Buried air line

[73k5blazer]

So my barn is up, finally, concrete's going in next week.

I'd like to put air out there and I really don't want to have another compressor. Actually, since my barn is uninsulated cold storage, and my garage has the lift, is insulated, I'd like to get the giant 240gal tank'd air compressor out of the garage and put it in the barn, no noise and it would make alot more room in the garage.
I've read alot about this, some say no problem been doing it for years, some say it will freeze guaranteed.
I figured, I'd give it a shot. I have a back hoe, the whole side yard was already tore up from pool removal and some other stuff that was happening over there.
It's about a 250' run. I bought some 1" sch 40 PVC, 450psi rated, I'd never use it in a shop, but buried...it's cheap and safe. I dug a trench which has a 5' in the middle, and slopes gradually to the garage and the barn. It's about 3.5' where it will turn 90 and enter the barn.

Man, that's a giant long trench. In the 5' area, I'm in the water table, at this time of year, that's crazy high still. But, oh well.

I thought about putting drip legs and condenstate traps. That really complicates the whole system and adds alot fo cost. So far, with all the PVC, fittings, galv. water sweeps and verticals, and 2 ball valves, I'm in for $100. For $100, I figured I'd try it, if it doesn't work, oh well. My compressor has a little service tank and for the most part, I pressurize thhat 240gal tank to 160 and don't need to run it for a month, unless I'm doing something intensive. I can add a dryer on the line, but I've never seen water in my drip legs in the shop, except the one directly under the compressor, and then only when it was ran.

Has anyone done this here, buried an air line? Just curious about anyone with first hand experience.

 

[brans87]

Don't bury it! Been there done that sucked, I ended up moving compressor in the garage and helped water problem 90%.

 

[73k5blazer]

So what was the real problem with it? Water in the line? Did it freeze? How deep was yours?

 

[brans87]

Water in line,never froze,and least 2 foot deep. You spend to much time and money trying to fix a problem you created. Got so bad could not even run die grinder with out water pouring out.

 

[73k5blazer]

Well, I had already dug the trench when I originally posted. So I went thru with it. We'll see how it works. It's average depth of 4' down, some of it 3 some of it 5.

I think it *should* work ok. I have a 240gallon air tank, and my compressor only runs once a month, unless I'm doing something heavy. So I think for the most part, most air being used will be at ambient temp, not hot from just being compressed. Ground temp at 4' is around 49 here, and can swing abour 8 degrees from summer to winter. So, I dunno, but I'll find out!

 

[FOR MUD]

Can't hurt to try......If you do run into a problem with water, why not blow air in one side and have wet/dry vac on the end.
Since you have a trench dug already, any future needs for plumbing or electric lines you could slip in there too?

 

[73k5blazer]

There's electric already run out there from a different part of the house. Trenched, in conduit, THHN no4 wire 140' 60 amp service. I had a company do that last fall before the barn was put up because I had a credit with the power company to use up.

I'll use a powerline wireless device that I've installed at a couple buddies barns to have internet out there, so, I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to put in there,

She's all buttoned up and filled now. Just a little 3' wide strip across my lawn I'll have to plant. Most of the trench went through woods and the side yard where the pool was just taken down, which was already all tore up anyway. I'm glad I put tarps down in the lawn areas, while it was a bit more work to get the dirt back in off the tarps, it really saved the grass for another 6' wide.

 

[FOR MUD]

I'll use a powerline wireless device that I've installed at a couple buddies barns to have internet out there, so,

I need to do that......How good are they? I've got about 200' run from the house to the shop.

 

[73k5blazer]

Well..... It's been a year. And I can report.....0 water in the line as far as I can tell. I believe most of that stems from the fact that I have a 240 gallon tank and the compressor doesn't run very much. Most of the time that air is just sitting there, so I'm not putting freshly compressed hot air into the line... I'm putting room temperature air into the line. I think that makes all the difference is far as condensation is concerned because I have not seen a drop on the far end of the airline.
The power line adapter. Mine works great, but they can be hit and miss depending on what kind of noise and what type of equipment you're home and particular set up is running. They don't work through power strips, I know that. And at some homes. I have to switch circuits on the sending unit or the receiving wireless broadcast unit to get it to hook up and connect reliably but once that thing says its connected it usually stays there forever for the most part.

 

[brans87]

Glad worked for you! Mine was only 60 gallon single stage that ran alot so i got water alot. I did get a 2 stage quincy 60 gallon and way less water now but still water (hence in south) but working on that now. I filled old hole tonight with concrete to keep my a/c and heat in and rodents out.