Black pipe or galvanized for shop air lines?

[KennyG]

Can somebody please explain about the tee pointing up. I think I will have my line overhead and pointing tees up seems awkward to plumb.

If your line is overhead and the lines come straight down, any moisture will drain to your service connection. If you are running flush to the ceiling, put a drip leg in your takeoffs with a drain valve.

 

[PACountryGuy]

Got it. Just a drop with a drip leg. I understand now. Thanks.

 

[5030]

In our commercial shop that I ran in 1.5" black threaded with 1" drops, I didn't come off with an inverted tee and elbows to attain a vertical down, I just added a WOG valve below each drop termination (with a 12" drip leg) to drain off moisture. Cheaper than all the fittings. Works fine.

 

[Snoopy250]

Over 30 years ago we installed over 200 feet of 3/4" pvc for airlines surface mounted in our shop. Have had various breaks caused by items falling against it. Had one employee hang about 100 pounds of tools and parts from hooks he made to fit over the pvc. No flying pieces anywhere, the worst required a 4 inch repair to repressurize to 175#. Shop was sold 10 years ago, current owner is still using same pvc for air. In use 24/7 since 1977, currently on at least 3rd compressor.

 

[JKR]

Water and debris destroy tools. That is why, if you are serious, you need to invest in a drier.

Clean, dry air= happy tools, and quality paint jobs.

And, yes it is possible.

I agree 100%

 

[drizler]

Over 30 years ago we installed over 200 feet of 3/4" pvc for airlines surface mounted in our shop. Have had various breaks caused by items falling against it. Had one employee hang about 100 pounds of tools and parts from hooks he made to fit over the pvc. No flying pieces anywhere, the worst required a 4 inch repair to repressurize to 175#. Shop was sold 10 years ago, current owner is still using same pvc for air. In use 24/7 since 1977, currently on at least 3rd compressor.

If I ever make one again I will definitely use the PVC or PEX and not metal. Mine is all 3/4 copper with a 6' rise from the tank and 2 drain drops. They get a lot of the water yet plenty still makes it to the tools if I work it hard. My next trick is going to be making a drier that I can mount on the tank. Until then I just give the couple good air tools I have another shot or oil and a trigger pull before I put them away. For some reason my crappy HF tools just keep ticking away in the same half assed fashion they did when new no matter how bad I treat them. It certainly doesn't look very difficult to fab up a condenser and an automatic fan to dump that moisture into another vessel rather than just dumping it into the tank to condense.

 

[LD1]

You will be following BAD advise to use PVC.

Sure, many have and have not had any issues.

But there are FAR better alternatives that arent really any more expensive than PVC these days

 

[Dr Dave]

You will be following BAD advise to use PVC.

Sure, many have and have not had any issues.

But there are FAR better alternatives that arent really any more expensive than PVC these days

If you use pvc, use SCH80 pipe and fittings. It's not cheap.
A better system is nylon air line, this is what it was designed for. Like the Northern Tools kit as mentioned previously. This kit uses the fittings and line, that's used in truck air brakes. It will expand and contract some in length with extreme temp changes. So alow for this when installing.

Dave

 

[franklin2]

DO NOT use PVC for compressed air. There is a reason you can't legally use it in commercial applications were it's exposed. I know the reasons are lost in this very long thread, but it looks like we need to repeat it. Use anything you want EXCEPT PVC pipe.

 

[dfkrug]

DO NOT use PVC for compressed air.

PVC pipe has always been officially not advised for air lines. I even had to convince my
building dept to allow me to do a pressure test on my 4-in PVC water main using
air, rather than water.

Now that said, not all PVC is the same. PVC hoses, unlike PVC pipe, are fiber-reinforced and
designed for use with compressed air. I love my PVC hoses: cheap, flexible, easy to install,
no corrosion issues, almost no fittings.

 

[dfkrug]

DO NOT use PVC for compressed air.

PVC pipe has always been officially not advised for air lines. I even had to convince my
building dept to allow me to do a pressure test on my 4-in PVC water main using
air, rather than water.

Now that said, not all PVC is the same. PVC hoses, unlike PVC pipe, are fiber-reinforced and
designed for use with compressed air. I love my PVC hoses: cheap, flexible, easy to install,
no corrosion issues, almost no fittings.

 

[Billrog]

I have black iron as well as pvc air lines. 1/2" sch 40 pvc is rated for 650 lbs. if installed properly but iron is much easier to anchor so you don't break something if you pull on the air line to your tool. I think the simplest method may just be buying kits they sell for airlines & they have quick and easy connections.

 

[LD1]

PVC pipe has always been officially not advised for air lines. I even had to convince my
building dept to allow me to do a pressure test on my 4-in PVC water main using
air, rather than water.

Now that said, not all PVC is the same. PVC hoses, unlike PVC pipe, are fiber-reinforced and
designed for use with compressed air. I love my PVC hoses: cheap, flexible, easy to install,
no corrosion issues, almost no fittings.

I hate PVC air hose. Rubber i like much better

 

[ray66v]

I hate PVC air hose. Rubber i like much better

Amen.

PVC air hose won't lay flat on the floor, and is a nightmare in cold weather.

I gladly pay the price for a good rubber hose.

 

[dfkrug]

PVC air hose won't lay flat on the floor, and is a nightmare in cold weather.

I gladly pay the price for a good rubber hose.

Actually, as pointed out earlier in the thread, I was using PVC air hose instead of PVC
pipe, galv steel pipe, black steel pipe, copper pipe, or other rigid pipe. That
substitution does not require that it lies flat on the floor, as it is clamped to the walls,
rafters, etc, just like pipe.

I use black rubber hose in my hose reel and extensions.

 

[dfkrug]

PVC air hose won't lay flat on the floor, and is a nightmare in cold weather.

I gladly pay the price for a good rubber hose.

Actually, as pointed out earlier in the thread, I was using PVC air hose instead of PVC
pipe, galv steel pipe, black steel pipe, copper pipe, or other rigid pipe. That
substitution does not require that it lies flat on the floor, as it is clamped to the walls,
rafters, etc, just like pipe.

I use black rubber hose in my hose reel and extensions.

 

[ray66v]

Actually, as pointed out earlier in the thread, I was using PVC air hose instead of PVC
pipe, galv steel pipe, black steel pipe, copper pipe, or other rigid pipe. That
substitution does not require that it lies flat on the floor, as it is clamped to the walls,
rafters, etc, just like pipe.

I use black rubber hose in my hose reel and extensions.

Sorry, I did not see your earlier post.

As I always say, you can't be too specific on TBN :thumbsup:

 

[dragoneggs]

Sorry, I did not see your earlier post.

As I always say, you can't be too specific on TBN :thumbsup:

Being concise in your writing is a skill and something I strive to do. No worries if you don't care how others may interpret your comments.

 

[murphy1244]

Being concise in your writing is a skill and something I strive to do. No worries if you don't care how others may interpret your comments.

Hope you get better soon.

 

[FTG-05]

Actually, as pointed out earlier in the thread, I was using PVC air hose instead of PVC
pipe, galv steel pipe, black steel pipe, copper pipe, or other rigid pipe. That
substitution does not require that it lies flat on the floor, as it is clamped to the walls,
rafters, etc, just like pipe.

I use black rubber hose in my hose reel and extensions.

And that's about the only good use for PVC hose as far as I'm concerned! Useless crap other wise at any temperature below 70. Gawd I hate that hose!

Having said that, it's what I'll probably use for my shop air lines since I have so much of it and it will be easier to install at the heights that I have to install it at.

Thanks,