shop air line sizing for 220 volt 60 gal belt drive air compressor ?

[resq302]

So I'm setting up my garage in my new house that we got last year.  I just upgraded to a 60 gallon 220 volt belt drive oiled type air compressor and was wondering what size hard air line I should run from my shed where the air compressor is into my garage.  I currently have a 3/8" rubber line with 1/4" tool fittings.  I'm aware that the larger the size piping, the greater volume I would get which would benefit the tools more so than the typical rubber line.  My choices are 1/2" OD and 3/8" ID, 5/8" OD and 1/2" ID and I think anything larger would be too much for what I'd be doing as a hobby.  They have 3/4" and 1" hard lines but I think that is a huge over kill.  With that being said, I upgraded my compressor from a 30 gal. to the 60 gal. as my sand blasting cabinet had the old compressor constantly running.  The 60 gal. works perfectly for the amount of blasting that I do. 

Anyone who has done this sort of thing to their garage, any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian

[c00nhunterjoe]

I would run the 3/4 as the feeder into the garage, then step it down out to your runs.

[resq302]

The kit doesn't come with a larger feeder line.  Its all the same size.

[c00nhunterjoe]

You didnt say anything about a kit? You listed the available sizes you were looking at.  So what are the options with the kit then?

I ran a large feed line from the compressor to the interior shut off valve, from there it splits off to each run inside as a standard size line.

[green69rt]

How long a run from the shed to the garage?  Given your choices I would go with the biggest you have, in this case 5/8".  I run 1/2" inside my garage.  As insurance you might add a local bottle in the garage but that's only as an additional backup.  For starters just the big line first.  In addition, if there are long runs outside and it gets cold where you are, you might want to put in a night drain or two to minimize moisture in the outside lines.  You can get real sophisticated with your setup but it would be a waste of money for most of us hobbyists.

[resq302]

This is the kit that I'm looking at.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CZ7GTLU?tag=viglink26107-20

It is all one size line that can be cut down and run as needed with different elbows, connectors, etc. 

Where the compressor is in my shed is probably about an 8-10' run with all the bends and following the wall of the shed and running into the inside part of the wall in my garage.  Once inside my garage I'll probably have another 30-40' of line run with two drops for connecting my air tools to.  I'll also have a line split off in the shed to my sand blasting cabinet as well with a drop for it there and a pressure regulator for the blasting cabinet as well as that can only run a max of 100 psi.

[bakerhillpins]

I'd personally run 3/4" main with 1/2" drops using M copper depending upon working pressures.  (I actually can't recall if I used L/M in my barn which is unheated) You will get less pressure drop and better volume with a rigid line and it will probably do much better with the temp swings as it sounds like the shed is in the cold (I saw no temp specs on that tubing in the amazon link.) Though I am probably just stuck in my old rigid line ways. Plus it will probably last forever. Then put in a few drops at various locations in the garage.

Depending upon where you run your dryers and whatnot you should consider setting the pipe so that any condensation runs away from the compressor and then add a water trap with bleeder below each quick connect placed on any drop.

Lots of articles out there... this one suggests running water back to the compressor and a single water trap but if you run back into unheated space the condensation could freeze in the supply line before it gets back to the trap and cut off your air.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/how-run-compressed-air-home/

The kits you reference is nice but I have been told by a bud who recently put in a copper system in his new garage that when he priced the additional components he needed to get what he wanted from the kit it got pricey.

As usual YMMV.

[INTMD8]

I used 1/2in copper for my shop.  Don't see anything bigger being much help as that's already much bigger than any of the fittings on my air tools. (by a large margin)

[NHCharger]

I ran 3/4" copper from my 60 gallon compressor that is located in the unheated garage section into my shop.
Don't forget your vibration dampers under your compressor feet. Hockey pucks work great, and they're cheap.

[Old Moparz]

Brian, I am hoping to do a similar thing at some point but I want to build a closet type structure on the outside wall of the garage for the compressor. The question I have is knowing that condensation builds up with compressed air, are you going to have the line exposed & will low temperatures like the single digits we just had very recently be an issue with freezing & expanding?

You said the run from the shed to the garage is 8 to 10 feet, but is it going to be exposed, covered or buried?  

[Harper]

I ran 3/4" copper from my 60 gallon compressor that is located in the unheated garage section into my shop.
Don't forget your vibration dampers under your compressor feet. Hockey pucks work great, and they're cheap.

i used the pallet that the compressor came bolted too lol the one i had before this i had for 20 plus years (did the same) it has worked for me.

of course i dont have as cold weather as some of you northern folks, but i used cold water PVC and never had an issue. of course i have a metal pipe out of my compressor with a metal valve drain, and i drain it when not in use, so...

i know Garage Rehab with Richard Rawlings says not to use this but hey its always worked for me.

[Dans 68]

Don't forget your vibration dampers under your compressor feet. Hockey pucks work great, and they're cheap.

Great idea! 

Dan

[resq302]

Brian, I am hoping to do a similar thing at some point but I want to build a closet type structure on the outside wall of the garage for the compressor. The question I have is knowing that condensation builds up with compressed air, are you going to have the line exposed & will low temperatures like the single digits we just had very recently be an issue with freezing & expanding?

You said the run from the shed to the garage is 8 to 10 feet, but is it going to be exposed, covered or buried?  

The 8-10 feet from the shed to the inside of the garage is all within the shed already.  The shed is built right up against the house with maybe 4" of space between the house and the wall of the shed.  Everything else is inside the shed that has a roof and is pretty much boxed up solid with the soffits open for ventilation.  When I plan on using the air compressor on really cold days, I plan on using my torpedo kerosene heater to heat up the shed first to get the oil heated up so its not running with sub freezing temps for the oil.  I also drain out the compressor tank after I'm done using it every time.  This helps prevent condensation from forming and rusting out the tank as well. 

[Old Moparz]

Brian, I am hoping to do a similar thing at some point but I want to build a closet type structure on the outside wall of the garage for the compressor. The question I have is knowing that condensation builds up with compressed air, are you going to have the line exposed & will low temperatures like the single digits we just had very recently be an issue with freezing & expanding?

You said the run from the shed to the garage is 8 to 10 feet, but is it going to be exposed, covered or buried?  

The 8-10 feet from the shed to the inside of the garage is all within the shed already.  The shed is built right up against the house with maybe 4" of space between the house and the wall of the shed.  Everything else is inside the shed that has a roof and is pretty much boxed up solid with the soffits open for ventilation.  When I plan on using the air compressor on really cold days, I plan on using my torpedo kerosene heater to heat up the shed first to get the oil heated up so its not running with sub freezing temps for the oil.  I also drain out the compressor tank after I'm done using it every time.  This helps prevent condensation from forming and rusting out the tank as well. 

   Happy blasting. 

[resq302]

It has saved me a ton of money from when I had to outsource it.  Now I only have to outsource the larger parts.

[Old Moparz]

It has saved me a ton of money from when I had to outsource it.  Now I only have to outsource the larger parts.

True, I got a quote a few years back on stripping something that was more expensive than buying a new one. 

I ended up borrowing a gun to do it myself but my compressor is too small. Ended up buying a line dryer, more fittings, desiccant, etc., & still over ran the compressor while spraying water at my parts.