Anderzander Posted February 28, 2023 Author Share Posted February 28, 2023 To answer that I’ll have to explain what mistakes I’ve made. 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 12 hours ago, Anderzander said: To answer that I’ll have to explain what mistakes I’ve made. 😊 'life experiences' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 Bloody hell it’s a big parcel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 At least they delivered it right to you then, and not 10 houses down! If my local Hermes had delivered, it would be upside down having been thrown over the back gate! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 That's exactly how my compressor was delivered! With oil all over the box. I refilled, but it only lasted a few months so must have sustained some damage. Took me a bit of arguing to get it replaced under warranty. Luckily I had made a complaint about the delivery and mentioned the damage, so in the end I did get a new one for free. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted March 8, 2023 Author Share Posted March 8, 2023 Despite the massive box it looked like this unpacked: It was the box that was 2m tall - the compressor is actually just 1.6m tall. It did topple over when I was trying to move it 🤦♂️ so I’ve already broken the plastic air filter - however it was an easy repair. At the same time I bought an 8m retractable hose to tidy up what I have now. I’ve hoses that I join together and that drape over things - with this I just thought I’d use the reel that I can pull out as needed for tools inside or out - or just pull across to fasten onto my blast pot. I may end up having to mount it on the floor though - it’s quite big and there is nothing on the ceiling that would work - and on the obvious walls it would either end up pulling out at very tight angles or interfering with surrounding shelving. So a couple of questions please: would you put a water separator at the tank end and a (removable) regulator at the use end? I think pressure can drop over a long reel so it would seem to make sense to use a regulator as close to the tool as possible … The tank has just a 1/2” female end with a tap - the tap seems good as it gives me a way to depressurise the line. Would you split it at the tank with some sort of manifold and run a separate line for use inside the shed and have the reel for just outside ? Actually what I could do is mount the reel on the door - so it faces inside when it’s shut and outside when it’s open 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 The pressure drops when flowing to service through a long run of small bore hose. Run 1/2" to the reel and to any water traps then on to local pressure regulators. Water traps work well at the bottom of a U shaped loop. If possible run 3/8" or 10mm on the reel too. Tis a bit like a race engine, free flow is valuable. Nice set up Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Can’t say I’ve had any pressure drop issues with mine…. It’s 1” grifflex hose from the tank to the reg with a trap (2ft maybe). Then just use either 1 or 2 3/8 bore hoses. One gets me just about outside the door (30ft hose maybe) and then a second one if I’m using the tool outside or doing tyres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 My point exactly... Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Me neither, never had issues with lack of pressure regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Mount the reel to the compressor? And bolt that one to the floor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfry Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Its about volume rather than pressure, but that will only be a problem with the blast cabinet, a road drill, or an 1" drive impact driver. Water trap at tank end. Maybe an inline oil for air tools if you must, but do NOT use the same hose for paint spraying, for hopefully obvious reasons. As regards manifold or pipework, whatever suits you best. Mine is piped to a rigid pipe system with connectors at each end of the workshop and below workbench, only to save having long hoses all over the floor, which always seem to be knotted up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I'd plumb everything in permanently. With copper. I did a lot of internet research when plumbing my workshop. I looked at plastic, aluminium and all sorts. In the end copper was the cheapest, and easiest. I think that it's because it's so widely available that the price is almost profit free. I used 28mm, dropping to 15mm at the outlets, mostly from screwfix. With lever valves below the outlets to drain water. All soldered. It was actually easy. If you are anchoring the compressor use something flexible. I'd use builders band around it. Screwed to the battens, top and bottom, with a padding between the band and the compressor for vibration. Flexible hydraulic hose between the compressor and the plumbing. Keep it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Oh, and ditch the 1/2 inch on the tank, you want the widest bore everywhere. I've 3/4" on my Clarke, and 1" on the Ingersoll Rand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 Here’s a daft question: The compressor has a ball valve straight from the tank - I’m going to fit a PCL regulator, would you replace the valve with it or just fit it into the valve? The regulator does 0 - 12 bar - so other than it being a bit more of a faff to turn it to zero, it would seem duplication and more restriction to leave the ball valve there ? Is that right, or is there any other factors I’m missing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 ball valves are full flow when open and keeping it in place means you can turn off the system from the tank, so I'd say keep it Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 I was going to fit the regulator either straight to the tank or into the ball valve fitting though … so either would be able to turn it off at the tank I didn’t realise though that they were full flow - kind of makes it a moot point. I suppose it just comes down to the pro for leaving it being the ball valve is easier to turn off - and the con just being that it’s a bit more bulk on the tank with both there. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 Depending on your position of everything. I’ve got a ball valve on the tank (compressor up above the workbench), then some ~20mm grifflex hose down to the regulator at shoulder height on the wall. As above, unless it’s a proper nasty cheap one then the ball valve should be full bore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sparkes Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 Regarding ball valves, fittings into the tank etc, I've formed the views that while ball fittings are 'straight through' the hole in the ball is rarely the full diameter of the pipe it's attached to. Also, while 'compact' is sometimes desirable to fit into the space available, this is often achieved by the use of 90 degree bends, whether plain or tee joints. When used on end of tank fittings these also minimise the likelihood of accidental mechanical damage. However, both are restrictive to flow, and therefore degrade pressure at high flow rates. My solution is to go as big as possible by removing whatever adaptor / reducer is in the tank outlet, these often use some form of thread-lock and can be very challenging to remove. I then go to my local compressed air specialists who keep a box of usable but redundant fittings, taken from systems they have updated. I can buy these for peanuts, selecting the largest diameters that fit the tank and each other. I can then make up a christmas tree of large bore fittings than can distribute air in the direction(s) I want, and only at the end do I fit a reducer down to the flexible hose I want to use, currently 3/8". Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 33 minutes ago, David Sparkes said: Regarding ball valves, fittings into the tank etc, I've formed the views that while ball fittings are 'straight through' the hole in the ball is rarely the full diameter of the pipe it's attached to. That's where quality ones come into it. You mention of space also reminds me.... if you've got the outlet coming out of the front it's going to take up more space than if you've got it facing away and bring it back towards the front with a hose to the regulator assembly. It's also good to keep quick release fittings like PCL etc away from vibration so having the regulator assembly away from the tank is a good thing. Likewise whip hoses on any air tools which vibrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 It's easy enough to check the hole in the ball by removing the valve and looking through it fully open. As Ross points out mounting the reg. off the tank to avoid vibration is worth considering too Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 16 minutes ago, landroversforever said: It's also good to keep quick release fittings like PCL etc away from vibration so having the regulator assembly away from the tank is a good thing. My set it up is/was going to be regulator on the tank - fixed lines from there to my pull out reel which is the first quick release fitting. Hadn’t really thought about whips on the tools to isolate the fittings 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 9 minutes ago, Anderzander said: My set it up is/was going to be regulator on the tank - fixed lines from there to my pull out reel which is the first quick release fitting. Hadn’t really thought about whips on the tools to isolate the fittings 🤔 I'd keep the regulator away from the vibrations too. Anything to help prolong it's life. Whip hoses are easy enough to get hold of. I bought my last bunch from Amazon. I think they were about £8-9 each from memory? EDIT: remember the compressor is going to move about when starting/stopping and running so having a flexible from it to any fixed lines is a must. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 These ones I run on all my stuff, even the big 1/2" impact. There is a bigger version if you've got larger tools. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-54438-Airtool-Whip-Hose/dp/B0001K9VJ0/ref=sr_1_5?crid=OMAIVP7VCVIZ&keywords=whip+hose&qid=1680438369&sprefix=whip+hos%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 Thanks Ross. I’ve only got flexible lines. Tiny workshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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