Plumbing in garage air compressor.
 

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for some advice for plumbing in my recently aquired belt driven air compressor. I have bought a filter/regulator and I need to fit a flexible hose from the compressor tank to the regulator inlet. I was then going to run some rigid piping round to my workbench with a couple of plug in drop downs.

I was thinking of using conventional 13mm copper piping but can I use the speedfit type elbows and junctions?

Can you get 1/4 BSP & 3/8 BSP unions that can fit on to the copper piping?

I've read some horror stories about rigid PVC piping shattering so I thought the copper might be a viable altve.

I know some drain valves need to be included to drain out the water. The compressor tank also a water drain valve at the bottom.

Any examples would be helpful.

Cheers
Andy

We use 10mm (PVC I think, off Ebay rated for more than the pressure we're running) pipe over about 12m from the compressor to a laser cutter, but I only need 2 bar at the machine although there is between 4 and 7.5 bar in the pipes to the back of the machine. The route climbs a wall immediately next to the compressor and then is all downhill to where it is used to avoid water collecting. I drain the compressor tank weekly, and there is a regulator/filter/water trap, dessicant filter and fine filter at the point of use. I needed various push fit to BSP fittings which I found on Ebay. You'll be cleverer than me on the BSP fitting selection, strange standard, check charts of thread pitch and diameters to be sure you get the right stuff.

Hi John

Give me a shout if you get stuck, I'll send you the brochure page of the company we use for air pipes and fittings. The fittings come drawn to scale on a page so you can almost offer them up to the receiver to make sure it fits.

Id be interested to see a practical solution. Im using a 10m PVC hose - Id like to use a permanent hard pipe, but plastic pipe doesnt fill me with confidence and copper pipe and soldered joints arent really practical, even if I was confident that I could make an airtight installation.

I only need it do deal with 8BAR, although it should really be safe to double that, I think.


Simon

Everything you need is on the link below..

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Powe...hop/d40/sd2791

The rigid 15mm tube is rated at around 20 bar+ and is shatter proof, it's internal diameter is more than 10mm, which is what most big powerful 1/2inch impact guns require. You need to use an insert on the pipe joints.

The joints actually get better with more pressure, with just 1 bar in the system, they are impossible to pull apart.

It look like Toolstation has stopped selling 1/2 quick couplers and bayonets, get them from somewhere else, i wouldn't use the 6mm ones.

Thanks Mark, for now we're all set.

There is a local Toolstation shop in my town which is certainly cheaper than rip-off B&Q. Their catalogue shows a range of JG speed fittings that take 15mm pipe so these will take copper and I've used similar stuff for a basin installation in the house and they work very well. Hence no need to solder or compression fittings.

I need a flexible hose from the compressor tank to mate with the rigid pipe run. I currently have a PCL quick coupler on the tank (which has 1/2BSP thread on the tank).

If I use a Sealey type leader hose (10mm bore) with PCL male on one end and 1/4 BSP female thread on the other (Pt No AH2R/38) 600mm long, this can be used for the flexible outlet from the tank.
Sealey also do a union adaptor - 1/4BSP male to 1/2BSP female (Pt No SA1/1412F).
Next part required is Toolstation straight adaptor (Pt No 98969) 15mm x 1/2BSP male.
This will mate to the Sealey union adaptor and then allow 15mm copper to be run away to the desired area where I can fit a drop down pipe with the regulator/filter installed (and water drain points where necessary).

This sounds like a cunning plan and it won't cost too much either.
I'll post photos if I don't blow myself up!

Hi Andy

Fire me over an email for your requirements and I will sort this out for you.

http://www.1stsupplieswales.co.uk/index.htm

ps we keep it all in stock.

Thanks

Stuart