Filtering Compressed Air From Dirty Old Black Iron Lines

[jvanick]

Here is what I run for all our lines except the press. The press is fed by copper. Good stuff and easy to install. For a hundred bucks you can add a couple of lines and make it look super clean. They sell their stuff on Amazon at a discount.

http://www.rapidairproducts.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwi9K4BRCQzq7d1c6A_XASJABueAO2vjZKTwArqE82vbY-Yld07o0gQ3M7L6Gr88lsnHH5dxoCtRDw_wcB

I use the same stuff... their FastPipe is interesting as well, too bad it needs to be truck shipped.

[Evo]

I just did a full install of the Fastpipe, and it's fantastic. I did a ceiling loop,about a quarter of which of which I tied into existing 1.5" black iron, and then drops to manifolds for finishing equipment, and 3/4" hose for two Sportsman presses.

Crazy easy to install.

Nice thing is I can pull the whole thing down by myself and re-install it in another building if required.

Tip on the black iron: zip tie several shirts to an open of the pipe end and open up the compressor and blow out as much scale as you can. Filter and dryer the air going in and filter it again at point of use.

[Croft]

I outfitted my new shop with the Maxline kit , really easy to use and the 100' kit did everything I needed, I liked that you can curve the pipe without using 90* elbows.  Also remember when they list 3/4", 1" etc that is ID.  great stuff didn't have any install problems and the tools were included. Would highly recommend.  Also I bought enough to do my home work shop

[ebscreen]

Same debate here, pex-al-pex or black iron. Already have rubber for the drops.

Since the pipe is in the ground could you flush it with a mild caustic or something?
Though you'd want to be sure it all of it was removed before attaching equipment.

[ZooCity]

Same debate here, pex-al-pex or black iron. Already have rubber for the drops.

Since the pipe is in the ground could you flush it with a mild caustic or something?
Though you'd want to be sure it all of it was removed before attaching equipment.

Yeah I was barking up that tree for a minute but I would worry about getting it 100% clean of corrosives.  Too bad there isn't a roto rooter type deal for these lines or some kind of abrasive, high speed brush you could snake in there.

[Screened Gear]

Dirty lines, enough said. Move on.

[JBLUE]

Spend a little money now or a whole lot later. Not worth Fng with nasty old air. However I am sure south of the border what you have is perfectly fine as it sits.....lol

[Screened Gear]

Let me say one more thing about airlines. I am not an airline design expert but this is how I see it. No matter how dry your air is going into the pipe it will condensate. Sending air under ground will force condensation because of the drop in temp. Lets say its very little almost none. Even a little water under grown like that will have no outlet. So it will build. It will build to the point that your pipe will fill over time. Now you have to push your dry clean air through water to get to your press. In my opinion you should run your air up hill as far as much as possible in your system. What this does is drains the pipe back to the compressor /chiller.  This way you can drain off the water.

[Binkspot]

You can flush it with diesel, maybe even shoot a pig through it but the time, expense and disposal it will be cheaper in the long run just to run new. There is always the posiabilty with the age any kind of disturbance could cause a leak somewhere it can not be reached then you are replacing it anyway.

[ZooCity]

Let me say one more thing about airlines. I am not an airline design expert but this is how I see it. No matter how dry your air is going into the pipe it will condensate. Sending air under ground will force condensation because of the drop in temp. Lets say its very little almost none. Even a little water under grown like that will have no outlet. So it will build. It will build to the point that your pipe will fill over time. Now you have to push your dry clean air through water to get to your press. In my opinion you should run your air up hill as far as much as possible in your system. What this does is drains the pipe back to the compressor /chiller.  This way you can drain off the water.

I agree.  I like the air up in the air and like to see goosenecks used on all drops.  And that's a good point, the name "chiller" implies how it does it's job, not the temp of air coming out if it, which should be room temp.  Sinking it below concrete will only encourage condensation of any remaining water and, more likely, that dry air will be constantly picking up the moisture that's down there.

Sometimes, no matter how much you want to use what is existing you just have to go new.  I'm not cheap but I hate installing things around existing things that serve the same purpose.  Too bad mechanics air tools didn't require clean, dry air.