Air in the workshop

Galvanised 1/2inch water pipe is just the pipework our factory uses for all air lines. There are four air line sockets at each pillar, on a 16 pillar x 6 bay grid. Works OK, but many sockets hiss a bit...

Regards,

Richard.

Many years ago as a self-employed plumber, I worked for a large national construction company installing both high and low pressure air systems in a sewerage plant. The specification was steel for the LP and Acorn for the HP. Just put in a 'low' point and tap to drain any condensation. I have had a compressor in a separate shed, plumbed to the workshop in HEP20 for five years - he said tempting providence!

I've never used it, but Toolstation do a range of John Guest 15mm nylon compressed air pipe and all the push in fittings. Looks good and easy to fit, and quite good price - i'm sure you could find a data sheet somewhere with pressures, etc?

LINK

James

Price of the proper stuff has dropped considerably in real terms over the years and it's much easier to get things delivered than it was in ye good old days. For a small installation its hardly worth mucking around with anything other than push fit plastic of the type supplied by John Guest et al. So much easier to install too. especially if you aren't a pipe fitting guy. If you were you'd have just done it anyway!

Clive.

Pidgey pipe should be fine. I think it is a nylon based material. We used it offshore in our old pneumatic control panels and for testing instrumentation in the workshop. Some of these panels are about 40 years old and still going strong. WP of 300PSI. Burst pressure about 90Bar / 1300psi. (Tested when we were bored on a night shift!) Available in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" 3/4" and 1" and also metric equivalents.

Cheers the Noo

John S.

Ideally, the take off should be a cruciform connector, with the take off pointing upwards, and the downward pointing connection leading to a drain point, to minimise condensation problems.

Even better if some form of condensate removal can be installed between the compressor and the ring main to the shop.

In this way you should not have beads of moisture appearing on whatever you are cleaning (NOT the machines I hope!) or from the exhaust of any air tools. You do not want to bring moist air into shop, for fear of rust problems.

Howard

Hep2o and Acorn are pretty robust. I was involved in the mould making of them for many years.

You could argue which is the proper stuff or not, for a pukka job steel tubing would be used or most other metals first. The pu type is sold on grounds its easy to install with minimal tools. True price has dropped considerably in 7 years, 16mm pu tubing on par with copper 15mm tube but sting on all the extras needed. ie without shopping around 25 pack 15mm copper elbows way less than a fiver whereas if can find the 16mm pu type theyre close on a £5 each not to mention all the pu to various thread terminations needed.

When done my copper install I did look in to the pu and a starter kit back then from £120 . To do what had to do would have cost way in excess of £360 and be pretty basic with no built in U bends/traps as against copper install around £70 which included 10 off 3M lengths of tube £33. Just the feed from a splitter to bead blaster excluding any other area 4M tube £8, 7 elbows £35, 2 end fittings to thread of choice £10 and stop cock £10 = £63 at current pricing. Copper works out for same install £15.4 for a neater better job and easy to work with.

Another point the air you breathe has a certain ratio of water makes no odds squirting it back to atmosphere that's where it came from.

Jon, think you will be paying about £55 a bundle of 15mm copper now and 15mm JGair elbows are £2.31 less if you shop around or buy a pack

Depending on run length and demand 12mm OD HGV air brake pipe can be of use.