[AT] Air lines for shop

[Mark Johnson]

Your insurance  company won't agree, if there's a problem, but black 
iron rated at 150 PSI is probably more than adequate as long as you 
don't keep it constantly at 175...pressure ratings have a lot of margin 
built into them - something  I learned when I found out we usually used 
standard 150 PSI galvanized iron pipe fittings on John Deere 620 and 730 
hydraulics (1500 PSI nominal max). In many years on the farm, I don't 
recall any catastrophic failures on those tractor hydraulics - not even 
any leaks attributable to overpressure.

As others have said, I would avoid PVC; copper would be great but 
expensive...and I don't know anything about PEX. I'm out of practice but 
I used to cut threads better than I solder, at least on 1/2 inch iron 
pipe or larger! :-)

Your mileage may vary; I am a software guy like you, Spencer, not a 
professional engineer. [For that matter, my dad wasn't a PE either, but 
he did have an engineering degree and years of experience with plumbing 
of all kinds. In my younger days, I helped on projects using copper, 
galvanized iron, black iron, and PVC.]

Mark J
Columbia MO


On 9/10/2021 8:43 PM, Spencer Yost wrote:
> So I’m going to be making three new pipe runs from my air compressor.  Previously I’ve just relied on hoses since the 50 foot hose will reach everywhere in my shop.
>
> It will consist of one long “trunk” run that will be nearly 40 feet, and then a few stub runs of anywhere from 5’ to 15’
>
> I was thinking about black pipe as that’s what I have used before. But I had no idea the common, affordable black pipe you find in hardware stores is only good to 150 psi. My compressor is two stage and is 175 psi:
>
> 3/4-in x 3-ft 150-PSI Black Iron Pipe https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southland-Pipe-3-4-in-x-3-ft-150-PSI-Black-Iron-Pipe/3371442
>
> I guess I’m thinking about biting the bullet and going copper. I’d like to go with some of those really neat new aluminum systems but I could never afford that.
>
> What are y’all think about copper? I know 3/4” copper is good to about 1000 psi.   It eliminates  the rust problem that eventually befalls all black steel pipe systems; which is kind of a plus.  As far as installation, I solder better than I cut threads :-)
>
>
>
> Spencer
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
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