i have a craftsman air compressor i want to get off the floor and make better use of that floor space. since the compressor's psi is set where i want it, the compressor can be up outta the way but what i want is to run air lines to each of the 3 bays in the garage, is there good way to do this w/o running hard pipe? the garage is 36x24 w/ 9'6" ceiling.
mike...........
JerseyMike,
Black pipe allthough it lends itself slightly to c> i have a craftsman air compressor i want to get off the floor and make
Correction, I made a typo in my second sentence. PVC is NOT good. As I stated in the third sentence.
Guess you could use short sections of air hose w/ tees but would be a lot neater to just run a drop line w/ black pipe...remember to come off header w/ two ells, first pointing up to minimize water and to provide a drain somewhere...
what is PVC air hose and what would be a good Dia. for hard pipe....1/2"?? can galvanized pipe be used?? what should be put on threads.....pipe dope or teflon tape??
mike.........
Mike,
I ran across pvc air hose or pvc air line on the net a while back. A google search should find it. IIRC it had a rating of 400 psi or close. As for the 1/2" galvanized, sure you can use that. I would recommend an air filter/regulator w/ coalescing filter at the beginning of the line to deal with moisture. I prefer teflon tape for most jobs. This one included. Give it a dozen or so wrap arounds.
pipe....1/2"??
i have a water seperator on the cpmpressor now, do i need to add another??
mike.........
Mike,
The steel lines may sweat. Even if it may be slight overkill, to have a water seperator mounted at each outlet would be good. They're not extremely expensive or you could have it on a quick disconnect and you can switch it around depending upon the outlet you're using at the time. Keep in mind it should be level when in use. Also, the 1/2" pipe volume should be sufficient up to 2 tools running at the same time.
No, not unless you are using a very high volume of air for a long time. Air heats when compressed and water condenses along the way. If you have a constant use for hours at a time, you'd need more, but for most home uses, it will never be a problem.
In general, the larger the pipe the better.
Pro: It acts as a storage tank It passes larger volumes
Con: It costs more It takes longer to fill that volume to bring the system up to pressure.
Industrial uses are switching from black pipe to copper as it is easier to make changes once installed. Either works well for your use. Cost and ease of installation are the factors. Most homeowners would have or will buy a propane torch, but few have pipe threading and cutting capability. You can also use air hose.
The psi rating is for water, not air. Water is not as expansive and does not explode like a gas under pressure. If the pipe is not rated for air, it should NOT be used. There have been some rather explosive problems with PVC air systems and it is not allowed by OSHA and some other building codes. The fact that you'd gotten away with it for now, does not mean it won't explode into shards.
Mike. I used HOT water pvc. 1/2 inch. I think it was rated at 600psi. I glued all joints. Ran 2 outlets in garage and 2 in basement and one out side. Did this about 5 years ago. Long run to basement is about 70 feet. Warren
Mike,
A company I once worked for installed a 2" process water line in a factory. It was schedule 80 PVC, very heavy duty stuff. One of the workers decided to pressure test with air on top of the water fill. The pipe blew up and made a hole in the metal wall next to the pipe. Another piece of the pipe landed in a car in the parking lot a hundred feet away. It went through the windshield. Fortunately, no one was hurt. We almost lost the account over it. The worker that put air in the pipe lost his job. Please, PLEASE don't use plastic, ANY plastic for an air line. Stay safe.
Stretch
Again, do not use PVC, unless it is specifically rated for air. The PVC you buy everywhere for water is not a good choice for air line. Use black pipe, galvanized pipe, copper tube, air hose. Greg
Here we go again!! DO NOT USE PVC PIPE FOR AIR LINES!!! PVC or CPVC no mater, do not use either. General plumbing PVC is not rated for pressurized air, period. Sure, many people use it, most of them are still alive, some of them have shrapnel scars from when it blew up. Greg
If a dozen wraps of teflon tape have to be used on a pipe joint to seal it, there are other problems that need addressing. A complete round and a half should seal a pipe thread, two wraps at the most. PVC rigid pipe will blow up like a bomb on you. Please don't anyone us it for airlines under pressure. If they fail, it will be a catastrophic event. They don't just crack and leak. Ask me how I know. My next lines probably will be adhesive jointed, or maybe soldered, copper.
RJ
===================== Just curious...why not just use hard pipe....
Black 1" pipe is extremely Cheap...not at all hard to install...
Bob Griffiths
the 20gal,2HP compressor i have is maxing out at 110psi where i have it set. what i was hoping to do is make a shelf for it high on the wall outta the way and run a line over the top of the ceiling joists and have a drop down coil (not retractable like a drop light) type airline for each bay. what i'm wondering is should i run it down the center of the garage or should i have connections at the front or rear of the garage instead. also if using the HotW PVC, are there connections for the transition from PVC to metal. another question, how well do the connections hold up coming off the compressor from the vibrations it gives off when running?
mike...........
I guess it depends on what the use is going to be. Do you work on cars in all three bays and use air tools? Once the drop is in place yo can just add on another line as needed to get to the other end of the car. Are you going to have a workbench where you use most of the air? Or course then a drop there is smart, maybe even with a coupleof outlets in a manifold for different tools to be plugged in and ready.
It does not matter because if you are smart, you will NOT be using the PVC pipe.
Bunch of T fittings, and air hose?
I've had 3/4" PVC air lines in my garage & basement (9 outlets total) for 8 years now - connected to a 5Hp Craftsman compressor set at 110 PSI. The pipe's rated at 400 PSI and went together a lot easier than iron
So far, no problems.
For vibration resistance, have your pipe make a turn before clamping it to anything - this gives it wiggle room.
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