Has anybody tried the new plastic piping for shop compressed air on a commercial level? how's the pricing? Going to help plumb a friends garage-6bays, 3 double deep. not sure to go plastic or black pipe.
Shop Air
- Thread starter Vrabel
- Start date
What do you mean new plastic pipe?
Ive installed sch 80 pvc for air lines- sch 40 doesnt stand the pressure that alot of compressors can run.
I installed steel in my shop- but im a plumber by trade so i have all of the necessary cutting and threading machines sitting right there-
Personally- steel will last forever, wont break like plastic can as it gets older.
GOOD LUCK Steven
Ive installed sch 80 pvc for air lines- sch 40 doesnt stand the pressure that alot of compressors can run.
I installed steel in my shop- but im a plumber by trade so i have all of the necessary cutting and threading machines sitting right there-
Personally- steel will last forever, wont break like plastic can as it gets older.
GOOD LUCK Steven
Why not coppe?r, I've worked on several fire houses and that's all we've run in the bays. But copper is pretty expensive rite now. I'm Not familiar with a plastic tubing to run compressed air
www.rapidairproducts.com Personally, I think he should go steel. But he's interested in the plastic for some reason.
I've seen pvc used before. Not sure if it was sch 40 or 80... All I know is that it was white not grey, or black. Personnally I thought it was a dumbass idea, I'm not a plumber so idk if it is safe or not. Just common sense tells me to use something abit stronger.
we used Pex tubing in our shop, working fine for now, the plumbing shop reccommended it over black pipe.
All of these sort of new products that come out- its hard to keep up with them all
One thing to think about with using a product like that- in 5 years if something breaks or he gets a leak, then what? If he uses steel or pvc any local hardware store will have what you need to fix it.
And white pvc is sch 40- rated for less than 200 psi- and it gets brittle over time if exposed to any sunlight- bad idea when dealing with compressed air!. Grey pvc is sch. 80 and is rated 600 psi IIRC- and and is the only plastic pipe i would recommend to use.
Pex is rated for 200 psi as well- but it wont burst becoming shrapnel like pvc can-
GOOD LUCK Steven
One thing to think about with using a product like that- in 5 years if something breaks or he gets a leak, then what? If he uses steel or pvc any local hardware store will have what you need to fix it.
And white pvc is sch 40- rated for less than 200 psi- and it gets brittle over time if exposed to any sunlight- bad idea when dealing with compressed air!. Grey pvc is sch. 80 and is rated 600 psi IIRC- and and is the only plastic pipe i would recommend to use.
Pex is rated for 200 psi as well- but it wont burst becoming shrapnel like pvc can-
GOOD LUCK Steven
Never seen it used for air lines, but that stuff is pretty impressive for the cost VS copper... I have a decent amount kicking around , maybe I will give it a try in the shop.
except for the fact that its a PITA to uncoil, but no sweating fittings really saves time.
heres a pic of our shop you can see it in. Its run right where the plywood meets the acoustisteel
heres a pic of our shop you can see it in. Its run right where the plywood meets the acoustisteel
Once you get used to copper, it's pretty fast to install. I've always used copper, and haven't had a failure in 18 years, 12 years at our current location.
Plastic has improved a lot though. It used to get brittle as time went on.
Steel can have issues with internal corrosion, and I'd stay away from it. Not because it will fail, but because you'll have to replace filters more, and perhaps even damage some kinds of equipment.
Plastic has improved a lot though. It used to get brittle as time went on.
Steel can have issues with internal corrosion, and I'd stay away from it. Not because it will fail, but because you'll have to replace filters more, and perhaps even damage some kinds of equipment.
:spit: You should see mine
Your kidding right? Looks clean to me
I have seen white PVC blow off the wall after time and damage a vehicle in a body shop. That failure was in the fitting, not the pipe, a tee broke. Luckily no one was hurt.
Be careful with the temperature versus pressure rating. As the temperature goes over 68* F the pressure rating really drops off quick, and the air temp coming from the compressor discharge can get too hot to touch on some compressors.
Good Luck!
Be careful with the temperature versus pressure rating. As the temperature goes over 68* F the pressure rating really drops off quick, and the air temp coming from the compressor discharge can get too hot to touch on some compressors.
Good Luck!
I've worked in the compressor field for a while now and I know I would'nt touch any pvc at all. We like copper for eaze of the install and no corosion but it's expensive, iron works but it's a pain in the ass to put in compaired to others. The pex sounds interesting fast easy definately better than pvc but I've never seen it used whats it's pressure rating?.
:spit: You should see mine
No that was a pic back from when it was clean. Im getting behind on keeping it clean now though. Its really hard to in the winter
heres a pic of it this morning
No that was a pic back from when it was clean. Im getting behind on keeping it clean now though. Its really hard to in the winter
heres a pic of it this morning
Vin looking at the first pic i thought you guys don't work in there.That Or i do a really bad job at keeping mine clean, Thanks for that second pic i feel better. I need to Replace my lines and i just used PEX tubing on a floor for heat and that stuff is tough Maybe that would work. What did you guys run 3/4''?
We used 1" hydro plumb pex fastened every 16". The stuffs a PITA to work with but it is tough.
To uncoil it and hold it straightish while we fastened it we slipped it through a 6' piece of 1.5" PVC. This made the job easier. But we are amatuers im sure a pro out there has a better way. Only other time I dealt with Pex was doing the infloor heat in our calf barn, and swore off it after that, we left it to the pros for the shop floor.
http://www.h-a-s.com/literature/Hydro-Pex/Hydro-Plumb Plus PEX Specification.pdf
Our drops are 1/2" Black pipe.
To uncoil it and hold it straightish while we fastened it we slipped it through a 6' piece of 1.5" PVC. This made the job easier. But we are amatuers im sure a pro out there has a better way. Only other time I dealt with Pex was doing the infloor heat in our calf barn, and swore off it after that, we left it to the pros for the shop floor.
http://www.h-a-s.com/literature/Hydro-Pex/Hydro-Plumb Plus PEX Specification.pdf
Our drops are 1/2" Black pipe.
Pex is nice stuff! That's all my plumber uses now.. In our latest project, we plumbed 10K sq ft with it. Not a problem yet..