Routing Compressed Air through Shop

em14 · Sep 2, 2008

Here is a very good company to deal with ... they have a web site and are very helpful and nice folks: Modular Metal Piping Kits - TP Tools & Equipment ... now having said that I choose to use Garage-Pak in my Florida shop ... it is amazingly quick and easy to install ... and it is nice!
Leo

streamin · Sep 2, 2008

I have been in the body shop business for 22 yrs and have seen 2 times a PVC pipe burst, not real common but dangerous when it does.I also had a pvc water trap burst too. The steel lines also help condense the water better to drain from the traps.
The others are correct, always go up and then down at the point of your final outlet.You should have at least 50' from your compressor before your 1st outlet, this allows time for the water to separate.

mopacman · Sep 2, 2008

Has anyone used PEC water tubing? I am thinking of using it to run air to an out building...Larry

QRTRHRS · Sep 2, 2008

You folks using copper, did you go with compression fittings or soldered? I suggested black iron over copper only for the price. I may be out of touch but is copper not more expensive?

I worked in semiconductor manufacturing for 20 years and we had miles of copper air and vacuum lines but always with compression fittings. I was not a millright so I never really got into the why's about it.

BigE_ · Sep 2, 2008

mopacman said:
Has anyone used PEC water tubing? I am thinking of using it to run air to an out building...Larry

We use PEC at work for all of our air lines, although it is air rated, not water rated. Probably a higher burst, dunno. You can buy it at Home Depot (according to our tech who picked some up). Rumor has it that it runs about $1 per foot, so not cheap by any means.

I do know that we had to replace all of the original because it wasn't UV safe and the fluorescent lights made it brittle. That was an expensive mistake!

mjncad · Sep 3, 2008

QRTRHRS said:
You folks using copper, did you go with compression fittings or soldered? I suggested black iron over copper only for the price. I may be out of touch but is copper not more expensive?

I use soldered fittings as they are easy to come by and make for a leak proof connection.

kennyd · Sep 3, 2008

QRTRHRS said:
You folks using copper, did you go with compression fittings or soldered? I suggested black iron over copper only for the price. I may be out of touch but is copper not more expensive?quote]

Soldered for me...
Copper is definitely more expensive than black iron pipe. But if if factor in the convenience or working with it, not having to thread the pipe, and then 99% less chance of leaks the cost far outweighs the price in my book.

tommu56 · Sep 3, 2008

schmism said:
there is plenty of debate already on the board about material.

Ive used PVC for years in my and my dads shop. no issues.

cheep and easy to work with. I transition to black pipe for the last few feet to deal with hose stress.

look into putting a homemade cooler/water separator between the compressor head and the tank.

I woulden't suggest pvc i tried it once schedule 80 and it broke to peices and embeded in the drywall (I'm glad no one was around)
Black iron is the best with drip leg on every drop ie put a tee on end of drop valve on bottom and QD on side and bleed down before use.

tommu