Compressor Air Dryers...Who’s happy with what?

[7E-Bodies]

If the airline moisture is preventing good flow in my cabinet blaster and my die grinder exhaust is soaking my glove, Mister Obvious here thinks it's time for a dependable air dryer. Looking for PROVEN reviews. I have to get a handle on this before paint prep begins. If yours works well, even when painting, let's hear about it.

[JS29]

Just an air dryer alone my not do it. my compressor has an automatic drain, every time it runs is pops the drain after it shuts off. I have copper one inch pipe going around the top. 3/4" work stations, filters about 3or4 feet from the floor. and drains at the floor. 

[7E-Bodies]

Do you get sufficiently dryer air with just water traps?  Do you also paint?

[Rich G.]

More then likely your drier is to close to the compressor. The further away the better. Nothing will work without any drop offs .

[shawge]

Installed an auto drain on the compressor and made a radiator our of copper tubing w/ drops at the bottom to collect/drain moisture before going to the regulator/filter.

Similar to this

[JS29]

Do you get sufficiently dryer air with just water traps?  Do you also paint?

Yes I paint, the drains help. the main supply line is sloped, when possible have the main loop not dead end. A desiccant dryer is best for painting.   

[7E-Bodies]

@shawge nice work. As a career electrician, I salute neat work. Have you done any painting with that setup?

[1 Wild R/T]

I built something similars to shawge, I actually have one between the compressor pump & the compressor tank and one after the compressor tank... 

A typical Coalescing Filter dryer needs to be at least 50 feet of line travel from the compressor to be effective, rubber hose & PVC act as an insulator so that line doesn't count... The air needs to cool so the moisture separates from the air.... 

Those copper pipes cool the air & the drains on the down legs expel allot of air....

For Blasting I don't use a coalescing filter at all, theres never enough moisture to cause a problem... For paint work I use a coalescing filter & a desiccant filter at the gun but honestly the coalescing filterdosn't catch much...  The copper does a great job...

Fact is originally I had dual coalescing filters and a desiccant filter but found they are overkill & actually limit the air volume in spite of what the manufacturers specs show...

[larry4406]

Several folks over at the garagejournal forum have adapted Hyden heavy duty automotive air coolers such as this:
https://www.amazon.com/Hayden-Automotive-1290-Heavy-Cooler/dp/B000HE6UNK

Here is one such installation:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=347828&showall=1

Following along as I will want to do something similar at some point.  Let us know what you end up with.

[7E-Bodies]

@larry4406 that is a superb write up!  Great follow ups on his project as well.

[7E-Bodies]

@1 Wild R/T that looks like a highly effective setup. Very interested, but when I zoom in on the picture, I'm having trouble seeing the flow details. If I don't get lazy and just drop $800-$1000 on a run ready cooler, I'll definitely use the old copper plumbing skills and do something like this. It just kills me to be building something else in the same shop with this awesome RT staring at me.

[dodj]

. It just kills me to be building something else in the same shop with this awesome RT staring at me.

I get that! Along the way building my car, I wanted a lift. But, I really wanted to get the car finished, so I spent money on heads, engine, wheels etc.... A couple years ago I finally put in the lift.   I SHOULD HAVE SPENT THE TIME AND MONEY ON THE LIFT FIRST!

[7E-Bodies]

Oh I so agree on the lift!  It's just that cutting an opening in my 10' ceiling and boxing in an area around it in the attic (between 10' pole barn truss spacing) would be far more time consuming than working without one. I'd also have to cut the 4" pad and sink some monster anchors for a two post. Yet I still plan on it. I've got a buddy in the concrete business that does very low cost work for me.