Pex for central compressor system?

[awedio]

Use the TransAir Aluminum pipe system from Parker, this stuff is legit.

TransAir Video
Parker

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

My buddy built a garage 30 x 40 16 years ago. Ran 3/4 glued pvc for his compressor thru the whole shop and to date has never once had water rust or any problems. They are routed in the studs just like wiring. When things are done correctly the best materials are the ones your comfortable with. Only issue with PVC pipe is you have to anchor the pipe very solid where your quick connects are going.

Your buddy is lucky. OSHA has banned the use if pvc and other thermoplastic piping for poping compressed air and other compressed gasses. When pvc breaks it shatters into sharp fragments that can easily injure someone. PVC also becomes more brittle over time due to fluctuations in temperature, that can be caused by gas pressure increasing and decreasing within the piping, which is what happens when you use rhe compressed air. PVC is also very easy to break due to impact. This is a series of OSHA letters on the subject.
https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

Practical Machinist also has a good thread on their forum explaining the priblems with PVC and compressed air piping.
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/ruptured-pvc-air-lines-what-not-do-230253/

 

[pettyconstruction]

Plus 2 on 3/4" pvc
Cheep and easy to work with.
Did the house next door,20-25 yrs ago , and no problems .
Oh ,and make sure to put a fitting on the outside of the shop/ garage to fill the tires on your cars.
Charlie

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Cheese]

PVC...Cheep and easy to work with.

Yikes...I'll be wearing safety goggles and making sure my Blue Cross Blue Shield policy is current when i visit...because when she blows...it won't be pretty.

 

[jwaite550]

My buddy built a garage 30 x 40 16 years ago. Ran 3/4 glued pvc for his compressor thru the whole shop and to date has never once had water rust or any problems. They are routed in the studs just like wiring. When things are done correctly the best materials are the ones your comfortable with. Only issue with PVC pipe is you have to anchor the pipe very solid where your quick connects are going.

Your buddy is lucky. OSHA has banned the use if pvc and other thermoplastic piping for poping compressed air and other compressed gasses. When pvc breaks it shatters into sharp fragments that can easily injure someone. PVC also becomes more brittle over time due to fluctuations in temperature, that can be caused by gas pressure increasing and decreasing within the piping, which is what happens when you use rhe compressed air. PVC is also very easy to break due to impact. This is a series of OSHA letters on the subject.
https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

Practical Machinist also has a good thread on their forum explaining the priblems with PVC and compressed air piping.
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/ruptured-pvc-air-lines-what-not-do-230253/

Thanks for this info.  Something I need to keep in mind as my 3/4" pvc airline is coming close to 25 years old.(only used once in a while with a small Dewalt compressor for small air tools)  I did put in in the walls when I built the house so I think I would be protected from flying pieces, but it may be time to replace.

 

[pettyconstruction]

PVC...Cheep and easy to work with.

Yikes...I'll be wearing safety goggles and making sure my Blue Cross Blue Shield policy is current when i visit...because when she blows...it won't be pretty.

Might be awhile cuz it's still going after 20-25 years

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[Cheese]

Might be awhile cuz it's still going after 20-25 years

Ya, and I'm still going after 67 years...let's just see what the 68th year brings...could happen at any time...kind of like that pvc air line. [eek]

All humor aside, there is a reason that pvc is not recommended for air lines. It's not something I generated but rather a general warning in the pneumatic piping industry that takes safety considerations very seriously because there are some serious financial/legal/safety ramifications involved if they recommend some method and it fails. If a person wants to use pvc for their own personal air distribution system, so be it, but it is negligent to recommend that method to a global audience that may not understand the repercussions.

 

[RJNeal]

I agree with you Cheese, on the non recommendation.
I have set up two shops with air line. One black pipe and the other is copper.
Main line slope to drains and the supply lines feed off the top.
The tire store in town plumbed in PVC. After a few blow outs they replaced with copper.
Rick

 

[Cheese]

I agree with you Cheese, on the non recommendation.
I have set up two shops with air line. One black pipe and the other is copper.
Main line slope to drains and the supply lines feed off the top.
The tire store in town plumbed in PVC. After a few blow outs they replaced with copper.

Thanks...Ya, my air delivery system of choice is copper, black iron rusts and galvanized can flake. Put a good one in once and be done with it, we all have far too many other things to occupy our time and life with. Hey if you're 23, you can spin and twirl for the next 40+ years, if you're 67 you only have the time to spin and twirl for the next latte.

 

[RJNeal]

[thumbs up]

 

[Carquest]

Where did you buy the transair from? Curious at how much it is per lenght

 

[Cheese]

Where did you buy the transair from? Curious at how much it is per lenght

Transair is really nice, and for a commercial business it makes sense because it's fast to hang & assemble. We hung some 7/8" tubing in an Engineering Model Shop and it worked out well. The cost was about $6 per foot for the 7/8" tubing and the fittings were in the $20-$30 range each. It's not cheap but it is quick.

 

[southrider]

I installed about 150' of 3/4 rapidair maxline in my shop last year and loved it. Bought 2  kits instead of ala carte and saved quite a bit (they helped me design the layout for my shop and encouraged me to save money buying from Amazon).

Was about the same cost as buying black pipe, and a whole lot easier - plus it DOES NOT LEAK DOWN.

No gluing, soldering, or threading. Uses split ring stainless ferrules that are re-usable. Has a ball valve water release for every drop.

In my research everything that I read says that pvc can (and has been) deadly for compressed air. When Iprice black & galvanized pipe it was high, and copper has to be higher when you factor in fittings.

And if you really don't want the system to leak you need these fittings:
https://www.amazon.com/Prevost-PRVI...id=1472778715&sr=1-14&refinements=p_4:Prevost

 

[nclemmons]

Check out RapidAirproducts.com - They offer a pex-type product that comes in rolls with plastic exterior and aluminum interior.  Easy to install and relatively inexpensive versus the alternatives. 

I just did a 50x75 farm shop using all copper around the entire perimeter, but did use the drops and air manifolds from RapidAir Products and was really impressed with their product and service.

 

[Carquest]

wow, rapid air seems to be exactly what I'm looking for, and quite a bit cheaper than trans-air. Thanks for the heads up. Many people on reviews complain about trying to get the coiled line to straighten out, did you guys have any problems? If so, any tips?

 

[leakyroof]

I'm like Darcy, I prefer Black Iron Pipe. However, I have had Chinese made fittings shatter on me like a grenade, so even iron and steel can go wrong on you.
Plus 1 on never using PVC as a piping method for Compressed Air. I've seen the Shrapnel pictures of blown systems afterwards, right through drywall... [eek] [eek]

 

[Carquest]

Well, I did mine in pvc about fifteen years ago, because that was the easiest and cheapest way. Many of my customers have done this also, with no issues that I am aware of, but now I would like to re-do mine the right way, so I won't have any issues from here on out.

 

[Bill Waters]

Hi, Jeff 2413;

I guess I'm late in responding to this.  I use PEX in my 4 shops (woodworking, blacksmithing, auto/metal fab and general purpose/barn shop.  I have had great results running PEX at reasonable pressures (

 

[Jeff2413]

Bill I'm with you.  I know several people that have used it with great results.  I'm not one to get hung up on specs and technical findings rather more interested in "does it work safely?"  I haven't done anything yet to centralize my air but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna use PEX when I do.  For now I have made an iron leg with 4 valves outlets which run my wide belt sander, 2 air assisted sprayers and one blow hose that can also be used for the cup gun. 

Thanks for your input and hope you are enjoying this holiday season!

 

[Vartz04]

I used Pex in our old warehouse at work. Just 3 drops. Held up fine for the 4 years we were there.