# Compressed air piping?



## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

I just purchased a new air compressor for my work shop and want to run some air lines and maybe construct a manifold type of system to plug air hoses into.

I'm interested in any suggestions.

I'm considering schedule 40 pvc, as it would be fairly easy to put together, would not develop rust and scale as does iron pipe.

Copper pipe is another option and I'm even thinking that nylon air brake tubing might be a viable option.

What do you think....


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

http://www.transairaluminumpipe.com/?gclid=CNLUiouH8ogCFQwGUAodGR0Yhw

Not sure on the cost but, heard good things.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

A friend of mine ran Copper. Not sure if it's an imagination thing or another problem, but he has a lot of moisture.

I built a shop for an older guy. He was afraid of air pressure on schd. 40 PVC. Ran schd. 80 for him. Happier than a pig in sh!t.

That said a friend who runs heavy equipment and a fleet of dump trucks, has schd 40 PVC in his repair/maint. shop for years now with no problems.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Thanks Warner. I just sent them an email for information.

Looks like a real nice system they have.


Thanks Griz, I was looking at a piece of sch40 pvc that I had laying around and it's stamped with 425 PSI rating, that's what got me thinking...


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

pvc 40 is used alot for compressed air


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I would be afraid of compressed air in pvc.

that aluminum system is really easy to re-arrange as well.

they will also design it for you and send you parts and directions.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

The PVC rupturing catastrophically is one of my concerns also. Metal pipe would probably split and mostly remain intact. 

PVC might go cabluie and send pieces everywhere.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

we always used black iron pipe in the welding plant I worked in.

I think they always leaked and got rusty but, I dont ever remember a failure.


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

My concern with PVC would be that it becomes brittle with age and exposure to light. Copper would probably be the easiest to run and maintain a safe and leak free system. Galvie and black pipe would rust internally, but that's not usually a problem because you should absolutely be using filter/driers at each outlet or manifold which will catch any rocks, gravel, or small children that might be suspended in the air stream - regardless of the plumbing system used.

If possible, I'd recommend installing an outlet or two over your work areas and either use the coily hoses that automatically spring back when you let go, or a hose real. It will keep hoses out from under foot while working, and the nozzle within grabs reach of the work.

Lastly, if the compressor is a portable type, I'd recommend connecting it to the system via a quick clip hose so that you can move or easily disconnect it when necessary.


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## Rob1954 (Jun 22, 2010)

PVC is not a good option....tends to send shrapnel over a long distance when it ruptures. It isn't made for the high pressures. Search the internet for recommendations on installing a shop air system. Lots of good advice out there on convenience items and how to put in drops and rout the pipe so that moisture problems can be mitigated. You can use hydraulic hose to make a flexible joint between your compressor and the piping. Black iron pipe is a good choice for those who don't want the expense of the ready made systems or copper. 

Here in the Southeast we have humidity to deal with. I put 50 ft of copper coil in line after the compressor which is housed in an ice chest. The additional line acts like a radiator to cool the air and condense the moisture. I can fill the chest with ice on very humid days and when I need very dry air for painting or for the bead blaster. Luckily I did it years ago before copper became so expensive.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Sch 40 in 1/2" is good upto around 600 psi so your not going to make it fail with what your running.

Also if I remember correctly black iron couplings are only rated for 300psi but that was a long while ago I fitted that stuff.


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## Rob1954 (Jun 22, 2010)

The fittings are the weak links, both in iron and PVC pipe. I've seen PVC used quite often....I've also heard the stories about "glad I wasn't nearby when that thing exploded". Be careful that you are using "fitting" ratings in your decision and not just the "pipe" ratings.

Info like this is easy to find.......

_"PVC piping is relatively inexpensive, easy to install, lightweight, and corrosion resistant. However, PVC has one major drawback. It is brittle. An inadvertent impact could cause the piping to shatter, endangering surrounding personnel. Most PVC pipe manufacturers warn against using PVC for compressed air service due to potential liability from such failures. The Plastic Piping Institute, in their Recommendation B, states that plastic piping used for compressed air transport in above-ground systems should be protected in shatter-proof encasements, unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer. In many states, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has stepped in and regulated against using brittle plastics such as PVC in these applications, and additional states are following suit."_


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

That stuff Darcy posted a link to looks like the ticked. Installs similar to Pex. Would sure be easy enough....how expensive is it?


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

You can also pipe in argon gas with it as well.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

If you're worried about rust pipe it in stainless steel.


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## 65535 (Jan 16, 2011)

Stay away from PVC it's rated for water service not gas. Gas expands when it can so that 125psi in the line will cause PVC shards to fly quite fast away as the gas expands to atmospheric pressure.

I will not ever recommend or install PVC for gas services ever.

Copper is easy and lasts decades with proper installation and valves on each drop leg to drain.

Steel pipe of any type will last decades if installed properly.

Metal piping I rated for WOG service at pressure.


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## fireguy (Oct 29, 2006)

Google air lines and plastic pipe. we are running 1/2" and 3/8 black steel pipe in the shop.

http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/AirConsum.aspx

http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

http://www.tptools.com/lp2/Tech_Notes.html

We are using the riser just before the extinguisher recharge bench, with an automatic dryer and filter before the regulator. The rest of the shop will use shut-of valves at the bottom of hte risers.


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## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

This statement from another site pretty much sums up my feelings about PVC air lines.

"PVC is the choice of most compressor do-it-yourselfers. Its main positives are low cost, easy to assemble and modify and has no corrosion issues. Its weakness is that it can fail if the pipe is hit smartly while under pressure and the joints can fail if not cemented properly." 


This is one way to do a basic shop setup:
http://www.sharpe1.com/sharpe/sharpe.nsf/Files/YTCJYTCK/$File/pipe-layout.pdf?OpenElement


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## 65535 (Jan 16, 2011)

Considering most things in a shop are at risk of getting love tapped, I would prefer to not be skewered by exploding piping. To each his own, maybe your insurance is quite good.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

65535 said:


> Considering most things in a shop are at risk of getting love tapped, *I would prefer to not be skewered by exploding piping*. To each his own, maybe your insurance is quite good.


I've been thinking the same, I will not use PVC. From experience I know that when PVC pipe is broken the pieces can be razor sharp.

I still may look into the plastic tube, the type that is on my Dump truck air brake system.

The Transair looks nice but might be too expensive. 
Next option is copper or steel.


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## 65535 (Jan 16, 2011)

Depending on the size of your shop you really want to run rigid pipe at a slope to the manifold end to allow condensate to drain the diagram posted above is the proper way to plumb shop air.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Thanks for the diagram Dumass.

My shop is pretty small, so I won't be able to run the distances recommended, but gives me some ideas on how to run things.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

If your worried about the PVC in areas close to you failing then install insulation around the pipe. That way it has impact resistance and if it does decide to fail the insulation will stop the shrapnel.


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## Mike's Plumbing (Jul 19, 2010)

Most small garages run it in black pipe, it's cheap, easy to do, and you can paint it and hang cool stuff from it.:thumbsup:

Mike


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## packer_rich (Dec 27, 2009)

tgeb said:


> The PVC rupturing catastrophically is one of my concerns also. Metal pipe would probably split and mostly remain intact.
> 
> PVC might go cabluie and send pieces everywhere.


I hope this doesn't mean I should stop using my potato cannon! It's cheap fun. Schedule 40 pvc, 10" chamber for combustion and 4" barrel. Shoots a potato aprox. 300 ft.


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

packer_rich said:


> I hope this doesn't mean I should stop using my potato cannon! It's cheap fun. Schedule 40 pvc, 10" chamber for combustion and 4" barrel. Shoots a potato aprox. 300 ft.


:thumbsup:

Had one for years. Some of the best damned fun you can have right there :jester:

On a side note, I have found the limits of Schedule 40. Map gas is NOT a recommended fuel. Before she blew up I could send spuds literally out of sight....at night....on fire


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## maninthesea (Nov 11, 2008)

Your friend may be haveing moisture problems with copper becuase it transfers heat so will and also has thinner wals. It cools the air to room temp which condenses out moisture. To me this would be a plus if you put a moisture trap at your outlet manifold/s. It would be giving drier air to your tools. 

I plumb exclusively in 316Stainless but the systems I install are 3000psi min working pressure & 1/4" to 3/8" OD tube. 

If you are interested in Stainless I recomend checking out a company called Marmon-Keystone 

Cheers Jim


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## packer_rich (Dec 27, 2009)

PrecisionFloors said:


> :thumbsup:
> 
> Had one for years. Some of the best damned fun you can have right there :jester:
> 
> On a side note, I have found the limits of Schedule 40. Map gas is NOT a recommended fuel. Before she blew up I could send spuds literally out of sight....at night....on fire


 I just stick with hair spray. Does provide a nice orange flame at the end of the barrel when you shoot at night!


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

packer_rich said:


> I just stick with hair spray. Does provide a nice orange flame at the end of the barrel when you shoot at night!


Yeah, but I have the Tim Taylor gene :whistling

Plus hairspray is sticky and stinks :laughing: 

Aqua Net is the best bang for the buck though.


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## packer_rich (Dec 27, 2009)

Aqua has always been my choice,cheap and easy to use.


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## Tom R (Jun 1, 2004)

Black pipe or galvanized hard-piping for me.

Use a vibration-damper (hose) connector between the compressor itself and the hard-lines.

Pipe 'up' for at least 6" and then (short) across and then down again for each 'drop'. This cuts down on the destination moisture.

Install a drain valve/point below each drop with an extended holding pipe (downward), coming off at least horizontally (if not up again) at the air hose connecting point.

Use strategically placed unions as connectors so future/possible (even slight) air leaks are quick to fix, rather than having to dis-assemble the whole system.

Best efficiency is to pipe with at least 3/4's for the mains, and 1/2" for the drops and to 'loop' the system (more volume means less moisture) . . .


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## maninthesea (Nov 11, 2008)

RE Potato cannons

After haveing a soup can/duct tape version to to pieces in my hands as a kid I was warry of combustion chamber failure.

So my chambers are made of two small lengths of Shedule 80 joined with a cuopling, Reducer to barrel size on one end and cleanout on the other. Set up so there is minimal gap between the fittings and all gaps are filled with JB weld. 
So far so good. Put a 1.5" dent in a fridge door with an onion one night. 

Fun thing to do with kids around is point the gun strait up and put 4-5 chem lights on top of the potato(at night) Goes up like fireworks and the kids can scatter to retrive the chem lights for another round.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

It has been said above, the ratings on PVC are for fluids NOT air.


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

Tom R said:


> Black pipe or galvanized hard-piping for me.
> 
> Use a vibration-damper (hose) connector between the compressor itself and the hard-lines.
> 
> ...


This pretty much sums it up!

I've been to about a dozen or so large factory auctions over the years, & black pipe is the standard piping in factories. It works!

The only other thing I would do is use T's instead of coupler fittings at pipe joints. They don't cost much more, & allow expansion for future drops. Just put plugs on the unused T holes. Be sure to install enough condensate bulbs at easy to access points right before use.
Joe


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

I ran my Sch 40 PCV potato cannon at 160 PSI for years without blowing my head off....:laughing:


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## 65535 (Jan 16, 2011)

Running PVC in a shop is just an unnecessary safety concern. Our shop is plumbed with rigid copper, admittedly they didn't run it completely properly with the drops and overhead, but it's fed by a 40HP rotary screw and is an easy setup if your handy with sweating.


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## Remodelor (Nov 5, 2010)

I ran copper in my garage and have been using it for 10 years now with no problems. It's a little pricier than PVC, but in a shop where someone could smack the piping with a board, I'd rather go with something malleable like copper.


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## [email protected] (Mar 1, 2008)

It seams to me I have seen where OSHA doesn't like the plastic. Copper all the way with moisture drain drops at air drops 
David


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

I piped my basement with Home Depot flexible air hoses and some 3/4" Pex staples. It ain't pretty but it works. :thumbup:


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

I fully agree with all the guys that stay away from pvc for safety reasons. We went with type L copper for the added safety of the thicker wall. Copper is more expensive but I couldn't see risking a problem with pvc. 

Our compressor is outside in a shed to save on room in the shop. 








This little thingy gives a squirt of air every once in a while to bleed any moisture out of the bottom of the tank. I think we have it set for every half hour or so. I like this thing.








When we bought the cnc we had to install an air dryer. If any of you are at all concerned about moisture in your tools, something like this is the ticket.








Where the main line from the pumper goes to be mounted tight to the wall you really should have a section of flex to absorb the vibration of said pumper. Any place we could place a connector we did. This one may have yet to be used but it is there.








This is where the air enters the shop. We have a main line shut off there so we can shut down the shop at night and turn off the pumper. We go up and well out of the way to run the distribution lines to minimize the risk of tearing it up.








This is a shot of one of the standard drops to an outlet. We put in a leg below it with a valve to bleed any trapped moisture. Even before we put in the air dryer, I never saw a drop of water com out of one. But that was the theory anyway. I hate that fat azzed hose.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Well thanks everyone for your replies.

I looked around the shop and saw that I had more than enough type L copper and some of the fittings needed to get it mapped out, so the install is copper. 

My local rental yard can make hydraulic hoses and they had the fittings to adapt to 3/4" pipe thread so that solved the flexible line issue. Figuring out the rest of the layout was not too bad once I had it in my head what I would do.

Seems like I spent quite a bit on brass fittings, and a filter/regulator with 3/4" ports so I can keep the volume as high as possible. 
I finally mounted and plumbed a hose reel that I've had for at least a decade. 

The new compressor I bought online, and it's probably more than I will ever need, but.....who knows. 5 HP, 80 Gal tank 20 CFM @ 90PSI, Builds full pressure from zero in about 9 minutes, recharges from 110 to 145 in about 2 minutes. 
I figure it should work OK to pump up wheel barrow tires and such. :laughing:

I realize with the short distance of piping there may be issues with moisture in the lines, I'll deal with that with a downstream dryer if needed.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

nice clean work there Tom,good luck with your new setup:thumbup:


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

What kind of a hack are you?!?!?! A real plumber wouldn't have scorched the walls. :w00t:

Glad you got the job done. As long as you've installed moisture drops you shouldn't have too much trouble with line moisture. Like you said, if you do, just install a few point of use dryers and you'll be good to go. 

You may also want to think about point of use regulators to be able to control your line pressure more conveniently rather than going back to the compressor. This would also allow custom settings for different guns if necessary.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

All this for 4 feet of air piping?:laughing:


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

A. Spruce said:


> What kind of a hack are you?!?!?! A real plumber wouldn't have scorched the walls. :w00t:


Yeah, I tried not to burn the place down, I never claimed to be a plumber. :laughing:




WarnerConstInc. said:


> All this for 4 feet of air piping?:laughing:


Well, it's actually more like *4 - 1/4 feet* of pipe, next time I'll run it the long way....:laughing:


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## A. Spruce (Aug 6, 2010)

tgeb said:


> Yeah, I tried not to burn the place down, I never claimed to be a plumber. :laughing:


Guess you figured you dig holes for a living and thought you'd try to burn a few this time ...


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## Tom R (Jun 1, 2004)

Nice work, Tom . . . :thumbsup:


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

A. Spruce said:


> Guess you figured you dig holes for a living and thought you'd try to burn a few this time ...


Never thought of it that way....I have burned some holes in steel.....:whistling



Tom R said:


> Nice work, Tom . . . :thumbsup:


Thanks Tom.


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