plumbing 4 air ?

[firemanpat2910]

I didnt want to hijack the other air thread, but I was wondering how many of y'all have the compressor and tank mounted outside, and fittings plumbed all around the garage? I helped a buddy install his a few years ago. We used pvc pipe and it works fine, no noise to listen to. And no heat being generated in the A/C'd garage.

 

[Tig]

If I'm painting I roll the compressor outside so it can breath and be cool. Normally heat is a good thing in my garage.

 

[IXLR8]

I plan on plumbing my new garage for compressed air ports all around. Winters in Maine are too cold, snowy, icy to put the compressor outside. I was planning on using PVC rather than copper, I just might use the sch 80 for strength near the connectors.

 

[aczlan]

I plumbed my father in law's compressor into the shop the other week, I used all in 1/2" PVC, so far so good, next step will be to enclose the compressor (vented to outside of course) so that it is quieter...

a schematic is attached...


Enjoy

Aaron Z

 

[PitbullMidwest]

An employer I worked for used PVC for airlines and all was well for quite a few years. Then one day the pressure relief failed and exploded the line like a bomb, there was plastic shrapnel inbedded in the ceiling and the walls. Only by the grace of God, no one was injured because they were in the cafeteria for lunch.

After seeing that, I would never use PVC for air lines. My 2 cents worth.

 

[kevinj]

I didnt want to hijack the other air thread, but I was wondering how many of y'all have the compressor and tank mounted outside, and fittings plumbed all around the garage? I helped a buddy install his a few years ago. We used pvc pipe and it works fine, no noise to listen to. And no heat being generated in the A/C'd garage.

Most PVC is not rated for compresed air service. We use all steel or copper. I have seen some special plastic air line in food processing areas but many of those around here use stainlees in the washdown areas.

 

[firemanpat2910]

The one place we planned on putting one and forgot was on the outside corner, so as you were pulling a trailer out from the lot behind, you passed rigth by it. Now we use a 50' reel thats mounted inside and by the time you stretch across 25' of garage and 10' of apron you dont have much hose left.

 

[John47]

This is scary, PVC and copper pipes used for compressed air??? I hope you guys have a good medical plan and plenty of insurance to cover a third party if they burst and injure someone!
I intend plumbing my shop from my static compressor, I will be using 3/8 seamless black pipe rated for compressed air. I don't want to be digging fragments of PVC or copper out of my body should they rupture under 120psi.

 

[kennyd]

Use PVC for compressed air AT YOUR OWN RISK! Copper or steel pipe is the preferred method for compressed gasses.

And, it is against OSHA regulations...not that you need to conform to those in your home-but you should be aware of the risk's involved in doing so...
19880520 The Use of Polyvinyl Chloride Pipe in Above Ground Installations

This is from a major manufacturer of PVC:

Why does Charlotte Pipe recommend against air testing piping systems?CP&F does not recommend air testing because a hydrostatic test is a better test. An air test is not conclusive. Changes in ambient air temperature will cause the air pressure inside the system to vary. If the outside temperature increases, the test pressure inside the system will increase. If the outside temperature decreases, the test pressure inside the system will decrease. This air temperature variance can mask a leak or fail a system that should pass. Leaks are easier to find with a hydrostatic test. Most importantly, air testing can cause injury or death.
Cast Iron, PVC, ABS, and CPVC pipe and fittings for plumbing and industrial systems
Search for "air" at the above link..

 

[John47]

Just another point of safety, PVC deteriorates over time, it gets hard. If sunlight shines on it, it hastens the hardening process. Steer well clear of PVC for compressed air!!

 

[kennyd]

This is scary, PVC and copper pipes used for compressed air??? I hope you guys have a good medical plan and plenty of insurance to cover a third party if they burst and injure someone!
I intend plumbing my shop from my static compressor, I will be using 3/8 seamless black pipe rated for compressed air. I don't want to be digging fragments of PVC or copper out of my body should they rupture under 120psi.

Copper pipe is perfectly acceptable in compressed air systems. But I do agree on the PVC though...

 

[Bedlam]

As for the compressor outside what about condensation?

 

[frank_f15]

This is scary, PVC and copper pipes used for compressed air??? I hope you guys have a good medical plan and plenty of insurance to cover a third party if they burst and injure someone!
I intend plumbing my shop from my static compressor, I will be using 3/8 seamless black pipe rated for compressed air. I don't want to be digging fragments of PVC or copper out of my body should they rupture under 120psi.

I AGREE 100% for me it was always black pipe. I ran miles of it over the years in the factory from 4" to 1/4" .Imho pvc can rat to easy and even it the shards don't get , did you ever hear a large 100psi air break, the sound will like to blow your ears out.

 

[IXLR8]

Copper pipe is perfectly acceptable in compressed air systems. But I do agree on the PVC though...

I forgot about PVC's long term degredation.... no PVC for me. Thanks for the reminder.
Are you talking L or M rated copper pipe... or is it all good? I was under the impression one of them was thin wall and was not even rated for 60psi domestic water. It was to be used in low pressure, 15psi, hot water heating systems.

 

[patrick_g]

As for the compressor outside what about condensation?

Not sure if you refer to the condensation inside the storage tank or on the compressor and motor and controls. The compressor really should be protected from precipitation.

You will virtually always get condensation inside the tank. Running with the tank in a colder environment will cause more condensation in the tank but I look at that as a good thing as that means dryer air coming out. I have seen air lines coming out of the tank going through a heat exchanger to help cool the air which causes more precip to form. The line coming out of the exchanger has a "U" in it with a drain at the bottom.

PVC can work for years in compressed air applications or it might blow up the day you install it. A slight accident like banging the pipe wrong could be a very bad thing.

I am getting ready to install a big upright compressor and plumb my garage and both floors of the shop to it. I will definitely be using the recommended metal pipe, NOT PVC.

I was at a friends place a half mile away recently and noticed he had a new compressor and shop air plumbing, all PVC after the first couple feet so the plastic wasn't in contact with any hot metal. I asked if that didn't make hom nervous and he said, "well its rated for the pressure and it is a lot cheaper!" My comment was, "what are your eyes and other body parts worth to you and is it worth the risk?"

I had to let it go as his mind was made up and there was no way anyone was going to confuse him with facts.

You can walk across the street without looking either way and get away with it several times perhaps but does that make it a smart idea? I drive a Prius and you will never hear me coming!

Pat

 

[Kays Supply]

I worked at a factory that had 2" sch 80 PVC air lines. I came to work one day and there was a large hole in the back of the building. A 2" PVC 90 had blew off and went out the back of the metal building. Every house I have plumbed in the last 25yrs has had M copper water lines. My shop is over 20yrs old and the air lines are all M copper. My father's shop was black iron. He was constantly fighting rust in his water separator and pressure regulators.

 

[kmdigital]

A BIG problem with PVC airlines is there is often just a smidgen of oil in the air from the air compressor, and oil and plastic don't mix longterm. It doesn't cause problems for years, but eventually things let go. IMO, I never use PVC in anything under continuous pressure greater than about 60 PSI max, and then only cold water, nothing else. I've seen too many problems longterm.

 

[RPK]

Type M copper is used for hydronic heat piping. It is designed for lower pressure and has red labeling on it. Type L is used for domestic water piping and is thicker. It will withstand a higher pressure and has blue labeling on it.

I have only seen black iron pipe for air lines. Either threaded or welded.

RPK

 

[kennyd]

I forgot about PVC's long term degredation.... no PVC for me. Thanks for the reminder.
Are you talking L or M rated copper pipe... or is it all good? I was under the impression one of them was thin wall and was not even rated for 60psi domestic water. It was to be used in low pressure, 15psi, hot water heating systems.

Sorry, I should have clarified that...

Type L or K is good for compressed air, NOT type M.

 

[IXLR8]

I found a web site, copper.org, that has charts showing the rated internal working pressures of K, L, M, DWV copper tubing. Diameter of tubing mattered, larger diameter had lower working pressure. The 1" M tubing was rated at 337psi and the 1" L tubing was rated at 494 psi. Sounds like either would work, unless I am mis-understanding the charts. Although what you use to join the tubing matters. According to the charts there, if one used 50-50 solder the working pressure is only 200 psi for 1", or less, tubing. If 95-5 solder is used, the pressure rating for that fitting is 1090 psi. All these numbers are based on a working temperature of 100dF or less. Ratings drop off as the temperature goes up. I know I won't be using the 50-50 solder to make the joints for compressed air lines that might be running 175lbs.