Air compressor lines for stationary air compressor.

[gstrom99]

I looked at the cheapo Chinese timed moisture drains as well, but I prefer domestic made if at all possible so I went with the Suburban Manufacturing timed drain from Compressors Direct. It cost more but it's also made here in America and being patriotic whenever possible, I bought the American made unit. Looks like the Chinses / Amazon unit but made here. I bet the Chinese bought one and copied it.

Is this the one you bought?

Moisture Minder Electronic Drain Valve | Tsunami

Tsunami Compressed Air Solutions Moisture Minder EDV uses a fixed strainer screen to self-clean, removing contaminants before they reach the valve orifice.

www.gosuburban.com

 

[5030]

The only sure fire way to remove moisture totally from your supply lines is to have a final removal at the point of use. Why I use Motorguard cannister filters on both my plasma cutters simply because even a tiny amount of moisture in the supply air does nasty things to any plasma cutter like destroy consumables quickly so it's expedient for me to remove ANY moisture at the point of use and the Motorguard filters also remove an solid contaminants like pipe scale before it can bet into the works. My entire system is in black iron so I always expect some internal pipe scale ti be present in the supply air. The Motorguard cannister filters have a 2 micron pass so they capture any solids and the moisture as well and the filters are easily replaceable and cheap too. You can even use a roll of TP in them, though I don't.

Don't matter if you drain your receivers or have timed drains like I have, a certain amount of moisture will always be present in the supply air simply because the compressed air is warmer than the supply piping and the piping being cooler than the supplied air will cause moisture drop out in the lines themselves.

Like fill a glass with a cold beverage and having the outside of the glass collect moisture. Same applies to compressor piping but the moisture condenses on the inside of the piping, not on the outside.

Why it's imperative to have a moisture separating filter at the point of use and why you can purchase an inline desiccant filter that attaches inline to a spray gun as well.

I'm a rattle can person but plasma cutter consumables are expensive to replace so it's a matter of economy for me to run Motorguard cannister filters on the inlets of the plasma cutters... and keep my air tools oiled as moisture will screw up the carbon vane air motors in them, if not kept lubricated.

 

[5030]

Is this the one you bought?

Moisture Minder Electronic Drain Valve | Tsunami

Tsunami Compressed Air Solutions Moisture Minder EDV uses a fixed strainer screen to self-clean, removing contaminants before they reach the valve orifice.

www.gosuburban.com

Yes, I have 2 of them actually. The Chinese ones look similar except they are Chinese...lol One thing I like about the Suburban units is the ability to blow down the units and get any receiver tank solids blown out of the air supply. Your receiver, especially if it's ren infrequently, will develop some internal rust and the Suburban units all for that. That is what the black 1/2 turn handle is for actually.

Suburban also makes a non electric version that uses the pressure differential on the compressor unloader valve to dump the moisture but it don't come with a blowdown valve so I went with the timed drain instead.

 

[ponytug]

Fo my connector hose I think I used a 3 ft piece of tractor hydraulic hose. 3,000 or 5,000 psi. Plan to get a new one like that. OK?

I think that should work. I used something very close to @WinterDeere's for the braided cover, but hydraulic hose is definitely rated for oil and pressure.

All the best, Peter

 

[WinterDeere]

Fo my connector hose I think I used a 3 ft piece of tractor hydraulic hose. 3,000 or 5,000 psi. Plan to get a new one like that. OK?

Probably fine. Only possible down-side I can see is hydraulic lines use zinc-plated steel fittings, which aren't very corrosion-resistant when subjected to the constant high-temperature moisture coming off a compressor, so they likely will rust a bit inside. But the rust is usually a minor nuisance in most applications, unlikely to cause any mechanical failure in one lifetime. Both use reinforced rubber line that's oil resistant and crimp-type fittings designed to handle vibration on the respective hose types.

I generally use hydraulic lines for hydraulics, and air lines for air, but it doesn't mean a hydrauic line won't get the job done in a pinch. If we could fast-forward 10-20 years, I'll bet my brass-fit rubber air hose holds up better to the heat and moisture, than anyone's 3000 psi steel-fitted hydraulic hose. We've all seen the way zinc-plated steel quick couplers tend to rust when placed upstream of your moisture control system, and this would be the same. But you'd probably have to live two livetimes to ever see it actually fail.

 

[sixdogs]

This is the connector hose I had from my tank to the lines. I thought it was a hyd hose but now looking at it, I don't think so. The connection on one end says maybe this was specifically for an air compressor? Anything wrong with using it again? It's in great shape.

.

 

[WinterDeere]

Probably fine. I’d personally replace the rusty iron with brass, but I’m fastidious like that. What you have there will likely hold fine for many years.

 

[sixdogs]

Probably fine. I’d personally replace the rusty iron with brass, but I’m fastidious like that. What you have there will likely hold fine for many years.

I wouldn't want anyone to think I was less than a perfectionist but there comes a time when advancing age changes your perspective on priorities.

 

[ponytug]

This is the connector hose I had from my tank to the lines. I thought it was a hyd hose but now looking at it, I don't think so. The connection on one end says maybe this was specifically for an air compressor? Anything wrong with using it again? It's in great shape.

View attachment 3285590 .View attachment 3285591

Looks like a hydraulic hose from this armchair...

I think this is really your call about fix before it breaks versus fix after it breaks. A new hydraulic hose from Baileys or Surplus center isn't that much.

If you were changing things, my only $0.02 would be to put a valve on it where it attaches to the tank, so the hose doesn't have to stay pressurized.

All the best,

Peter

 

[sixdogs]

Looks like a hydraulic hose from this armchair...

I think this is really your call about fix before it breaks versus fix after it breaks. A new hydraulic hose from Baileys or Surplus center isn't that much.

If you were changing things, my only $0.02 would be to put a valve on it where it attaches to the tank, so the hose doesn't have to stay pressurized.

All the best,

Peter

Yes, I had a valve at the tank and drained lines and tank after use. I don’t use much now and don’t want to leave with pressure or moisture in tank. I’ll look at hose and likely replace. I’m not into cheap.