Thread: Burst rating for 1/2 black pipe??.

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What is the burst rating for standard 1/2 black pipe for use with a air compressor??.

10,380 psi. burst pressure. 1,300 PSI working pressure.

Originally Posted by pro70z28

10,380 psi. burst pressure. 1,300 PSI working pressure.

From what I found those rateings are for 7"od and .540 wall thickness but I've been wrong before. I still wouldn't use black pipe for air compressor

ASTM A53 B Carbon Steel Pipes - Working Pressure. hope this helps

I use black iron for my compressor. works fine, but if I were to do it again, I'd use copper

I think we had this same discusion a few weeks ago.

Originally Posted by cffisher

From what I found those rateings are for 7"od and .540 wall thickness but I've been wrong before. I still wouldn't use black pipe for air compressor

Don't think so.
Wrought Steel Pipes - Bursting Pressure

Black pipe has been used for air line for decades. I would use it over PVC for sure. I've seen PVC shatter under pressure. makes good shrapnel.

Originally Posted by pro70z28

10,380 psi. burst pressure. 1,300 PSI working pressure.

Pro,
I believe that "black pipe" is ASTM A53 Carbon Steel, and in a 1/2" Standard Weight (Schedule 40) it is good for 214 PSIG working pressure up to temperatures of 400F. If you bump to XXS (Schedule 80) the working pressure goes up to 753PSIG. Here's a link:
ASTM A53 B Carbon Steel Pipes - Working Pressure

Originally Posted by pro70z28

Don't think so.
Wrought Steel Pipes - Bursting Pressure

Black pipe has been used for air line for decades. I would use it over PVC for sure. I've seen PVC shatter under pressure. makes good shrapnel.

Totally agree with you about PVC.Even the 40 PVC stuff I would never use.Copper is so darn expensive.I am pluming in about about 100' foot of hard pipe for both sides of the shop.It is going into a pole bar/shop that I rented awhile ago. and will be left behind once I leave.Thing is weither it be extension cords or air lines,I believe to have the shortest lines to use to help not create a hard to work in area.Not a tangled mess on the floor.I am going to add on say 8' sections at over time with each section having a "T" for a outlet.The compressor is a over 10 yr old I/R two stage cast iron that was one that was still built in the U.S.I runs really good and is on a 60 gallon tank.I am going to run it with the pressure switch on at 100lbs-off at 150lbs.The I/R tech I talked to said it was one of the last really good built units after I gave him the model number of 2340 and a serial number.

Originally Posted by cffisher

ASTM A53 B Carbon Steel Pipes - Working Pressure. hope this helps

I asked a plummer I ran into at a Lowes.He said something interesting to me in that the ratings for black pipe is for water and not for air.That it is a really good question because of that.because they would not be the same.I should be all good with any black pipe.Just thought I should check in with you all because I am moving up on the pressure side of things.

As a side note/question-which quick connects do you guys use.Short or long style??.

Originally Posted by 1gary

I asked a plummer I ran into at a Lowes.He said something interesting to me in that the ratings for black pipe is for water and not for air.That it is a really good question because of that.because they would not be the same.I should be all good with any black pipe.Just thought I should check in with you all because I am moving up on the pressure side of things.

As a side note/question-which quick connects do you guys use.Short or long style??.

Gary,
Ask your plumber friend what they run in new houses for their gas line to the furnace or fireplace logs. The rating on A53 pipe is "WOG" which is Water, Oil and Gas, and air is a Gas. Also looking at Lowes, since you mention them, look at their on-line information on black pipe and you will see that they say it is hydrostatically tested to 150 psig.

1/2" x 10' Black Iron Pipe
• Hydrostatic Tested
• 150 psi
• Do not use with drinking water
• Pressure tested and protected from corrosion with varnish

As you look at the costs of materials don't omit the fittings in your calculation, and consider that threading cut ends of the black pipe takes time and tools. Sweating a 1/2" copper fitting is pretty fast, and the elbows and tees are pretty cheap in the contractor packs. If you do choose to use black pipe look at getting it in 20' sections vs the 10'ers sold at the box stores. Less connections on those long runs.

I switched over to the DeVilbiss 3/8" ID QC's that have the auto retracting collar - nice to be able to push it onto a tool with one hand vs having to pull the collar back, push the tool in, and ensure that the collar is back up solid. Hose Fittings

100 psi of water or 100 psi of air is still only 100psi

Yesterday while in Lowe's I happened to look at .500 copper pipe and it has gone back down quite a bit in price to about $12/ten foot length. Fittings are a LOT cheaper and a lot easier to cut and solder then trying to thread those odd lengths or fit with available and very expensive pre cut and threaded nipples and fittings. Take a pad with your parts list, get the costs and refigure and you will probably find that the copper is cheaper especially when you add in that time to go for more black iron pipe fittings.

when pricing the copper remember that there are 2 grades---i think m and l---one of them is thicker than the other(and stronger)

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

when pricing the copper remember that there are 2 grades---i think m and l---one of them is thicker than the other(and stronger)

Jerry - Actually there are three - K, L and M. If you need more then M, the cheapest then you really have some pressure:

1/2 actual OD=5/8, for drawn = 9840 psig for K, 7765 psig for L, 6135 psig for M (see page 28 of the ref below)

More info then you could want here: http://www.copper.org/publications/p...e_handbook.pdf