Made an airline radiator, de-humidifier, multi-regulator doodah

[skotl]

Having followed this thread with interest, I decided to make my own radiator / multi-output airline contraption.

My radiator is far smaller than the one mentioned in the other thread - probably around 50cm across - so I hope it will still be effective. I also wanted it to be portable so that I could take far from the garage to spray the sheds / fences, etc.

The objectives were;

• To eradicate as much of the moisture as possible
• To have two hose outputs; one with an oiler for spinny-round-and-round tools and the other without an oiler for the plasma cutter and spraying (and, yes, two separate hoses for each)
• To be able to drain the system quickly
• To not have any unforeseen water traps in the pipework

This is what I came up with (mug for scale );

It was my first go at brazing/soldering copper pipe and I'm very chuffed to report that I've got no leaks in either the soldered or olive couplings

That's a ball valve tap at the bottom each vertical so I can drain them.

The air in is in the middle / right, and the two regs (one with an oiler and one without) exit to the right, too. I took the advice of someone (apologies - I forget who) in using flexible connections to the regs.

Used it for the first time in anger today and it (thankfully) held up!

Final task is to put some fasteners on the top so I can mount it on the garage wall but still have it detachable.

If I could do it over again I would take more care with laying the pipework out prior to soldering - there are no two parallel runs on the entire board!

 

[skotl]

Just noticed that the airflow may not be clear, as the regs stand proud of the pipework.

Here's a diagram of the airflow through the system; orange is air coming into the pipes and blue is exiting through the regulators toward the tools;

 

[MattH]

Pcl's on the regs input side are the wrong way around. If you disconnected them all the air would escape.

 

[skotl]

Pcl's on the regs input side are the wrong way around. If you disconnected them all the air would escape.

I wondered about that, but then don't see why / when I'd be disconnecting them when the system is pressurised

It was certainly happy enough today when I only had a hose plugged into one or the other - the output PCL held the line shut on the unused regulator.

 

[MattH]

The point of pcl couplings is to allow connections to be remade under pressure. Why use them if you have no intention of doing that?

Yep, the outputs are fine.

 

[skotl]

Pcl's on the regs input side are the wrong way around. If you disconnected them all the air would escape.

The point of pcl couplings is to allow connections to be remade under pressure. Why use them if you have no intention of doing that?

Yep, the outputs are fine.

Ah wait - I see what you mean

These little 30cm orange hoses were the cheapest I could find on Amazon, so the design at the reg end was based on what the hoses came with

 

[mike 109444]

Sorry to rain on your work but.... The incoming air from your TANK on your compressor which is going to be full of air when you have done using it, you will then want to disconnect the compressor ? and you will have a MALE fitting on end of pipe coming from compressor withe no shut off !

 

[MattH]

Sorry, should of posted in your other thread. I'd of used these push fit connectors with simple pneumatic grade plastic pipe.

Pennies.

 

[skotl]

Sorry to rain on your work but.... The incoming air from your TANK on your compressor which is going to be full of air when you have done using it, you will then want to disconnect the compressor ? and you will have a MALE fitting on end of pipe coming from compressor withe no shut off !

I'll either not disconnect, or drain with the taps at the end of the vertical lines - takes about four minutes to empty the tank with them partially opened.

 

[skotl]

Sorry, should of posted in your other thread. I'd of used these push fit connectors with simple pneumatic grade plastic pipe.

Pennies.

View attachment 76220

Where would these go, Matt? On the flexible line to the regs?

 

[MattH]

No, you'd put them on the input of the regs and the output from the copper pipe and then just run a plain piece of tube with no fittings between them.
You can get them with all kinds of fittings on the other side, male threads, female threads etc.

 

[skotl]

No, you'd put them on the input of the regs and the output from the copper pipe and then just run a plain piece of tube with no fittings between them.
You can get them with all kinds of fittings on the other side, male threads, female threads etc.

Ah ok - cheers. Perhaps that will be for Mk II, which will address all the issues in my original design

 

[MattH]

I'll either not disconnect, or drain with the taps at the end of the vertical lines - takes about four minutes to empty the tank with them partially opened.

What you've done is like having a plug on the end of an extension lead instead of a socket.

The hose coming from your comp should have a female PCL on it and your copper should have a male on it.

 

[skotl]

Back to one of the original objectives, what do y'all think of this taking any moisture out of the air before it hits the regs?

 

[MattH]

Ah ok - cheers. Perhaps that will be for Mk II, which will address all the issues in my original design

Give me a shout as and when, I've got loads of fittings.

 

[skotl]

What you've done is like having a plug on the end of an extension lead instead of a socket.

The hose coming from your comp should have a female PCL on it and your copper should have a male on it.

Fair point - again, this was based on the 10m hose that I've got but I'm going to dedicate that to the unoiled output so will buy a shorter hose to connect the compressor to the "radiator". As that connection is just a screw on, it will be easy to replace it with a plug and have the socket on the air hose.

Thanks again for the suggestions - all gratefully received!

 

[Wallace]

First glance at all those tubes I thought you had taken up home anaesthetics! It should help remove water before the filters, swapping the quick release fittings so they are all the right way round will stop you having an accident with a whipping hose.

 

[Burdekin]

I'm just in the process of improving my air system too. The filter regulator probably filters down to 20microns while a coalescing filter filters down to 0.01microns and will filter out water and oil.

I only have quick fit fittings for the tools as they are more restrictive and more expensive than just BSP fittings. The PCL XF fittings seem good to me and not as restrictive as my old fittings. Screwfix sell them for a decent price.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Skotl, You could also get rid of the lubricator, They usually just clamp to the reg, with an "o" ring between, when separated there will be a thread in the reg to take your out-put fitting.

 

[brightspark]

as above loose the lubricator there not needed . 3 drops of oil in your tools before use is suficcient and last years . why crap your airlines-up when not -needed -