Compressed air distribution

[Arcane]

The question that the OP asked is "Is type M copper tubing allowed for compressed air service?"

Ask him that.

I just asked him that..he said he didn't know of any restrictions.

[garagemark]

Mike, Sorry, I cannot do pictures very easily- I am blocked here at work from accessing photo hosting sites, and I have no Internet at home. I'll try to find a terminal, maybe my wife's at her work in the next day or two.

Stand by.

[lakeside53]

Yes it is. Unfortunately most states have adopted the International Building Code and it isn't available for free download as well as being about 60 megabytes. Phone your local inspector and find out.

I have a CD of the 2003 International Residential Building code. Unless I missed it.. I see nothing restricting type M. I'll take another look later today.

[Evan]

I phoned the local inspector and he didn't know so I phoned the gas inspector and he said to call the Boiler Safety branch. I called them and they didn't answer so I called the "Ask a Code Question" hot line in Victoria and the recoding told me to leave a message and they would get back to me within a week.

Bleh


They want $250 for a copy of the code. Or, I can buy a 10 day online pass for $95.

Seems to me that it would be hard to uphold a citation for a code violation by a home owner under these circumstances.

[noah katz]

Nobody??????????????

Not even a consideration?

If it's the same aluminum stuff discussed before, the reason labor is a small % of cost is because it's very pricey.

http://www.garage-pak.com/garage/home.php

[Dr Stan]

They want $250 for a copy of the code. Or, I can buy a 10 day online pass for $95.

Seems to me that it would be hard to uphold a citation for a code violation by a home owner under these circumstances.

If the Canadian building inspectors are anything like the American ones, they'd rely on the "ignorance is no excuse for violating the law" routine.

[Farbmeister]

Copper and brass are not used for fuel lines because?????

Wait for it....

Here it comes....

They will work harden and crack.

Vibrations is vibrations.... enough of them and any metal will fail.

Unless you were fitting black iron into some really critical fit areas I don't see the big deal. You will have the large runs planned out (and the drop legs) so have the place you get them cut/thread. When I put in my nat. gas furnace I gave the guy a list, and came back in an hour. A little thread tape and a leak test I was done.

I'd rather screw than glue, glue than solder. I've done all three on my home remodel and have have enough hot solder drip on me to like it any more.

[Mcgyver]

Copper and brass are not used for fuel lines because?????
.

Where'd you hear this in regards to stationary installations? i think its BS:

How many recent gas installs have you looked at? copper tubing all over the place.

What copper failures have you had from work hardening, especially stationary installs

its one thing on a vehicle say, but you think the copper strapped to the ceiling of my shop is going vibrate so much its going work harden and break? Why's that copper airline going to vibrate any more than the copper in the walls that last forever EXCEPT for galvanic action or being hit with a drywall screw?

[MichaelP]

IMHO, using steel pipe has too many disadvantages when compared with copper one. First of all, one needs to have a threading equipment around, and I'm not among the lucky ones. Then any minor length miscalculations after threading will lead to major rework. If any future disassembly or even tightening is required, it may be problematic. Additions (if no Ts pre-installed in all strategic locations ) will be a PITA. Rusting is another issue.

So, for me it'll be copper. As far as I can see, Type L pipe soldered with 95/5 solder will be perfectly acceptable for the temperature/pressure range. No reason to spend more on K type pipe and silver brazing.

Now the only major question remains is how to arrange the terminal parts of the dropdowns: valves, connectors, pressure regulators, drains and orientation of the connectors/disconnects so that they will not interfere with possible later additions of filters, etc., yet are not too intrusive and bulky when used with hoses). Something that would be universal and easy to complement if a different kind of equipment needs a connection (air tools vs. bead blaster vs. plasma cutter vs....). How do the very ends of your feeds look: all of them are male quick disconnects threaded to the feeding pipe?
Pictures would be priceless.

Also, how do you arrange your hoses at the outlets: retractable spools, hanging coils.... Or you have a different approach?

[Mcgyver]

INo reason to spend more on K type pipe and silver brazing.

You're right about that; silver soldering is a waste. Standard joints have such a large area in shear it'll be stronger than the copper even with low strength plumbers solder

[CountZero]

Nobody??????????????

Not even a consideration?

I have seen it in use. It was part of the final assembly line for car front seats and provided air to the line. Seemed easy to use and looked good too. I don't know the price for it but it sure looked too expensive for me.

[Evan]

Copper and brass are not used for fuel lines because?????

Wait for it....

Here it comes....

They will work harden and crack.

Copper tubing has been used for decades both in stationary and mobile installations with propane. It doesn't crack or leak. It is also approved for natural gas for use at 2 psi instead of 12 inches WC. Local regulators are used on each appliance. It is far easier to install than iron pipe. I have installed both.

[Doc Nickel]

Here's a sample of my long-term shop-air project. These are the drops off the "halo"- well, the original plan was to have a full circle, but that may not be feasible thanks to the shape of the shop and preexisiting fixturing.



I "mass produced" a dozen or so of these elbows out of 1/2" fittings so the actual installation involved a minimum of soldering while up on a ladder or near a wall.

The "loop" taps the air off the line from the top, so any collected moisture continues down the line's slope to the main water trap/drop. I forget where I got the idea, probably off of Garagejournal a few years ago, but it appears to work nicely so far.

As for the iron/copper thing, I used to have black iron in a fairly simple setup with a surge tank and a handful of drops, but everything leaked. Even with pipe dope or teflon tape (and yes, I know how to properly apply it) virtually every connection had some minor seepage.

No big deal individually, but collectively, the compressor would run two or three times a day (and likely again at night) even if I wasn't using any air.

I can solder far better than I can thread, and modifying involves nothing more than a tubing cutter and a torch, rather than two pipe wrenches, a threader, and taking apart half the downstream fittings.

Doc.

[Dr Stan]

Well I guess the bottom line on all of this is:

Each to his own.

It appears to be a combination of:

preference

and

what tools you have and your skill level

Personally for me its PVC and CPVC for water and sewer lines

PVC for conduit

Black iron for air lines and nat gas (Plus flex stainless when I'm lazy)

The main thing is that the installation must be safe.

c'est la vie

[derekm]

PEX inside PVC conduit... The conduit is a fastening convienence as off the coil PEX can snake around untidily , but also improves UV and environmental resistance,

forgot to mention one great advantage its flexible and that means long runs with no joins. I have one run 20m in 15mm od PEX that goes from director the compressor to the regulator in the workshop, without any extra joints That run is over the car port down along the fence under the wall. There's soon going to be another 30m run to the vacuum lab.( the last 10m will be 10mm OD PEX , the 10mm is already in.) All this was much simpler to do than the 10m run into garage that was done in copper.