150ltr Additional inline air receiver

[Neo Badness]

Hello,

I've a technical question and thought you lovely people may be able to assist. Enough grovelling, the question;
I have a Clarke se37c270 compressor which has a 270ltr tank. I run a small bodyshop and the compressor is ok, though i need to figure out why I'm only getting 50psi on a 5m hose. It's supposed to be 36 odd cfm at 150psi, free air around 30cfm.
Anyway, I have an additional 150ltr tank and was wondering if it was worth while fitting this?
My thinking was the compressor would fill both tanks giving me 420ltrs of stored air rather than 270 meaning compressor would be on longer less frequently?
Or is it just an added hassle?
Or should I turn the spare receiver into a oil burner for winter instead?!
Just about to gut my workshop to run airlines, new lights etc, thought some sort of plan might be useful!

If you got this far, thanks.

AL

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum.

If you're only getting 50psi and the tank is at (say) 120 then you're drawing too much air for the hose diameter. Use a larger bore hose or install 15/22mm metal/plastic piping to near where you want the air and then use hose to your spray gun. Also you'd be better off running the pipework at tank pressure and putting the regulator near to your workstation.

A larger tank would indeed increase compressor on and off times, and you'd end up with more air wasted at the end of the day, assuming you drain your tank down.

 

[Neo Badness]

Thanks very much for the reply. If memory serves It's a 22mm outlet on the tank. Indeed I need to get the piping and water traps installed. I found it cheaper elsewhere but this is the stuff I was looking at

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251466106933?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I hadn't really considered the wasted air aspect, so that's a good point made. It's looking more like a oil/wood burner project is in the offing!

I'll map out my pipework as I'm hoping to revamp my whole setup, as whilst functional, my current setup isn't ideal.

 

[thinfourth]

My workshop is plumbed up with 25mm polypipe i pulled out of the local dump

That is damn expensive as that does not include fittings

 

[rtbcomp]

Be careful with plastic pipe - some types will shatter if they are knocked when under pressure.

 

[thinfourth]

You can hit polypipe with a hammer and it just bends

It normally comes in rolls instead of lengths.

Very flexable and i think it is rated to 15 bar in the smaller sizes

 

[Neo Badness]

Cheers for the info guys. I opted not to have copper based on price and steel too as I have enough rust in my life as it is.
Looking at 22 or 28mm pipe from Wickes or some such as central heating piping it's rated to 12BAR on the 22mm and my compressor only goes up to 10 BAR max.
Intitially setting up with a mere 12m run of pipe excluding the actual flexi' which would take it to around 17m total.
Seem to be struggling to to get the air to the gun as it's only coping with about 14cfm from the devilbiss gti pro whereas the compressor is supposed to handle 36cfm so should be at least 30CFM free air. Only thing left other than hiflo fittings is to check is the pipe diameter as it currently goes down to .25 BSP really quickly. So hoping that's causing a restriction in air supply.

 

[julianf]

For pipe, I'd check tool station for PEX.

A 15 or 25mtr reel should sort you out. I can't recall the ratings, but I'm sure its well within range of your application.

 

[brewdexta]

28mm PEX seems to be 12 BAR at 20c.