Minimum Air Supply Setup for Spraying Small Parts

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 8:59 am
I have not posted on here in a while. I am preparing to throw some money down for improvements for my air supply. I want to know what the minimum setup would be to ensure 100% moisture is removed from airline. I currently highly suspect moisture is coming through since I don't have the copper pipe drain with the drops or refrigerant dryer. I have an oil/water separator with desiccant dryer after that as well as an in-line desiccant dryer at gun. The oil/water never fills up with water, just beads around filter. The beads in desiccant dryer on wall needs to be changed every two sessions, and the in-line desiccant beads never change color (maybe defective?). I suspect that since the air temp is not being lowered to dew point that the water separator has no chance of working.

I don't want to go overboard. I am not spraying full vehicles, only small parts. I want to get recommendations for minimum setup from compressor to gun to ensure 100% of this moisture is removed. Open to any suggestions. I am currently using a 1.2 RP gun for single stage/clear. I also have 1.4 and 1.8 LVLP gun for thicker materials.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 9:09 am
I just want to point this out.... You said, " I don't have the copper pipe drain with the drops or refrigerant dryer." So you don't have a compressor problem to solve.... you have a system management problem to solve. Copper pipe on a wall looped up and down with drains in the bottoms of the loops is the simplest way to "knock" the moisture out of the air. Of course a refrigerant dryer connected with that would be even better however even just an air to air cooler would be helpful. Figure out the moisture thing first, then look at compressor you want supplying the system.....
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 9:31 am
DarrelK,

That is exactly what I was thinking. I'm really looking for more specifics in how this should be designed. Like what the entire layout should look like from compressor to gun.



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 10:04 am
DarrelK wrote:even just an air to air cooler would be helpful......


What do you mean by this? Like a Fuji Spray system? I'm looking into that as well as possibly being a solution to completely do away with everything I'm using now.

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 3:16 pm
Okay, so you should probably look into something like a RapidAir kit and look at their plumbing diagrams. An air to air cooler is one like this (this is just an example) ... https://www.ebay.com/itm/295650339693?h ... Swu4RkQtEz I have a slightly smaller version of that a little bit after my compressor with an auto drain just after it and before you get into my wall tubing. Please keep in mind I live in Ohio so we are not dealing with the kind of heat that generates a lot of moisture to begin with so that works fine for us. Also just the way my compressor is designed already has lowered temps from the pump to the tank. Again, there is an auto drain on the tank.... A cheap system used by many guys works like this....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDexMchrdWc
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2023 3:40 pm
Any thoughts on the rapid air fast pipe cooling kit, refrigerated dryer, jt dryer, or even a heatless regenerative dessicant dryer?

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2023 4:10 pm
So start with this.... what area of the US are you in? Can make a huge difference in what your need/want to do....
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2023 11:15 am
I live in hawaii and I currently have the jt dryer along with another water separator after it and then the toilet paper filter but I was looking into the devilbiss qc3 filter to add into it all.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:19 pm
Sounds like you have a decent setup.... are you having any specific problems now?
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2023 8:55 am
Here is a diagram of an air supply set up.
It is meant for a large shop but the but the basics are all there.
1. Line from compressor hits a vertical copper line with a drop and drain valve
2. Through a filter to the refrigerated drier if you have one
3. At least 30' of copper line heading toward your paint booth area. Note: for a small shop, I suggest a zig zag line of piping started along the top of a wall and then a 6" drop and back across the wall etc. at least three times.
4. A drop line and drain valve just before entering the booth as shown
5. Inside the booth your filters and air pressure regulator just prior to a valve leading to your air hose.

DryAire_piping_layout.jpg
1968 Coronet R/T


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