For compressed air, is galvanized or black pipe better? Any reasons not to use galvanized pipe?
Are 1/4" NPT black pipe nipples commonly sold at hardware or home improvement stores? I've tried one of each and come up empty so far.
Brian Elfert
Black.
Yes, under some conditions, it can flake and become a real PITA.
Much better to use black, pitch it 1/4"/foot and install a drain petcock on the low end, if you are building a distribution system.
Drain it frequently, say weekly.
HTH
Lew
I use 1/2" sweated copper and have had no problems for the last 7 years. I have a 60 foot line of it in my basement to my garage compressor.
Either should work fine. In the old days galvanized pipe was hot dipped and tended to flake. The newer stuff is elecrogalvanized and the flaking problem is negligible.
Black nipples should be available commonly but if you can't find black go ahead and use the galvanized.
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 01:04:22 -0800, "Roger Shoaf" calmly ranted:
I'd make a comment about that but it would be in goo^H^H^Hpoor taste.
========================================================== I drank WHAT? +
I would suggest black pipe, create a "drip leg" with a drain at ever end or connection. Make sure it is installed is such a way that water could not stand anywhere. Imagine pouring in water at one end and it draining completely.
Dave
My design has a drip leg at every outlet. The main line is about 25 feet and I plan to have about 4" of slope.
My plan was to have a drip leg at the end of the main line, but that would mean water could collect at the end of the main line where my elbow going up would be. I better change things so I can drain the main line.
Brian Elfert
...
Alternative, use a drop connection of two 90 street ells, first pointing up, the second to turn it over for the outlet...condensate will stay in the main header to be drained there...
Use a tee w/ a drain valve below the supply connection instead of an elbow...
This is exactly what I am doing. This is why the condensate will stay in the main line unless I add a provision for draining the end of the main line.
Brian Elfert
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