Air line materials?

[Spiffy]

Thanks TC35! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I guess I have seen those thickness codes before, but never really made "notice" of them. I'm betting my preferance for any of my copper projects [which really isn't that often] fits the Type L.

 

[Spiffy]

Hi Woodlot! Sounds like you have a good plan.

Unless you do a lot of lead free soldering, I'd really recommend the good 'ol leaded stuff for sweating anything non-drinking water related [and you could start a real battle over whether that even matters {some claim joints have so little flow contact, and oxidize so quickly, it's a miniscule issue; not sure, but for water I opt safe over sorry}]. Anyway, leaded is so much easier to get a void free joint, IMHO.

Actually, on the compressor I "built" last Fall [Eaton 20 CFM 2 stage on the FIL's heavy duty 60gallon tank] I used a combination of compression and flange fittings for the tank inlet and head unloaders. It holds pretty good pressure, even between weekends. <font color="red"> edit: this was soft copper; solder for the rigid stuff </font>

I prefer compression for simpicity, but a couple existing fittings were flange.

For water knockout, I still used several feet of black vertically {and a couple galvanized fittings} from the tank exit [air exit on top, like a fractional still!]. Then a FRL [minus the "L"] and a tee with a typical quick connect and an industrial one for the 50' X 1/2" hose; finally a collescing filter at the end of it. For painting I attach a light 20ft hose and use desicant right before the gun. On the blaster, I use another "J" loop of steel and another FR{L}. 140psi unloader kickout [I installed a toggle for "continuous" into the the starter box; Eaton doesn't recomend this], 120psi electric when toggled to "Auto".

Good Luck, but I don't think you'll need it! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[FL_Cracker]

My entire shop is done in threaded black iron pipe and the system is now 25 years old and trouble free.....

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Pilot]

Woodlot, here is why PVC is a poor idea: PVC is made to move water. Water does not compress or expand, air does. If pvc cracks with water in it, you get a seep or a gusher, but all you get is water. If it has air in it, a break results in rapidly expanding air throwing schrapnel-like pieces all over the room.

Regarding water separation, it depends on where you live; i.e. the humidity you have to deal with. My system in the Pacific Northwest, is similar to Sharpe's diagram, http://www.sharpe1.com/dr-pipe.htm and I used copper pipe with max pressures of 135 psi. I have a vertical line on the wall with a valve at the bottom. I run the line up the wall, then along the wall for 30 ft. on an uphill slope so water drains back to the compressor. Then my line goes down vertically to my pressure regulator and a water separator. However, I have never gotten any water from my separator. My first drain valve gives me some water, the second valve sometimes gives me a little fog.

If I were in Florida with warm temps and lots of humidity, I would probably be getting lots of water out of the separator. Here, most of our high humidity days are cool days which really don't have much water. East of the Missippi will be more like Florida if it's summer, probably more like the great northwest when the weather is cool.