I'm gearing up for the delivery of my new 5 hp compressor, and I'll be using 3/4" black pipe for most of the plumbing, reducing as needed at the outlets. I'm planning to add a drying loop/rack into the mix, but due to wall space limitations (lumber rack and clamp rack), it's going to be relatively low on the wall. After running through the drying rack, the pipe will run overhead to a drop in the middle of the shop, where I'll be building an "air station" next to my wood lathe. (BTW, the air station will have a separate filter/water separator, and regulators on each of the two air outlets I plan to have there.)
Due to the position of the rack and the location other tools in the shop, access to drain the moisture traps will be a problem. I was thinking of adding a "collector" pipe to gather the moisture and running it (downhill) to a location where I can reach a valve to drain things. My question...do I need the check valves as indicated in the sketch below? It seems without the valves, the moisture could be blown back into the loop when I open the drain valve at the end of the collector.
The little blips on the line in the picture are ball valves. There is also a ball valve at the beginning of the run (on the compressor tank). I will have additional water traps on the line at the air station after the overhead run.
So...are the check valves necessary? Any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance -
- Vaughn
Due to the position of the rack and the location other tools in the shop, access to drain the moisture traps will be a problem. I was thinking of adding a "collector" pipe to gather the moisture and running it (downhill) to a location where I can reach a valve to drain things. My question...do I need the check valves as indicated in the sketch below? It seems without the valves, the moisture could be blown back into the loop when I open the drain valve at the end of the collector.
The little blips on the line in the picture are ball valves. There is also a ball valve at the beginning of the run (on the compressor tank). I will have additional water traps on the line at the air station after the overhead run.
So...are the check valves necessary? Any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance -
- Vaughn