What size air lines do you use in your shop?

I just purchased a new 5 hp 80 gal compressor for my shop and want to run airlines throughout. I plan to use a HVLP paint gun as well as all the standard air tools and a small sandblaster but not sure what size lines I need to have enough volume for the paint gun. I know this site is a wealth of info and experience so many thanks in advance.

 

A friend of mine found out to run 3/8" line for HVLP.

 

i run 3/4 steel line through my shop, tee'd down to 1/2 for all the drops. 3/8 hose for the hvlp spray hose.

 

I have built two shops. One a machine and welding shop. In both shops I used 1/2 inch pvc with no problems.

 

As long as the PVC is rated for air use. Regular PVC will blow out at a moments notice, and 125/150 lbs of air pressure will hurt you when it disintegrates the pipe and send pieces flying everywhere!!! Not to mention the noise!!

 

schedule 40 pvc is rated at 600 psi. Can be bought at any hardware store. I am running 175 lb on mine . Pipe has been up for 6 years with pressure on it at least 10 hour a day some times for days because I don't have enough sense to turn the compressor off.

 

I used 3/4 PVC in my old shop about 30 years ago, never had any trouble. But I don't think I would do it again, too floopy needs hangers about every 5 feet. I put 1 inch galvanised pipe in my new shop. Look in Grainger's catelog, I think they still have a chart that tells how much pressure drop in a given distance. Bigger is better.

 

1/2 pvc works for me.........

 

Try this system diagram, see if helps and let me know. I'm two steps behind you. my .02

 

x2.

 

I have used the pvc pipe in 2 different shops and one shop it worked fine and the other not so fine and not really sure why both had the same pipe in them.
My next one will be steel.

 

i like 3/4 copper, easy to cut, does not rust ( water in airlines even with filter), light weight easy to hold up, it is costly but no threading. also install a small 10 or 20 gal tank at the farthest point from compressor it will act as a surge tank feeding from the other direction during long air usage

 

I like to use 1" steel pipe for the main line high on the wall sloped down to each end with a drain at the bottom of each end. I take the 3/4" supply drops off the top of the main line to avoid any moisture or debris that sits at the bottom of the pipe.

 

I used 3/4" schedule 40 PVC, it will withstand more pressure than my compressor is capable pf putting out and the PVC doesn't trap as much condensation in the lines as steel lines,,I also have a air dryer to eliminate any moisture that does accumulate in the lines. HRP

 

http://www.usplastic.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx?contentkey=787

this is a link to us-plastic corp. report on pvc airline's

do not us pvc for air lines

the ems guy

 

I have seen the thin pipe go off like a firecracker and I might add that the schedule 40 in my shop was inspected & approved by the building and codes department almost 10 years ago.

It may fail tomorrow but I doubt it. HRP

 

Same here.


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Never ceases to amaze me. Plastic pipe institute says don't use it, ASTM, OSHA, Safety codes say the same, DON'T use it. But someone used it and didn't have a problem so it's OK. They made 20 million Pintos and only 50 of 'em blew up from a rear end collision.

Don't use PVC for air line!

 

The sky is falling,the sky is falling! HRP

 

You might want to read this:
http://www.exair.com/en-US/Primary Navigation/Knowledge Base/Air Data/Pages/CompressedAirPiping.aspx

It's a pretty good discussion on various air line materials. It isn't so much that one uses pvc but which pvc pipe he uses.

On PVC pipe Some guys might run down to the irrigation supply and buy that stuff that rates about schedule 10 and try to use that for airlines just because he read on a forum that someone else built a system using 3/4 inch schedule 80 PVC including schedule 80 fittings. Another guy might pick up some schedule 40 that hasn't been used but has been laying out in the sun in a rack for several years.

I'll say this, I have worked in a lot of shops when I was twisting wrenches and never once worked in a shop that had pvc or copper tubing in the shop air lines. All that I worked in had black pipe airlines.

 

I'm glad you posted this,I went out in the shop and looked at my lines and sure enough mine is schedule 80 not 40 like I originally posted. HRP

 

Never thought to use plastic for air line instead of steel... but then I never thought the have a car with a back up camera when I can just look in the mirror.

 

A mechanical engineer friend of mine used hi pressure PVC that was fine for over 20 years until one night it let go and beat his airplane into a mess as well as cooking his compressor. A savvy insurance company will also dodge such a claim. Personally anything that's made today that involves plastic or what they call "seals" I wouldn't trust over 5 years from what I've observed in the automotive scene. I have a box of rubber bands that was made in the 50s that are still good.
Chuck

 

3/4 copper, 1/2" drops. I've seen a couple of plastic pipe failures. Seems to degrade over time.

 

Why would a knowledgeable man leave his compressor on all the time,,I was taught at a early age to turn it off when not in use,,any hose can leak down and cause the compressor to kick on and off. HRP

 

I use 3/4 Iron black pipe with a lot of water traps along its runs.... not galvanized, it flakes on the inside .
I have always heard that iron pipe cools the air quicker than PVC or copper and keeps moisture down to a minimum at the end outlet.

 

We use all steel 1" line from the compressor out to the shop then neck down to 1/2" steel lines to all the air fittings. We use 3/8 hose for all of our air tools.

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Thanks for all the input guys. So the consensus is to run iron pipe into copper and turn down into PVC? ok just kidding. I wasn't sure 3/8 hose would flow enough volume for the HVLP paint gun. Now to get to plumbing.

 

3/4" main line with water traps off the bottom of the main, 1/2" taps off of the top of the main line to air stations, 3/8" hose to spray gun has worked well for me. Copper for me.