I have grand plans to paint my old Mustang this spring and need to start tooling up. I guess I'm up to step two as read in What Every Beginner Should Know [bOnce you have the proper size compressor you will need a filtration system and drier or at least a good water separator.][/b] What does this mean for a simpleton like me? When I read "at least" I wonder if I get the "most excellent" water separator if it will be adequate or why not. I haven't chosen a brand or type of paint system to use but I'm sure Ill go with whichever is most forgiving/repairable, if that matters.

I have a smallish garage and have always just used a single hose off of the compressor, I also generally move the compressor different spots during a major garage cleaning and may even re-locate the comp. outside someday. So a few more simple questions to follow;
Also, you will need airlines run for a distance of at least 20 feet prior to the water separator
What are "high flow fittings" and how do I know the difference?
Are PVC lines an absolute NO ?
What sizes to use?
Should copper fittings always be soldered or would those compression fittings be strong enough? I can solder and those fittings would add $ quickly so just wondering.
Could I use a coil of copper tubing or maybe a series of "U" shapes to keep a small footprint? Does more line footage automatically=better? To what point?

Thanks in advance for your input and experiences.
I'd love to hear any other tips or cheats and cheap-outs as well as spots to never skimp on at this stage.

Hi Robert,
Congratulations on reading and investigating before spending your hard earned money!

The air compressor is the heart of your shop and a good clean and dry air supply is critical.

When your air compressor is working hard it produces a lot of heat and moisture. The warm air needs time to cool so that the moisture will separate (condense). The idea is to have enough copper or steel pipe prior to your water separator to allow this to happen.

I used 3/4" copper and soldered all the connections. A flexible line from the compressor to a "T" fitting in vertical section of pipe with a short drop to a drain valve below the "T" fitting.
I then ran a series of 10' sections of pipe in a sort of zigzag pattern across the wall, through a M60 filter/separator, into a Dayton refrigerated drier, back up the wall, along the ceiling towards the paint booth. Then another vertical drop with a "T" fitting running through the wall into the booth and another drain valve below.

Once in the booth it goes through a regulator/separated, another particle filter and then a shut off valve just before the high flow connector for my air hose.

High flow fittings are called that when you buy them. They have increased inside diameter to prevent restricting your air flow. You will also want a 3/8" diameter air hose.

I find that I do not need the refrigerated drier on most days so you can get by without one.

68 has you on your way. Just wanted to address the PVC thing.... two problems with the stuff....#1. It has been proven in testing that when PVC does fail it doesn't just develop a "hole" in it. It explosively rips apart send lethal shards everywhere. These can wound and even kill at the velocity they achieve. #2. You'll notice 68 keeps referring to the temp. drop that should be occurring as the air moves further in the metal pipe system. Guess what PVC is? A very good insulator. You are actually keeping temps. up in that plastic pipe making condensation at your use points.
Oh, and yeah 3/8 inch on those fittings and hose is a big thing....lots of cfm is not going to do you much good if you keep putting "choke" points in your system with 1/4 inch stuff.

RobertGee wrote:Could I use a coil of copper tubing or maybe a series of "U" shapes to keep a small footprint? Does more line footage automatically=better? To what point?

What your trying to avoid is moisture/ condensate collection sites, and create moisture/condensate collection drainage. Round coils, "U" shapes will trap and collect.

Line footage, from my understanding, equals volume and energy release. Heat transfer. That hot air cools eventually in those lines, moisture separated out drains off.

You also should consider the type of copper pipe. Type "L" rings a bell?



Look past all the other crap you can see what I've got on the wall. 1/2" type "L" x 20'. Not enough if the compressor is under rated for how hard it's asked to perform as mine is when called into duty.
You could also bend it. Use a conduit bender, or around a form. Watch out for collapse.

As far as thing go, you could lead tin or lead free solder, RBCuZn-C braze, silver solder BAg-?, BCuP silfos. Or just use compression fittings, but that has to be pricy as well. I've seen a Aluminum coated tube that uses compression fittings recently that looked interesting and expensive?

I really have to do some cleaning.

Thanks for all that...
I hadn't thought to check and up size the air hoses, its obvious now.
I think I need to go ahead and build my little lean-to compressor shed 1st to get it outside for noise sake and affix some air lines permanently. That leads to the while im at it syndrome and since I need some length I may as well add at least one drop to the other side, if not all 4 corners and an overhead drop in the middle

I found some info that suggests using black gas pipe(not galvanized). Is that just a cost consideration? I might need ~40-50' of hard line at most but haven't priced out copper or pipe in a while to see what I'd save using black pipe. I just have to think the black pipe would add particle contamination, especially over many years, right?

Im seeing such a wide range of regulator/filter/drier/seperator manifolds its mind wobbling. Is it wise to have at least a lower end filter, like these $30https://www.amazon.com/PneumaticPlus-SAF4000M-N04B-Compressed-Particulate-Filter/dp/B005JDL2T6/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1546188246&sr=8-23&keywords=air+compressor+filter just after the compressor then have another better manifold that does it all just prior to the hose connection?



Im seeing this PneumaticPlus brand on Amazon, prices anywhere from $30 for a simple filter to under $200 for a combo set-up. Cheaper than I thought they'd be. Any reason to avoid them for another brand. Or what sort of "minimum" specs to go for.

Okay, so I'm going into the Wayback machine here to some copressor/shop air classes I took back about 25 years or so.....Galvanized is like s "self contaminating" problems with the stuff breaking loose over time. Black iron was pretty common back in those days although yeah, rust particulates are in your future. Copper has been pretty much the "go to" stuff since I got in business. Another thing you might consider is the RapidAir systems. Their piping comes in 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch diameters and is easy to set up.... Here is a sample small system....
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... H8QAvD_BwE

Notice that the diagram is very much like you want to do...... And yes, filtration is a very broad and confusing subject. I think I will let the more "learned" guys here help with that....

DarrelK wrote:Another thing you might consider is the RapidAir systems. Their piping comes in 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch diameters and is easy to set up.... Here is a sample small system....
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... H8QAvD_BwE

....

Thanks for that, as I was reading around about the rapidair I came across a bunch of info on PEX piping, some calling it near indestructible and self healing. So I may end up with a bastard combination of stuff.
Ive got some 3/4 copper left over from a plumbing job years ago and think to use it to make sure Ive got cooling/drip lines and drops because well, its kinda pretty.
PROJECT CREEP

Not familiar with PEX for airline use. I know it is used in outdoor feeds from central boilers. With PEX you might be right back to not dumping enough of the heat off along the way. If you already have some copper.....seems like the way to go. Copper goes in fairly rapidly....well at least when I'm doing it.......

RobertGee wrote: Thanks for that, as I was reading around about the rapidair I came across a bunch of info on PEX piping, some calling it near indestructible and self healing. So I may end up with a bastard combination of stuff.
Ive got some 3/4 copper left over from a plumbing job years ago and think to use it to make sure Ive got cooling/drip lines and drops because well, its kinda pretty.
PROJECT CREEP

I used the RapidAir system and I really like it. The place is real easy to deal with.

At first I actually installed too many drops, I ended up taking out a couple and could have taken out a couple more.

DONT use PVC, It has to do with the way compressed air stores energy versus a non-compressible fluid (water). I think that most people know by now not to use PVC.

I have the RapidAir pressure controller/water trap near the entrance to each of my work spaces then I have a separate air filter & desiccant system with different fitting for my spray guns.

I think that copper type L and K are rated for compressed air.

I used Black pipe in my shop and have never had any problems with it, BUT I have an elaborate water/moisture trap system and multiple air Filter's and an additional air Drier at the booth. I also employ auto tank drains on both of my compressors.
I am in Southern NV Relative Humidity here averages annually 24.7% and average monthly relative humidity ranges from 13% in June to 40% in January.
You'd be blown away by how much water I get out of my Traps year round.

I would look into your Local Humidity averages to get an idea how much or how elaborate your water trap needs to be, to be effective at extracting the Moisture / removing the water.