Yet another air compressor line question

[330Scott]

Sorry about that, Chief.

These questions mainly have to do with using galvanized pipe or brass fittings after the filter on my compressor's piping.

Question #1: I plan on installing a "tee" between the regulator and the lubricator. Two legs of the tee will connect the regulator & lubricator, while the 3rd leg will be used to attach a quick connector. I picked up the needed parts today from a hardware store & while rereading some of the air compressor threads here I started wondering if the galvanized parts that I purchased should have been brass or some other material instead. My concern is because there will not be a filter immediately behind the quick connector will the eventual rust in the galvanized fittings cause a problem. And if so, can I avoid the problem by using brass fittings?

Question #2: What are you guys using for drain cocks in your compressor's piping. I looked at a couple today but neither one stated any specs or if they were applicable for air compressor usage. Or can I just get by with plugging in an open ended industrial plug into the quick connectors periodically to purge the water in the line?

Question C: Does anyone make a 1/2" to 1/4" brass reducer nipple? If so, where can I purchase it? I have already searched Grainger.com's site & didn't see one. I could buy a 1/2" to 3/8" and then a 3/8" to 1/4" reducer nipple, but would prefer to only buy one item if possible.

Thanks for your input, everyone.

Scott

[kartracer55]

1. Don't use galvenized after the filter, because galvenized pipe is hot dipped, and so the insides are coated with the zinc, and it will begin to flake off in small pieces, wreaking havoc on your airtools. Brass is a better choice, because while it may tarnish, it wont flake like Black pipe or galvenized.

2. as for your piping, If you have a flexble connection between the compressor and the lines (which you should) you can tilt the air pipe so that the horizontal runs will run back into the compressor, and you will only need a drain vlave at the end of each drop. T the drops out the top of the line and loop them back down, and T the regularor and then the quick connect orhose out the side of the drop, and install a small ball valve at the bottom of the drop(s).

3. I dont think a reducing nipple is made, but these def. are, and are available at Home desperate.

http://www.plumbingfittingsdirect.com/black1/60100.html

Just get them in brass of course. Then you can just use whatever size nipple you need.

Hope this helps

Jim

[330Scott]

Thanks a lot, Jim. You reaffirmed my thoughts re: using brass instead of galvanized fittings after the filter. I currently have a ball valve installed immediately off my compressor so that I will be able to shut off the complete air supply if I need to. Using ball valves to drain the line will work well also. And thanks for the link, too. I just figured out that if I can buy a quick coupler with a 1/2" female NPT end, then I won't have to use any reducers.

Scott

[kartracer55]

You can get a coupler like that from Grainger or MSC.

I used 3/8 body for my hose connetions though, they are a bit easier to find.

Jim

[330Scott]

One more thing, Jim. In my uneducated haste to purchase a F/R/L I bought a 1/2" setup not realizing that I probably should have purchased a 3/8". Thus my reason for buying 1/2" fittings now.

I am going to try and exchange the 1/2" unit for a 3/8" at Northern Tool today, but since I purchased it a while back & am not sure where the receipt is I am probably out of luck. No biggie though if I end up using the 1/2" F/R/L, right?

[kartracer55]

I run a 3/4 filter(3/4 line), and the Regulators are 1/2(my drops are 1/2 line), reduced to 3/8.

If you have more than 1 drop, Use a seperate regulator. most setups are designed for P.O.U. set ups... Point of use. Where you can have one main filter, but you install one regulator right becore each hose. Also, I wouldnt fill the oil bowl, because the oil creates a film in your air hoses, and you will always have oil in your air, which is bad when you want to use a blow gun.

Goin back to what I mentioned about the sperate regulators, If you will be the ONLY person using an air tool, than maybe you are ok, but when you use an air tool, the moment you pull the trigger, there is a pressure drop in the line, then it goes back up. My regs are set to 95 psi, and when I pull the trigger on the impact, the pressure drops to 85 psi, then goes back up. So if You were to have only one regulator, and you were using a tool, and your buddy was using another tool, you would be fighting for air the moment he pulled the trigger. Neither of the tools would have any power.

Jim

[AdamMopar]

Hey Scott,

Sounds like you are getting everything set up.

You won't have a problem with your 1/2" setup. That's why I use. I've got the setup from Ingersoll Rand.

I like haveing the inline lubricator. I also have another supply line for my clean air for blasting, painting,etc. This has a regulator and a Motorguard filter. I don't have to worry about my air tools haveing oil. Yes you do have to have hose setups for both branches but it's really not a big deal. I can send you some pictures of my setup sometime if you like, or if you are ever in the neighbor hood you can always stop and take a look.

Good luck, Adam

[330Scott]

Thanks again Jim. And Adam, appreciate your input also. Howz 'state treating you this fall?

Well, I think that I finally have the setup that I want. I was able to swap my 1/2" F/R/L for a 3/8" unit. Northern Tool comes through for me once again. Using the 3/8" F/R/L allowed me to configure my lines with a minimum of fittings. In fact, I only had to use three reducers - one for each quick connect.

Jim, the quick connect between the regulator & lubricator will be used solely for air and possibly painting. I will mark an air hose for usage only on that quick connect. I will then run my pneumatic tools off the two quick connects to the right of the lubricator. Also, most likely there will never be more than one tool being run at a time off my compressor.

As you may have noticed, I do not have any drains in my lines. I figure that I will just insert an air plug into each quick connect and open the ball valve that I already have installed on the tank. I figure that I will give this cheap & quick purge trick a try for a while.

Anyway, what do you think of my setup?

Edit** Btw, both drops are angled out about 30 degrees in this mock up pic. Most likely this is roughly the angle that I will end up using when I mount the unit onto the shop wall.

[AdamMopar]

Looks like you've got something that will work for you. How's your shop setup comeing along? School, well it is school I guess. About half way done with this semester, getting close anyway.

Adam

[330Scott]

Adam, the shop setup is just fine. Just wish I could get to it more often. I went over on Friday and the calenders were all set to July.

Glad school is going OK. My neighbor's oldest son is in his first semester of one of the engineering programs up there. One year at DMACC and then on to ISU. Man, I am so envious of you guys. Keep plugging away.

[kartracer55]

Adam, That looks great. 2 things...

1. keep an eye on the polycarbonate bowl, as compressor oil tends to eat away at the plastic, and its scary as hell when they blow up.

2. What sort of tools are you using? The reason I ask Is that those look to be 1/4 body couplers. Id consider exchanging them for 3/8 body 1/4thread couplers, which area vailable at home desperate. It should be fine for most tools, but you may see a probelm if your running tools in the 15-20 cfm range such as die grinders and sanders.

Otherwise, thats a great setup youve got... get us a pic. when its all set up.

Jim

[AdamMopar]

Will do Scott. Good luck with everthing. Adam

[bmwpower]

With this type of setup, is it possible, upon depressurization, to "pull" oil from the lubricator back into the clean line?