Anyone Use Schedule 40 PVC For Air Lines ??

[billt460]

Originally Posted by 3311
A friend has had a commercial shop open for 10+ years with same Sch40 pvc lines the whole time without issue.

Over a decade in a commercial shop is a LOT of use.

 

[atikovi]

Chances are you use a rubber hose to connect your air tools to the compressor or to a fitting on the wall. Only makes sense that you would use rubber hose throughout to plumb the system.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by Linctex
I've had PVC and CPVC (mixed) for over 20 years and it's fine. 135psi max

1.5"??? You working on semi trucks?

Most of mine is 3/4" and 1/2"


The larger the lines , act as extra storage .

Might also add a surge tank some where in the system . Additional storage . Be sure to have a drain / petcock in the bottom of the tank and drain it , often . Especially on humid days .

 

[AZjeff]

Bill, it sounds like you've made up your mind already but it's not a good idea. Plumbing PVC gets brittle as it ages, faster when it's hot, then the psi rating means nothing. The more joints and connections you have the more failure points you create as well. It's not a good idea to save a few bucks where there are kits out there for not much money. And yes there's always someone who has it with no problems but you won't find a link where any company recommends it. That tells me something, if a company selling pipe knew is was safe why not sell more pipe?

 

[FT92]

my brother in law owns a auto repair shop for 40 + years now and has had schedule 40 in the shop for at least 25 of those years , no problems at all

 

[Dave Sherman]

As others have said, not a good idea. PVC gets brittle, it can explode into shards, and it's not OSHA approved for air lines for that reason.

https://www.hoseandfittingsetc.com/...-pipe-should-i-use-for-my-air-compressor
https://www.pvcfittingsonline.com/resource-center/using-pvc-pipe-for-compressed-air

 

[Eddie]

I have used it in my home garage for 20+ years without an issue. Longest run is ~ 20 feel with three drops of ~ 4 foot. My small compressor runs at 125 psig. Ed

 

[Traction]

Just because PVC is cheap and easy doesn't mean it's a great idea, or even safe to use. Using big lines for volume would store a TON of energy, which could end really bad. Just buy a decent compressor with a 60-80 gallon tank, and use 1/2 in lines using galvanized pipe, or better still would be copper for air cooling. I would consider using a combination of PEX tubing, and threaded tubing/fittings if I was starting from scratch now. I probably have a couple hundred feet of copper/galvanized pipe in my garage, a refrigerated air dryer.

 

[dwcopple]

Sounds like plenty have done it without issue. Still, I'd use galvanized myself.

 

[meep]

I know lots of folks use pvc, but it's easy to forget just how much power is behind compressed air. When something goes wrong, it's done with its damage before we even see it happening. Compressed air is /fast/. PVC is fun to work with, for me, but I wouldn't do it. Kid hits the pipe with a bike, the missus snags her bag on it.... if you're like me, the tank always has some pressure in it. I'd be crushed if someone else got hurt too.

 

[Kruse]

Any time a post like this comes up, you always get the "I've had it for X amount of years and it's worked great." That does not mean that someday there won't be dire consequences.
As posted, PVC pipe, given the exposure to age and chemicals, can get brittle. I work with the stuff and have seen it myself. You could also have water in the pipe that freezes and creates a hair line crack that weakens it.
Stick with the approved material even if it has a higher initial cost.

 

[clinebarger]

I've worked in many shops with S40 PVC piped air lines....I have never seen one explode & send shrapnel flying. What I have seen is.....Connection failures!
And once a glued connection comes apart, It will always be a problem until the entire system is replaced with new PCV. In locales that get really cold, I guess shrapnel throwing line blow outs could be an issue??

Does your compressor have a aftercooler? A 2 stage at 175psi without 2 stages of aftercooling will superheat the discharge air & will certainly cause issues with connections closest to the compressor! Your cheap box store compressors don't usually have any aftercooling.

You may get a good 10 years out of it at 150-175psi at a reasonable temperature....Install it as high as possible to prevent things from hitting it & isolate the compressor from the lines with a long reinforced rubber whip.

I went with two Rapidair 3/4" Maxline kits, While I haven't completed the install yet.....The quality is really good.

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by spasm3
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200484023_200484023


I use Maxline also from rapid air for my spray gun and breathing mask lines, great stuff and internally remains very clean unlike metal pipes. The problem with PVC is it tends to harden and become brittle with age and when subjected to oil fumes or mist.
Every oil compressor has some blowby even a new one and it only increases over the years, it isn't much but it doesn't have to be to be damaging. PVC is sketchy for compressor lines long term and if its a 2 stage high pressure unit an absolute no no.

The Maxline is 3 layer with aluminum not PVC, it is a type of alupex. Either the Rapid air 3/4 or 1" Max line will do a great job and last 50 years.

https://www.rapidairproducts.com/maxline

This stuff doesn't look too difficult to work with. And it's reasonable. (I would need a couple of hundred feet). The main thing would be installing it with the hoses tight enough, and with enough mounting connectors so it would look like something when I'm finished, and not be drooping everywhere. The stuff looks like PEX.


The line has a Aluminum core....Once formed & mounted, I don't see it "drooping".

 

[P10crew]

OP please don't use pvc for any sort of airline. I know of 1 shop here that was using a 2" trunk line and thank god over a weekend it blew up. And just as is all over the net it sent shards of shrapnel flying all over one end of the building.
There is no better or cost effective air system than sweat copper. It's easy to work with and lasts forever.
I know of several shops here that the copper system is 50 plus years and going strong. I don't remember but there is 2 different grades of copper red and blue. We use the heavier of the 2. I can post a pic tomorrow of a very slick way to make an after cooler to force your air to precipitate if you would want to see it.

 

[bchannell]

If you've ever cut pvc pipe that as older than a few years, with pliers type cutters, you'd know how easily it shatters. I doubt that it's pressure rating is not for constant cycles of zero to 125 psi or some such, but for constant pressure.
Since there are so many other better choices, I'd say, why risk it?

 

[tom slick]

Air compressor manufacturers says no PVC, OSHA says no PVC air piping, even the PVC pipe manufacturers say not to use it for compressed air.

Any of the "PVC is fine for compressed air" proponents care to cite a source that says it's okay?

 

[clinebarger]

I have seen it used many times & never saw a blow out send shrapnel flying....Just the joints/connections come apart. Usually at the most inopportune time to fix it even temporarily.

I truly believe, IF you keep it at a reasonable temperature (between 32°F & 140°F).....It can work. Would I use it in my shop, NO! It's only used because it's cheap. I would have used sweated copper myself......But didn't schedule things just right & had my shop insulated before installing the air system.

P10crew said he has seen one blow out.....I certainly have no reason to doubt that, I trust the guy 110%! Though I would like to know the temperature in which the failure occured.

Most compressor manufacturers have stepped away from aftercooling, Some still do it but at a lesser efficiency, Quincy just does 1 stage unless you get into their 7.5HP & above models, Saylor-Beall uses heat sinks that are not very efficient & more for looks in my opinion.
The old way was to use Finned Copper lines wrapped near the flywheel for both stages......Haven't seen much of that in the last 20+ years.

Your cheaper compressors have no aftercooling at all & 250° to 350° discharge temps are not uncommon at higher duty cycles.

I wouldn't say I'm a proponent for S40, But common sense & technique can go a long way.
*Maintain a reasonable temperature (between 32°F & 140°F).
*Isolate the PCV as much as possible from the compressor.
*Install a high flow ball valve at the compressor tank & gradually fill the system with air, Don't just flip it like a light switch & shock the system.
*Replace the system every 8-10 years.

 

[P10crew]

http://www.oshatraining.com/compressed-air-hose-water-hose-clamp-pvc-pipe-OSHA-violations.php

 

[9050lx]

I used sch 40 1inch PVC piped from the compressor to my barn 150 feet away but I have it buried and use galvanized for a standpipe. works great.

 

[thooks]

I can tell you that Charlotte Pipe, a major manufacturer of PVC pipe, begs people NOT to use PVC pipe for air lines.

Do not do it.