Compressed Air Pipe Recommendation
I just got an air compressor for my shop and I want to use the blue plastic coated aluminum pipe. Kaeser has some they call Smartpipe. Looking online I've seen some other makers of similar piping systems. I haven't looked at any prices yet, I'm assuming the Kaeser stuff is pretty pricey. Anybody have a recommendation on which manufacturer to go with?
Smartpipe: Aluminum Pipe: Compressed Air Piping from Kaeser Compressors
Fastpipe: Engineered Specialties LLC | Fastpipe Compressed Air Systems
Simplair: SimplAir Compressed Air Piping
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"You can't teach stuff in a school that you would learn in real life unless the real life people are in charge of the school." - Gene Sherman
Re: Compressed Air Pipe Recommendation
is this a home shop or a and industrial shop, those piping systems are all comparable and extremely nice, however they all share the same problem, which is they are very pricey. I've used pex plumbing pipe for air and it works great, goes up to 1 inch and you can get it 20' lenghts as well as coiled in rolls. the coiled is not that great for exposed runs though as it is hard to straighten.
Re: Compressed Air Pipe Recommendation
One thing to be aware of if using PEX is the pressure rating. Each brand is different, so check the manufaturer specs, but the PEX I plumbed my house with is rated as follows:
Pressure/temperature rating 160 psi at 73°F.
Pressure/temperature rating 100 psi at 180°F.
Pressure/temperature rating 80 psi at 200°F.
This means about 140 psi at 120 deg F. Everyone's shop is different, and I don't have a commercial shop, but my compressor has no problem exceeding 140 psi. I added a regulator to the lines that I have plumbed with PEX and have the regulator set to 135 psi. I still have the compressor pressure switch set to charge to 175 PSI and have a port plumbed in black pipe for that pressure..
Re: Compressed Air Pipe Recommendation
It's a personal hobby shop, but not a home shop - I rent a space in light industrial building. I figured there are cheaper ways to go then the modular blue pipe, but I really like these modular blue pipe systems.
"You can't teach stuff in a school that you would learn in real life unless the real life people are in charge of the school." - Gene Sherman
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