setting up compressor questions

So i finally wired my used compressor up and it runs great! much much quieter than my old oil-less one. What should i be running in terms of filters/traps? I use it mostly for painting and pulling vacuums on fiberglass layups. I have a water filter that worked great when i got it but now it doesn't seem to do much. Do they have desiccant in them and do they go bad? Right now i think i need a water filter and an oil filter, and a decent regulator. Also i want to bring air down to a separate garage, i have a a 100' air hose that i can easily thread thorough the unfinished ceiling, that i would like to connect to a hose reel with a 25' hose in the other garage. Would there be any foreseeable problems with this? Id rather not have to go through the hassle/money of piping it.

I'd run 1/2 or larger hose to the other garage. Watch for bottlenecks with your fittings.

Have you thought about just hard piping it to the other garage?
Are the garages climate controlled?
These things make a differance as to how I would plumb the system.

Eliminate quick change fittings where you can. We use a high flow version of the ones in your picture at work. They have a 5/16" ID versus 3/16" and they still restrict flow by 10% per fitting. If you find yourself regularly working within say 20' of your compressor make a short hose rather than just using that 100' hose coiled on the floor. Plastic coil hoses that look like a spring are also horrible flow restrictions. Avoid if possible. if you do hard plumb try to eliminate elbows as they restrict flow too.

Alan

Neither garage is heated. I did consider hard piping it to the other garage but i don't really want to sink the money and time into that as i likely will be moving from this house in the next 2 years thats also why i wired a plug with a switch instead of just directly wiring the compressor to the switch. I have a 1/2" rubber air hose and I was going to run as big of fittings a possible the whole way to the other garage , and then have a shorter 25' hose for the garage where the compressor is.

Id be willing to bet that anyplace theres a droop/low spot in that air hose between the garages youre going to have a big moisture trap, especially if it gets humid where you are at.
Id atleast put a water seperater on each end.

wireman wrote: Id be willing to bet that anyplace theres a droop/low spot in that air hose between the garages youre going to have a big moisture trap, especially if it gets humid where you are at.
Id atleast put a water seperater on each end.

would that not also be the case with pipe? I was planning on doing a water separator before the hose. i usualy use one of those in-line disposable desiccant filters right before the paint gun as a fail safe. Do you think that would be adequate at the end of the line or should i get another separator as well?

A few years ago I purchased a 50 foot reel and mounted it on the ceiling of my garage. I took my existing hose and routed it up to the reel. i removed the quick connect fittings and put teflon tape on all connections. I keep it on 24/7. As long as I do not keep anything on the end of the quick connect fitting on the reel, it does not lose pressure and run the compressor. The length of the hose on the reel allows me to go all the way to the end of my driveway.
AFAIAC, it is the ideal solution.

koolaid_kid wrote: A few years ago I purchased a 50 foot reel and mounted it on the ceiling of my garage. I took my existing hose and routed it up to the reel. i removed the quick connect fittings and put teflon tape on all connections. I keep it on 24/7. As long as I do not keep anything on the end of the quick connect fitting on the reel, it does not lose pressure and run the compressor. The length of the hose on the reel allows
me to go all the way to the end of my
driveway.
Id atleast have shut off on the compressor to shut it off when youre not around to watch it, having a hose or fitting blow out when nobodies around could destroy a compressor really quick.
AFAIAC, it is the ideal solution.

You are correct. One day I will install a wall switch that makes it easy to do. Perhaps after this one burns out and I can justify a really nice two stage compressor. :silly:

We run a similar two cylinder single stage compressor 10 hrs a day for 14 years so far with a total of one cylinder head gasket replacement. Those things last a long time!! Keep the tank drained as well as the line. We use synthetic oil also.
Regards,
Art

i usualy use one of those in-line disposable desiccant filters right before the paint gun as a fail safe. Do you think that would be adequate at the end of the line or should i get another separator as well?[/quote]


Definitely use both, I tried an inline but it is an extra...nothing worse than shooting a clear coat and getting oil or water spitting out - usually when you are finishing up and the compressor is really hot.