Thread: Compressor drain

G'Day "Anodyne",
I have worked at Sullair, Atlas Copco & Wreckair over the years,
and for my money, YES please, drain the pressure vessel daily,
as if you leave that water in it you'll get moist carry-over into your tools & the like,
and if you have good tools the water will stuff them.
Cheers, crowie

I agree with Crowie.

I was taught this when I learned to spray paint.

Drain your tank daily or as soon as you have finished using your compressor.

Paul.

To make it an easier task and to get the water out of the tank between draining it remove the existing valve and using pipe or hose connect the pipe to the tank and put the valve you removed in the end of the pipe. This lets the water actually sits in the pipe not in the tank. The other way is an automatic drainer like here..aircompressors.com.au Pty Ltd - Air Compressor Auto Drains

Originally Posted by Mini

To make it an easier task and to get the water out of the tank between draining it remove the existing valve and using pipe or hose connect the pipe to the tank and put the valve you removed in the end of the pipe. This lets the water actually sits in the pipe not in the tank. The other way is an automatic drainer like here..aircompressors.com.au Pty Ltd - Air Compressor Auto Drains

Good tip - I must do that and while I'm at it get the pipe to exit outside my enclosure so I don't have to open the enclosure to vent the water.

Morning all,

My Louisville truck had automatic tank drainers on it and they were quite inefficient, so I removed and replaced them with small ball valves. I would open them at the end of the shift and leave them open. Next day I would close them after I had started the truck engine.
I do the same with my compressor.

Regards,
Geoff.

I haven't drained a truck tank in 15 years as all our fleet has auto drains. Mine at home has been on the compressor since new and I have had no issues with that either. The only small thing I had to do was put it on a separate circuit to the compressor so it has to be switched on at the same time as the compressor. This was a technical thing as the compressor is three phase and for some reason the auto drain could not utilise the power from the compressor supply.

My compressor is located outside my shed in a sound reduction enclosure and can be turned on from inside the shed via remote switch. The compressed air reticulated via galvanised pipe to 7 places around my shed which is proving very useful. Having the compressor outside is great for noise reduction but it means the compressor is inadvertently left on much longer and this means it compresses a lot more air and condenses a lot more water than it has in the past. Having to go around the back of the shed just to vent the tank has become a small irritating chore, so on reading this thread and a spot of day dreaming I came up with teh following simple solution to automate this task.

I replaced the manual vent valve underneath the tank with a 1/4" brass T. On one side of the T I transferred the manual vent valve (just in case the auto one goes pear shaped) and on the other I mated a 1" BSP irrigation valve with solenoid, and threaded the pair of wires from the solenoid back into the shed. Inside the shed the wires are connected in series with a simple light switch and a 24VAC transformer from an old irrigation controller. The light switch is not really needed and one could just use the mains switch that powers the transformer.

To vent the tank I just hit the 24V switch and whamo - away it goes. I suppose one could add a restriction valve to the input side of the irrigation valve so that the valve doesn't have such a big pressure hit on it but so far so good. I will be interesting to see how long it lasts. If anyone wants to see pics I can take some but it ain't exactly rocket science.

Just to throw in another idea - has worked really well for a number of years - no problems - my knees and back love it.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f11/si...ication-75659/

Thank you for your ideas and interesting solutions. I am still worried that the cylinder is wet inside and will rust, despite the obvious liquid being pooled in a "sump" or being blasted out via an auto solenoid.
Are the tanks coated inside?
Has anyone ever cut one open to show that the rust is only in the bottom 1-2 cm? Sorry if I'm being a PITA but sometimes it is worth questioning established practices to see if they are soundly based. I don't know the answer, and am not trying to be a smartarse. I am worried about the effects of a ruptured cylinder, judging from what has been said on the forum and without a professional check I'm in the dark

Originally Posted by BobL

My compressor is located outside my shed in a sound reduction enclosure and can be turned on from inside the shed via remote switch.

My comment may well be complete nonsense in the case of your compressor but I'll throw it out there just in case.
I took my old 15CFM compressor in to be serviced and checked over many years ago.
It was mounted on a tradesman's trailer so I took the whole trailer in.
It too, had a remote power switch. As in, permenantly turned on at the unit with a switch on the power supply.
I was told never to do this. Always turn it off at the units switch.
Sorry, but I cannot remember the reasons he told me, I've just followed his instruction ever since.

Many variables here. Are yours and my compressor the same in this area?
Have you remotely switched it in the same way I did?
I've no idea to both.
But...worth mentioning maybe, just in case.
Cheers
Jim

Hi Anodyne,

In WA in about the 80s you used to have to get your compressor checked annually, when used in a commercial business.
The big wind catchers we had in the concrete plants had an inspection orrifice in the side of them for this purpose.Looking inside, the surface was rusty, but not big flaky sheets of rust or serious pitting.
This inspection was discontinued when the gov't department concerned realised that they were responsible in the event of an inspected vessel rupturing and someone getting hurt.
Very important is to check your pressure relief valve regularly, in the event that your pressure switch malfunctions, the PRV should open long before your tank ruptures.

Regards,
Geoff.

Facts are facts, the compressor is metal and it will rust, just the process of welding the fittings and end caps on starts the process. I have cut a 50 year old compressor tank apart and it was near the end of its life and I have seen one other develop leaks and it was no where near that age. Drain it and use a catch sump and the compressor's life will be many years.