Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
And it’s very reasonably priced. Does the 1/2inch line provide enough air to run your air tools? The outlet on my new 60 gallon compressor is 1/2inch as well.
Show me your air line setup
- Thread starter Evan Dutch
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darndart
Well-Known Member
Straightening the hose is a task, but not that bad. Very simple and straightforward kit.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
Sweet, thanks!
6PakBee
Well-Known Member
I went with 3/4" sweat copper with drops every 10'. I have a header on one wall and then a crossover to another header on the other wall.
I am work right now so no pics. If water is problem before you drop go up 2 or 3 inch & then drop water can't go up hill. I am using 1/2 galvanize it makes going up before down easier & cleaner.
jbc426
Well-Known Member
Air gets hot when it is compressed and picks up moisture in the form of vapor. When it cools, the moisture it's carrying drops out of the vapor state and condenses on anything cooler than it is. Consequently, there is no point in having a dedicated water trap anywhere near the outlet of the compressor as the water vapor essentially passes freely through it.
I found an old post online regarding the use of metal pipe that zig-zags up the wall, peaks at it;s highest point near the 25 foot mark and has at least two downward pointing legs, one at the compressor outlet and one at the end source at least 50 feet down stream of the compressor side of the pipe.
The metal pipe cools the warm compressed air and the water condenses inside it, runs down from the peak and drops into the down pointing legs at each end where a ball valve can be turned to drain the water.
On the cool end of the pipes, another branch travels vertically up to a water trap just in case, and then out to the distribution set up you add.
I have never seen one drop of water in my water trap as 80+ percent of the water drains back towards the compressor=side down pipe and a few remaining drops drain down towards the cool end of the system.
I used 1/2" galvanized pipe. Copper can work harden and crack relatively easily, even when firmly mounted. Black gas pipe has no corrosion protection. I also use a flexible line to connect the compressor to my cooling pipe.
What I don't have a picture of here is the pipe slowly zig-zagging up the wal to a single high point, where the moisture can drain back down hill to my two ball valves to be drained. It's amazingly effective at drying the air, inexpensive and easy to implement. My water trap has never had a single drop of water in it, but I used one anyway just because.
I found an old post online regarding the use of metal pipe that zig-zags up the wall, peaks at it;s highest point near the 25 foot mark and has at least two downward pointing legs, one at the compressor outlet and one at the end source at least 50 feet down stream of the compressor side of the pipe.
The metal pipe cools the warm compressed air and the water condenses inside it, runs down from the peak and drops into the down pointing legs at each end where a ball valve can be turned to drain the water.
On the cool end of the pipes, another branch travels vertically up to a water trap just in case, and then out to the distribution set up you add.
I have never seen one drop of water in my water trap as 80+ percent of the water drains back towards the compressor=side down pipe and a few remaining drops drain down towards the cool end of the system.
I used 1/2" galvanized pipe. Copper can work harden and crack relatively easily, even when firmly mounted. Black gas pipe has no corrosion protection. I also use a flexible line to connect the compressor to my cooling pipe.
What I don't have a picture of here is the pipe slowly zig-zagging up the wal to a single high point, where the moisture can drain back down hill to my two ball valves to be drained. It's amazingly effective at drying the air, inexpensive and easy to implement. My water trap has never had a single drop of water in it, but I used one anyway just because.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
I commonly see the regulator, filter, and water separator built into one unit. And they’re usually mounted very close to the compressor. I guess that would make the water separator part of it very ineffective
6PakBee
Well-Known Member
I just have two comments based on 41 years of working in utility power plants. Copper piping is the material of choice for instrument air systems. Corrosion resistance is the primary reason. I worked in plants that were 40 years old at the time that still had the original copper instrument air systems in place. Galvanized was prohibited for instrument air. What happens is that over time the galvanizing would start disintegrating on the pipe interior. The debris would start plugging the instrumentation that the instrument air system fed. Just my view on this.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
Any insight on the plastic coated aluminum used in the rapidair systems as far as reliability? Copper is probably the most commercially used, but it is quite a bit more expensive than the rapidair system. And for my home shop, I don’t think it’ll see the same stress as a commercial shop
6PakBee
Well-Known Member
Can't comment on the Rapidair system as I have no personal experience. I know it is quite popular around here. I'd have to count but in our car club I know at least three members have the Rapidair system in their shops and I've heard no complaints about it.
Sure it has the same stress as a commercial setup. Pressure is pressure. And that's what these lines hold.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
Ordered my compressor, as well as the 100ft 1/2in rapidair master kit. I’ll have to find a couple air hose reels to mount on the ceiling.
589charger
Well-Known Member
Rapid Air is definitely the way to go.! I have some leftover fittings I could save you some money, if you go that way?
589charger
Well-Known Member
Checkout the Flexzilla. I have 4 of these with the Rapid Air in my shop.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
I ordered the rapid air kit, came in about a week ago. I’m still waiting on my compressor, taking longer than I thought I arrive.
gzig5
Well-Known Member
Not quite true. Static pressure is one thing but dynamic pressure fatigue is what causes pipes and tanks to fail. Small changes in pressure every time a tool is turned on or off cause hoop stress in the pipes and tanks. Eventually this stress accumulates and can cause the material to become brittle and fail. It isn't easy to calculate but the magnitude of the pressure drop and cycle count contribute to it. A commercial shop system is going to see a significantly higher cycle count than a home shop.
For an example, water heater tanks generally see accelerated reliability tested on each lot by filling with water and then hooked to an air source which is cycled on and off, generating a 3-5 psi pressure blip every few seconds. This simulates turning the faucet on/off or flushing the toilet for each cycle. They need to exceed 100k cycles to pass. A poor weld or end seem will often fail within a couple thousand cycles.
589charger
Well-Known Member
I know the Rapid Air was installed on A Marine Corps base mechanic shop. It doesn’t get much more Commercial than that.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
Air compressor came in yesterday. Went today and picked it up, wasn’t taking any chances since these things are top heavy. Secured down tight with plenty of straps.
Now to get it off the truck
Now to get it off the truck
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
Got it off the truck, using my engine hoist and a few straps. A little sketchy but it worked
charger426
Well-Known Member
Engine hoist and some straps is what i used for my 10hp 80gal. Like you said a bit sketchy but it works. For air line I used 3/4" rapid air with 4 drops. One thing that i would recommend is to make a loop system not a dead head one. Rapid air has some articles about how a looped (one that goes in a cycle) helps with flow and adds capacity to your air system. For me it was only another 50' or so to make everything connect so I figured why not.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
I’ll have to look into that. My shop isn’t very large but I’ll probably have to order more airline if I decide to go that route.
Captainkirk
Old School Mopar Warrior
Why?
I plumbed my garage with 3/4" PVC nearly 20 years ago and it works fine. Did two drops on each wall plus to overhead drops on either side of my Handy Lift at a cost of only a few bucks. The only pricey part was the QD couplings.
All of the Bailey Controls panel boards with instrument air were copper at the Power plant that I operated at as well.
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
I’ve been told that PVC pressure ratings are for fluid rather than gases. Also when struck, PVC pipe can burst. Creating shrapnel propelled by the air pressure
Evan Dutch
Well-Known Member
I would’ve liked to have made more progress by now but I’ve only got a couple hours on the weekends to work on my projects.
plumbed and mounted my filter/regulator today.
I ordered the rapid air 1/2 inch max kit a couple weeks ago. I’ve got the kit now, trying to make the time to finish the install.
plumbed and mounted my filter/regulator today.
I ordered the rapid air 1/2 inch max kit a couple weeks ago. I’ve got the kit now, trying to make the time to finish the install.
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