Necessity of Filter on Air Compressor

I suspect it is very important to purchase a filter. Please advise.

It is necessary to purchase a lubricator?

Thanks,

Ken Reese
E-mail: [email protected]

: I suspect it is very important to purchase a filter. Please advise.

: It is necessary to purchase a lubricator?

: Thanks,

: Ken Reese
: E-mail: [email protected]

Ken- It is necessary to use a filter to keep the water out of your lines,especially for your paint gun.Because of the paint gun you should'nt use a lubricator in the line.You can use an in line oiler in a short whip lead for your tools or just squirt a little oil in the inlet now and then. I believe you'll find the filter will work best if you put at least 50 or 75 ft between your compressor and the filter.A good and cheap way to do this is to run vertical pcs of pvc pipe up and down from floor to ceiling with a drain valve at the bottom of each run.After you get the desired amount of footage then put the filter in the line.The bulk of the moisture can be drained with the valves and by the time it gets to the filter it's done most of the cooling and condensing it's going to do.You'll probably stiil want to add an additional in line filter at your paint gun.Hope this helps Mark

Thanks for the information.

Additional questions. I have a regulator on my Coleman 5 h.p. oilless compressor. Should I install another regulator on the tool side of the line - possibly next to the filter?

Also, if I install some rigid pipe near the filter should I make up a short hose to run from compressor to beginning of rigid pipe (considering that the compressor is on wheels & portable)?

Sorry to bug all of you with questions that seem elementary but this is my first experience with a compressor and air tools.

Thanks,

Ken Reese
E-mail: [email protected]

: Thanks for the information.

: Additional questions. I have a regulator on my Coleman 5 h.p. oilless compressor. Should I install another regulator on the tool side of the line - possibly next to the filter?

: Also, if I install some rigid pipe near the filter should I make up a short hose to run from compressor to beginning of rigid pipe (considering that the compressor is on wheels & portable)?

: Sorry to bug all of you with questions that seem elementary but this is my first experience with a compressor and air tools.

: Thanks,

: Ken Reese
: E-mail: [email protected]

Ken ,Glad to try to help.Moisture can be really frustrating to deal with and driers are expensive.The cheaper import air tools seem to tolerate it OK within reason but the better tools and paint guns require dry air.Your regulator is fine where it's at .A quick coupling between compressor and pvc pipe setup seems like a good idea. Then if you you need to use it outside your shop its still portable,just snap your rubber line to it and go(although without the additional moisture protection).If it really needs to stay portable the ice bucket and copper tubing arangement posted by Nate sounds more mobile (and could double as a beer cooler; summer is here you know).The idea is to give the air time to cool down somewhat before it goes through the filter,but exactly how you do it doesn't really matter.I like the vertical pipes for the extra drains but thats just me.(by the way 1/2"sch 40 pvc works great,you can run as far as you want without loss of volume and its rated for far more pressure than you will generate) Mark

: : Thanks for the information.

: : Additional questions. I have a regulator on my Coleman 5 h.p. oilless compressor. Should I install another regulator on the tool side of the line - possibly next to the filter?

: : Also, if I install some rigid pipe near the filter should I make up a short hose to run from compressor to beginning of rigid pipe (considering that the compressor is on wheels & portable)?

: : Sorry to bug all of you with questions that seem elementary but this is my first experience with a compressor and air tools.

: : Thanks,

: : Ken Reese
: : E-mail: [email protected]

: Ken ,Glad to try to help.Moisture can be really frustrating to deal with and driers are expensive.The cheaper import air tools seem to tolerate it OK within reason but the better tools and paint guns require dry air.Your regulator is fine where it's at .A quick coupling between compressor and pvc pipe setup seems like a good idea. Then if you you need to use it outside your shop its still portable,just snap your rubber line to it and go(although without the additional moisture protection).If it really needs to stay portable the ice bucket and copper tubing arangement posted by Nate sounds more mobile (and could double as a beer cooler; summer is here you know).The idea is to give the air time to cool down somewhat before it goes through the filter,but exactly how you do it doesn't really matter.I like the vertical pipes for the extra drains but thats just me.(by the way 1/2"sch 40 pvc works great,you can run as far as you want without loss of volume and its rated for far more pressure than you will generate) Mark

Another thing to watch out for (since you're new to pneumatic stuff) is "HOSE WHIP" !!!
You got your compressor running and the hose is pressured up, you decide to remove the hose from the source (your PVC fixed supply line or tank) but you don't have a firm hold of the hose end that comes out of the quick connector on the fixed line or tank--- What happens?
The air in the hose shoots the hose all over the place (like a garden hose with the water on and no one holding it) whacking the hose end into your new paint job (depressing) or into your (or your kids) face!

At my last place I ran the fixed supply near the roofline and had "Drops" every 10 feet or so. The "Drops" were Galvanized pipe with a "TEE" near the bottom of the "Drop", with the "Run" (straight through part) going up and down with a short nipple and cap in the bottom to catch any stray "Stuff". The quick disconnect went in the "Bull" or "Branch" of the "Tee". Make the "Drop" line long enough to place the quick disconnect at a comfortable working height

: : I suspect it is very important to purchase a filter. Please advise.

: : It is necessary to purchase a lubricator?

: : Thanks,

: : Ken Reese
: : E-mail: [email protected]

: Ken- It is necessary to use a filter to keep the water out of your lines,especially for your paint gun.Because of the paint gun you should'nt use a lubricator in the line.You can use an in line oiler in a short whip lead for your tools or just squirt a little oil in the inlet now and then. I believe you'll find the filter will work best if you put at least 50 or 75 ft between your compressor and the filter.A good and cheap way to do this is to run vertical pcs of pvc pipe up and down from floor to ceiling with a drain valve at the bottom of each run.After you get the desired amount of footage then put the filter in the line.The bulk of the moisture can be drained with the valves and by the time it gets to the filter it's done most of the cooling and condensing it's going to do.You'll probably stiil want to add an additional in line filter at your paint gun.Hope this helps Mark

Another thing that works even better for removing the moisture is a copper coil. I have a 50' coil which fits in an old joint compound bucket. For normal use the bucket is just filled with water. When I paint I add a bunch of ice to the water and it really pulls the water out of the air for the seperator to get. The rest of the time it works like the previously mentioned pvc arrangement.