Line air dryers? Any help?

[b5blue]

Dryers, getting the water vapor out of your compressors air lines....
  The last time I shot some epoxy primer I noticed a few tiny bumps just as I finished and thought oh crap my little filter just before the gun must be saturated! I removed it and cracked it open, it's just a little cup with some kinda gauze pads inside. It seemed dry but I had expected some form of desiccant to be in there.
  I installed a dryer/filter trap a friend gave me about 2 ft off the compressor's output line and ran my 6" sander for about 1/2 hour. When I blew off the car I got a ton of moisture out of the line.
  Do I need to run like 25 ft. of line THEN have the dryer to let the vapor condense and get caught in the trap? I've ordered a couple DS20 Inline Desiccant "Snake" filters for my spray gun, they advertise a 1/2 of 1% humidity output but I want to trap the bulk of the moisture prior to it. 
  I drain my tank, cleared my lines and am even thinking of moving my compressor inside the house to get out of the Florida humidity and in the A/C. It's not a big issue till I spray again in a week or two but I want to get as much figured out as soon as possible. 
  Any advise is greatly appreciated!   

[Patronus]

Be sure that your air line is pitched away from the compressor. I also welded in a petcock on the drop run coming down to the filters.
I tried those snakes, some guys love em, I didnt have much luck. I scored an air dryer (speedaire, made in the USA) for $100 when I bought a new compressor. Since then I've had GREAT results. Single most important tool I've bought in a long time. I put it right after the compressor. Be sure to plumb it right, with raised drop lines..I also left the toilet paper filter and regulators at the end. Check Craigslist or ebag, prob find something...

[Bob T]

You could also put in an autodrainer solenoid in the draintap at the bottom of the storage vessel, they have a dual timer so one is set for 2 hours and the other one is set for 30 secs so it will drain off any fluid automatically , just takes a power feed off the run contactor

[Silver R/T]

You should have at least 50ft of line from the compressor to air dryer. This way moisture has time to settle down and collect in air line dryer.

[b5blue]

Thanks! 

[oldcarnut]

What works for oil?  My compressor started losing oil in the system.  First 60gal tank is in backyard garage with lines feeding about 90feet underground to a 2nd 60gal tank in house garage.  Noticed that the water drains and quick disconnects will get a trace of oil film on it.  I know the hoses are no good for painting now but is there anything that will work on a new hoses?  I have a filter/regulater installed at the 2nd tank but it don't work to good with the oil.

[b5blue]

The CamAir DS20 Line dryer claims to trap everything. Google it. I got the best deal @ www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com they have tons of different filters to pick from at good pricing. 

[elitecustombody]

I've been using Sharpe 606 filters for more than 10  years with no problems.No fish eyes or moisture. Back in the day I think I paid $60 a piece. I have them plumbed in after about 20 feet after compressor.And FYI I'm in humid Florida.You don't need any fancy filters and dryers to keep your lines free of oil or moisture.

[b5blue]

Thanks!  What is the filter like?

[bill440rt]

Get a dryer. Even "if" you can't see the bubbles in the primer if there is microscopic trapped moisture it WILL show up later.

Like elite, I also have a Sharpe 606A on my home compressor. The line comes out of the compressor, Y-splits at the ceiling then drops down catty-corner so I have two air outlets in my garage. There is a Sharpe 606A at the back of the garage, and a smaller Craftsman dryer at the front of the garage. I empty them every so often as well as drain the compressor tank. There is probably 25 ft of air line running to each dryer from the Y.
When spraying I will also use a small last-chance bulb filter just before the gun as a precaution, otherwise the air stays dry.

Sharpe 606 is right here, B5:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200349692_200349692

You might find it cheaper shopping around. 

[elitecustombody]

Mine are without all that fancy useless mess, just the filter,I have 4 of them. It's a good idea to have a water separator right at the outlet on compressor.

[b5blue]

 Elite, I get ya but you have a shop! I have a carport and laundry room stuck to the side of a 65' single wide in a mobile home park! 
 For panting I'll A: run my compressor inside the A/C. B: Run 50ft line inside to my coalescing filter trap then outside with my second 50ft line to my "snake desiccant hose" to the HVLP.
 That "should give me much dryer air to start with" and the 50ft inside will be much cooler to condense water vapor for the trap and the final 50ft to allow the air to warm up before hitting the HVLP. I can even vent an A/C duct pointing right at my compressor's intake.
  I'll try this before spending another 150.00, I had no problems earlier this year with lower air temps/humidity and just the small end of the line filter. (At least I caught it, retested and have you guys helping figure it out.
 The advantage of being a single dad and having a mobile home "man cave" gives me freedom to make as big of a mess with all the Rube Goldberg contraptions I care for! (As long as I can hide it from the Home Owners Association.)    
     

[gschmidt211]

Doesn't the CFM play a big role?  My compressor puts out 13.4 max CFM.  The air line drier I put in can handle 20 CFM.  The difference of before and after was very noticeable.  Here in Wisconsin, it has been very humid.  My air tool was pouring water out as I ran it.  I installed the line drier and no problem now.  I don't think the distance matters when you have a line drier installed.  That is the driers job.  Here at work, we run a whole plant on a very large unit and the drier is sitting right next to it to dry the air before it feeds the whole plant.  I have never noticed water in the line.  I think the longer line matters if you do not have an inline drier.  With a longer line, the air has time to cool before it exits at the tool, therefore, there is not as much of a temperature change and thus less chance to condensate. 

[b5blue]

I had to check CFM capacity for the filters I got as some reduce flow quite a bit. I'll be testing them soon and report back.