<VV> Air compressor distribution lines

[Kent Sullivan]

Much of what Ken says is documented in this downloadable diagram:

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

My compressor has an after cooler, which helps get a lot of the water to
condense at the compressor, where it can be drained using the drain on the
tank and before it pools in the lines. All of my air drops have the "up and
over" design, to give the water one more hurdle (meaning less gets to the
tool at the end of the hose).

As far as draining the tank goes, I just bought a timer-driven automatic
tank drain made by Granzow. The dealer for my compressor recommended it. It
will be set to drain 5 seconds per hour (after I have completely drained the
tank once).

There are all kinds of other tricks too, like slightly tilting the lines to
get the water to run to one end; making a complete loop back to the
compressor to even out the pressure for devices located different distances
from the compressor, etc. I tried to use all of the tricks. :-)

--Kent
-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Ken Campbell
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 11:15 PM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Air compressor distribution lines

Whatever you use for pipe ..... keep in mind that air pressure is dropped by
too small a inside diameter piping, just as in water pipes or electrical
lines ...
so use, at least for your main feeder pipes, something maybe like 3/4 inch
id or 7/8 inch id .....
******
Also note that your air compressor will be excellent in taking the humidity
out of the air and puffing it right down your supply lines ... on a rainy
day, we get a gallon or so easily out of the air hoses ... the water will
collect at all the low points, so its good to get a wallyworld small dryer (
about $10-20 each ) and install one before each  "drop hose " . What we do
is make about a 2 foot diameter drop loop with a rubber * AIR PRESSURE RATED
" hose and insert a small dryer as above into the low point of this loop ...
then run the loop back upward, and then a "t" quick connector to pop your
drop down hose into. ( hmmm ... a dangling participle and a dangling air
hose ... ) ....
******
Your air tank itself will collect a lot of water in it, so have a bottom
drain and use it often ... also, sooner or later you will want to put a "
serious" dryer gadget right off the tank main feeder ... these can be
automatic, and blow off water every 5 minutes or so... it would be good to
have a floor drain or at least a bucket there ... you can also attach a hose
to this big boy and have it blow the water out a window or other outdoor
exit ....
which is another good reason to have your air compressor walled off ... all
this hissing and gurgling can definitly get to be old about 3:30 am when you
are fishing with a magnet to get that e-clip you dropped into a sparkplug
hole ...
*****
Also ... think safety ... we had a "wrong pcv" main feeder pipe blow in our
shop, and it was about like a 12 gauge in effect ... yep, blew sharp pieces
everywhere, about a foots worth of pipe particles, lucky no one was hit ...
also loud like a 12 gauge ...
Also, we all know better, but kids will come along and can[t resist playing
with the air guns ... they like to blow air into their buddies eyes and ears
.... potentially ... no, guaranteed bad bad bad results ....  and remember,
YOU are the village that is responsible for these children ....
Hope this helps,
ken campbell, hot air expurt in Iowa



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