DesertRat
Leading edge boomer
Looks like it's in a dedicated compressor room to me. A stellar install I do believe.
Affordable Compressor Water Filter
- Thread starter RustyRatRod
- Start date
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There is a lot (probably over a mile) of different sized sweated copper air line running everywhere at my work, it usually has 110 lbs or so. Been there 40 years and seems fine
my68barracuda
Well-Known Member
Yes, what you don’t want to use is pvc pipe, with which you will loose the cooling/condensation effect anyway.
jos51700
Green Bearing thread connoisseur
A buddy uses a similar setup for a cnc plasma cutter, except his are VERTICAL so that condensate can't climb up n' out.
I would also recommend doing this before your filter, as it will force the moisture out of the air with cooling, so you're less likely to overwhelm your filter. Less moisture in the filter means less moisture out.
If you use copper tubing, reminder that there are three wall thickness pipes (that I know of) and I think they're , K, L, and M.
I don't know which is which, right off but this is not the time for Chinese copper pipe. There might be a pressure rating on the pipe itself.
Yes, I have had PVC fail before. Ok then, I can make that up myself as long as the copper will hold the pressure. I wasn't aware that it would thank you.
Now, how bout putting a water filter at the bottom of the copper? I also plan to put an automatic drain on the compressor tank as well.
lol @ the chinkesium. I agree. Not the place. I will find out which is thickest and use that.
GeorgeH
Well-Known Member
These work rather well and a Scott's 1000 sheet rolls drop right in making swapping filters cheap. I've since bought a 3 stage filter but still keep this in place right before the airline I use to paint. I have got by for a long time with toilet paper at the end of the line on the wall and a simple coalescing filter closer to the compressor. I still use a filter ball on the gun.
grimreaper
Cross Member
I'd be glad to post a photo but I loaned it to a buddy from out of town who was getting water in his sandblaster so it would plug up. He said the cooler cured the problem. He plans to be using it until the first of October, as he is having a guy make him one and the guy won't have his ready until then, so I can't post a photo until he returns mine.
ESP47
Well-Known Member
I connect this right off my compressor.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JDKY68/?tag=fabo03-20
Then I ran 3 legs of copper off the compressor, up down....up down....up down..... and back up with a ball valve at the bottom of each drop. Then I connected it to a standard filter kinda like this one (this filter might be redundant but I figure it's better to be safe than sorry if painting)
Milton Air Compressor Micro Filters 1018
then it goes into this
Motor Guard Compressed Air Filters M-60
then into this
Rockwood 3/8” NPT 2 Stage Air Filter Dryer System
right at my tool I then connect this
Performance Tool Air Compressor Line Filters M695
The heavy lifting is done by the Motor guard and 2 stage desiccant filters. I attempted to just use that little filter I posted at the end and after a couple compressor cycles, the moisture just over powers it and it's useless. It's really just meant to be a last line of defense. After I did this setup, I no longer have any moisture when primering or blasting.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JDKY68/?tag=fabo03-20
Then I ran 3 legs of copper off the compressor, up down....up down....up down..... and back up with a ball valve at the bottom of each drop. Then I connected it to a standard filter kinda like this one (this filter might be redundant but I figure it's better to be safe than sorry if painting)
Milton Air Compressor Micro Filters 1018
then it goes into this
Motor Guard Compressed Air Filters M-60
then into this
Rockwood 3/8” NPT 2 Stage Air Filter Dryer System
right at my tool I then connect this
Performance Tool Air Compressor Line Filters M695
The heavy lifting is done by the Motor guard and 2 stage desiccant filters. I attempted to just use that little filter I posted at the end and after a couple compressor cycles, the moisture just over powers it and it's useless. It's really just meant to be a last line of defense. After I did this setup, I no longer have any moisture when primering or blasting.
"All of that" is probably within my price range. Now, does any of "that" have filter elements that are actually replaced?
Somehow this below got posted in an old thread. Somehow - no idea how - but I did it.
This compressor company says copper can be safely used:
Guide to Compressed Air Piping Systems | Quincy Compressor
Might see if you can get it from a HVAC supply company like United.
Tip: HVAC industry calls out sizes for copper tubes by the outside diameter. Basically the same way most of industry does for tubing ( and hoses are inside dia.).
In plumbing, the same size copper tubing is called out as if its pipe - by a nominal inside diameter.
If you're buying fittings from a HVAC supply place, just tell them what O.D. you need the fitting to match. That way there should be less chance of confusion. I don't remember if they typically use nominal sizes for fittings. And even if I did, it doesn't mean its done that way where you live.
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ESP47
Well-Known Member
The motor guard does and then you'll want to buy a gallon of desiccant on amazon. After that you can just throw it in the over and reuse it once it fills with moisture.
A lot of guys use the cheap "public restroom" toilet paper for the motor guard filter but a lot of guys say don't do that as well. Read up on it if you want to save money.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
I'm planning on making mine out of type M 3/4 copper, about 30' total length. Six 5' lengths with the 90's to turn the corners. My brother in law is a heating and air guy who is gonna sweat the joints for me, and he says we should use silver solder to make the joints.
I would be leery of using the copper trap with full psi. BUT painting and sandblasting (where h2o is an issue) requires lower psi?? So the copper would be "safe"??
Create a bypass valve so when running air tools needing 100 psi, you omit the homemade trap?
Am I wong in tinking dis way?
Create a bypass valve so when running air tools needing 100 psi, you omit the homemade trap?
Am I wong in tinking dis way?
Shop i used to work in,had all copper plumbing pipe for air. Has been there for years, pressure runs at 150.
ESP47
Well-Known Member
From what I've read, copper will just split or crack but it doesn't explode shrapnel like PVC does.
I believe the max pressure for copper is way above what a normal compressor is capable of. Could always go with Type L or K (whichever is the thickest, can't remember) if you want to be safe.
Also something to consider is the max psi the filters are capable of.
90% of it is in the piping. All my piping is 3/4 copper. It runs all the way down the length of the shop and back, then up to the ceiling. Then it gets distributed to each bay. I run a particulate filter near the tanks. I have a dessicant cartridge filter on one drop that is used for plasma, sand, and paint. I only use it for those purposes so it doesn't get beat up too much. For doing small paint stuff it's good enough, but when spraying a car I will buy a disposable, inline, dessicant snake.
How do yall make the transition from the copper pipe to the air fitting?
From the compressor to the copper I use hydraulic hose(tractor supply). It isolates vibration. On the drops I just sweated on threaded connectors, and attached quick connects.
Ok so there are threaded fittings I can sweat on. I never knew all that. I know how to sweat pipe.....that's actually easy. I just didn't know what all was available.
ESP47
Well-Known Member
Yep, Home Depot has it all.
I never knew how to sweat pipe until I built my air lines about 6 months ago. I was worried about leaks since it was my first time. Funny thing is there's only 1 leak in the whole systems and it's around the threads where I put a union in. Go figure.
Yeah, hold on. I'm at home but I think I got some stuff I can take pics of.
jos51700
Green Bearing thread connoisseur
FYI type M has the lowest rated working pressures, and it's still way above the 150 PSI setting that most compressors can achieve. I normally try not to take my engineering data off the internet but this is pretty well known. Looks like you're safe with any copper pipe. Except Chinesium.
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