Compressed Air: Copper Or Galvanized?

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 23, 2005 | 07:51 PM

#16

Ed Willmott

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2005

Posts: 289

Likes: 1

Huntsman - thanks!

Mar 24, 2005 | 01:11 AM

#17

fixnair

Posting Guru

Joined: Sep 2004

Posts: 1,616

Likes: 3

From: Sapulpa OK

Ed, I have worked with compressed air all my life and the most economical pipe to use is black iron pipe. Using an anerobic pipe dope, such as Locktite, will guarantee leakproof joints. Copper pipe is good also if silver soldered instead of lead soldered. Your drops should exit your header from the top to prevent water from flowing into your tool. Your header should be sloped and a drip leg at the lowest point. Also cool the compressed air as much as possable befor it enters the header.

Mar 24, 2005 | 06:29 AM

#18

Ed Willmott

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2005

Posts: 289

Likes: 1

Fixnair - I agree that Black pipe is cheaper, but it a pain to thread and slow to install. I sweat a fair amount of copper and could run equal distance of copper faster than black pipe. As I mentioned above, I have a threader and acetelyne, so I could use either method. Under those conditions which would you do? I appreciate your opinion!

Mar 24, 2005 | 01:40 PM

#19

archangel

Posting Guru

Joined: May 2003

Posts: 1,242

Likes: 3

From: Joliet, Illinois

Quote:

Originally Posted by midlf

I believe the call for threaded fittings or silver solder for air lines is an industrial fire safety item. A sweated copper air line would come apart at the joints in a fire then feeding compressed air into the fire from a remote compressor location. I don't believe this is a concern for a home shop system as any fire would also involve the compressor location. Also most home systems don't have sufficient air to be a long term fire concern.

And the copper water line soldered joints would melt and put the fire out?

If the home is burning down, there are more pressing things to think of other than some air lines blowing a little air.

I would worry if it were straight Oxygen though.

There are differing thickness copper pipes, so just use the thicker one if you are going to use high pressures, but most home systems should be well under 200psi.

Mar 24, 2005 | 01:41 PM

#20

MrBSS

Thread Starter

Posting Guru

Joined: May 2002

Posts: 1,673

Likes: 0

From: Chicago Area

I sure do appreciate all the input!

I think I'm going to go with the black iron. Apparently nobody feels that rust could be a problem. And cutting and threading 1/2" pipe is not difficult for me.

So, I cannot justify the additional cost for either galvanized or copper.

Thanks again,
Brian

Mar 24, 2005 | 02:36 PM

#21

CheapRanger

Elder User

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 799

Likes: 0

From: State of Misery (Missouri

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBSS

For me, I had the copper laying around. But at the garage, they used flexible copper going through the floor and up to all the black iron. I think there are two pieces of galvanized in there at the only point that seems to need replacement about every eight years, the handles that comtrol the lifts. 93% of that pipe has been there since 1954 and it is still going strong.