Black pipe or galvanized for shop air lines?

[franklin2]

You can run PVC with water lines, if it breaks you will get sprayed but that's about it. Using it with compressed air(or any gas) is different, when it breaks it's like a big spring behind it and throws shrapnel all over the place. You could use it if there is some sort of shield around it, but why go to all that trouble.

I have worked in factories for years and we always use black pipe. You will always get some water in the piping, and yes that will create rust. But there are ways to minimize it.

1. Your trunk line piping should be slanted toward the compressor. Ours fell toward the storage tank, but I am assuming your setup will have the tank and the compressor built together. Any water in the lines should run back to the tank where it can be emptied out on a regular basis. Low spots in the piping are where you get water puddling in the pipe, and that causes problems.

2. When you tap off the trunk line, you should point the tee up. I know it will be more work and more fittings, but that keeps the water in the trunk line migrating back to the tank instead of your drop. Come off the top, and using fittings to work it around the trunk line and down to the work area.

3. Like was mentioned, at the bottom of the drop don't use a elbow, use a tee with a valve pointing down where you can drain the drop if you need to.

Do all the above and use a filter with a sediment bowl, and you should not have any problems.

 

[BHD]

I used gallivanted, mostly because of the ease to getting it,


I basically followed the guide posted below, and have very little water in the lines. the traps do work, and sloping he lines help a lot,

 

[Deere Dude]

CPVC is the cheapest route and I have it in my house. If it wasn't so hard to change it I would pull every stinkin' bit of it out and put in copper or PEX. It is brittle and a bump can break it. I dropped a bottle of shampoo and it hit the tub faucet and it snapped it off. To finish showering I had to get on my hands and knees. I was replacing a valve in my kitchen, held back when loosening, but it still snapped. There is another one broke. If you bump an air line with compressed air it could be nasty.
In the factory I worked at as a pipe-fitter, all air was in black pipe. In a system without an air dryer I would go with copper because of an internal rust possibility, it is durable and it looks nice and it's easy to install. I installed 3/4" copper with 1/2" drops in my unheated pole building in Wisconsin and worked fine.
I used it for 5 years then decided it is just as easy to hook a air hose to my compressor and run from that.

 

[EddieWalker]

I put a T on my compressor and have two hundred foot hoses for outside and one fifty foot hose for inside my shop. I roll up the hoses and keep them and garden hose metal holders attached to the wall. I got to thinking about running lines and can't justify the expense or time when it doesn't accomplish anything other then giving me another location for the hose to connect to. The hose will still be running across the floor of my shop and it doesn't matter where it's attached to.

Eddie

 

[kennyd]

Copper for me in my shop and basement.

PVC or CPVC is just plain dangerous.

Here is just one documented accident: https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

 

[kennyd]

Copper for me in my basement shop and garage.

PVC or CPVC is just plain dangerous.

Here is just one documented accident: https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

 

[Gary Fowler]

I put a T on my compressor and have two hundred foot hoses for outside and one fifty foot hose for inside my shop. I roll up the hoses and keep them and garden hose metal holders attached to the wall. I got to thinking about running lines and can't justify the expense or time when it doesn't accomplish anything other then giving me another location for the hose to connect to. The hose will still be running across the floor of my shop and it doesn't matter where it's attached to.

Eddie

I agree totally with Eddie. I thought about plumbing my shop after reading several post on TBN but then thought that you still need hoses at each drop so it is a waist of time. I can also move my compressor if need be to anywhere in the shop or even outside to minimize the amount of hoses needed. I have a 3 sections of 50 feet each and can get about anywhere I need to go with hoses and with the hose rack I built on the compressor, it stays neat and out of the way all the time. It only takes a minute to roll it back up when finished. Unless you have a huge shop with multiple users at the same time, piping in a compressor is a total waste of money.

 

[jejeosborne]

In today's world, I would look into PEX as well. It is flexible unlike pvc making installation quick with fewer fitting to possibly leak. When I built my home I used Kitec which has a layer of aluminum sandwiched between the plastic that when bent, it stays. Copper is so expensive and inferior for water lines today.

 

[FredH]

In line with Eddie and Gary , I should note that although I used Black Steel , It was to simply go from Compressor to regulator , ( maybe 18" total length ) . From there , It tee's With a 3/4" quick coupler for my big hose on one end . Then on other end it connects to a rubber 1/2" that goes up the wall to my 100' hose reel . 100' of 1/2" rubber hose on reel plus another 50' of extra coiled up hose hanging on wall if needed .

I found for my uses that utilizing the hose reel was the easiest and cleanest option and the most versatile for both inside or outside situations .

Fred H.

 

[nybirdman]

I worked as a industrial/construction pipefitter for 42 years.Always used black iron for air.Copper is too expensive and plastic is for amateurs.