[SEL] OT-OT- air lines in shop?

[chris.a.coyle at gmail.com]

I run some stores in a Quick-Lube company and we have pulled the copper and went with black pipe. We have had little to no problem with condensation providing the pipe is run properly (minimize bends and make sure all low spots have a way to drain condensation). If there is an air leak to fix its much simpler and of course the initial cost as well as the repair cost is significantly less. We use 10HP compressors that literally run 6-8 hours per day. Northern Tool has good prices on regulators and water separators if you need some more components.

Chris Coyle
Fort Worth, TX
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

-----Original Message-----
From: "Jim O'Hagan" <jdohagan at comcast.net>
Sender: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:41:13 
To: 'The SEL email discussion list'<sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Reply-To: The SEL email discussion list <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Subject: Re: [SEL] OT-OT- air lines in shop?

Bill out here in Ca. we use PVC in all the body shops. Put drains every
where and maybe add a drier by the tank. It all depends on how anal you are
about moister. If you are going to be painting than the air has to be more
pure. Cya, Jimmy

-----Original Message-----
From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
[mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Bill Dickerson
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2010 8:24 PM
To: 'The SEL email discussion list'
Subject: [SEL] OT-OT- air lines in shop?

I've got to get a better way to get air to my work benches and other areas
instead of a single hose dragged all over the place from the compressor in
the corner. 
A friend said he used copper pipe (not tube, but pipe)
He ran 3/4 for the "mains" and branched off to each connection with 1/2.
He also ran a vertical run of several feet up the wall from the compressor,
with a drain valve at the bottom. He said when the air left the tank into
that cool copper run that was several feet tall, the water condensed out and
ran to the bottom where he could drain it. He also ran the pipe a couple
inches or so below each T where the connection for the hose was - same idea,
the water would run down past the hose connection, and he could drain it
out.
I looked into doing this, but with a 30x36 shop with 14' ceilings, I'd be
spending a small fortune on copper pipe! 
I also found that Menards sells two "grades" of the pipe - one thinner wall
and cheaper than the other.

OK, finally the question - what are others doing?
Is the copper pipe with solder/sweat connections ok? 
What about the M compared to L grades of pipe?

I've got a lot of area to cover - 

http://theamcpages.com/images/garage/shop-009.jpg
http://theamcpages.com/images/garage/shop-005.jpg
http://theamcpages.com/images/garage/shop-008.jpg


Bill
Runnells


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