plumbing 4 air ?

[IXLR8]

I did a few quick calculations on the cost of plumbing compressed air around my garage. All pipe sizes are 3/4".

Copper Type M- $525.00
Copper Type L- $735.00--- Don't think so
Black Iron- $312.00--- Looking like a possiblity- Just going to need dryer/filters.

HomeDepot Pex- $117.00--- Not sure if the pressue rating is good enough to even consider, I suspect not.

Air service rated PEX- that is layered; PEX-Alum-PEX--- Although I wish it had a higher pressure rating for a safety factor.

Mr Pex $259.00--- Another possiblity, much easier/quicker to install than Black Iron
Uponor Mulit-cor $355.00--- I know this is a high quality tubing.. might consider if I could get it cheaper.

 

[patrick_g]

I did a few quick calculations on the cost of plumbing compressed air around my garage. All pipe sizes are 3/4".

Copper Type M- $525.00
Copper Type L- $735.00--- Don't think so
Black Iron- $312.00--- Looking like a possiblity- Just going to need dryer/filters.

HomeDepot Pex- $117.00--- Not sure if the pressue rating is good enough to even consider, I suspect not.

Air service rated PEX- that is layered; PEX-Alum-PEX--- Although I wish it had a higher pressure rating for a safety factor.

Mr Pex $259.00--- Another possiblity, much easier/quicker to install than Black Iron
Uponor Mulit-cor $355.00--- I know this is a high quality tubing.. might consider if I could get it cheaper.

Good info, IXLR8. I assume this is just for the material to make the distance needed. The devil may be in the details when the cost of fittings is added in. If fitting costs track the costs of the tubing runs (no real reason to assume they will) you have found some good candidate solutions. With an oil type compressor that gives some aditional factors to consider. I have never read anything about oil and PEX.

If any of the decently priced multi-layer plastic options are happy with oil and the fittings aren't a budget buster then I will likely go with one of those instead of rust breeding iron. Otherwise it is iron for me and some filters. Gee, needing a filter at each drop could run the price-convenience consideration up to the point were a non iron solution is the best deal.

Pat

 

[Kays Supply]

FYI Before I started installing PEX for home plumbing I did a lot of research. The Box Store PEX I looked at either wasn't labled for origin or said Made in China. I couldn't find any ASTM numbers either. I would be very careful using this pipe for a borderline maximum pressure. I had forgotten about the AL layered pipe. That would be very interesting to check out. It would also install much more professional looking where exposed to view. FYI also, Nibco is one of the brands of PEX that is manufactured with a process that lets it stay staighter when installed. They also have brass and copper fittings and SS rings. When completed the connection looks like a hydraulic fitting. Very strong also. Most of the other brands tend to roll back up and get curly when pulled out in a straight run.

 

[IXLR8]

I have never read anything about oil and PEX.

Pat

Neither have I. Now that I think of it... I had a contact at Wirsbo (before Uponor bought them), I will see if they are still there and see what, if anything, they have to say about oil and PEX. The web site I posted should have fittings for the PEX, you could get rough costs there. HomeDepot has PEX fittings, with either copper or Stainless steel rings to clamp the tubing in place. The only issue, the crimping tool is about $140.00, I believe. One of the pluses, if I had all the parts I needed, I could plumb up my 30'x32' garage, with 6 drops, in less than 2 hrs, no way I could do that with iron or copper pipe, it would be more like 2 days.
"Kays Supply" is correct, the tubing does tend to curl and not want to lay out straight. Might have something to do with the fact they put it on the roll while it is still warm, at least Wirsbo does. Another thing to be aware of... if you put a kink in PEX, you very much weaken it, to the point it would be unsafe to use. Althought surprizingly, you can repair the kinked area back to full strength!!
I am going to get a crimping tool anyway as I am putting radiant heating in my house and I will need them for that.

 

[Bill Barrett]

I did a few quick calculations on the cost of plumbing compressed air around my garage. All pipe sizes are 3/4".

Copper Type M- $525.00
Copper Type L- $735.00--- Don't think so
Black Iron- $312.00--- Looking like a possiblity- Just going to need dryer/filters.

HomeDepot Pex- $117.00--- Not sure if the pressue rating is good enough to even consider, I suspect not.

Air service rated PEX- that is layered; PEX-Alum-PEX--- Although I wish it had a higher pressure rating for a safety factor.

Mr Pex $259.00--- Another possiblity, much easier/quicker to install than Black Iron
Uponor Mulit-cor $355.00--- I know this is a high quality tubing.. might consider if I could get it cheaper.

Where did you find air rated pex, or pex-al-pex?

 

[patrick_g]

Jim, One of our closer suppliers has PEX both in rolls and in straight lengths (they call it semi-rigid I think.)

When I bought my first crimp tool for PEX I didn't know much except I could buy the same tool at Lowes for $60 less than at Locke's Supply (the above referenced PEX supplier.) Unfortunately my big money saving move was not well founded. There are multiple kinds of PEX crimping tools. The first one I got fits only one size of tubing and fittings. It uses crimp on rings that look like wedding bands, completely radially symmetrical. The tools, even at Lowe's, aren't cheap.

Another style of crimp ring and crimping tool lets the same tool crimp 3 (I think) sizes. I'm sure it does 3/4 and 1/2. The crimp rings for it have a couple ears sticking out that engage the tool. Far better to get the type that lets one tool crimp more than one size. This is the type my plumber uses. Why they don't make interchangeable dies for a nice certi-crimp style set of handles is beyond me. My HVAC guys also use PEX for hydronics and both them and the plumbers claim that they have never had a leak with a properly crimped connection. They say if it looks right it doesn't leak. Any that have leaked, when inspected were obviously not done right and should have never been left that way. (Hard to get good help.)

Pat

 

[IXLR8]

Where did you find air rated pex, or pex-al-pex?

look in post #48 of this thread. These have the same ratings as the supplier listed in post #25 of this thread.

 

[dbdartman]

Forgive the off-topic, I'll only be a moment...

Pat, I DID save that page I posted about the other day, & just found it!

gethuman

Carry on!

 

[Red55]

Thanks Dartman just added the site to my "favorites" list -Ed

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Proabably a dumb question. Can you rent the Pex Crimpers? There is a shop here in town that will go out and purchase a tool if there is enough request for it. For them to spend $140 to buy it then rent it seems like a good business case.
Jim