Automatuc Compressor Drain Valve Kit

To follow on, I use a 12" nipple and a ball valve to drain my compressor. TP Tools has some nice air compressor stuff - Electronic Air Compressor Tank Drain

 

I kneel at the feet of Science!

But I have about six compressors. I rarely if ever drain them. None has ever rusted out.
On the other hand I have replaced a number of belts, motors, pistons, etc

One is at least thirty years old - with no leaks yet.

Yesterday I received a new compressor delivered to my door for under $100.

So, at three dollars per year (or less) burn-rate, it's clearly not worth my time to drain them.

In reality, other factors are much more significant to their life span.

And we still haven't proven that draining reduces rusting...

 

Wow timgr, lot of good info, except way over my head. I open the ball valve, with hose to outside, every few days to drain it. Just enough to get rid of the water, not depressurize.

 

I wonder how an automatic filter would work?

Picture is a manual drain, but Dixon sells an automatic drain, part number
F07-200AC. It does require 6 inches of clearance from intake port to floor if used on tank bottom drain. As I understand it, once reservoir is filled with water the drain opens and releases the moisture, then seals back off.

 

Seems clear that rate of oxidation is the limiting factor. Seems likely more water is going to make that go faster - can't easily calculate that - but I expect standing water on top of iron is going to oxidize at some slow rate, and more water will go faster. My Spidey sense said that availability of O2 is not an issue, and that's something I could calculate ... so I did.

 

Yep.

 

Maybe like once a year, at most, when I happen to think about it.

 

Me too. When I start noticing a loss in capacity, it's time to roll it out and drain the gallons of rusty water.

When she blows, it'll give me a real excuse to upgrade.

 

Depends. Half the year it's zero per cent, the other half it is 90% or more.

It's hard to drain ice from a tank, anyway!

 

I used to own a Dive shop in an earlier life. Air fills were the life-blood of that business. At peak times, I had to run three high pressure compressors, all of which used automatic condensate drains. I had them timed to blow down about every 10-12 minutes because of the high humidity. This made my filters last much longer (breathable compressed air has to be perfectly dry).
For a large production shop, I can see the benefits of an auto-drain system, but for a home shop, I think it isn't necessary. I have a 1/4 turn ball valve (with about 2' of nylon hose attached) on the bottom of my 80 gal tank. I rigged a heavy wire "pull/push" handle to operate the valve without having to reach under, and drain the condensate every couple hours of running. I have humidity that seldom is under 80%, and often much higher.
Once again, keeping the discharge air dry is good for about every use, from air tools, and especially painting.
I've never heard of a storage tank rupturing or exploding from rusting out, but have seen plenty that develop pin holes and leak.
-Donny

 

I leave my compressor full of air at all times. I have a ball valve on the tank I shut off when done for the day. This keeps the air in the tank and from draining down from small leaks in the hoses/fittings and also keeps problems from occurring should a hose or fitting blow. I shut off the compressor motor when not in use.
Lots of times the compressor motor won't even kick on if all I'm doing is filling a tire or blowing off a part.
Around here we have enough humidity that not draining the tank leads to other problems. Air tools do not like moisture and neither does a sandblast cabinet. Even with two separators I have at times got air in the lines on a high humidity day with lots of heavy use if I've neglected to drain the tank.
Water in the tank also reduces air capacity so reduces air available to perform the work.

 

That's what my tank drain set up looked like on my 60 gallon. Only problem I had, and never rectified, was that when draining the water, it would spew out under pressure and make a mess. I would put a metal drain pan at the end to try to catch it but it still sprayed out at high pressure and made a mess. What do you guys do to contain the mess?