Thread: Air compressor Lines

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I have a 60 gallon air compressor in my garage and I need to hook up some lines along the wall to get some use out of this thing. I'm not sure what's the best material to use.

I was looking at copper, but will it hold 150 psi? Is it durable if I bump it with something heavy?

I thought about galvanized, but that seems too heavy and impracticle.

What seems to be the industry standard and where can I find it? Thanks!

From what I can tell, I just went though this at work... copper is the way to go. I did a walk though of our machine shop and noted that it is a black iron system, but as they develope leack / problems they replace chunks of it with copper. The attached link should offer you a little assurence on rated working pressure for copper as it is well within an air system.
http://www.coppercanada.ca/publicati...ationptb6.html

I think that this is the way to ensuring long trouble free supply of clean air... if you can afford it. There is also a company... TRANS AIR?... that make a powdercoated aluminum piping with compression fittings. $$$$ , belive it or not, copper worked out cheaper for me. Just my 2 cents, but I hope it helps

My shop uses black pipe.. just feel it'll last forever and is durable if it get's hit..

My shops plumbed with 3/4 copper on the mains & 1/2 on the drop downs with shutoff valves 6 inches above the air hose connectors. been holding up just fine since 1975...

Why not plastic,it's a lot easier to work with. Why run all the pressure, most air tools are to be used at 90 psi ?

I've used copper on several installations, works great. Since it's malleable it will dent but not break.

Plastic is banned in many areas, particularly where it's subject to UV deterioration. It's also more sensitive to vibration stress I'm told. If it blows, it sends out a shower of sharp shards.

Just saw a very nice product at SEMA. It's a vinyl coated aluminum pipe with twist seal connectors, elbos, etc. Pricey, but nice if you think you're going to move from time to time. You can easily assemble and disassemble with the twist of the wrist, and make changes without much modification. It is being marketed in the US by Kaeser Air compressors.

Originally posted by halftanked
Why not plastic,it's a lot easier to work with. Why run all the pressure, most air tools are to be used at 90 psi ?

Got a buddy that's a commercial pcv supplier and he was tellin me just this morning that since pvc is a petroleum product and the demand for it in Florida,Miss,& Luisiana that if ya can get it the price is skyrocketing....

heard of a guy dying from plastic air line it blew when he was right in front of him.. punctured his throat i guess

I've seen the results of PVC blowing up, and that was only at 125PSI. One of the mechanics that was near the pipe when it blew really enjoyed the doc picking pieces of plastic out of his back!!! That shop now has 1" black pipe now.........

I wouldn't use plastic. Thats a bomb waiting to go off.

when i abuilt my garage a few years ago i used the heavy wall copper tubing for the air lines , its more money than regualr copper but twice as thick . i just used 1/2 for the lines as its inside diam is more than enough to move a lot of air for most equipment.
its also realy easy to solder together as it holds it heat a lot longer.
the body shops i deal with all have copper with water drains

I am a comertial and industrial plumber we use copper with a little practice a person could run a very dependable system, The Medical Gas systems we install are type L up to 195 and Type K for anything above. So a compressed air system in Type L would be fine. Install the main high enough to be above any possibility of damage in 3/4" or 1" and use 1/2 drops. If you insist on PVC Use sch80 for wall thickness for both pipe and fittings D.Ridge

www.copper.org Look out for plumber cleavage when installing!!!!!

just ran a black pipe gas line for my dryer last year, and couldn't believe how much I spent on pipe/fittings.
this summer I just upgraded my air compressor so the news about copper is interesting. wouldn't even consider pvc
sure like those hose reels too.

picked up a butt ugly big orange Harbor Freight regulator/filter for $30 (confessional time)
and see devilbliss sells the same one painted blue in the Eastwood Catalog for $140- same one I swear!

just ran a black pipe gas line for my dryer last year, and couldn't believe how much I spent on pipe/fittings.

this summer I just upgraded my air compressor so the news about copper is interesting. wouldn't even consider pvc

sure like those hose reels too.

picked up a butt ugly big blue Harbor Freight regulator/filter for $30 (confessional time)
and see devilbliss sells the same one painted orange in the Eastwood Catalog for $130- same one I swear!

for that first flexible run from the compressor to the wall:
flex gas dryer line?
or should I just use hose?