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  1. #1

    Need New Compressor Help!

    Ok...so I'm getting this Kobalt compressor.. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-60-G...sor/1000542193 and I need to know exactly what fittings and regulator I need, to get from the tank's 3/4" out, to 1 fitting for a 1/4" hose for my nailers and 1 fitting for 3/8" hose for other air tools? I feel like such a dummy about this stuff, but it's something I seldom have to think about, so I know very little about it. Thank goodness for the collective knowledge of this forum's members.

  2. #2
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    It should come with a little POS regulator on it, that might last for six months. I've found that the larger, and better quality the regulator is, the more trouble-free it is.

    Use a good thread sealant paste (commonly called Pipe Dope) on the threads rated for high pressure. You can find that in the plumbing section of Lowes.

    If it was mine, I'd put a good 3/8" regulator on it. You won't find that in Lowes, but can get them from Amazon, or ebay. Just buy whatever threaded adapters you need, after having the regulator in hand. I'd try to stay to the minimum number of adapters, so it doesn't stick out too far from the machine.

    Another thing I'd do, while everything is new, and clean, is to change the drain to a street elbow, to a ball valve.

    If you aren't heavily invested in quick connect fittings yet, change what you need to so everything uses the same fittings. I use Milton H style, but most use the smaller 1/4" fittings. The H is a tiny bit larger than optimum for some small things, but I get by so I can plug anything into anything.

  3. #3
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    If I was buying a new compressor, another thing I would do it put this stuff in the tank. I recently fixed a leaking fuel tank on a tractor, and lined the tank with this while I had it off. For an old tank, you have to clean the inside with muriatic acid, rinse, and dry, but for a new compressor tank, I'm sure it would stick just fine.

    https://www.amazon.com/POR-15-49204-...-1-spons&psc=1

    You would have to get it into the bottom of the tank, and roll the tank around as much as possible, to get it up the walls as high as it will go. It will stick in a thin layer to anything, but you can cover as much area as possible by moving the tank around before it kicks. A couple of helpers would be required.

    On that 1979 tractor fuel tank, I coated the whole inside. That tractor was used When I bought it 30 years ago, but since fixing that tank, it's been the first time that I have ever seen clear fuel in the glass fuel filter.

    Water will collect in the bottom of a compressor tank, and any that comes out, whether through the drain, or hose, will have some brown rust in it.

    This is just if I was to buy a new compressor, which I doubt I ever will. The last one I bought was a 10hp 200 gallon tank, but that one has some age on it off CL. If I ever need to pull the pump off of it, I intend to coat the whole inside of the tank.

  4. #4
    How many compressors do you want to buy in your lifetime?

    After going through a number of sub-$1k compressors (probably totaling around $1800 for all), I just bit the bullet and bought an industrial grade Ingersoll with some extras. It's been going strong now for 10yrs+.

    My recommendation is almost always to get what you want, and get something that's durable. Do it once, treat it right and you'll have it for a very long time. Nearly any compressor sold to the general public in a big box store is consumer grade. If you do any kind of real work with it - or aspire to (like sandblasting)...spend the extra ducks on something with more horsepower than you need (duty cycle) that will last. Then you probably won't ever have to buy one again.
    IBILD High Resolution 3D Scanning Services

  5. #5
    So, coming out of the 3/4" fitting, should I drop down to 1/2" or 3/8" to run to the regulator?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Arita View Post
    Ok...so I'm getting this Kobalt compressor.. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-60-G...sor/1000542193 and I need to know exactly what fittings and regulator I need, to get from the tank's 3/4" out, to 1 fitting for a 1/4" hose for my nailers and 1 fitting for 3/8" hose for other air tools? I feel like such a dummy about this stuff, but it's something I seldom have to think about, so I know very little about it. Thank goodness for the collective knowledge of this forum's members.
    Derek

    Need to know a little bit more.
    Do you want to come straight off the tank to the regulator? In other words,is the regulator to be hard mounted to the receiver tank? This is not unusual, but there are better alternatives.
    My compressor output first sees a 3/4" ball valve, and then a 3' section of 3/4" hose. This 3/4" hose id connected to 3/4" copper pipe riser to make a separator rack on the wall. This rack has approximately 30' of hard pipe configured in an up/down path, There are three sections of the rack, and a drain valve at the bottom of each leg. At the output of the separator rack there is another ball valve to isolate to loop. Between this ball valve and coalescing filter and regulator is 100' of 3/4" coiled hose in the overhead of my garage, and there is a drop/drain right at the filter.
    Connected to the regulator output is the air hose. It would be at the regulator output you would install a Tee for the two sizes.

    In my "system" you can see that is approximately 150' of piping and hose in between the tank and regulator. This is to facilitate "mechanical" moisture separation. In other words, I want to use the orifice restrictions, the elbows in the separator rack, and the friction of the length of piping/hose, to create differential pressure drops that cause moisture to come out of the gas, or air, and condense on the inside of the piping that I can manually remove.
    Having the regulator mounted directly to the receiver thank will almost guarantee that you will always have a saturated air condition in the system. This is bad!

    As for what you actually need? That kind of depends on what you want to do. Lowes has a pretty good selection of Filters and regulators. You will need a coalescing filter to remove any oils that may be in your system and then you'll need a regulator sized for you need. I'm pretty sure Lowes has a two stage "kit". If not Tractor Supply carries Campbell Hausfield and I know they sell a two stage kit. Don't buy the junk at Harbor Freight. Lowes, Home Depot, or Tractor Supply carry better air system parts.
    Virtually all regulators are going to exceed the capability of that compressor. Either the coalescing filter, or the regulator will need some type of moisture trap, and the ability to blow it down.
    I would ditch the idea of two sizes of air fitting. Standardize all of your tools to one size and put the pneumatic oiler on a whip close to the air tools when needed.

    There's a lot to an air system, no matter the size, to make it work correctly and efficiently. I've been maintaining large industrial systems for most of my life. The problems are the same. The solutions are a bit different.
    Last edited by Mike Cutler; 06-01-2019 at 5:31 PM.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  7. #7
    Mike, thanks for the reply. I do want to keep it very simple, as I only have a garage shop, with simple compressor needs. I'd love to keep it all on the compressor or use hose to a fixed filter/regulator, then right out to a 3/8" quick disconnect, if possible. Should I keep it 3/4" and drop down at the filter/regulator or what? I'm confused as to where I should drop down to 3/8".

  8. #8
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    No, you do not have to stay with 3/4". You could go right to the filter/ regulator with 3/8" hose.
    Mount the filter and regulator on the wall, and just run a short hose to it.
    A 3/8" fitting, adapter or quick connect can easily pass 10 cfm with no pressure drop.
    My regulator is a 3/8" npt, in and out, and is rated for 55cfm.

  9. #9
    Very cool. Thank you Mike. May I PM you if I have more questions?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Arita View Post
    Very cool. Thank you Mike. May I PM you if I have more questions?
    Absolutely.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  11. #11
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    I recommend a ball valve first thing off the tank. The hose and regulators will always leak. A ball valve means you have a quick shot of air a month later without waiting and listening for the tank to fill.
    Bill D.

  12. #12
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    Bill
    I absolutely agree. You always want a way to isolate the receiver tank from the system.
    I never depressurize my tank. I shut the ball valve and bleed down the system when it will sit idle.

  13. #13
    OK...so, 3/4 to 3/8 reducer, right off the tank>3/8 ball valve>3/8 filter/regulator>coupler out...? Does that sound right? Also, the filter regulator I'm looking at is rated at 250psi max and 72cfm@90. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...HTFH4QLV&psc=1

  14. #14
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    I have one very similar to that (may even be the same one), and it's been trouble free for ever how many years it's been since I bought it. I changed that gauge, and the tank gauge to large ones, and I can see pressure readings from a long ways away. Gauges came off ebay- can't post a link here, but search for 4.5" compressor gauge in their search box- need a back mount one for the regulator.
    Last edited by Tom M King; 06-02-2019 at 8:57 AM.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Arita View Post
    OK...so, 3/4 to 3/8 reducer, right off the tank>3/8 ball valve>3/8 filter/regulator>coupler out...? Does that sound right? Also, the filter regulator I'm looking at is rated at 250psi max and 72cfm@90. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...HTFH4QLV&psc=1
    Derek
    It should work just fine for what you stated you need.
    I would probably go 3/4" NPT close nipple to 3/4" ball valve, and then put the 3/4" to 3/8" NPT reducer on the downstream side of the ball valve. This would give you a more robust mount at the tank, and should you want to change downstream pipe size for any reason in the future, or modify the system for future expansion, you wouldn't have to dump your receiver tank.
    Put in a loop with a condensation drip leg right before the input to the filter regulator assembly.
    A tip or two for you;
    I've had problems with the "white" teflon tape from Lowes and Home Depot the past few years. I've been using the "yellow" gas tape for propane and natural gas with much better results.
    Ball valves have a "high pressure side" and a "low pressure side" believe it or not, despite have the same seat/seal configuration on both side. There is an orientation for installation. If it's a Lowes, or Home Depot bought valve it will have a threaded flange that is "staked" on one side. This side is on the opposite side of the valve from the the tank. ("Staked" means that the threaded end has been mechanically locked by striking the mating flanges with a cold chisel.)
    It's pretty easy to assume that you can "put the boots" to a 3/4" ball valve, or actually any brass ball valve but they're actually kind of fragile. Apply the sealant tape to both ends of the close pipe nipple and thread it into the valve, then start threading the valve and close nipple into the tank hand tight. One end of the close nipple will stop turning, the other maybe a little more. When both ends of the close nipple stop turning hand tight, you're pretty darn close. Use a wrench to turn the valve clockwise into the point of desired orientation and you should find it all air tight.If not go one full turn there. The valve on my tank is hand tight, with a pair of gloves on. No wrench was required.
    Last edited by Mike Cutler; 06-02-2019 at 9:39 AM.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

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