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New compressor, planning air lines now

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 46binder, Apr 30, 2012.

  1. mrconcdid
    Joined: Aug 31, 2010
    Posts: 1,156

    mrconcdid
    Member
    from Florida

    Which every pipe you use , be sure to use a flex line from the tank to your hard line

    Godspeed
    MrC.
     
  2. Wild Turkey
    Joined: Oct 17, 2005
    Posts: 903

    Wild Turkey
    Member

    For 18 feet I'd just get a longer hose.

    If moisture is more of a problem than a normal filter will pull out then I'd set up a small second tank (carry tank?) with a fan on it to cool it off.

    I'm going to use the AC radiator from a pickup to cool the air as it comes out of the compressor before it goes into the tank.

    I'm in a humid area so I'll set up water traps at the tank and at the tool end.
     
  3. Pops1532
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 544

    Pops1532
    Member
    from Illinois

    That's some good info. What type of solder should be used for copper air lines? Some of the copper air lines I've seen were silver soldered. Is that over kill?
     
  4. swissmike
    Joined: Oct 22, 2003
    Posts: 1,297

    swissmike
    Member

    Hope you have better luck with the IR T30 compressor than I did in my machine shop at work. The first pump crapped out just after the warranty had run out due to corroded main bearings. This thing was serviced on a regular basis. Replaced the pump and was told to install a crankcase heater to deal with the moisture. The same problem developed again after some time. Hope you have better luck with yours. Keep your receipts for the start up kit to get the max warranty.
     
  5. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    I wouldnt say silver solder is over kill at all but it is alot more costly. But if you paint alot and want to have less of a chance of contamination (flux) its not a bad idea. Purging nitrogen as you go will keep the scale of the insides as well. I would use a silver/ nickel type brazing solder (BRIDGET) is the brand I like the most. It is very common in plumbing supply houses. It is considered a soft solder and needs to be used with flux. you can use propane or mapp to heat it.
     
  6. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    Was your unit installed in an area that has alot of moisture in the atmosphere? The problem is even 100% duty cycle recips have issues getting condensation to burn off because they dont get hot enough in the crankcase. Outdoor units not covered that may see rain or even dripping rain gutters can draw extra moisture into the crankase causing problems. Especially splash lubed pumps (not likely to be 100%duty cycle) I would recommend a location change if possible unless there is no way around it and then maybe a crankase heater, but it will have to maintain somewhere in the ballpark of 140 degrees to even burn off the moisture causing the problems.
     
  7. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Not sure where I got this from
     

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  8. Truckedup
    Joined: Jul 25, 2006
    Posts: 4,661

    Truckedup
    Member

    PEX joints are not glued.A brass sleeve or elbow and compression bands are used at all joints.I'm not saying PEX is better than copper but if you're argument against it is based on glued joints ,it ain't so.
     
  9. swissmike
    Joined: Oct 22, 2003
    Posts: 1,297

    swissmike
    Member

    After all we're in Florida! The compressor was in the not airconditioned part of the steel building that the shop was located at. We are now in a new facility and have a professional screw type compressor with a dryer and filter (medical equipment manufactruing facility).

    We use Transair epoxy coated aluminum tubing for the air system that are connected by push-to connectors and fittings. No soldering, gluing, threading necessary. Very neat!

    http://www.transairaluminumpipe.com/?gclid=CNrxvsOo368CFQODnQodDw05Cg
     
  10. bohica2xo
    Joined: Mar 6, 2012
    Posts: 153

    bohica2xo
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    Plastic can and does fail explosively. I have seen it in person, and the shards could have been lethal. 30hp screw compressor, big shop. I asked about the lines the day I was hired, and got the same old "been there for years, just fine" answer.
    One morning at 0600 I walked in the back door, stabbed the compressor start switch & walked the length of the building to make coffee in the office. A minute later I though a grenade had gone off in the shop. A PVC line had shattered mid-span. Not a fitting, just a 4 foot length of pipe missing. Lucky it was in the area that went over the pallet racks, and nobody was in the shop yet.

    Pieces of that pipe had sliced through gaylords, and were stuck in oak pallets. if you had been within six feet of that you would have needed stitches. It takes an effort with a good utility knife to slice open a gaylord.

    A look at the pipe showed discoloration on the inside of the pipe, penetrating about .020 into the surface. Pieces of that pipe still felt "flexible". Our engineering department believed at the time it was the synthetic compressor oil from the screw compressor that was carried past the oil seperator as vapor that had discolored the pipe.

    There is a lot of stored energy in compressed air or gasses. It is not the same as a hydraulic system.

    PVC pipe is not allowed in a commercial operation. OSHA says no, and they have anecdotal evidence to back up that finding, have a read:

    http://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

    Copper is the way to go. Vertical drops with a drain near the floor on each drop. That gives you a good 3 feet below the coupler for crud to build up in. Drain the drops once a month, or more often if you have a lot of moisture.

    B.
     
  11. Bearing Burner
    Joined: Mar 2, 2009
    Posts: 1,107

    Bearing Burner
    Member
    from W. MA

    If you use plastic,CPVC is better but nomater which you use,use ONLY Sch 80.
     
  12. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    This is what I am talking about!!! All of this is absolutely true!!!! Thank you for posting!!
     
  13. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    I have installed alot of this piping and would choose copper over it any day:cool:
     
  14. Be sure to label the lines "compressed air". I would go with copper and the biggest I can afford.
     
  15. swissmike
    Joined: Oct 22, 2003
    Posts: 1,297

    swissmike
    Member

    What's not to like? It's been totally reliable and maintenance free for 7 years now and should beat copper from a cost and installation standpoint any day. Just curious to hear an expert opinion.
     
  16. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    pm sent:d
     
  17. oldwood
    Joined: Mar 13, 2010
    Posts: 1,056

    oldwood
    Member
    from arkansas

    Quincy air copmressor company sells a aluminum pipe it guarantees for 10yrs. They sell it with their compressors. I don't know how to insert info off of their sites. But that is the info when I almost bought a "Quincy". I went with a Saylor Beall.
     

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  18. That's outstanding, a 10 year warranty!
    Over 40 years ago I added a couple hundred feet of additional black pipe to an at the time 25+ year old black pipe system at my old job and plumbed my current home garage with black pipe 25 years ago, both systems still going strong with no problems.
     
  19. bohica2xo
    Joined: Mar 6, 2012
    Posts: 153

    bohica2xo
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    Meddler:

    It was not even very satisfying saying "I told you so". I was just glad it let go when & where it did. To the owner's credit, he called in the local fire sprinkler company & had it replaced with steel & Victaulic couplings. Since it was a 2" line that was what they thought was best.

    The other thing to watch out for are big air hoses. There is a reason that they make pressure relieving couplers and the like.

    About 10 years after the exploding PVC pipe, I was working for a big electrical contractor. They had 4 towable compressors in the 130 CFM range. A stack of hoses was sitting on a pallet waiting to go to a job site. I looked and saw that there were no safety pins for the jaw couplings. Raised a stink, and made sure the jobsite got safety pins & instructions.

    2 weeks later a VP is standing in front of me trying to ask an intelligent question about "hose pins" while obviously sweating bullets. I explained how they were to be used, showed him the letter that went to the jobsite manager with the pins, etc. He looked very constipated...

    Seems that they had to move the compressor on a jobsite because someone complained about the noise - hence the need for an additional 250 feet of 1" ID air hose. Now the hose was laid across a paved area. A professor (probably the guy that complained) managed to lock his front wheels as he crossed the hose (no doubt trying to destroy the hose) and the hose rolled & twisted.

    The un-pinned jaw coupling came apart. The two pound cast iron coupling was flailing around on the end of a 150 psi air line. It took out the windshield, the door glass, a fender, the door, and the hood. On a 450 SEL Mercedes. lucky it was the passenger side, with no injuries.

    The VP had a memo complaining about me, holding up a tool delivery for "some useless pins".

    B,
     
  20. MEDDLER1
    Joined: Jun 1, 2006
    Posts: 1,590

    MEDDLER1
    Member

    WOW that is crazy!:eek::eek: I have been lucky with those hoses VERY lucky there has been times where I have had to do the same thing just to get a customer running and then go get the pins for the dixon fittings. I always worry that it will happen. There is a dealer ship I service that I have no choice but to run 200 feet of hose across the shop to do maintenance on his machine, I always have him sign paperwork first stating if a hose should come apart I am not liable. Hopefully he soon will allow me to run a hard line out to the bay door to avoid this. Good to hear no body got hurt!!
     

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