Any suggestionos for running a rigid air line from a remote compressor to a work area (30 feet or so)? I have seen half inch schedule 40 PVC used, but don't know how to adapt from the compressor fittings to the PVC or from the PVC to a hose in the work area. Thanks for any suggestions.
compressed air systems
- Thread starter Jim
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Schedule 40 pvc is not suitable for compressed air service. A lot of not so particular folks use it. If you ask the manufacturers of schedule 40 pvc they will tell you it is not appropriate for this use. It is pressure rated for fluids. It is not pressure rated for compressed gases. At higher temps (compressing air greatly increases its temperature) the pvc loses strength.
Use copper or iron pipe if you want to do a proper job.
Use copper or iron pipe if you want to do a proper job.
We have used schd. 40 PVC for about 10 years on our compressed air system at our farm. One section of pipe did break during the winter (i.e. cold and brittle PVC). Luckily we ran the line around the top of our shed and ran drop lines down the air outlets and a section to drain it. The drain works well because we plumped in a section of steel pipe to allow the air to more effetively tranfer heat and lose it's water.
All that said, I'd run iron pipe if I where going to be doing it again.
All that said, I'd run iron pipe if I where going to be doing it again.
Black threaded iron pipe.
Do like CruisinGA said. Schedule 40 black iron should suit you. If you're worried about corrosion (i.e. no regular air line maintenance, salt air, etc.), use schedule 80.
After threads are cut in 3/4" schedule 40, wall thickness is reduced to ~ .04" (from .113 - 63%). Add a year or two of corrosion and enjoy the show.
After threads are cut in 3/4" schedule 40, wall thickness is reduced to ~ .04" (from .113 - 63%). Add a year or two of corrosion and enjoy the show.
I agree with Jim that plastic may not be the best. The question to ask is whether you will ever be running the compressor at a high duty cycle? If you will be (when using a sander or spraying paint, etc) the air will be coming into the pipe at a higher temperature. Will it be too hot for the plastic tube, it's hard to say.
If you are spraying paint, and you have a compressor rated for not much more than what the spray gun uses, you can't beat the iron pipe. I've even seen where people run the air through a coil of copper tube that's placed in a barrel of water. It's necessesary to get the temperature down to turn the water vapor in the air into droplets of vapor that can be removed by a coalescing filter. If you don't do this before the spray gun, the water will cool as it flows through the gun and condensate while in the air with the paint. If you are just running some tools, it doesnt make as much difference.
Anyway, this is all hardware store parts (home depot, lowes, etc), and what you are doing with the air makes a difference as to how exotic you want to get. In my garage I have an IR 7.5 HP compressor with an aftercooler, with an IR coelescing filter, then a pressure regulator. I then use 12 mm plastic tube to move the air around, and it never runs more than 25-50 percent duty cycle. Whith this setup I can run my air tools, sandblaster, spray gun, etc at a fairly low duty cycle.
Here's an interesting link
http://www.tptools.com/statictext/airline-piping-diagram.pdf
If you are spraying paint, and you have a compressor rated for not much more than what the spray gun uses, you can't beat the iron pipe. I've even seen where people run the air through a coil of copper tube that's placed in a barrel of water. It's necessesary to get the temperature down to turn the water vapor in the air into droplets of vapor that can be removed by a coalescing filter. If you don't do this before the spray gun, the water will cool as it flows through the gun and condensate while in the air with the paint. If you are just running some tools, it doesnt make as much difference.
Anyway, this is all hardware store parts (home depot, lowes, etc), and what you are doing with the air makes a difference as to how exotic you want to get. In my garage I have an IR 7.5 HP compressor with an aftercooler, with an IR coelescing filter, then a pressure regulator. I then use 12 mm plastic tube to move the air around, and it never runs more than 25-50 percent duty cycle. Whith this setup I can run my air tools, sandblaster, spray gun, etc at a fairly low duty cycle.
Here's an interesting link
http://www.tptools.com/statictext/airline-piping-diagram.pdf
Jim, Read some of the other posts in this forum. Topic has been up the flagpole previously.
My view, go flex line from compressor to black pipe.
My view, go flex line from compressor to black pipe.
Steve C said:
Yup. Seen that one before. I'd make a few small changes:
After (c), I would put a T in sending one line through a lubricator and one keeping it clean. This way air tools would get the lube required and you'd have clean dry air to run to a second air filter, like a Motorguard, for a plasma etc.
I would also build in the copper cooler seen in the other thread I mentioned.
