Shop air line plumbing

[Loren]

I just did my 1200 sq. ft. garage in 1/2" galvanize, most of which was torn out from my last shop and still in great condition after fifteen years. What they say about slope is of course correct, and with water separators where moisture would collect. I have outlets in the center of the building and at the doors, but without shut off valves at each...I don't quite see the need for more than the main one if the place is not a busy commercial shop.

I've never heard of pvc blowing up but don't trust it where I don't have to use it. Those little yellow plastic coil hoses are another story...don't leave 'em connected if you're not using them. "POW!", sometimes they shatter to pieces.

[oldsman71]

The problem with pvc is that it shatters. Water under high pressure does not contain much energy because it is mostly incompressible. BUt air under high pressure contains a lot of energy, and when the pvc pipe holding compressed air shatters it will do so with explosive force, and can really hurt you.

pvc is fine for water, but not for compressed air.

Amen!!! I was hit by flying chunks of pvc at work, they ended up having to replace all of the air line with black steel pipe!!

[SuperBuickGuy]

Interesting - amazing I've lived this long given all the things I've done. We used PVC in my dad's shop, other than the occasional blow-out from fittings blowing apart we never had trouble with them (and all of them come apart eventually).

20 years then a blow out?.... you do know that a pole barn's life expectancy is about 20-30 years?

Still, I'd use copper - amortize that cost over the life of the building; and the fact that people, when they look at buying your house, will be suitably impressed with copper - and to me it's kind of a non-starter....

anyway, there's my 2cents.

[yellomalibu]

far too much thought for homeowner set ups

*shakes head*