Using PEX for shop air?
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2024
- In this episode we install the tubing that will carry our compressed air from our compressors to multiple
distribution points in the shop. We go over how to cut it, how to install the fittings, etc.
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#compressor #PEX #haslipcycleworks
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I replaced my entire house with pex 6yrs ago. It's wonderful to work with. I've been very pleased with the results. I bought the expensive crimp tool. But I've since been paid well to replumb several campers since.
I've had this stuff laying around for darn near ten years and finally found the time to install it. Watching your video gave me tremendous confidence in what I need to do 'next.' I have all weekend to install and enjoy my new setup. Thanks a million, bud!
Comments like this make doing these videos worth it! Very much appreciated, thank you. Glad you found it useful.
Good video just way too slow for my patience level.
@outfooled I only hope that you checked out other videos on how to install it neatly! unlike this installation.
@@robertbutler8004 well go ahead and make a video about it and share it for the world to pick apart. I’ll wait.
I did my shop in PEX and would do it again in a heartbeat. I've heard way to many horror stories about PVC to consider it. When it goes wrong it goes dangerously wrong, as in plastic knives flying through the air at high speed.
Same reason I went this way.
Exactly
I would add a drip leg with a drain valve at every drop as well as have a moisture trap/filter.
That’s smart! I should have done that and honestly as easy as PEX is to work with I still could. Thank you.
I was thinking the same thing.
@@HaslipCycleWorks How much pressure will PEX hold ?
@@jimmysapien9961 I ran 120~125 psi through it on the regular without issue.
maybe put an adapter with a valve at the bottom of it where each line drops
I did this and works great. Cheap and easy
Thanks for sharing! Good job! the smart way to go I'm going tired of dragging air lines around the shop
Thanks
COOP
...
We have a shop with compressed air pvs lines for over 15 years with no problem
Well fingers crossed you continue to have no problems.
It’s exceedingly dangerous when it fails. Yours hasn’t failed yet. It creates razor like shards of shrapnel. That’s why we don’t use it for commercial fireworks mortars. Instead we use HDPE, high density polyethylene. It doesn’t create shrapnel, just bursts open.
The fact that the lines are 15 years old is what’s going to become the problem. The oils from compressed air degrade PVC over time which is what leads to inevitable failure. Hopefully nobody is standing near the pipe when it bursts. And it will eventually burst. It’s not a question of if, but rather when.
I did mine similarly except at each air line coupling, I used a galvanized T, with a compressor drain valve on the bottom to flush out any moisture that may accumulate in the line.
If I do it again I’ll be doing the same.
I used regular air hose to make all the runs around my shop. Attached and supported it with hose clamps. 25 years later I had one fitting leak. No worries about pressure, brittle plastic or UV deterioration. I was faced with the same challenges and concerns about cost. Just my .02. Thanks for a good video.
That’s awesome! I thought about going that route too. Thank you.
@Haslip Cycle Works - PVC pipe is unsuitable for carrying compressed gases, because when it fails, it tends to shatter and produce deadly shrapnel. This is not a problem with water at the same pressure, because water is incompressible and when a PVC water pipe fails, the pressure is instantly relieved, so there is no available energy to propel shrapnel. My brother ran compressed air through SCH40 PVC at about 120 psi in his business, but when the building inspector saw it, he was forced to replace it with galvanized iron for the aforementioned reason.
Agreed pvc is a bad idea. Copper would be my first choice but the price and the fact that I would soon be selling that house kept me from going that route. PEX was the best option for me.
I used brass tubing for my air system. It works just like copper.
Nice, thought about that too but the price was more than I could justify.
Too expensive
@@jimmysapien9961 Yes really expensive but i like the look of brass.
My Air Compressor's max air pressure is 175 psi. Will PEX B handle that pressure? Thanks in advance.
I never went over 120 psi. But I cannot recommend pex for your situation. I would go with something like rapid air. That’s what I’m running in the new garage and I absolutely love it.
@@HaslipCycleWorks Much thanks!
One of the dangers of PEX is that if it is not well secured and in the open it can whip around worst that Indiana Jones if a connection blows open. I've used PEX in air systems in places where the PEX is threaded through holes drilled in the studs and covered with sheetrock or plywood. Otherwise PEX is great. For outlets, you can get brass drop ear elbows with PEX connections.
Great idea.. going to go this route. Beats dragging my compressor around all over the place :o)
radstorm yes, yes it does lol.
@Haslip Cycle Works - PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is not be used where the tubing will be exposed to daylight and maybe not even where it will be continuously exposed to low level UV leakage from fluorescent lamps. PEX suppliers typically specify that the tubing shall not be exposed to daylight on a construction site for more than 30 days to prevent embrittlement. It would be great if PEX were available in a black, UV-resistant form for projects such as this where it is mounted in exposed locations, but I've never seen it. I'm only aware of it being supplied in red, blue and natural/white.
All the lights in my garage were led, very little if any was in direct sunlight especially with the garage door down as the windows were tinted with UV film. I guess you could always sleeve it in something?
@@HaslipCycleWorks - If it is installed as you describe, you'll probably get 40-50 years life out of it instead of the expected 100 years. You may not live long enough to see it fail.
Hmm how bout rattlecanning it with some sort of plastidip or bedliner.....hmmm?
I think some people overthink things. Using pex is a no brainer. Make sure your crimps are good and move on to another project! No worries
@@jgstill1 - I don't want you or people like you doing plumbing installations for me if they can't be bothered to read and follow instructions.
Thanks for sharing. I am going to do this tomorrow!
Absolutely, good luck with your install.
I can tell you from personal experience that PVC IS A TERRIBLE CHOICE! I worked in a shop that had 2" pvc throughout here in Flori-dah. And every summer it was about once a week or more pipe bursting joints failing every body shits thier pants and it has to be repaired and then wait for the glue to dry! Ridiculous! Not to mention I personally had a drop failed about 10' from my ear, and I have permanent hearing damage from it! So every one please hear me when i say don't ever use that shit for compressed air lines it's not safe and not worth what little bit you might save!
Great video. Thank you.
It’s against OSHA regulation to use PVC for compressed air system. Would either use the aluminum pipe system or nylon DOT approved tubing for air system. You can use black iron pipe and copper too, they come with their own problems too.
Exactly that’s why PEX is a good option. No rust not bursting when hit, etc.
@@HaslipCycleWorks Would definitely like to see like yearly follow up videos on it. We used it at work before but for only the water drain line from the oil/water separators we install on all the drains (Air tanks, compressors, air dryers, air filters, etc...) in the pneumatic system. We used the push to connect fittings on it stuff made the job much faster an no special tool. Also something worth reading.
jhfoster.com/compressed-air-blogs/what-type-of-pipe-should-i-use-for-my-air-compressor/
We could do the whole shop in copper$$$ or use pex. Your tools will never know the difference! Stop overthinking it. OSHA ain’t coming to your house!
Thanks man , you're a cool dude !
Appreciate that! Thank you
Thanks for the video
Great video ,Thanks for posting you answered a lot of my question .
Thank you, glad it helped!
Except how much pressure with a pecks line hold ?????
Thanks
with uv exposure pex will become brittle and you can snap it like a twig.. soooo be sure to keep the sun off it otherwise .. great stuff
wish I could find better fittings besides HF. they leak too often!
How has pex worked for you? How much PSI are you running?
It worked fine for me while I was at the old house for a few years. Normal psi was 125. Now in the new shop I went with a rapid air kit and love it.
Man that’s the best PEX set up I’ve seen. But How much press will PEX hold👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
800 pounds
great advice thank you!
What causes a water separator to not pickup water? Does the hose need to have a straight even shot to the separator? I did have it coiled up before the separator, then I moved and now it's got a big dip in one part of the line. I wonder if the water just stays in the hose. I know it stays in the tank cause I drain a ton out all the time.
It probably will settle in the lowest point. If you’re not seeing anything in the water separator there probably isn’t anything reaching it.
@@HaslipCycleWorks im surprised the 175 psi doesnt blow it through the hose. Maybe I need to attach it directly to the compressor. Just how I had it setup on my old craftsman 33 gallon. I bought a new one that was rated for a higher psi and haven't ever gotten a drop out of it.
I knew when he said 28 bucks that this video was a few years old.
Great simple video. Everyone get plenty of air flow out of the 1/2" pex? Thanks.
For what I’ve used it for it has worked great. Zero issues.
Depending the length you're running go 3/4 for a bigger shop I use black pipe it's cheaper than galvanized and I'm too worried a pvc line would break if it was hit
@@bca2070 No issue with rust in the lines?
@@mccoma11 I have an after cooler and automatic drain on my compressor and inline water,air,oil filters 3 years so far and used daily and no rust yet
I know everyone likes to save money on using less fittings but it just looks so much better when you keep everything plumb and level. Im talking about the blue pex line behind him. Instead of curving the the line to change direction it would of looked much cleaner to use a 90 degree elbow. By the way that brass fitting with female threads is called a drop ear 90. Not try to rag on your work cause it got the job done right. Just saying it would look much better to keep it plumb and level.
A slight decline is even better, though, to allow moisture to flow out of the lines (but he needs a drain at the bottom of each drop, too). You really want to minimize the amount of water you force into your pneumatic tools! Nothing shortens their internal working life more.
Milton Type V are a much better high flow quick connect fitting
That's some serious bang for the buck
Thanks Robert. I like K.I.S.S. systems! On my way to Lowes :o)
Yes sir! Good luck with the install.
This is the route I'm goin with my air lines im a plumber so I have pex readily available im running all mine lines through the walls before I lay my insulation and drywall
That’s awesome! Kinda wish I was able to do it all behind the drywall. Maybe I can if I ever get the funds together to build a proper shop.
@@HaslipCycleWorks yea im using shark bites to connect all mine together so u don't have to use the crimping tool all u do is push the pex into the shark bite connector and it grips n seals the pex so much easier and faster
hi Bud, Did you use pex A or pex B. Thanks Mate😊👍
This was PEX B if I remember correctly.
Just curious if you contacted the PEX manufacturer to see if compressed air is recommended for use in PEX?
No I did not.
Is this standard pex B that you’re using? I almost bought some but it said that max pressure is 100psi at 180° for me, it will be going in a metal building up against the tin so it will get pretty hot. I will be pushing 135psi
I would have to go look and see what I bought. I have since moved and ripped it all out at the owners request. May not be a good fit for your situation.
How much PSi your compressors pumping through that pex? Ima pulber and i think pex is only reated for like 180 psi
These compressors are only rated for 120~125 psi
How long dies it take the air to leak down in your compressor. I used alotta Pex for water line and it does leak down after awhite w air pressure we test for leaks w air and a guage and it held for 25 mins and would leak down some. Just curious long term how the leakdown is on pex. Thanks
I got lucky, I guess it would hold 100~120 psi for weeks. The only leak I had was from one of the whip hoses but that was fixed by buying a new one.
Never thought about using pex🤔 I like it tho
Pex is perfect for air lines when u plumbing in a house u have to run air through it before u put water through it to make sure it doesn't leak
@@whiteoutram0516 Yeah but how much pressure will it hold
Which Pex A or B type line do you use with crimp clamps? Or do you have to use Pex B?
I went with PEX B
Just gotta watch air temp. Only rated for 200F. Thinking of pex for my garage but will run copper first to cool then pex to distribute.
That’s a good idea. In the future I may add a copper cooler/water trap setup.
I'm thinking about running copper from my compressor the lenth of my garage in the rafters then tapping it with pex to go through the walls. I don't think I'll have heat issues as my compressor is 120gals and for my use I would think it would rarely kick on.
Dalton Schrader I really think you will be good with a setup like that.
I run a 60 gal single stage. I am building a copper cooler to mount up front before running a PEX halo with drops around the garage. I have been sorting out my wip connection off the tank and i think i am going to run with the pex there too, it should be flexible enough. I mount my regulators and water traps at the drops to give the air time to cool and release the moisture properly, plus it gives me less line loss having tank pressure within 20ft of the tool. I changed out my HF quick connects for Milton high flows (type V) and I am not disappointed. It feels like I have an extra 10 gallons in the tank. At $25 for a 14 piece set they are not much more than the HF crap I was using and I haven't worn one out yet so I am already saving over the cheapies I kept replacing with every trip. I learned on fittings "buy once, cry once" works out.
Matt Herring you are absolutely correct, I’m noticing the same and will have to replace some of my components soon. Sounds like you’ve got a great setup.
How is the pex holding up so far? I thought about doing this years go when I gutted my master bathroom and did all the plumbing with pex. Just concerned about it lasting
Dirty Side Gets Down so far zero issues. It’s been working great.
Pex is probably one the best ways to run any form of plumbing now a days bc it's cheap and reliable. The only thing you have to watch out for is using the correct PEX for your project. Generally PEX A(Uponor) is gonna be the best one of all 3. Some of the major benefits of Uponor is the fact that it doesn't crack in harsh weather, it always tries to go back to the original shape(good for winters), and it's generally rated for up to 500 psi. But if you do use PEX B, always size one size bigger as the fittings are smaller than the pipe itself causing more flow restrictions. It's very common that people experience low water pressure with PEX B.
@@itspapaj4732 I use low-flow showerheads and aerators in the faucets, so the flow with PEX B is not an issue. Sizing up on the hot water side is very wasteful! Generally, PEX B is much cheaper and easier to find. Where I live(SC) no one carried PEX A, until recently, so B was the only option for years.
I have been using Uponor since 2001 building homes in so cal. It hasn't failed yet.
How is this working out so far?
So far it’s been great, no issues whatsoever. I’m currently moving and once I get in my new place I will be using this method again.
PVC goes in easy....its cheap....but it will go brittle and potentially explode......and if a business was caught running PVC for air they'd get a huge fine in my state.
That’s the general consensus, that’s why I stayed away from it.
Nice video. I was curious about using pex pipe to clean out my HVAC duct work. Do you think pex would bend enough around corners inside the ductwork?
Thank you. This stuff is pretty rigid so I’m not sure it would do what you are looking to do.
@@HaslipCycleWorks - Thanks. Since it comes rolled up, I thought that may allow it to bend around some corners.
@@Nick23at63 the best advice I can give you is to head to a hardware store and put hands on some to see if it will give enough to bend around the corners you would be working with.
@@HaslipCycleWorks - Yea, I did that at Home depot, but I didn't really test the limits, if you know what I mean, didn't really want to buy a broken piece of pipe, lol. It did seem to bend enough for a 90 degree turn, but things could be a little different inside a tight duct. Tried asking an associate, he said "Why would you do that, just hire a pro." I felt like saying "If everyone hired a pro, you probably wouldn't have a job here at Home Depot," but I bit my tongue. Thanks for your time.
@@Nick23at63 lol I know how you feel lol. Good luck with it.
what mounts did you use to anchor the tubing to the wall?
They are from Lowe’s. Made by shark bite. Should be right next to the tube and fittings.
@@HaslipCycleWorks thank you!!
PEX has major limitations when it comes to direct sunlight and isn't amazing when it comes to contaminates. It can become brittle like most plastics.
For real
How is it holding up 3 years later? Any leaks or failures?
I never had any failures or leaks while it was there. Ended up selling that house and in the new shop I bought one of the rapid air kits and have zero complaints.
Cool, thanks for the update. I just finished setting up my shop with PEX yesterday. So far so good, no leaks….🤞🏻
I’m glad I found your video because I ended up adding drip legs like some of the commenters suggested. Between those and the filter/dryer I install right after the compressor I should be able to keep as much moisture as possible out of my tools.
@@HaslipCycleWorksone more question: can you notice a difference with that reservoir tank you added?
I’m considering doing something similar but I’m running a 30 gallon compressor and only about 50’ of PEX so I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle of plumbing it in.
@@Ben28782 I noticed once the tanks were full there was more gaps between the compressor kicking on. However once it did kick on it had to run longer.
Ok Your right about pvc but Pex pipe is not meant for air lines. It can not handle the high pressures you will be using and it will eventually bulge out and fail. The type of air hose you need should be designed for air not water. I'm using TPEE pipe which is for air lines and it looks just like pex but it's not made out of the same "plastic". Another thing is the fittings used for airlines are cheaper and you can remove them without tools. They are not made for pex so you cant use them. I hope everything works out for you but just know it most likely will leak or burst (line will split and not explode like pvc) later on down the road.
Appreciate the feedback thank you.
All depends on the psi you to run the air tools. I run them near 100psi and pex b hasn't failed on me
You did not put drip traps below your hose coupling blocks. I recommend you extend the pex at least 8" below the coupling blocks and put ball valves to trap and drain any rouge moisture before it goes into your tools.
Pretty good idea, way easier. I can hear the boomers now lol. Only thing I'd like to see is some 90s right at the areas where the line meets the walls, etc. Would clean things up quite a bit!
So, what does, I can hear the boomers now lol. actually mean?
Drop ears are the best 90 to use coming off the wall.
Awesome video Rob. Keep them coming!!
PVC is a no go - CPVC is fine to use for air.
And PEX is a go like he used.
CPVC becomes VERY brittle, and would be very dangerous to use, just like PVC.
i saw a air pvc pipe explode and launch 80 feet across a warehouse...could have killed someone for sure.
Yeah it’s no joke when it pops and has any sort of pressure behind it.
One "bump" to a pressurized PVC is not good...I think thats a lot of the accidents....PVC cant take a bang like PEX or steel
do you think it could handle a constant 135-160psi?
Yes 160 might be a little on the high side. Mine sits at 120-130 constantly and I’m sure it surged above that easily when in use.
But what about 200 psi
@@spikeboi55 no idea nothing I have runs that high
Great but you did not allow for a drip leg with a blowout to take out any moisture before it reached your equipment! Never use an oiler on the compressor side, only on the equipment side. Once you contaminate your lines with oil you can never use them for anything else.
I usually put and water separator in front of each piece of equipment with quick connections. That gives me more flexibility. I agree there should be a drip leg, I’ll put one in on version 2.0. There were no oilers in this video but when I use one it’s the same setup as the water separator, right inline right before the tool that needs it and only feeds the tool not the entire line or system.
Guess I went overkill with black pipe.
They each have their trade offs. Absolutely nothing wrong with using black pipe.
Very Good!... 130🐄🦉🏴☠✝
t I do love the irony of "PVC was NOT designed to be used for AIr lines".. Uhh, neither was PEX lol. It's actually explicitly noted that it does NOT recommend it for Air. That said though, I agree, don't use PVC, instead use Pex.. Preferably Pex A
nice
You should of shown an example of your sketch.
You're gonna have water at all your drops.
I was thinking the same. Maybe if he put T's instead of elbows at the drops and a valve below each to bleed out the water it would be better. Maybe ?
Be sure to use PEX A not PEX B bc PEX A is far superior overall.
Could you explain to us why?
Where did you take that information? A is cheaper to use when you have the special tool, which cost a leg. But i have never heard that one is better than another. Buying the tool for type A for a diyer is plain stupid, its for pro
@@AntonioCunningham Pex A is much more flexible allowing you to make bends in the line, and if the Pex kinks, which is very common, you don't have to redo the line, you can simply just use a heat gun to make it go back to it's original shape.
PEX A is good, but due to the cost of the tool to expand the pipe, it is not for homeowners with small projects like this. Also, not 1 supply house or Lowes/Home Depot carried any PEX A stuff until recently, So it just wasn't available for years here in the south, it was more popular up north!
Yeah, I wouldn't do this... PEX is rated ONLY for liquids and not air. The air from your compressor can reach temps over 200 F, which degrades the PSI of PEX to about 60 PSI and over time makes it brittle. A friend of mine taught me this the hard way when brass fitting and the PEX lip and clamp attached about 3 feet away from the compressor exploded off a 140 PSI compressor striking him in the eye. He lost that eye, nearly died and THEN did the research... You've been warned.
Copper for the first few feet to an air filter / drying system, then pex for the distribution and regular air hose to connect to tools. problem solved.
@@michaelfleury8472 again, PEX isn't rated for air pressure, only liquids.
NO T TAPE
Are you saying there was none or that you shouldn’t use any?
If there is ever an ugliest air line installation in the Olympic games this installation would win a gold medal.
That’s real nice. Let’s see yours then.