 batches so dump one out to dry out and refill with the dry batch). Each time I dry it I can tell it’s less absorbent.
I like the idea of more copper between compressor cylinder and tank though.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Something like this.

 

[macdaddy59]

I plumed 1/2 black pipe up and down the shed wall with 3 outlets to drain the excess water. I recently bought an industrial compressor that has a radiator built in to cool the air to decrease the moisture. A great trick my painter uses for all of his air tools is he took a 4-5 inch diameter pipe 2 ft high and welded the top closed and then welded the bottom closed with a flat plate for a base to stand on. He then put an air inlet on the bottom and an air outlet at the top. The steel cylinder catches all of the excess moisture from the compressor and air hose.

 

[Oregon FJ40]

Something like this.

Exactly like that

 

[reddingcruiser]

You could move to a dryer climate . There's a reason everything is green in the Pacific Northwest.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Exactly like that

That was when I lived in Maryland, it did a great job of collecting moisture before it got to the filter and tool.

 

[Oregon FJ40]

You could move to a dryer climate . There's a reason everything is green in the Pacific Northwest.

Tempting, but I hate the heat as well. But the more Oregon, and the PNW in general, turns into California the more I want out. Idaho or Montana are looking pretty nice....

 

[SWCruiser]

I just did this. Buy a role of coiled copper. I had an extra copper line from my mini split install. From the outlet run the copper down into a t . One side of t should be a drain valve. The other to a coiled copper pipe that sits in a bucket. Need to buy through fittings. Top of coil connects to water filter and desiccant the. Air outlet. Fill the bucket with water or ice before running the compressor. Have an extra valve to drain the bucket.

 

[Living in the Past]

Tempting, but I hate the heat as well. But the more Oregon, and the PNW in general, turns into California the more I want out. Idaho or Montana are looking pretty nice....

I guessing most people on mud hate rust more than mud. There is a reason people are always looking for 40s out of Arizona.

If I lived in a moist climate and with my HVAC background would look for an old A/C window unit and make a air dryer. The cool the air the water vapor in the air will condense to liquid. Oversize the line will make easier to the liquid to drop out of the flow. Keeping it above freezing will above getting ice instead of water. Or could just spend a grand and buy a real air dryer.

 

[1969FJ]

Try this.

 

[1MOA]

Tempting, but I hate the heat as well. But the more Oregon, and the PNW in general, turns into California the more I want out. Idaho or Montana are looking pretty nice....

Pretty sure there will be no more running "away" from "it" to a different state shortly.
If you look on govdeals.com you can pick up decent air dryers now and then. I got a JT dryer with a automatic drain that was 9 years old but new in the box that was rated for 10 hp and 40 scfm for $110

 

[Oregon FJ40]

Pretty sure there will be no more running "away" from "it" to a different state shortly.
If you look on govdeals.com you can pick up decent air dryers now and then. I got a JT dryer with a automatic drain that was 9 years old but new in the box that was rated for 10 hp and 40 scfm for $110

Thanks for the tip. Will keep an eye on it.

And unfortunately you are probably right about not being able to get away from "it."

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Tempting, but I hate the heat as well. But the more Oregon, and the PNW in general, turns into California the more I want out. Idaho or Montana are looking pretty nice....

Idaho and Montana have been taken over already!

 

[Oregon FJ40]

Idaho and Montana have been taken over already!

I know it is moving that way, but it is nothing like Portland. I was up in MT at Glacier in Sept and loved every moment of it. Completely different than being here. Now outside of Portland, Oregon is a fantastic place and I love it here. Unfortunately, the politics of Portland affect the entire state making it an undesirable place to live, and even harder to do my job.

 

[UZJ40]

Idaho and Montana have been taken over already!

Every time I talk to my parents in Boise, they have to bring up 'all of the California license plates' they see every day. Funny how people can't wait to leave CA because of what it's turned into, but then they slowly turn the new place into CA...

My dad's favorite bumper sticker - Don't Californicate my Idaho!

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

My dad's favorite bumper sticker - Don't Californicate my Idaho!

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

I’ve got an air dryer setup similar to the one posted above - I’ll try to snap some pictures of it tomorrow. Basically several drip legs with valves at the bottom to drain each leg, and a final filter/water trap. It keeps things dry enough for me tools, even in humid MD, but if I was going to paint, I’d probably add a large desiccant filter as well.