Air Compressor Setup Help

About the only thing I can contribute to help is that you want the dryer as close to the point of use as possible.

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

I would split your compressor into two lines. Have a regulator on one of them at a lower pressure and use your separator there. Then you can have a general use high pressure line for blowing stuff off and airing up tires. The other can be used for a spray gun.

Be careful with that dessicant filter. Many oil less guns rely on the moisture in the line as the lubricant, rather than oil. Also most will want to run at 110 lbs. 120 max with 90 causing problems on most. As the air is filtered on the way in to the compressor, the second filter seems redundant on a brand new machine??

-- Who is John Galt?

joeyinsouthaustin – I read your post and went to my air tools (brad, pin, finish, staple) to double check if I was maintaining them correctly. They are either oiless and need no lubrication or need pneumatic air tool oil applied. None that I read required the moisture in the line. What brand of air tools do you have that requires lubrication from the moisure in the line versus oil ?...This has my curiousity for proper maintanence for mine..

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

I use senco’s. I heard this from my senco repair rep after breaking several o rings on guns with the neverlube system. I went back to the web site and my manual’s and was not able to find any mention of this in the liturature, so I may be passing on bad information. I am going to recant my statement and say that as of now it is hearsay. Tomorrow I will check back with my authorized dealer/repair gut and post a clarification. Sorry if I have caused confusion..

-- Who is John Galt?

joetinsouthaustin..I always thought moisure in the lines caused rust on the insides of your air tools. That maybe a concern for Senco as well..??.. But thanks for responding and disregard my PM as I sent it out of curiousity/slight concern

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

Moisture will form in the tank because air gets hot when compressed and as it cools down in the tank it looses its moisture. Like a dew point thing.

Don’t force all your air through a tiny 1/4” dryer.
And, I would not use an expensive dessicant dryer for general shop air anyway.
The best setup is a combo filter-dryer-regulator at the point of use.
The normal dryers work by spinning and expanding the air and the water collects in a polycarbonate bowl where you can see it and open the drain to purge it every once in a while.

By the way, the power end of most new air tools are either plastic or aluminum; neither of which rust.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

crank49...+1….I have a combo filter/regulator set up as close to the point of use as possible (as I stated above)..The longest run I have is about 50 feet from the compressor and having the air filtered close to the work has been good for me

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

crank 49,

What are the benefits of using the filter-dryer-regulator at the point of use versus having it at the compressor end and then running a hose to the tool?

What about the desiccant filter in my first post? Is this a good one?

In regards to the tiny air filter, that is all I could find that will fit the 1/4” NPT port on my compressor. All others are 3/8” and would be too big.

Thanks!

-- Looking for a good quality Drill Press and a Cabinet Saw for cheap!

tool_junkie....Water in the air hose will form as it will in the compressor as the air cools. So having a dyer as close to the point of use as possible helps eliminate the moisture at the tool.
If you hook up a dryer, a long hose, and then the air tool, water will build up in the long hose after it leaves the dryer.
So a long hose, a dyer, and then your tool will be better.
I have about a 50 foot run from my compressor. At the end of the run is a dryer/regulator. From there I can plug in my air tools with a shorter hose.
I can’t comment on the dryer you have chosen. But you can get reducers 3/8” to 1/4” if need be

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

10-4 on KCD’s advice. A lot of people recommend a drain loop in the air line to drain moisture.
You may want to read this thread.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3408

-- "Actions speak louder than words but not nearly as often." - Mark Twain

I have never seen anyone use a desiccant dryer on a air system unless they either did not know what they were doing or they had a special process that requires very dry air. It is expensive to maintain a desiccant dryer unless it is the self regenerating type, in which case they waste a lot of air (read energy) regenerating themselves. If you have a process going on that needs extra dry air, then between the compressor and and storage tank is a good place to locate it, but it must be rated to withstand the maximum pressure the compressor is capable of generating.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Ok… here is the result of the conversation with my senco rep. KD it looks like you are on the right track. The intent of my original conversation with him was that the senco neverlube guns are not that sensitive to moisture, compared with older oil-less sencos and other brands. I turned that into meaning what I stated in my post, that they want a little moisture, thank you human brain for screwing up and for the amazingly convincing false memory. So another good result from the LJ’s…. And THANK YOU KD for being good and polite about it… some in other threads have not been so kind when mis-information is given.

As for my conversation today to clear it up. Large amount of condensed moisture will cause problems in the senco neverlube guns, but his opinion was that a dessicant filter was really not needed, unless you regularly see DRIPPING moisture coming from the line when unplugging. He was of the opinion that out side of that or industrial settings, it would not contribute to the life of the guns. He did confirm the opinion that it needs to be placed at the point of use, not the compressor, and would be very unlikely to be needed on anything under 50’. So KD, In my NEW opinion that would put you right on the cusp of needing it or not, with the tell being if you see water coming from your line. Under his advice about ambient moisture, it seems a drain loop would handle this nicely, and drain it, and your compressor every day. The only way the filter would cause problems would be if was not rated for the pressures running. And I will add this is just from the perspective of our conversation about nail guns… and not other equipment.

Incidentally the only place I use one is on my edge banding machine, as it has air run parts (glue feed, pot level sensing) and moisture contamination is VERY bad for the glue and operation.

-- Who is John Galt?

joeyinsouthaustin...Glad to read in your post that the Senco rep was able to help you out. I don’t see a need for dessicant in my little shop. Not sure on this, ???, but I think dessicant would be needed if you have a spray booth or as you said excessive moisture, or a special need as crank49 said . I don’t have a spray booth or excessive moisture, or any special needs for really dry air. I have one of those simple dryer/regulator combos at the end of about a 50 ft run, near the point of use, and it seems fine. No moisture…That advice was also mentioned by crank49...which is good….because it seems like he knows more about the subject than I do….Nice to know I’m on the same page with someone that is more knowledgable than me…

-- Measure "at least" twice and cut once

Great discussion guys! I really value the wealth of knowledge shared on this forum.

And now, educate me a little… what type of dryer do you guys recommend? When I was looking for filter and dryers at HF, I asked the guy and he told me he didn’t have much experience in this area. So, basically I was on my own and picked up the desiccant filter thinking this was the dryer I was looking for.

If you guys can post a link to a dryer, it will help me visualize it.

Thanks!

-- Looking for a good quality Drill Press and a Cabinet Saw for cheap!