Air Compressor Dual Tank Question

[Charlie Chops 1940]

I just bought and installed a new Ingersoll Rand  commercial grade 2340-L5 2 stage compressor after almost 20 years of service out of an I-R box store special (T21 Series). The T21 had an aluminum side by side twin 2 stage which is no longer supported with spares. The new one is a cast iron v- twin.

I'm thinking about stripping everything off the T21 and using the tank in series in order to store more air and hopefully cool the air off a bit more.

Does anyone have any advice on how to plumb it safely and effectively?

Thanks,

Charlie

[ONE37TUDOR]

Are you sure you wish to put a 20 year old tank into a new system? If I did that I would put it outside somewhere away from where it could injure you or someone else.

Having said that, it would do almost the same job installed anywhere along the system but would likely cool better if installed further away from the compressor. That would give the compressed air some time to cool prior to getting to the second tank. Just remember that air unlike water will not necessarly push from the back to the front air could actually still get from the compressor through the lines and just in and out of the second tank without actually doing much mixing at all in the second tank.

Scott...

[Leon]

If you want to use it like a separator, put it far enough away from the compresser to allow the air to cool a bit so the water isn't a vapor, and have the air go into the tank and come out through separate ports so the air has to move around in the tank rather than just hooking it up by a T.  In my shop I have a little over 50' of line before it hits the regulator and separator and I pull any moisture out at that point.  The drops at each outlet have never had any water in them.  The air has sufficiently cooled by the time it hits the separator that the water drops out.  It's one of those that are about 10" tall with the clear bowl.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Thanks Guys.

I would clean the tank out first and give it a good visual inspection. Unless there is a lot of deep rust inside I would think it'd be good to go. If the pump hadn't died I would have kept using it anyway.

I can position it about 15' from the primary tank, go in the original inlet and out the original outlet, then back about 18' to the separator and hose hook up. On the other hand I could just do that without the second tank and see if it helps cool the air. The system, other than the regulator/separator, is in another room.

Charlie