Air/Anti-freeze why we need both....

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Using air, you are trading the stuff that is in the compressor and tank for whatever is in the anti-freeze. The compressor has metal parts, rust in the tank, gaskets, rings and lube. If the hose got used with an oiler sometime in the past .... yuck ... Check the "quality" of the air before you *assume* it's good. A simple filter (dirt cheap at the hardware store) is also well worth the money.

No this isn't some sort of hypothetical thing. I *do* use filters on air lines and they pick up a lot of junk. Unless you use dedicated hoses for the job (never seen oil) the filter needs to be at the outlet end (which is indeed a pain ...)

Bob

ABSOLUTELY! Kudos to Uncle Bob for mentioning this!
The air from most shop-compressors is unsuitable for human consumption! The large compressors are oil-lubricated and oil-mist will contaminate the air being compressed. It is instant pneumonia if you breathe it and you certainly don't want to swallow any as the pedigree/compositon of that oil is unknown.
The "dry" type of compressors are better for this purpose ...but use synthetic/plastics components which disperse impurity to the air and may also be hazardous.

[Adiredneck]

My hoses are dedicated - they are only used on my compressor, for my Airstream; and my compressor utilizes two inline filters. First a particulate filter with a water separator, followed by a coalescing filter. I bought the compressor new in 2015. Never any smell or taste of oil - but I also have an onboard ionic charcoal filter on the sink which I use for all drinking and cooking water.

[Adiredneck]

Plus, as mentioned waaaay back, I use the "belt & suspender" method of both blowing the pipes dry and then pumping antifreeze through the bypass valve, pump, pipes and traps. In the Spring, I blow out the anti-freeze, followed by several pipe flushes, followed by Clorox treatment of the FW and HW tanks, then all flushed again twice. If any oil makes it through my filter systems, I'm pretty sure that they are rinsed out in my de-winterizing process.

[ROBERT CROSS]

^
PLUS

I haven't had OIL in my AIR for years. Always a separator and filter.
Just common cents.👍😂

Bob
🇱🇷

[Adiredneck]

Here is how I have my compressor set up with the particulate and coalescing filters for winterizing and de-winterizing...

[Boxite]

It's good that you have the filters/regulator ... but be aware that stuck out there and unsupported they are subject to cracking the fittings from vibration if not other abuse...and when they depart they will do so at high-speed and with momentum, and being whipped/hurried along by the air pressure stored in the hose. (Not criticising...only thinking about your safety.)

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Once you get oil *into* the pipes, getting it out is a pain. You need a soap and water rinse out process for normal oils. For silicone based oils .... yikes .... If you run air tools on a compressor oil *is* what you want in your air. It's not what you want if you are painting cars. Simply be careful if you are borrowing gear or if you do indeed run air tools.

The next gotcha with most compressors is water in the storage tank. That rusts the inside (it's not painted ...). What comes out of there *will* rinse out of the pipes. It's no worse than (or better than) the rusty pipe at the campground.

As far as I know, oil in small quantities mixed with water isn't going to kill you. Of course, neither is RV antifreeze. The issue in both cases is taste and possibly a bit of discomfort if the dose is large.

Bob