Ok, I have the usual $30 unit you pick up at Hope Depot but its just not hacking it. Some days the hose blows out like a fog even though the separator is empty. What do you guys and gals have that works great?
I eliminated 90% by having my outlet 25-30 feet from the compressor. I used ridged copper plumbing pipe to aid in the cooling of the compressed air. Copper pipe will cool the hot compressed air better than plastic or rubber. I got Napa to make me a 2 foot long high pressure hose like they use on big trucks to go between the compressor and air line.
I made a separator from a 5 gal air tank, a coil of 1/2" copper tubing, and some fittings. The separator is placed in a big plastic tub and then covered with ice. Fittings were welded on the top and bottom. Air from the compressor runs thru the copper tube, into the air tank, and out the top of the tank. A drain pipe, with a valve on top to be above the ice, attaches to the bottom to get water out while its being used. Turned out, for as much as I used it in one session, the tank didn't need to be drained while in use. edit: I looked for black iron fittings to weld but didn't find what I needed. The galvanized pipe made some porous welds.
A good seperator/regulator (200 to 300.00 dollars) mounted at least 4' off the ground with the feed line mounted above the highest point on the compressor.(My line is 8' off the ground) seperator/reg 20 to 30 ft from the compressor. I also drain my tank after every day of use to remove the collected moisture from the tank. Never had a problem, even in humid or rainy weather.
Wow, I just have water traps below the hose connections, on the main line, which slopes away from the compressor, it's worked well for 18 years now.
My set up is more than likely the problem then. My compressor is mounted in a shed behind the house. My house and garage is buried in the side of a hill, so the compressor is at least 10 ft above the floor of the garage. It has never been a major problem in the past, but seems to be getting worse. I also empty the compressor after each use. Maybe I need to bring the line lower to the floor and install the water separator there, then bring it back up to my outlets. Currently it comes in near the celling, comes down directly into the separator and then to the outlets.
You could air condition the shed so the compressor is pulling dry air from the shed. It will help alot considering the compressor is the high point in the system. Water likes to flow down hill after all...
I opened the tank drain just enough to create an air leak (can't even hear it). the water evaporates as fast as it leaks out. I just have to wait 3 mins. each time before using the air to give it time to pump the tank up...
My air compressor (Campbell Hausfeld Workhorse) has one of these right out of the regulator http://www.shopping.com/campbell-hausfeld-campbell-hausfeld-mp513810-mini-air-filter/info then a T fitting, followed by 2 air hoses. I have one of these for each hose end. http://www.ebay.com/itm/In-line-1-4..._Automotive_Tools&hash=item27cf2c66df&vxp=mtr I drain my tank every few days, or fully drain after heavy use. I use all types of air tools and recently repaired & painted my mothers quarter panel during a hot humid day. Moisture has never reached my tools or projects. I add oil manually to my tools before use, I'm not a fan of automatic oilers. My and setup
