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Pex for air?

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MikeL_2
MikeL_2 Member Posts: 532
in THE MAIN WALL
Hi all,
       Anyone have experience using aqua pex for compressed air piping?

Comments

  • EzzyT
    EzzyT Member Posts: 1,368
    Yes I’ve used many times just follow the manufacturers operating specifications
    E-Travis Mechanical LLC
    Etravismechanical@gmail.com
    201-887-8856
    GGross
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 25,344
    Just watch the temperature and pressure ratings. Compressed air gets fairly hot, unless you use a cooler on it.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    MikeL_2
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,182
    I hope it works. My maintenance garage is full of it...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    MikeL_2
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,851
    hot_rod said:

    Just watch the temperature and pressure ratings. Compressed air gets fairly hot, unless you use a cooler on it.

    We use it at the shop and this was actually a concern so from the compressor to the refrigerated drier is copper and then out of the drier is 1" pex.

    That copper coming out of the tank gets pretty hot.......

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 13,499
    Isn't plastic with compressed air discouraged because it can break in to pieces that can get loose and become projectiles if it breaks?
  • PC7060
    PC7060 Member Posts: 1,684
    mattmia2 said:

    Isn't plastic with compressed air discouraged because it can break in to pieces that can get loose and become projectiles if it breaks?

    Yes for PVC but pex should be fine since it doesn't fragment in a failure event
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 25,344
    I looked around the PPI site for compressed air application. This report is mostly about testing with air or nitrogen. Maybe best to check with the tube manufacturer. I suspect different listings would be needed for compressed air use?

    https://www.plasticpipe.org/common/Uploaded files/1-PPI/RECOMMENDATIONS/Recommendation F.pdf
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    mattmia2
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 25,344
    I have seen a blue colored PAP listed for compressed air. It was put in a large repair shop by the compressor manufacturer, a German brand compressor and piping system, Kaeser as I recall.
    RapidAir is another brand of listed plastic compressed air tube.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • MikeL_2
    MikeL_2 Member Posts: 532
    edited June 2022
    Thanks everyone! I convinced the owner of a nearby woodworking shop to replace the existing compressed air piping. It was changed from galvanized to pvc a decade ago.....
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 25,344
    MikeL_2 said:

    Thanks everyone! I convinced the owner of a nearby woodcworking shop to replace the existing compressed air piping. It was changed from galvanized to pvc a decade ago.....

    With what will her replace it with? I'd be careful not to suggest a product that is not listed for the
    application. Certainly the PVC needs to go.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream

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