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Author
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Topic: Another Compressor question
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NVMP
Journeyman Posts: 61
From: Auburn, Maine
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 06-09-2006 12:38 PM
 
I have a Craftsman air compressor that is maybe a year old. I don't recall the model number, but it's a 60-gal vertical tank, single stage with decent cfm/psi numbers. I'm having a serious problem with condensation. This thing creates a ton of water. I have created a proper vertical manifold with two in-line filters between the compressor and the hose reel. I do not have a coalescing filter in place. Also, the pump is made of aluminum.
Now, I know I can replace the pump with a cast iron unit, get one or two dessicant or coalescing filters, etc., etc. However, I'd like to be able to reduce the amount of moisture this thing creates somehow before I go throwing a bunch of money at it.
Does anyone have any tricks they've found useful? Any tips? Ideas?BTW, I don't use a lot of high-cfm tools that keeps the compressor running constantly. Nate ------------------
Nathan Varney
Frozen in the Great White North
'67 Fastback in boxes
www.dm-solutions.com
www.surfcam.com
www.delcam.com
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lonewolf
Gearhead Posts: 419
From: Colorado; M&M #3117
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 06-09-2006 03:15 PM
This won't reduce the amount of moisture it produces but will reduce the amount that makes it to the tool.One of the best things to do is to plumb the system with copper pipe. This allows the air charge to cool and the water to condense where it can be removed as a liquid. General rule of thumb is to run 25' from the compressor to your first drop/tool outlet. Take a look at Dr. Gun's advice here: http://www.sharpe1.com/dr-pipe.htm Granted, this is production shop stuff but it's pretty cheap and easy to do in your home shop. I have had this in the project list for quite awhile and haven't gotten to it yet. I am planning to run straight up the wall from the compressor to the ceiling and then layout drops from there. HTH, Rick ------------------
Lonewolf
1968 Coupe in Pieces
99 1/2 F250
FFR MkIII
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NVMP
Journeyman Posts: 61
From: Auburn, Maine
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 06-09-2006 04:11 PM
quote:
Originally posted by lonewolf:
This won't reduce the amount of moisture it produces but will reduce the amount that makes it to the tool.One of the best things to do is to plumb the system with copper pipe. This allows the air charge to cool and the water to condense where it can be removed as a liquid. General rule of thumb is to run 25' from the compressor to your first drop/tool outlet. Take a look at Dr. Gun's advice here: http://www.sharpe1.com/dr-pipe.htm Granted, this is production shop stuff but it's pretty cheap and easy to do in your home shop. I have had this in the project list for quite awhile and haven't gotten to it yet. I am planning to run straight up the wall from the compressor to the ceiling and then layout drops from there. HTH, Rick
Thanks for the link. I've seen people who have replaced the straight copper pipe that runs from the pump to the tank with a coiled pipe. I'm assuming this is to help cool the charge to the tank, the same as Sharpe's "25-ft minimum." That may be a problem I have. My complete system is within a 5 foot span. There is a 2 foot flex hose from the tank outlet to the manifold, then approx. 18-inches for the manifold & filter width, then approx. another 20-inches from the filter outlet to the hose reel.
Maybe I can coil 25+ feet of copper between the tank outlet and manifold.
Nate ------------------
Nathan Varney
Frozen in the Great White North
'67 Fastback in boxes
www.dm-solutions.com
www.surfcam.com
www.delcam.com
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lonewolf
Gearhead Posts: 419
From: Colorado; M&M #3117
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 06-12-2006 11:51 PM
I thought about the coil as well. As long as it has a way for water to run to a low drain, you should be fine. I have seen folks put the coil in a bucket and then fill it with ice when they really needed dry air. Not sure how well it would it work but it sounds okay.I thought about building a radiator that is ladder shaped to get the amount of pipe up in a short span. You wouldn't get 25' feet out of it but 15' would be easy depending on how much space you have. Rick ------------------
Lonewolf
1968 Coupe in Pieces
99 1/2 F250
FFR MkIII
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 3237
From: Stanton, Michigan, zip 48888
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 06-13-2006 09:01 AM
quote:
Originally posted by lonewolf:
I thought about the coil as well. As long as it has a way for water to run to a low drain, you should be fine. --- I agree, that's exactly correct.
I have seen folks put the coil in a bucket and then fill it with ice when they really needed dry air. Not sure how well it would it work but it sounds okay.
--- That technique works very well. I've seen them in industrial settings that have a constant flow of cool water into & out of the 'pail' to keep cool water in the tank or bucket. A simple 10" air-circulating fan blowing air on the coils also works very well at keeping the coil down to ambient air temps.
I thought about building a radiator that is ladder shaped to get the amount of pipe up in a short span. You wouldn't get 25' feet out of it but 15' would be easy depending on how much space you have.
--- Unless you can get the Tee fittings for nearly no $$$, the coil of soft copper would be a less expensive method of building a "cooling coil". The Tee ladder system would also be more restrictive to air flow than a smooth coil system.
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 3058
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 06-13-2006 09:15 AM
This place has KILLER deals on KILLER compressors. http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504413.htm Here are their units that run on single phase power. http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504747.htm
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Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220
[This message has been edited by n2oMike (edited 06-13-2006).]
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bonfire
Journeyman Posts: 45
From:
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 06-13-2006 03:35 PM
I had mine set-up like yours at first with a water trap and filter right at the tank. Never got any water in the trap b/c the air was too hot still and holding on to the water (Boyle's law). I piped 1 inch copper line. Straight out from the compressor 18 inches. Up 5 feet to the ceiling. All the way to the other end of the garage about 18 feet. Made a u-turn and came back another 15 feet and put in my drop with a water trap and coalescing filter. All the piping slopes downward to end in the drop leg. Installed a manual valve drain on the down leg. Similar set-up to the sharpe site. Also check Harbor freight they have an auto drain that hooks to your compressor that drains the tank every time you power up the unit. Valve opens until pressure gets to 20 psi and closes above that. Nice to not have to crawl underneath the compressor everytime to fiddle with the wingnut. My air is nice and dry now
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bonfire
Journeyman Posts: 45
From:
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 06-13-2006 03:40 PM
I'd really like to have their 7.5 horse unit. 600 pump rpm, dual control for constant run so it doesnt start and stop all the time when sand blasting....makes my eyes roll into the back of my head thinking about it. quote:
Originally posted by n2oMike:
This place has KILLER deals on KILLER compressors. http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504413.htm Here are their units that run on single phase power. http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504747.htm
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 3058
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 06-13-2006 04:55 PM
This one? It's a friggin' BEAST!http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/206943.htm Of course they also offer it with a 10hp single phase motor. Same thing, but turns 800 instead of the 7.5hp's 600 rpm. I don't know WHAT a person would need with a compressor like this, unless they did a lot of sandblasting or something. The big LOW rpm pumps ARE good about not heating the air too much. A bottom of the line 2-stage 5hp compressor from a cheap volume discount store is still around $800.... and that is a bottom of the ladder 2-stage unit with inflated ratings. For not much more, you get a LOT more for your money from the above business. Compared to industry standards such as Quincy, etc.... These seem to be at least as good for a MUCH lower price. ------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220 [This message has been edited by n2oMike (edited 06-13-2006).]
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sigtauenus
Gearhead Posts: 3969
From: Va Beach
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 07-21-2006 09:10 AM
I've noticed that my 60 gal compressor has a fan that blows a lot of air across the motor as it is. After reading the above, I think it would make an easy job of plumbing a 25' soft copper from the air outlet on the tank, back behind the motor so that the compressor fan blows air over it, and plump it with the coils such that any water that condenses will always run downhill to a drain. I can plumb a T off the air outlet, one side goes up to the coil, the other side down to a spout that can periodically get drained. Top side of the coil goes back down to the manifold I have that also has a water separator. Either direction the condensate can flow and get removed from the system, ie, not get caught in a dip in the tubing.
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NVMP
Journeyman Posts: 61
From: Auburn, Maine
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 07-21-2006 09:59 AM
I think my first order of business will be to put at least 25 feet of copper line between the tank and the hose reel. I'll then look to the hardline from the pump to the tank for improvement.------------------
Nathan Varney
Finitely Abstract
'67 Fastback in boxes
www.dm-solutions.com
www.surfcam.com
www.delcam.com
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mellowyellow
Gearhead Posts: 8198
From: So. Fl.
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-21-2006 10:19 AM
When painting cars here, had a water trap at the compressor, ran a 25' hose to another water trap strapped to waist, laterally so as not to hit car, and ran different hose lengths to the gun. Also use a disposable filter at the gun. Only paint work I do now is interior. The last priming I did was on a 66 cv last year. Using DP grey epoxy primer, went to HFreight and bought a Binks style gun on sale for $14! The gun did very well and at end of epoxy work had no qualms about pitching it!
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