CPVC piping for my home setup?

95maxrider

95maxrider

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I bit the bullet and finally ordered a real air compressor for my home garage, it's an 80 gallon Eaton/Polar Air 5 HP with 19 SCFM @ 100 PSI. I'm very excited! I plan to do media blasting and painting with it. My buddy said I could use CPVC piping in lieu of copper since the current setup will hopefully only exist for about a year or so, at which point I'll be expanding the garage and redoing the piping. The CPVC I got is 3/4" and is rated for 400 PSI at 73*F and 100 PSI at 180*F. Does anyone know what sort of air temps I should expect coming out of the tank? I know this is not a recommend "best practice" way of doing things, but I just need it to last for about a year. Can I proceed with caution, or do I need to abort and start over with something like one of those Maxline HPDE kits? The cost of getting set up is spiraling out of control and I'm trying to keep costs down where I can.
 
It will work but consider using a section of 1/2" or 3/4" id rubber Air Line 6' or so between the tank and the pipe as a vibration eliminator isolator. Probably find a pre-made Whip with the ends you want.
Good supporting and anchoring at hookup points to prevent any "accidents".
No,the Air won't be anywhere close to that temp out of the Tank unless you're running it relentlessly in the Summer. And not likely even then. More of an "Ambient Location" thing. Think in Direct Sun or an Attic.
 
sharkbite fittings
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Well, yeah, but once you Price them,likely be back to Plastic. Lol..
For that matter suppose you could use PEX.......Basically the same ratings .
That would be "interesting".

Main Concern is the Max Psig Output of your Compressor and keeping IT under the Pipings Max Rating.
 
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Water pipe pressure ratings are for water pressure.. Water does not compress so there is no stored energy once a leak occurs. Air on the other hand, compresses and stores energy. When/if you get a leak it will do so with explosive force, and just hope it isn't flying toward you or your eyes. As to heat, the pipe coming out of my compressor is hot enough you can't touch it. That heat will make your air system more of a ticking time bomb. Because of the risk of injury and death linked to the use of PVC and CPVC piping in compressed air systems, OSHA has banned the use of PVC and CPVC piping in compressed air systems. They don't have jurisdiction over your home system, but perhaps another method would be prudent.
 
MikeK said:
Well, yeah, but once you Price them,likely be back to Plastic. Lol..
For that matter suppose you could use PEX.......Basically the same ratings .
That would be "interesting".

Main Concern is the Max Psig Output of your Compressor and keeping IT under the Pipings Max Rating.
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I'm using PEX.
I know it's not "officially" rated for compressed air systems, but if it does fail (very unlikely) it will just split and leak, unlike PVC or CPVC which can explode and send dangerous shrapnel flying, as @MP&C noted.
 
I worked at a Shop with CPVC air lines. Several times they cracked from stuff getting knocked into them. Never exploded though. I think it would take more than 150 psi to really do damage like that. IDK. Irregardless they were a poor choice for lines and we had issues in the summer with water because the air cooled so much slower than with copper or steel pipe. The air going into the dryer was always too hot and it wouldn't cool it enough to keep it from condensing some downstream.
Like Don said, copper is the best choice.
 
i'm guilty as charged. been using pvc since the 80's . i use jet stream heavy wall. my shop now is 24 years old and i have replumbed it once after a comp failure. if you use it clamp it down good. i had planned on redoing mine in copper but just have not gotten around to it. i also only run 100 psi in my system.
 
Barry said:
If I recall the two deaths we're in the morning
When the managers opened the shop and blew up and killed them.
I think the last death was in Colarado but not sure.
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Wow. Did not know that was possible. Heck of a way to go.
 
Thanks for the info everyone. I'm aware the CPVC comes with potential dangers, hence this being a temporary solution. The final design will be all copper. I will be using a rubber whip hose between the compressor and the CPVC lines. I was also considering bringing down the pressure from the compressor from 150 to ~100 psi to minimize risk. I should also add that my use of the system will be infrequent, maybe a couple times per month at most. The compressor lives outside in a weatherproof shed, so ambient temps in the summer shouldn't be terrible.

Regarding the copper piping, I was reading about how the typical method/material used to join pipes isn't the "correct" way to do it, and silver (?) should be used, which drastically increases the cost. How much truth is there to that?

And, while I've got everyone in here, I called up Motor Guard to ask a few questions about filters/dryers. The rep asked how often I would be using the system (infrequently, as mentioned above) and said I could get away with just their M-60 sub-micronic filter and didn't really need desiccant beads. I was surprised that she recommended such a cheap solution, considering I was asking about their $600 full setups. I know everybody loves overkill solutions to be on the safe side (I do too) but it sure would be great if I could just run an $80 filter instead of a $600 3 piece system. I suppose running the CPVC piping instead of copper will make moisture matters worse...but still.
 
I'd do it all in copper even if it's temporary, It's not like you can't reuse it when it comes time to reconfigure you shop layout.
And I found this chart with pressure ratings of copper with different solders and temps that I thought was interesting.

Copper Tube Handbook: Table 14.4a

Pressure-Temperature Ratings of Soldered and Brazed Joints
copper.org
 
shine said:
if your going to run it do not use water line. use heavy wall jet stream. water line will split in no time. it is rated for 65lbs.
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The stuff at the store is rated for 400 psi at 73* and 100 psi at 180* F. Does that mean it's the heavy wall jet stream stuff?
 
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