Underground air line to barn

[radioman]

I'd say go for it. just pick up another 100 ft hose and bury it. If you really wanted to, you could take your time and slope it in a open trench, but I dont think it will be worth the time. I would just have to air driers, one before in ground and one at end in barn. If you just need air to blow things out, fill air in tires, then you are good. If you do have water issues, just add oil to your tools before and after you use it in the barn. I got 300 ft of hose hooked up and no issues, but then its not direct buried.

 

[hizoot]

Humidity varies... average is about 50%... can be much drier for short periods or much more humid when the fog comes in.

I picked the drier and compressor up together from Grainger in 1998...

I has refrigeration coils and and a float condensation valve and the compressor has an automatic tank drain.

The only time I had any moisture at the end of the line was when the drier float froze and preventing the condensate from draining.

Copper has never been cheap... best guess was about $1.40 a foot...

I think the coils were 60' lengths.

Refrigerated air drier is definitely the way to go...even if not buried. I've done HVAC /control work for 34 years. We use the refr.drier in pneumatic controls....its the ultimate. Sounds like you have a really nice system. I bet you have a quincy compressor too :thumbsup:

 

[rmully]

Buy a good used compressor for the barn ...by the time you get all the pipe and fittings you will have spent 100-200 anyway.

 

[deereman75]

you could get a 3 hp 220v wheeled compressor. I have one that is on a 26 gallon tank, and produces 10.2 cfm at 90 psi. I got it on sale for about $600,it is nice and portable, and has a 5000 hour rated life.

 

[kaferhaus]

My shop is just over 100ft from the house. 10yrs ago I buried 6" schedule 40 PVC from the garage to the shop 3ft under ground. In the pipe I ran the power cable, water line and air line. The air line is a single piece of 3/4" PEX.

The air line runs to a water separator then to a holding tank. A manifold comes off the tank and hard lines run throughout the shop.

I have 100PSI in the shop. Never had an issue of any kind and the water separator almost never needs draining..

One of most enjoyable aspects of this is that I can run air tools, plasma cutter etc without the noise of the compressor cycling.

Small compressors are good for running paint guns, nailers and airing up tires and that's about it. Nothing under a true 5HP is going to run a air tool on a continuous basis. Most compressors that say they're 5HP are really 1.5-2HP as the mfg is using "locked rotor amps" to figure HP.... which is total BS.

One HP in the real world equals running amperage of 12A at 120 and 6A at 240 volts. Look at the running amps rating on the motor to find the true HP.

It is impossible for a 120V electric motor to produce more than about 1.6HP

 

[ultrarunner]

My shop is just over 100ft from the house. 10yrs ago I buried 6" schedule 40 PVC from the garage to the shop 3ft under ground. In the pipe I ran the power cable, water line and air line. The air line is a single piece of 3/4" PEX.

The air line runs to a water separator then to a holding tank. A manifold comes off the tank and hard lines run throughout the shop.

I have 100PSI in the shop. Never had an issue of any kind and the water separator almost never needs draining..

One of most enjoyable aspects of this is that I can run air tools, plasma cutter etc without the noise of the compressor cycling.

Small compressors are good for running paint guns, nailers and airing up tires and that's about it. Nothing under a true 5HP is going to run a air tool on a continuous basis. Most compressors that say they're 5HP are really 1.5-2HP as the mfg is using "locked rotor amps" to figure HP.... which is total BS.

One HP in the real world equals running amperage of 12A at 120 and 6A at 240 volts. Look at the running amps rating on the motor to find the true HP.

It is impossible for a 120V electric motor to produce more than about 1.6HP

At the plant were I worked we had some drill press motors that were 120v and required a 30 amp receptacle... never seen 30 amp twist lock cords anywhere else.

Just looked at Grainger and to make sure I wasn't dreaming... they list 3 hp motors 120 volt with draws in the 32 to 34 amp range.