Tips & tricks on installing upright air compressor

[JodyFKerr]

Hey folks,

The wife finally gave me the OK to get some new tools.

Bought a 60 gallon upright (the medium sized HF one). Any tips and/or recommendations on the best way to install/setup this thing?

The one tip I remember from my Studebaker days was to cut squares from an old tire to put under the feet to absorb vibrations.

Jody

 

[TR3driver]

If it is as top-heavy as my 80 gallon, then I would definitely suggest anchoring it to a wall or something. I used a "water heater earthquake" anchor kit from HD.

I also built a frame of pressure-treated 2x4 for it to stand on, then added some elbows & pipe to bring the drain valve out where it is easily accessible. Eventually I plan to hook up the automatic drain valve, but for now I just use a small ball valve (again from HD).

I've got a long pipe run from where the compressor is (back yard) to the garage, which had to be lower than the compressor outlet. So I made a deliberate "water leg" near the compressor, with its own drain valve, and sloped all the pipe towards it (so the water would run towards the low spot).

The air I get now is much drier than before (with the hose tapped directly into the side of the tank); the blast cabinet works much better and the die grinder doesn't spit water any more.

 

[JPSmit]

+1 on the external drain valve

 

[DNK]

...

I've got a long pipe run from where the compressor is (back yard) to the garage, which had to be lower than the compressor outlet. So I made a deliberate "water leg" near the compressor, with its own drain valve, and sloped all the pipe towards it (so the water would run towards the low spot).

The air I get now is much drier than before (with the hose tapped directly into the side of the tank); the blast cabinet works much better and the die grinder doesn't spit water any more.

A drawing would be nice Randall

 

[TR3driver]

A drawing would be nice Randall

I'm sure it would, but I'm too lazy to do one. A better written description will have to do.

Basically, from the outlet at the top front of the tank, I have a couple of elbows (to get it pointed the right way with a bit of downhill slope), a ball valve, then a flex line and more elbows to run the pipe back to the wall that the compressor is mounted against. Then the pipe turns straight down the wall and runs into a tee, with the side branch from the tee pointing towards the garage. The bottom of the tee has an automatic drain (likewise not hooked up yet) and a ball valve for manual draining.

The side branch has two street ells, so that the run towards the garage can slope towards the tee, plus a union (to make it easier to assemble and disassemble for tightening joints, etc.)

The overall effect is somewhat like the green section shown here:
https://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf except for me, the marked 8" rise is over about 60' of pipe.

 

[TRMark]

Here is how installed my air system. I would like a better air compressor, this one does not have enough cfm. The main feed line goes downward at a slight angle. This whole thing is designed to get rid of moisture. A little over kill using black pipe, but it is supposed to condense moisture better.

 

[JodyFKerr]

That looks like a pretty slick set up! I'm starting simply, get it running, wall mount a regulator, then hook up my 50' of air hose.

Despite having family visiting and functions to go to over the weekend I managed to get the unit wired in, and a lot of junk removed from the garage. Now I just need to position/bolt down the unit, mount the regulator and I should be good to go (at least temporarily.

I do know that when I add the wall lines I'm going to want a split between the plumbing that supplies my Media cabinets and the line that powers tools. That way I have driers on the blasting leg and oilers on the tools leg.

Jody

 

[elrey]

I'd run more line before the water trap/regulator, that way the air can cool and more water will condense out in the initial trap.

 

[TRMark]

I agree, that would be better. I didn't have the room to run a longer horizontal before going up and I didn't want to go up a ladder to change the desiccant or drain the trap. In fact I could probably skip the desiccant trap all together since I am not going to do any auto painting. I need to run a line down the adjacent wall to the opposite wall to my other workbench. But it does work better than a hose laying on the floor.

 

[Bayless]

That's a really nice looking setup.

 

[elrey]

One can always lay a 25'coil on the floor or hang it on the wall. That way you leave your set up intact. Nice workplace, I like your vintage drill press.

 

[TRMark]

I like your vintage drill press.

Its an old Atlas model 74. My father and law gave it to me years ago. Wouldn't want to be without it.

 

[PC]

On the drain line, keep in mind that when you crack the valve you'll get a spray of rusty water. Depending on your tube diameter it can be quite a blast. Be sure to route it somewhere that won't be a problem.

One can always lay a 25'coil on the floor or hang it on the wall. ...

You never want to mount a coil flat to the wall. You'll get multiple low points collecting water. You want every point in the line to slope toward a deliberate drain point.


pc

 

[PAUL161]

For your basic question, just make sure it's anchored to the floor or wall. I prefer bolting it to the concrete floor with cinch bolts. Then make sure it's on it's own circuit breaker. The rest is just how much money you want to spend. pj

 

[JodyFKerr]

Thanks for all the tips guys. The compressor is in and wired now.

And the wife let me get a bigger media cabinet too! So now I have two cabinets. The old one has been converted to soda blasting. It's so nice being able to media and soda blast with enough CFM that I don't have to stop every 60 seconds to let the compressor catch up.

 

[elrey]

As an onsite finish carpenter I find myself setting up shop in a new place all the time. Sometimes there is not much room . I find that keeping a 20 to 25 foot hose between my compressor and my water trap/ filter/ regulator allows the air to cool down enough to make a great difference in the amount of water that accumulates in the trap. Sometimes I just leave the hose coiled on the floor. It seems to work for me. Of course I break down my setup frequently so the water never stays in the tube for long. I meant either leave the hose coiled on the floor or hang it uncoiled on the wall near the ceiling so that it drapes down to the trap. I have my trap and reg. on a portable 10 inch square sled so if I am a distance from my compressor [sometimes 200'+] I can regulate the pressure near my work. My main concern regarding my home setup is clean air for painting the %#!$ car. so my trap lies 20 ' past a black pipe that has a setup much like TR mark's except that the pickup for the air t's up off of the main line that slopes back to the drain leg. Again, good point on the wall coil collecting water in the low points. I suppose my floor coil method may have problems also but at least the water condenses out before it hits my trap and then the nail guns. This forum is great, I find myself thinking a little deeper on many subjects that I might not otherwise. A wonderful learning tool. Thank you folks for your wisdom.