Safely Linking 2 x Compressors To Increase Air Supply For Spraying

[brightspark]

If you've got both types of connectors it's worth fitting an outlet of each type. Keep the older type for air tools that need a lubricator and the later type for spraying and air fed mask, Fit the appropriate fittings on two airlines to keep them separate and avoid contaminating your paint with oil.

dont bother with a lubricator bin it just a few drops of oil in the tool is suficient each day. i use these 2 couplings on a y piece hose along with c couplings with large bore pipe for various aplications

 

[JonnyAlpha]

If you've got both types of connectors it's worth fitting an outlet of each type. Keep the older type for air tools that need a lubricator and the later type for spraying and air fed mask, Fit the appropriate fittings on two airlines to keep them separate and avoid contaminating your paint with oil.

Sorry which is the older and which is the newer?

 

[JonnyAlpha]

dont bother with a lubricator bin it just a few drops of oil in the tool is suficient each day. i use these 2 couplings on a y piece hose along with c couplings with large bore pipe for various aplications

Sorry didn't see this post before replying to anjum, in your pic is that a UNI on the left (older?) and 1/4 or PCL on the right (newer?)?

I have just removed the quick fit couplings mounted on each compressor to try and ID the thread to change one so that they are both the same?? Neither of these are my compressors, one is on short term loan (the one with the 1/2 BSP / UNI fittings) and the other is negotiable (The one with PCL / 1/4 Inch fittings :-) What I want to do is combine them both into a water trap regulator (as I have been advised to do) in order to operate a standard suction spray gun (which is also on short term loan)?

Dependant on the cost of combining them I could opt for a LVLP 600ml gravity spray gun and stick to 1 x compressor (The 1/4 Inch PCL) I would still need a water trap and an adaptors. The problem with the Beaver compressor is that the coiled airline has a 'hard wired' 1/4 inch male that pushes into the quick connector on the compressor and on the other end it has a 5/8 male thread on one end connected to a 1/4 PCL female adaptor for the few tools that it cam with to connect all (Tyre Inflator / Air Blower) all of which have 1/4 Inch Male connectors fitted to them).

Now that I have the quick fit couplings removed the Magnum Beaver (The one with the odd airline) could be a male 1/2 BSP the SIP Air Mate however has a female thread which I am not sure about? Could also be 1/2 BSP but I tried it and it appears to be stiff so I don't want to force it?

Here they are, this is the one off of the SIP Airmate could be 1/2 BSP?

And here's the one from the AMAC Magnum Beaver:

Clearly labelled as P.C.L so is that definitely a 1/2 BSP Thread?

If they are both 1/2 BSP then I could bypass the crappy Black Airline that came with the Magnum Beaver and use Brass Compression Fittings and Copper Pipe or would flexi pipe be better because of vibration? Anyway I would fit a compression fitting direct to the regulator on the Beaver and connect the SIP Airmate inline using its coiled pipe which has female 1/2 BSP at either end something like this:

Design needs modding as it has no drain pipe? or ball vales to decompress system?

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Managed to find a good Air Connections supplier in the local area and after explaining my challenge the were able to supply the most cost effective solution. Basically a new 2m Airline to replace the AMAC Beaver Non Standard one, a 'Y' connector, a non regulator Water Trap and a 10m Airline.

This setup will get me up and running but later I will refine, such as mounting the water trap to a board using copper piping, compression fittings and reducers as required along with quick fit connectors at the input and output of the regulator and a ball valve where required to de-pressurise.

Here is the new setup (diagram) I'll add photo's later:

 

[richie00boy]

I don't think you can get away without using a regulator with a twin compressor setup.

 

[JonnyAlpha]

I don't think you can get away without using a regulator with a twin compressor setup.

So are you saying I should change the Water Trap (Non Regulator) for one with a regulator? The guy in the Hydraulic / Pneumatic shop seemed to think it would be OK controlling the pressure using the regulators on each compressor. But then again I would not know what the pressure would be after the Y coupling.

 

[Daz1968]

If you connect both compressors at the tank then you could take your feed from the regulator on either. It would be better if painting to put a good quality filter regulator at the end of the line though. I have hard pipe from compressor with drop legs, then a 5 micron filter regulator it the end followed by a coalescing filter to feed my belt for air fed mask, but even if not using 2k I leave the coalescing filter in to reduce moisture, I also have a small separator mounted on the spraygun, water is the enemy of painting and must be removed as much as possible

 

[JonnyAlpha]

I'll pop back to the supplier and swap the filter for a regulator filter, but unless I buy some more Air Line it at the moment the regulator will be at the compressor end of the Air Line. Later on i'll invest in another short leg and insert another filter at the end of the airline and run a short tail to the spray gun. I will also hard mount my regulator onto a board / wall and use some 15mm copper pipe and 1/2 BSP to 1/4 BSP adaptors and Quick connectors but I need to save some more sheckles first :-)

 

[eil]

Sorry didn't see this post before replying to anjum, in your pic is that a UNI on the left (older?) and 1/4 or PCL on the right (newer?)?

I have just removed the quick fit couplings mounted on each compressor to try and ID the thread to change one so that they are both the same?? Neither of these are my compressors, one is on short term loan (the one with the 1/2 BSP / UNI fittings) and the other is negotiable (The one with PCL / 1/4 Inch fittings :-) What I want to do is combine them both into a water trap regulator (as I have been advised to do) in order to operate a standard suction spray gun (which is also on short term loan)?

Dependant on the cost of combining them I could opt for a LVLP 600ml gravity spray gun and stick to 1 x compressor (The 1/4 Inch PCL) I would still need a water trap and an adaptors. The problem with the Beaver compressor is that the coiled airline has a 'hard wired' 1/4 inch male that pushes into the quick connector on the compressor and on the other end it has a 5/8 male thread on one end connected to a 1/4 PCL female adaptor for the few tools that it cam with to connect all (Tyre Inflator / Air Blower) all of which have 1/4 Inch Male connectors fitted to them).

Now that I have the quick fit couplings removed the Magnum Beaver (The one with the odd airline) could be a male 1/2 BSP the SIP Air Mate however has a female thread which I am not sure about? Could also be 1/2 BSP but I tried it and it appears to be stiff so I don't want to force it?

Here they are, this is the one off of the SIP Airmate could be 1/2 BSP?

And here's the one from the AMAC Magnum Beaver:

Clearly labelled as P.C.L so is that definitely a 1/2 BSP Thread?

If they are both 1/2 BSP then I could bypass the crappy Black Airline that came with the Magnum Beaver and use Brass Compression Fittings and Copper Pipe or would flexi pipe be better because of vibration? Anyway I would fit a compression fitting direct to the regulator on the Beaver and connect the SIP Airmate inline using its coiled pipe which has female 1/2 BSP at either end something like this:

Design needs modding as it has no drain pipe? or ball vales to decompress system?

The fittings in your pics measure 1/2", which would mean that they are 1/4" BSP.

 

[JonnyAlpha]

The fittings in your pics measure 1/2", which would mean that they are 1/4" BSP.

Yeh sorry learnt and spotted that just after I posted the pic :-)

 

[JonnyAlpha]

OK here is my rig:

One change in the pic from yesterday is that the water filter has been changed for this one:

Its the same make as the non regulator (Pneumax), its a 20 Micron Filter and the regulator control has a max of 8 Bar with a safe working max pressure of 13 Bar. It cost £27 and seems a little plasticy but the 2 x Air lines and all the adaptors only cost £20 so I can't complain.

This rig will now work but will soon need refining such as wall mounting the regulator and putting a Quick Release Female Regulator Output and on the spray gun end of the Airline and a Male 1/4 Inch on the other end of the Air Line and on the Gun.

At the moment to keep the cost down everything is 1/4 BSP Screw Fittings which as you can imagine is painful when connecting and disconnecting. I also need another shortish piece of Air Line, I can then run a long line from the Y connector to the Regulator / Filter Input and a shorter line to the working end where the gun is to get the water filter as close to the gun as possible, as advised in this thread line so that I can place the Water Filter nearer the gun end.

 

[Daz1968]

You need to link the tanks not after the regulator, then take you feed from either one

 

[JonnyAlpha]

You need to link the tanks not after the regulator, then take you feed from either one

Sorry Daz I do not understand, the tanks are linked using a 'Y' connector before the regulator, do you mean I need to join the tanks before the regulators on the compressors?? If so most of what I have bought has been wasted :-(

 

[Daz1968]

Yes they should be connected directly tank to tank before regulators on the compressor outlet but the stuff you have bought can be adapted to this you just need to remove the plugs on tank ends. If you want best flow I would not use regulators on compressor at all and take hose from other end of tank to your new regulator but only from the one tank it doesn't matter which. I am unsure how effective or safe it is how you have it connected as you shouldn't provide pressure from other side of regulator maybe someone with experience of this will post

 

[brightspark]

Sorry Daz I do not understand, the tanks are linked using a 'Y' connector before the regulator, do you mean I need to join the tanks before the regulators on the compressors?? If so most of what I have bought has been wasted :-(

the set up u are using now presumably u have turned the pressure up to maximum on the outlets from each comp and are controlling the pressure from the filter regulator a the y piece out to spraygun which will work fine . what he means is most people use conectors between the air tanks

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Yes they should be connected directly tank to tank before regulators on the compressor outlet but the stuff you have bought can be adapted to this you just need to remove the plugs on tank ends. If you want best flow I would not use regulators on compressor at all and take hose from other end of tank to your new regulator but only from the one tank it doesn't matter which. I am unsure how effective or safe it is how you have it connected as you shouldn't provide pressure from other side of regulator maybe someone with experience of this will post

the set up u are using now presumably u have turned the pressure up to maximum on the outlets from each comp and are controlling the pressure from the filter regulator a the y piece out to spraygun which will work fine . what he means is most people use connectors between the air tanks

Thanks guys, its now crystal clear, these are not my compressors so I would rather not remove the plugs on the tanks.

I have not used this setup yet and have a couple more things to iron out, more questions.

1. To use my setup as it is, based on what brightspark has said, I guess I need to open the regulators fully on both tanks and control using the new regulator with the filter?
2. What pressure (PSI / BAR) should I have set at the new regulator for the gun that I am using?
3. Spray Guns are rated in cfm, I have not seen anyone using Flow Meters so how do you know you have the correct cfm before spraying?
4. When I fit quick connectors what are the more common ones to use 1/4 PCL?
5. If I build build a small copper rig to mount my water filter regulator and provide a drain line / drop using 15mm copper from what I have read I can use standard 1/2 Compression Joints to join to 15mm copper pipe. Can someone advise a good supplier of cheap / reasonably good quality connectors to use to connect my Airline to the output and the compressors to the Input? My guess is something like 1/2 BSP to 1/4 PCL Quick Connector at the output and 1/4 BSP to 1/2 BSP at the Input.

Thanks

 

[brightspark]

most sprayguns will work about 40 to 50 psi .it only needs to be high enough to get the paint to atomise without blowing the job away. u could try filling the gun up with water at 1st and try at diffrent pressures and settings on the gun for spray patterns and liquid flow .then when u are somwhere near just get some cheap paint and thin it and spray on to some old metal or a piece of plywood till u get the feel of things .its mainly down to practice 50psi is a good starting point pcl fittings are cheap enough at machine mart and will be ok for your use as your not using large cfm airtools that require a larger bore for more cfm .copper pipe and compression fittings at toolstation will be cheap enough. other members may be able to contribute helpfull hints to post presumably

 

[JonnyAlpha]

most sprayguns will work about 40 to 50 psi .it only needs to be high enough to get the paint to atomise without blowing the job away. u could try filling the gun up with water at 1st and try at diffrent pressures and settings on the gun for spray patterns and liquid flow .then when u are somwhere near just get some cheap paint and thin it and spray on to some old metal or a piece of plywood till u get the feel of things .its mainly down to practice 50psi is a good starting point pcl fittings are cheap enough at machine mart and will be ok for your use as your not using large cfm airtools that require a larger bore for more cfm .copper pipe and compression fittings at toolstation will be cheap enough. other members may be able to contribute helpfull hints to post presumably

Thanks brightspark.

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Just knocked this up any thoughts on the plan?

I'll probably add an airline either between the Y connector and the copper and then a shorter airline to the gun to keep the regulator closer to the working end. In the guides in this forum the simple DIY solution only has one rise and ball drain valve so I may go for that but having a drop line will help wont it?

 

[Sidewinder]

Do not use domestic water copper pipe & fittings for compressed air, they are not sufficiently pressure rated, remember the stored energy in compressed air systems can cause injury and damage.
You need to use copper pipe and fittings rated for 10 bar+ for compressed air, seriously, please don't risk hurting yourself!
Flexible "rubber" air hose would be safer than domestic cold water copper pipe.