It's harder than it looks

[kubotabilly]

I've used 1/2" copper for my air lines in my wood shop for over 15 years and for over 10 years in my tractor shed with no problems whatsoever. I'm running 130 psi in both buildings.

Bill

 

[grizer]

I am a very good arc welder, I can lay three or four beads on top of one another and line up all the pinholes.

 

[john_bud]

And I thought that was my talent (only).

jb

 

[gemini5362]

John I am curious about the problem with the PVC pipe blowing up on you. Did you by any chance have it out in the open where the sunlight could get to it. I have been told that ozone will attack pvc pipe and cause it to break down. I know that If I leave a piece of it out after a while it gets very brittle.
















c

 

[john_bud]

No, it was on an inside wall. I suspect that the combination of age and cold coupled with the rapid expansion caused by going from 0 to 125 psi. It was good, but to save $$ I have been turning off the heat entirely and the accessories like air comp and exterior motion lights. The shop was down around 0F and the air was at 0 psi when I went in that day.

Oh well, even good temporary solutions only last so long....

jb

 

[Donman]

What schedule PVC pipe was it that blew? I've seen schedule 80 PVC used for air lines that looked pretty safe to me.

 

[schmism]

you cant use PVC in industrial/comerical applications because it is not impact resistant. (you only have to sneeze at it in a forklift and boom)

My dad and i have both used 1/2" PVC in our shops for 10+ years. The only issue ive had is snapping nipples off the ends. I have sence wized up and transitioned to black pipe about a foot before the QA couplers.

 

[turbo36]

John I am curious about the problem with the PVC pipe blowing up on you. Did you by any chance have it out in the open where the sunlight could get to it. I have been told that ozone will attack pvc pipe and cause it to break down. I know that If I leave a piece of it out after a while it gets very brittle. c

Certain oils or coolants will cause the PVC to become em-brittled and weak. We ran some temporary lines in our tool room once while we were changing machinery layouts and they seemed to work so we left them up but after a couple of years they were blowing apart like the 4th of July so we changed them out to black pipe.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

OSHA's position on PVC and Compressed Air (You can take it or leave it, but note the 2nd sentence)

It is our position that PVC pipe shall not be used as a means of transporting compressed air. This position follows the manufacturer's own statements that PVC is unsuitable for compressed air systems. We do allow the use of certain ABS materials that are specifically designed for compressed air systems.

Reference: 19880520 The Use of Polyvinyl Chloride Pipe in Above Ground Installations.

 

[WayneB]

I have copper pipe in my woodshop and it has been there for about 5 years with no problems. I am running 3/4" copper stepped down to 1/2" and pressure is set at 100 PSI.

I once had PVC pipe in a portion of the water run for the chicken barn and the heater cable was turned off. Pipe froze and burst. Really a mess with particulate all over the place, no dead chickens though. I suspect that the pipes being at 0 degrees just couldn't take the cold.

 

[gemini5362]

I want to thank all the posters in this thread. I built a new garage and then as soon as it was weathered in I had to pull off and start working on things that make money. I had planned on using PVC to pipe compressed air around the garage. Now I know that is not a wise Idea. I will go to something else. Thank you for letting me find out before I had dents in my truck from pieces of PVC pipe hitting it.

 

[john_bud]

I want to thank all the posters in this thread. I built a new garage and then as soon as it was weathered in I had to pull off and start working on things that make money. I had planned on using PVC to pipe compressed air around the garage. Now I know that is not a wise Idea. I will go to something else. Thank you for letting me find out before I had dents in my truck from pieces of PVC pipe hitting it.

Welll, it was a low velocity explosion so there weren't any dents, not even of the dry wall at the site of the incident.

There is a type of plastic pipe you can use for air lines. It is green, if the old brain box is thinking right.

Still, black iron is a better solution.

I have 10 sticks of 3/4"
4 sticks of 1/2"
Dozen nubs and threaded short runs
many dozen fittings, couplings, T's, valves, transitions, bushings, etc.
System now has 5 outlets, 10 water drains and covers the workshop, tractor barn and one for tires ect next to the door.

Cost is about 5x using PVC.

jb

 

[gemini5362]

John thank you for letting me know that it is a low level explosion. But my wife parks her porsche in that garage. One scratch and it would become a high level explosion if you know what I mean

 

[john_bud]

What? No "sense of humor" ? I mean it's not like it's where you park the TRACTOR!


FYI - the car parked right next to the site of the explosion is worth about the same as a new 911 turbo. (well once it's restored, now it's only 1/2 that.) I suppose once it's restored, I won't be able to store spare tractor parts on it anymore... Oh well.

jb

 

[gemini5362]

What? No "sense of humor" ? I mean it's not like it's where you park the TRACTOR!


FYI - the car parked right next to the site of the explosion is worth about the same as a new 911 turbo. (well once it's restored, now it's only 1/2 that.) I suppose once it's restored, I won't be able to store spare tractor parts on it anymore... Oh well.

jb

Yeah right. Let me put this in its proper perspective. I have lived in my house for 18 years without a garage. My wife bought a new porsche last year. I now have a 4 car garage. Which by the way my tractor can not fit in.