What will $10 & a MADMAN get you?

[Bullitt-]

OK, so I have this problem I'm sure any of you with an air compressor share. TOO much water in the air. I'm sure there are plenty of good solutions to this but I was brainstorming with an amateur body guy about the problem & he suggested running long overhead lines to give the water a chance to cool down & put an filter to collect it. I ask him and subsequently several others in the repair/ac business if an auto condenser/accumulator would accomplish what we needed. No one could scuttle the idea except that there would be a drop in CFM. I am more concerned with spraying primer & paint so I went for it. Had a buddy pick up a used condenser/accumulator at a salvage yard, cost $10.00. Plumed it up (then worked on leaks). Mounted today & tested my theory. I ran the compressor until I could see a fog of water vapor coming out, then put the contraption in line & ran for another 5-10 minutes. No fog, no condensation on surfaces I blasted. Also hooked up my small die grinder & it seemed to run just fine and I noticed the line stayed cool unlike w/o contraption.  Future plans for a plenum & fan for long time use.
.

[fishn4cuda]

I'm not sure how many PSI that condenser can withstand, But some of these compressors go from 120 -200 PSI at shutoff or full. Be very careful, cause I,ve seen weak tanks explode and take out the side of a pole building.

[Bullitt-]

My compressor shuts off at 140PSI. I have seen auto head pressures as high as 150.

[MyMopar]

I will say congrats on figuring out a solution to your problem. However I am not a big fan of that set-up.  You say your tank shuts off at 140 and you've seen auto pressure at 150, but nothing there is proven.  Is this just a cheap way around the really expensive water/air seperators?

The best location for water/air seperators are actually closest to the outlet where you connect the hose.  Is the compressor plumbed aroudn the garage or are you just running the hose straight from the condensor?

MacGyver would be proud 

[RedLine]

My hats off to you on the courage to put a $10 condensor in line with your heavy duty compressor    You the man!  I'll just share here the way we solved our continuous water problem.  our compressor is a 60 gal 165psi max (shut off at 140) 16cfm@90.  We ran the line from the compressor up high to the ceiling and let it gently slope downward about 25 feet until point "A" in this picture.  from there it drops and collects water at the drain valve "B".  Water has a hard time getting up to "C"  where anthing there gets trapped at a Harbor freight filter/ regulator "D" which feeds one of our hose reels.  The line that goes up from "C" goes up to the ceiling where it gently slopes down to the opposite side of the garage where we repeat this setup.  Every morning I let out the collected water at each drain (about a cup)...  but none makes it to the hoses.  (the PVC is sched 40)

[Bullitt-]

Yes, Cheep solution, I hope. I do have other collectors & filter setups but on the really HOT MUGGY days down here in the south they don't keep all the moisture out. Thanks for the input on relocating closer to the work, I will when I need to but my garage is only 24' long so I have no plumbing. As for your concern about an explosion I would think that the worst I could expect would be a blowout of a tube. 140PSI? I have two gauges, one on the compressor, and one on a regulator & they are pretty close to the same. Also my business is in refrigeration repair, although I am not a tech, I did confer with a couple of experienced people first.
Who do you think taught McGyver everything he knows?

[RedLine]

 

[Oldschool]

I think it is a great idea.     It didn't cost very much and it works....     Can't beat that!    

[Bullitt-]

OS, cheep down here, out on the left coast probably $200.00
A grand if you want the HEMI version. 

[camjam]

I have been wondering about filter placement. Thanks guys.

[JS27N0B]

A/C condensers will probably handle over 400psi. Most of the Chrysler compressors have a blow off valve built in if the pressure ever reaches 450psi.

I am sure you are safe at the pressures you will be using.