Super Off Topic!!! Shop Air Compressor Question

[t bone 347]

I've been running new lines for my compressor and in the process of wiring it to permanent 110v, tired of dragging an extension cord to the compressor room and then the hose back into the shop. Once I have a true need for a larger compressor, the room is already wired with 220v.

Anyways, on to my question.

I still have a small leak at one of the connections that I can't seem to get tight enough. When I get this tight, another pops up, but this is the smallest leak so far. At 5:30 pm I had 150psi on the gauge, when I went and checked at 10:30 this morning (17 hrs later) it was sitting at 30 psi. I know leaks aren't preferred, but would you guys consider this acceptable or not???

Thanks, T

[CJ]

1st off I hate leaks but what is acceptable to you?

A little math and assumptions...

Comp uses 20 amps 110v = 2200 watts

That leak equates to 7 psi an hour. So if your compressor cycles at 120psi it would take about 4 hrs (6 times a day) to leak down and trigger the switch to refill the tank. Say it takes 5 min to refill X 6 = 30 min run time = 1.1 k/w a day.

So ---
Per day = $.22
Month = $8.8
Year = $80.3

E(kWh/day) = P(W) × t(h/day) / 1000(W/kW)

Is $80 a year acceptable for you?

[Hedgehog]

Hmmmm - CJ, Dude tying in the cost to run per year is an interesting, yet book keeperish approach that I never would have considered, yet it's still something to consider.

t bone - 150psi is a lot of pressure especially in a hose. Also consider this as a plus. A long permanent line is also expanding your storage capacity (essentially a bigger tank). How are you extending the line? Is it a long hose, SCH80 PVC or black iron? You should have No leaks in PVC or black Iron. A long hose might bleed off a little. How good is your disconnect? Cheap HF disconnects do leak. Recently I went to a much better hose and higher quality disconnect, even with a tool attached my leak down went from the compressor cycling every couple hours (when the ball valve is left open) to virtually no leak down. Quality fittings are worth the money.

I lust for a set-up like you are doing. Like you, my compressor is a 220v and I hate dragging a hose around. An iron line running to the back of the house and a couple places in the garage would be sweet indeed.

[t bone 347]

$80 a year wasted is not! I only run my compressor when I'm using it, so it doesn't cycle all the time. I'll try and get it tightened up, take it back apart and fresh Teflon tap, I keep forgetting to grab plumbers dope.

[t bone 347]

Right now it's only the 50ft hose run thru the wall into the shop. It's only temp, I've been planning out how and where I want to run copper through the shop. The leak is in the new brass/copper fittings not the quick dis, I'm giving one of the HF auto drains and try and it's in all that plumbing.

[CJ]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog Hmmmm - CJ, Dude tying in the cost to run per year is an interesting, yet book keeperish approach that I never would have considered, yet it's still something to consider. ~~

LOL - Sorry about that but it's the engineer in me.

Originally Posted by t bone 347 $80 a year wasted is not! I only run my compressor when I'm using it, so it doesn't cycle all the time. I'll try and get it tightened up, take it back apart and fresh Teflon tap, I keep forgetting to grab plumbers dope.

Ahh, I turn the shut-off valve on the bottom of my tank and disconnect power when not in use. Either way I still hate leaks. Is it bad enough so you can hear it? IMO - your leak is pretty small especially as you turn off the system when not in use.

BTW - your turning off the system is a good idea when not in use as you don't want the compressor running continuously if some thing catastrophic occurs when no one is around.

[Hedgehog]

I'm not a big believer in tape for air line joints, I always grab the pipe dope used for gas lines. The paste goes on and there can be no question that it has filled all the air gaps. Tape has failed me on more than one occasion, pipe dope seems to work every time. And CJ will be happy about this , it's economical as well, a little goes a long ways along with a lengthy shelf life.

I used to turn everything off when not using the compressor. Lately I've gotten a little lazy. My shutoff ball valve seals very well, leak down never happens since it was added, so I shut that off and walk away. Probably not a good approach though.

[t bone 347]

Think I've gotten my compressor woes sorted out, pulled some fittings and fresh tape. I would have used pipe dope, but tape is what I had on hand. Once I figure out what I want to do, I'm going to run copper in and to a few spots in the shop. This will do me fine for now.

Corner with tools and now.........AIR!!!


Just flip the blue switch and on comes the compressor. . I had to find someway to plug the hole in the partial board and while digging around in my junk, I found an old harmonic balancer.

[CJ]

Originally Posted by t bone 347 ~~~ I had to find someway to plug the hole in the partial board and while digging around in my junk, I found an old harmonic balancer.

Well, I know of two uses for a balancer!

[Belizean]

Wow you guys are serious about your compressors and CJ with the math calculations. Mines an old 40-50 year old 220v 80 gal horizontally mounted in its own shed about 100 feet behind the garage plumbed in with 400 psi pvc. Its old, it leaks some but I never worry about that. I just turn it on when I need it and 8-10 minutes later I've got plant air