Anyone ever used the RapidAir system?

[Gilligan]

Looking at their 3/4" system to plumb my shop.

Seems easy enough, certainly cheap enough... everything you need (almost) for $215 bucks.  Probably need another $20-$30 bucks in parts/supplies to hook up all my gear.

[Gilligan]

One bump before I pull the trigger on this system.

Another question.  If I understand right I'm supposed to run 3/4" to the press... but my chiller is only 1/2" at BEST, probably less.  Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?  Obviously 50' of 3/4" is more volume than 50' of 1/2" for the press to draw from immediately but is that it?  Because my press won't be that far away really.

[bimmridder]

I'm not familiar with the system you're talking about, but I've used something similar. I ran hundreds and hundreds of feet in a weekend. Nice thing, at least with mine is you can add drops, cap areas off, etc. Super super easy to work with. Plus mine is a nice blue. Not M&R blue, but a nice complimentary blue

[prozyan]

Another question.  If I understand right I'm supposed to run 3/4" to the press... but my chiller is only 1/2" at BEST, probably less.  Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?  Obviously 50' of 3/4" is more volume than 50' of 1/2" for the press to draw from immediately but is that it?  Because my press won't be that far away really.

Rich, if I recall correctly, has said elsewhere that you can run 1/2" line, but he does NOT recommend it.  Either way, you can get 1/2" to 3/4" fittings from the same place.  I used Maxline from there to plumb my system.  Worked out great.

[Gilligan]

I have 3/4 fittings on the chiller now, but it is just the fittings, I didn't understand how that choke point doesn't defeat the purpose.

[Binkspot]

Unless you are getting a really big press the 1/2" chiller will not affect the flow of air or running 1/2" from the chiller to the press either. Of course you would like to run as big of a line as possible but the half inch should be fine. Keep in mind most specs are written for max capacity of the machine. If you have a 8 color, air heads and indexer chances are you will not be running all 8 heads wide open. I'm sure you will have a flash in one head so that's one head taken out of the equation right from the start. Most likely your actual cfm will be half what the specs list.

[ebscreen]

I have 3/4 fittings on the chiller now, but it is just the fittings, I didn't understand how that choke point doesn't defeat the purpose.

I asked something similar awhile back and we ended up in a wormhole of calculations and theories. We're all
armchair physicists/engineers but should probably invite a real one or two over at some point.

I'll ask my real life engineer buddy if I remember and try and report back.

[Binkspot]

As per the Fluid Power Data Book 1988 edition, standard reference for fluid power calculations. At 100 psi 1/2" schd 40 pipe will deliver 18 cfm up to 100' run. This system would need a three HP compressor to deliver the 18 scfm. Each fitting in the run is equal to 5' of pipe. Example 30' run, four elbows, one union and two couplings is a total of 65' of pipe. If you need to calculate a higher or lower pressure use "Boyle's Law" but this is close enough to get you in the ball park.

Pressure loss over 100'  of 1/2" schd 40 pipe @ 125psi is 1.15psi.

[ZooCity]

As per the Fluid Power Data Book 1988 edition, standard reference for fluid power calculations. At 100 psi 1/2" schd 40 pipe will deliver 18 cfm up to 100' run. This system would need a three HP compressor to deliver the 18 scfm. Each fitting in the run is equal to 5' of pipe. Example 30' run, four elbows, one union and two couplings is a total of 65' of pipe. If you need to calculate a higher or lower pressure use "Boyle's Law" but this is close enough to get you in the ball park.

Pressure loss over 100'  of 1/2" schd 40 pipe @ 125psi is 1.15psi.

Now that's handy to know, thanks.

[Gilligan]

Wow... that saves me like $100 bucks as one kit is 89 bucks and the other is 199.

Plus the fittings (t's and such) are only like a 1/4.  1/2" T is 5 bucks where as the 3/4" is 20 bucks!

[TCT]

Gilligan, did you ever go with this system? I need to run new lines for the new press, and thought if this worked out well for you I might re run all of our lines...

[Gilligan]

I didn't... but I did a little more looking at that isn't ID... so I'm gonna go with the 3/4" line when I do pull the trigger.

I need to do it soon.  Just been wiring up everything else right now and I brought in one of my home compressors for right now (we only use it for blowing out the water in screens right now).

I have no doubt that this will be a great system.

[TCT]

Don't you just love I when your "to do" list is ever growing!

[TCT]

I looked into this a bit, and if you are running 1 auto without much air demand it should work. Otherwise, it looks like regular old black steel pipe is the cheapest, not the easiest, but cheapest. The actual "RapidAir" line(flexible) they sell doesn't get big enough to run a whole lot of air through. Plus, the fittings are expen$ive!

[bimmridder]

I used Legris in my entire shop. A few simple tools and you're ready to go. No threading pipe or anything. Available at Grainger. I got mine where I bought my compressors though. So damn easy it isn't funny. Cheap? No. But so easy. Looks nice too, especially if you like blue