Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

I could get a longer nipple, but then the regulator would be extending
beyond the tank, and would inevitably be hit and abused by all manner of
things (especially me).

If I screw the nipple way too far into the regulator, then I would have some
room to screw the nipple into the manifold, but that
wouldn't have the fittings anywhere as tight as I would like them to be.

I could remove the pump cylinders, remove the manifold, install the
regulator on the manifold, reinstall the manifold, then reinstall the pump
cylinders, but there is no way I want to even think about removing those
pump cylinders.

Right now, I am strongly considering dismantling the regulator itself, as
the body (without the gauge or knob/guts) will rotate onto the nipple
without hitting the tank.

Anyone got a better idea?

Jon

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

On 2009-06-20, Jon Danniken wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

i

I could get a longer nipple, but then the regulator would be extending
beyond the tank, and would inevitably be hit and abused by all manner of
things (especially me).

If I screw the nipple way too far into the regulator, then I would have some
room to screw the nipple into the manifold, but that
wouldn't have the fittings anywhere as tight as I would like them to be.

I could remove the pump cylinders, remove the manifold, install the
regulator on the manifold, reinstall the manifold, then reinstall the pump
cylinders, but there is no way I want to even think about removing those
pump cylinders.

Right now, I am strongly considering dismantling the regulator itself, as
the body (without the gauge or knob/guts) will rotate onto the nipple
without hitting the tank.

Anyone got a better idea?

Jon

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

"Ignoramus21287" wrote:
Jon Danniken wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple
extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

Thanks, Iggy. If you mean the ones where either side turns independently of
the other (with a stationary center hex), I've seen the bigger ones for
galvanized water pipe, but not for 1/4" NPT stuff (which is the size of the
fittings on this compressor/regulator).

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?

Jon

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

Jon Danniken wrote:

"Ignoramus21287" wrote:
Jon Danniken wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple
extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

Thanks, Iggy. If you mean the ones where either side turns independently of
the other (with a stationary center hex), I've seen the bigger ones for
galvanized water pipe, but not for 1/4" NPT stuff (which is the size of the
fittings on this compressor/regulator).

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?

Jon

How about using regular air QC fittings? Same idea as a union, more or
less.

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

On Jun 20, 11:16*am, "Pete C." wrote:
Jon Danniken wrote:

"Ignoramus21287" wrote:
*Jon Danniken *wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. *Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple
extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

Thanks, Iggy. *If you mean the ones where either side turns independently of
the other (with a stationary center hex), I've seen the bigger ones for
galvanized water pipe, but not for 1/4" NPT stuff (which is the size of the
fittings on this compressor/regulator).

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?

Jon

How about using regular air QC fittings? Same idea as a union, more or
less.

Bolted flanges... Two disks with centre holes tapped 1/4 NPT and
screwed, one onto the regulator and one onto the manifold/outlet...
gasket goo on each facing surface... bolt together.

These flanges could be round with say 3 bolts, square with 4 bolts, or
diamond shaped (fancy!!!!) with 2 bolts.

Wolfgang

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:06:54 -0700, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

"Ignoramus21287" wrote:
Jon Danniken wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple
extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

Thanks, Iggy. If you mean the ones where either side turns independently of
the other (with a stationary center hex), I've seen the bigger ones for
galvanized water pipe, but not for 1/4" NPT stuff (which is the size of the
fittings on this compressor/regulator).

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?

Jon

Yes.

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:06:54 -0700, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

"Ignoramus21287" wrote:
Jon Danniken wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple
extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

Thanks, Iggy. If you mean the ones where either side turns independently of
the other (with a stationary center hex), I've seen the bigger ones for
galvanized water pipe, but not for 1/4" NPT stuff (which is the size of the
fittings on this compressor/regulator).

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?

Jon

McMaster Carr part number 7739K172
http://www.mcmaster.com/#7739k172/=2eeo68

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

Don Foreman wrote:
"Jon Danniken" wrote:

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?


Yes.

Thanks Don, I'll dig around for those.

Jon

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

Pete C. wrote:

How about using regular air QC fittings? Same idea as a union, more or
less.

Ah, thanks Pete, hadn't thought of those. Maybe one of the "higher flow"
ones wouldn't be so restricting as the old ones.

Jon

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

Don Foreman wrote:

McMaster Carr part number 7739K172
http://www.mcmaster.com/#7739k172/=2eeo68

Ah, looky, there it is, thanks Don!

Jon

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

On 2009-06-20, Jon Danniken wrote:
"Ignoramus21287" wrote:
Jon Danniken wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple
extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

Thanks, Iggy. If you mean the ones where either side turns independently of
the other (with a stationary center hex), I've seen the bigger ones for
galvanized water pipe, but not for 1/4" NPT stuff (which is the size of the
fittings on this compressor/regulator).

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?


of course, right at home depot

i

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

"Jon Danniken" wrote in message
...
"Ignoramus21287" wrote:
Jon Danniken wrote:
I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor.
Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple
extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

Pipe union?

Thanks, Iggy. If you mean the ones where either side turns independently
of the other (with a stationary center hex), I've seen the bigger ones for
galvanized water pipe, but not for 1/4" NPT stuff (which is the size of
the fittings on this compressor/regulator).

Do they have these for 1/4" NPT?

Jon

my local OSH has unions like you mention for 1/4 NPT

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

Jon Danniken wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

How about using regular air QC fittings? Same idea as a union, more or
less.

Ah, thanks Pete, hadn't thought of those. Maybe one of the "higher flow"
ones wouldn't be so restricting as the old ones.

Jon

Probably. Also when it's on the HP side of the regulator it's less of an
issue.

Instal air compressor regulator in a tight spot
 

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:23:51 -0700, the infamous "Jon Danniken"
scrawled the following:

I am replacing the broken air regulator on my compressor. Unforutnately,
there isn't enough room between the top of the tank and the plane of the
manifold outlet to rotate the new regulator onto the pipe nipple extending
out of the manifold.

Is there an elegant way to install this?

I could get a longer nipple, but then the regulator would be extending
beyond the tank, and would inevitably be hit and abused by all manner of
things (especially me).

If I screw the nipple way too far into the regulator, then I would have some
room to screw the nipple into the manifold, but that
wouldn't have the fittings anywhere as tight as I would like them to be.

I could remove the pump cylinders, remove the manifold, install the
regulator on the manifold, reinstall the manifold, then reinstall the pump
cylinders, but there is no way I want to even think about removing those
pump cylinders.

Right now, I am strongly considering dismantling the regulator itself, as
the body (without the gauge or knob/guts) will rotate onto the nipple
without hitting the tank.

Anyone got a better idea?

I've seen cast 45- and 90-degree nipples work in some cases.

--
The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life,
acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can
do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man.
-- Euripides