How often do you drain your air compressor?

-
C

Chuter

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
22
Location
Lexington, IN
Be honest now. I'm planning to build a new shop in the spring, and plan to get a bigger (noisier) air compressor. In my old shop, I had a 110 v. unit mounted on a stand. When I left for the night, I'd shut off the compressor, and reach under neath and open the drain valve. If I put the new one outside, I don't see myself being as diligent at draining it.
 
All the time, kinda. I leave the drain cracked ever so slightly, with a drip pan under it. And I also have this...

20220503_180112.jpg
 
Before I turn it on I drain it. These colder temps (shop not heated unless I’m there) I drain it at the end of the day if it was ran. Typically cold air is dry air. Very little as compared to say August Humidity.
 
I drained my 80 gallon every once or twice a week.
 
Last edited:
Start frequently to get a baseline.......Then you'll get a feeling when it should be done based on your own circumstances.
 
On the subject, does anyone use one of those automatic compressor drains? I just wonder how they work.
 
For me what made a difference was replacing the drain petcock with a 90 degree fitting that accepts a 3/8 ferrule to a copper line, that runs up to about 40" I have a 1/4 turn ball valve mounted there and the discharge goes back down to a 2 liter soda bottle... So I don't need to bend over, I just crack the valve...

I use to have an auto drain but it failed... This is cheaper & works great..
 
I probably leave it too long - every 6 months. Mine is in a shed built on to the outside of the shop with a s#%tload of insulation in the wall. I got tired of banging my head on the hood every time the damned thing went off.
 
At the end of the day when I’m done with it most every time.
But being yours will be outside…… an automatic drain should be used IMO.
 
Drain it a few times a week. It's part of taking care of your stuff.

You guys are nuts waiting months to do it.
 
I use my compressor on an infrequent basis so I drain it after I use it. The previous compressor developed a pin hole leak due to rust from the previous owner not draining it regularly.
 
RustyRatRod said:
On the subject, does anyone use one of those automatic compressor drains? I just wonder how they work.
Click to expand...
I’ve got one and put it plugged it into one of those cheap electrical timers. It goes off automatically once every morning. If I’m using the compressor a lot I will bypass the cheap timer. This setup works very wel.

IMG_0969.png
 
My compressor is mounted upstairs above my work area, not easily accessible. The drain is plumbed into a copper line, which leads to a 110v NO valve, like this:
1705372092615.png

The compressor is on it's own dedicated switched circuit, which also powers the valve. This way when I turn the compressor power on, the valve closes; and when I turn the power off, it opens and lets the tank drain (the valve is connected to a hose that goes outside). I think the valve cost me under $20 and has worked well for many years.
 
Last edited:
Professor Fate said:
My compressor is mounted upstairs above my work area, not easily accessible. The drain is plumbed into a copper line, which leads to a 110v NO valve, like this:
View attachment 1716192880
The compressor is on it's own dedicated switched circuit, which also powers the valve. This way when I turn the compressor power on, the valve closes; and when I turn the power off, it opens and lets the tank drain (the valve is connected to a hose that goes outside). I think the valve cost me under $20 and has worked well for many years.
Click to expand...
So... a Normal OPEN valve, as power closes it. Great idea...

LOL.. I see you corrected that while I was typing!
 
There was a run of exploding compressor tanks sometime ago.

I think it is better to drain frequently then risk life and limb.

The electronic valve is the best idea.

You could setup a real timer that drains for a few seconds every hour or something to that effect.
 
I can give you some ideas on how to make a few simple improvements to this to greatly improve it.

1705373384276.png
 
Dana67Dart said:
There was a run of exploding compressor tanks sometime ago.

I think it is better to drain frequently then risk life and limb.

The electronic valve is the best idea.

You could setup a real timer that drains for a few seconds every hour or something to that effect.
Click to expand...
Or a working blowoff valve, Thats required.
 
dadsbee said:
So... a Normal OPEN valve, as power closes it. Great idea...

LOL.. I see you corrected that while I was typing!
Click to expand...
You caught that, huh? :)
Musta had a brain fart- I saw it right after I hit "post" and thought I'd correct it before someone noticed it, but you were too fast!
 
A friend was having problems with his compressor and I discovered that the tank was porous. I asked if he ever drained the tank and he replied he didn't know he had to do that. I guess not every body reads the instructions. I leave the drain cracked open a bit, but I really don't use it for heavy duty work.
 
Once a week at least. Heavy use, turn it off and drain it daily.
 
Every 2 hours, with the auto drain valve. Have to when you have this kind of compressor….

IMG_3423.png


This is rotary style pump, with built in air dryer, that is fed before the tank. It is quiet, like you can talk on the phone while standing next to it while it is running. The only thing that sucks about them is that they cost an arm and a leg…
 
Last edited:
I'm guilty! My compressor came out of my Plastics Plant some 25 or so years ago. 5HP single phase devilbiss that we had in a shack in the parking lot to run our air feeders. My maintenance guy neglected to put the air filter back at one point and it seized up from sucking dust from the parking lot. I had originally installed it with an electric valve to blow the tank off every weekend when shut down after 24/7 Monday to Friday midnight. That he'd also failed to maintain as well.

I had to replace it one weekend and simply pulled it out and replaced it with a new one, a 15HP 3 phase to cover expansion. I took the old one home. I was poking around the shop one day and gave the belts a pull and it moved, so I hooked it up and have been using it ever since. It's out in the hangar on top of my washroom and I have a 1" air hose line running all the way to the shop so I don't have to hear it run. In the Winter I plug a ceramic heater in that's pointed at the pressure switch so it will blow off properly. I can't remember the last time I drained the goo out of her, but one day I'm sure I'll find parts of that 39 year old gem scattered around the hangar. At least it's 9' up....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top