Compressor hose length question

[sportandmiah]

Recently got a Craftsman 5-gal 1hp Compressor, and was curious how long a hose can be attached. The compressor would stay in my garage, and I want to run a hose to my workshop, at the other end of the house. It would be a permanent hose that would run through the basement to the shop, and I would use a quick dis-connect mounted in the wall a smaller shop hose. Anyone tried this or have success, or is this not a good idea?

Thanks.

 

[Kermit]

Way back when" ;D air was distributed over entire city blocks. One hose shouldn't be any problem at all. You might want to put a large cylinder at the workshop end to serve as extra capacity and to stop vibration and air slamming in the line from quick starts and stops. Empty refrigerant bottles work real well, so would a small propane tank. Or find some one with a busted compressor and take it off their hands for the use of the air tank.

Is it the noise of the motor that is the problem?

 

[sportandmiah]

It's not too noisy for the garage, but for the house probably. Plus it's a tad heavy. I would use it more in the garage than the shop, but it's always nice to have a little air in the shop.

 

[GailInNM]

Be sure to have water traps at both ends of the air line. If the line is very long water will condense in the line.
Gail in NM,USA

 

[te_gui]

Technically the line will add to your storage volume, might take a little longer to pump up. Water traps will be important, try and keep it in a warm space if possible.

 

[sportandmiah]

Great info, thanks!

 

[ozzie46]

Also don't forget to drain the air out of the tanks frequently to get condensed water out of the tanks.
It will rust the tank thru eventually and things will go BOOOM. ;D We don't want that do we?


Ron

 

[Mainer]

You should be fine. I plumbed my shop and garage with air lines all over the place. I used flexible plastic polyethylene tubing with push-to-connect fittings, and it was pretty simple. (Do not! use rigid plastic pipe. If the stuff breaks, it becomes shrapnel. )

Do have water drain points.

 

[Bernd]

Also don't forget to drain the air out of the tanks frequently to get condensed water out of the tanks.
It will rust the tank thru eventually and things will go BOOOM. ;D We don't want that do we?


Ron

Wouldn't the rust put pin holes in the tank and you would wind up with a slow annoying leak which would make the compressor run more when not in ues?

Bernd

 

[Andrew_D]

Depending how far you are running it, do yourself a huge favor and use a bigger line. If you run 3/8" or even 1/2" to the shop, you may limit the amount of CFM of air you can pull through the line. May not be important now, and may not ever in a home shop, but if you're doing equipment repair and suddenly need a 1" impact, it ain't going to run very good on a 1/2" line!

Andrew

 

[kvom]

I have run 30-40' of air hose in the past with a similar sized compressor.

Another way to reduce the water at the end is to run the hose upwards from the compressor. The further from the compressor the cooler the air, and most of the water will condense and run downhill back to the tank.

If the compressor is going to be "remote" you might want to put a timer on it so that it won't start up at 2am. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[Noitoen]

We don't want the tank end up like this. ??? http://ncsp.tamu.edu/reports/WorkCover/Alerts.htm


Helder

 

[rklopp]

If you can, run the hose overhead, like through joist space or an attic. I used to distribute air in my garage through hose draped along the floor, and was always fighting water coming out the nozzle. Since I switched to soldered copper hunger overhead and sloped back to the receiver, life is much nicer.

 

[sportandmiah]

We don't want the tank end up like this. ??? http://ncsp.tamu.edu/reports/WorkCover/Alerts.htm


Helder

Hi Noitoen, I used to live in Cascais back in 1984-86. I miss Portugal, very nice people.

Rklopp, the compressor will be in the garage, and the hose will run down a wall to the basement. From there, I will run it through the joists to the shop wall. Should I put the water trap in the shop?

 

[Noitoen]

Hi,

I think it's useful to have even a simple water trap which can be made of a length of steel pipe maybe 2" diameter with a little valve to drain the water. If make it a little long it will serve also as a reservoir. I have also a filter/dryer/regulator which keeps my air a little cleaner.


Helder

PS. the weather in Portugal this winter is nothing like it use to be. ??? ???