Compressed Air Plumbing for Shop

I am going to route compressed air from my compressor location to one or two other positions in my shop. I am looking at about 50 or more feet of plumbing. I Googled some information regarding PVC, and while it is economical, I still am not comfortable. I have come down to using standard 1/2" black gas pipe and fittings.

Any other ideas, drawbacks, etc.

Thanks

RonB

Reply to
RonB
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I went cheap. I bought 100' from Harbor Freight of 3/8 line. Its stiff, but I live in a ranch and wanted some drops in the shop and all the way out to the garage. I used up all the hose in a run. I picked up some tees and 3/8 barbs and made drops with tees offering a connection point and drain valve. It is great. The hose did have to be returned because it just was not well made, the second hose has done well.

$19 for the hose on sale, and probably 20 in Ts, ball valves and quick connects. A lot better than moving my compressor from the basement to the garage over and over, or running a hose up the stairs and letting all the bugs in.

Plus it's easy enough to add drops by cutting the main line and sticking a new T in.

If you are worried about 3/8, get the 1/2 l> I am going to route compressed air from my compressor location to one

Reply to
tiredofspam

I like tiredospam would go the air "hose" route. QUICK and cheaper.

Reply to
Leon

Avoid the PVC. An alternative though, is other plastic air hoses made for that purpose. They are flexible and at worst, will split rather than shatter.

Black pipe is a good way to go. Durable and reasonably priced. I just paid $1.25 a foot for some. Copper is better, but much more costly.

TIP: Once you figure where you want the drops, add two or three more. If you are joining two lengths, use a tee and plug rather than a coupler. You'll be thankful in a year or five when you want to add another leg.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

RonB wrote in news:26d24e5c-7a34-45fc-b88e- snipped-for-privacy@eh4g2000vbb.googlegroups.com:

I've thought about running a standard air hose for my compressed air piping. Except for splicing into it, it's cheap for good quality lengths (vs pipe) and going to be much easier to route.

There's systems made exactly for this purpose that look like they won't break the bank ($100 for a basic setup, probably 2-300 for something nice) and will probably be safer than PVC. Looks like RapidAir is one of the big systems.

PVC should be fully grounded by wrapping a metal pipe around it. *g*

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Yep, pretty nice. HF was selling that for under $40... but it disappeared from their product list. Wish I had bought it.

Looks like a PEX system basically, except they have the hardware for the drops that make nice connection endpoints.

Right now northern tool is $99 for that setup. Rockler $139.99

You buy additi> RonB wrote in news:26d24e5c-7a34-45fc-b88e-

Reply to
tiredofspam

---------------------------------- Avoid PVC like it was a bomb, because that is exactly what pvc pipe and compressed air create.

1/2" pipe is too small for distribution piping.

Run at least 1" pipe.

You can buy 5 ft precut and threaded pipe nipples from a plumbing supply house.

Connect nipples with a "Tee" with side pointed up toward ceiling.

Add 2, 1/2" Street ells and reducer bushing at the tee so that the outlet is now pointing down.

Add 1/2?" hose with a quick connect fitting to reach belt high for quick connect.

Incline 1" pipe about 1/2"/12" run.

Add petcock at end of 1" run to drain.

Have fun.

BTDT, don't need the T-Shirt.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I have copper but I did it before the price went *way* up. I know of a lot of places (tire shops, etc.) that have black pipe. I personally wouldn't hesitate to use schedule 80 PVC but then I never exceed 120 psi on my compressor.

Max

Reply to
Max

Worked in a plant where the air lines were PVC they went BANG about once a year. Not nice for your ears if it was near you. Non static loads of being pressurized and depressurized weakens the PVC joints.

Mark

Reply to
Markem

everyone will poo poo the pvc idea, but i've had it in my shop for decades. Sweat copper works well also. I personally wouldn't screw (no pun intended) with the black iron. It'll rust inside and be a mess in the filters and separators.

Reply to
Steve Barker

This periodically gets beat to death on rec.crafts.metalwoking. Search their archives. The general consensus is that PVC is not a good idea because of the shrapnel when a PVC line goes boom.

CP

Reply to
Pilgrim

PVC is not an appropriate material for compressed air piping. It can be subject to brittle / explosive failure.

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Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

Steve-

Just because you have used PVC for compressed air for decades and have not suffered a failure does not counter the scientific evidence that PVC is not an appropriate material for delivery of compressed air.

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fact that your PVC has not failed or caused injury is merely anecdotal.

cheers Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

Good for you, but I'd never take the chance. In industry, it is an OSHA violation. It has been proven to fail.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

And it is WHEN, not IF.

Reply to
clare

how long does it take? the shop i retired from was built in '74 or so and was still doing fine when i left in '06. (160 psi kick off pressure) Also, my own garage has had pvc air plumbing for almost the same length of time. Only 130 psi at home.

Reply to
Steve Barker

i noticed that is a governmental link. Is this the same government that has allowed 0bummer to drive us into socialism? Osha and government opinions are of no consequence to me.

Reply to
Steve Barker

yeah well, they say (now) not to use soft copper for NG lines and hookups. But that's all we had for almost a century. Also, ALL the NG lines i pulled out of my 140 year old house were galvanized. They say don't do that either. Hmmmmm.... real world, or pencil pusher???

Reply to
Steve Barker

The biggest problem is with impact damage. Something strikes the PVC which is under pressure and it fails catastrophically. Enclosing it in suitable materials to prevent impacts and contain the fragments is allowable.

They do recommend a max of 100psi when using protected or buried PVC.

scott

Reply to
Scott Lurndal

On Fri, 18 May 2012 18:12:46 -0500, Steve Barker

You really are an obnoxious snot aren't you?

Reply to
Dave

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