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View Full Version : How often do you guys drain your air compressors or do you?



Cue-Ball
08-19-2007, 11:29 AM
Like the title says, do you guys drain your compressors??

How often??

Just got my new 5hp 60gal one hooked up and running and want to make sure I keep it running for along time.

I have to get it bolted to the floor yet, but not sure what to do about draining it.

zjguy721
08-19-2007, 12:00 PM
Every time I use it.

DJJordache
08-19-2007, 12:40 PM
80 gallon dual stage industrial compressor I drain it about every other month or so. mine is not bolted down, but it's not going anywhere, does your already have a drain in the bottom?

Cue-Ball
08-19-2007, 03:32 PM
Yes it has a drain already in the bottom.

Mine moves around a little when it is running since the floor is not level.

Another question is whn you guys have bolted yours down do you ever put blocks of somekind under the feet? There is barely enough room to get my hands under there to drain it, what about some rubber isolators or something??

Dirk

Cue-Ball
08-19-2007, 03:44 PM
Sorry one LAST question.

The compressor did no come with a regulator, just a tank pressure gauge.

Should I pull the regulator assmbly. off my small Craftsman compressor and plumb it into my big one?

AprilzWarrior
08-19-2007, 04:02 PM
Dirk,

It should have a regulator ! Other wise the motor wont shut off, it will run till the Pop-Off Valve will blow.

I drain every 2 weeks.

CurtP
08-19-2007, 06:35 PM
I think he's talking about the adjustable regulator, not the pressure switch that turns the motor on/off.

McMaster Carr has rubber isolation feet that you can use on your compressor if you don't feel like bolting it down. I think they have versions of them with a stud on either side if you want to bolt it down and still have it isolated. If you go with the rubber isolator feet, I'd recommend using washers between the isolator and the compressor foot to get it as close to level as possible - don't rely on the rubber deforming to level the compressor.

For a pressure regulator, I like the ones TP Tools sell. I use this one: http://www.tptools.com/p/88,110_1and2-Deluxe-Regulator-Separator-Combo.html which includes an in-line water separator with an auto-drain. Mine is the older version that has the manual drain. I do NOT like in-line oilers. If you're going to use an in-line oiler, I'd highly recommend using a separate synthetic hose just for that purpose - just stay away from nylon air hoses. I personally like Flexeel/CoilHose. For quick-disconnects, I like Milton M-series pushbutton like these: http://www.toolrage.com/prodView.asp?idproduct=3842
Push the button once and it depressurizes the air line (or tool), push it again and it disconnects. If you've ever disconnected an air hose and have it get loose and smack you, you'll appreciate the pushbutton QDs.

Make sure while you're on the TP Tools website you check out their tips/technical notes. I used their air line hookup diagram for my 1/2" black pipe setup: http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

As for your original question about draining the tank - it depends. It depends on how much I'm using it and how humid it is outside. If you don't want to have to think about it, you can get an auto-drain for your tank. There's two types - timed and pressure surge. The pressure surge ones are the cheapest and you can get those from places like Harbor Freight. I actually have one laying around here somewhere - I just never got around to installing it. But what I did install right after I got the compressor is some 1/8" pipe, some fittings and a 1/4-turn brass/stainless steel ball valve for the bottom of my tank. I took off the silly little drain valve off that came on my compressor and replaced it with a 90° M/F elbow, then added a (I think) 6" piece of pipe, the valve and another 90° M/F elbow on the end of the valve. When I need to drain it, I just reach down, flip the valve open until no more condensate comes out, then flip it back. I can go snap a picture if you need some help visualizing what I did.

LouisianaZJ
08-19-2007, 06:56 PM
if you have a cheap air compressor like me with the stupid screw type drain, this is an easy way to upgrade it. plus it will allow some of the water to sit in the brass pipe rather than the bottom of the steel tank.

1/4" Ball valve
1/4" 4" male/male Pipe nipple
1/4" 2" male/male nipple
1/4"1/4" female/male 90* street elbow
1/4" female/female 90* or 45* elbow

AndyZJ
08-19-2007, 09:07 PM
We drain ours probably every week from all the humidity in the air this summer. Also have an inline moisture collector that we drain too.

TrojanMan
08-19-2007, 09:14 PM
I was going to suggest the same type deal as lazj. We have those type valves on the compressors at the shop - we drain them every day (but we run ours for about 10 hours constantly.. we drain a few gallons of water a day).

Cue-Ball
08-19-2007, 11:34 PM
Curt is right, I was talking about the adjustable output regualtor thing. The motor turns off when the tank reaches about 140-150 PSI.

I suppose I will plumb the one off my old Craftsman tank.

I LOVE the drain you rigged up with the ball valve, that is a HELL OF ALOT better than the damn stock petcock valve on the bottom of the tank. And with that I would not have to worry about just bolting it to the ground. Thanks that is a GREAT idea I will pick up some stuff to do that tomorrow or the next day. I want to deal with this either during the week or over this coming weekend for sure.

I already have the anchors to mount it to the concrete so I just need the "el cheapo" custom drain assembly.

Thanks again I will get some pix once I get it all plumbed and ready to do next weekend.

And Curt I do like the push button couplers AW uses them at the shop and they are pretty slick. Thanks for the link cause no one carries them in Napa.

LouisianaZJ
08-19-2007, 11:51 PM
:smt023 :smt030

auggeren911
08-20-2007, 12:06 AM
Here are a couple of idea's for you.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=1118
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46960
I have had this on my tank for a month.SC is real hot in the summer and this keeps my tank dry even with crazy hummitity.

adam99wj
08-20-2007, 12:19 AM
i drain about every couple of days when used alot

DJJordache
08-20-2007, 09:01 AM
Thanks for the links Curt, good info there. After reading all this I have a few tweaks to make to my current system, i like the idea about having the drain holding the water instead of the tank bottom. I think I'll rig up a larger chamber before the valve too.

OverkillZJ
08-20-2007, 09:03 AM
My compressor has a drain?

I think I've drained it twice in like 5 years... It's an old POS, waiting for an explosion.

ZJ TINS
08-20-2007, 01:14 PM
Drain?

MoonWorks
08-20-2007, 01:29 PM
I use mine quite a bit and over the 5-6 years I've had it I've probably drained it 3-4 times. Not the best thing to do I know but hey...I forget! :)

CurtP
08-20-2007, 02:11 PM
if you have a cheap air compressor like me with the stupid screw type drain, this is an easy way to upgrade it. plus it will allow some of the water to sit in the brass pipe rather than the bottom of the steel tank.

1/4" Ball valve
1/4" 4" male/male Pipe nipple
1/4" 2" male/male nipple
1/4"1/4" female/male 90* street elbow
1/4" female/female 90* or 45* elbow

That's exactly what I was talking about in my post, except I just used (I think) 1/8". Works well, inexpensive and easy to do. You just have to remember to flip the valve every so often.



Here are a couple of idea's for you.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=1118
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46960
I have had this on my tank for a month.SC is real hot in the summer and this keeps my tank dry even with crazy hummitity.

That HF air filter/regulator unit is a POS. I had one. It let a *lot* of water through (it uses a porous plastic tube to separate the water), it wouldn't hold a consistant air pressure through the regulator and I couldn't get it to seal up after pulling it apart once. I threw it away when I bought the regulator/filter from TPTools.

The auto-drain is the exact same one I have laying around here somewhere that I haven't installed yet. I don't know how well/if it works though. I have been hesitant to install it since it uses nylon air line and I'd have to tap into copper. The included T-fitting won't work with copper so I'd have to get a couple of new fittings and change out the plastic air line included with it to copper. I found a quick writeup on the HF auto-drain: http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor

Cue-Ball
08-20-2007, 02:20 PM
As I did more reading about all of this and the link of the PDF Curt gave I think I am going to design a complete air system for the garage using all black pipe in the attic space and even put some hose reels up in the attic so the only thing you will have in the garage is some black piping, some quick connects, and some hoses sticking through the ceiling that connect to automatic hose reels.

In the future I might even enclose the air compressor to reduce noise, but we will see about that, that is not high on the list for sure.

Well neither is the black pipe system, but I do like the idea of not having to drag hoses all over the place and rather just have quick connects here and there to plug into when needed.

napajeep
08-20-2007, 02:22 PM
Dirk, it sounds like your compressor needs a BB!

Cue-Ball
08-20-2007, 03:14 PM
Dirk, it sounds like your compressor needs a BB!

I can hear the threads now:

"what size drain can I fit on my compressor with a BB?"

I think with redoing the drain like the other guys have said I should be able to simply bolt it to the floor without the BB. I am going to put some pieces of the conveyor belt I got from Jerod under each foot just to give it a little cushion to help with the vibration.

CurtP
08-20-2007, 10:32 PM
Go to mcmaster.com and look up catalog pages 1314, 1315 and 1316 for their vibration damping mounts. There's donut and dome style mounts on page 1317. 1318 has through mounts. If you *really* want to be cheap about it, get some rubber shock isolators.

Trust me - you don't want to mount your compressor solid to your floor in your garage. Nor do you want to mount rigid line from the compressor to the wall. The noise will resonate through your whole house and your wife will become *very* annoyed. Even those stainless steel flex air lines transmit noise. In an attached garage, put the compressor as far away from the living quarters as possible - like by the garage door provided you have enough space in that corner. Use the softest rubber isolators on the feet as you can (the shock mounts work pretty well, actually) - DO NOT USE POLY. Use a piece of rubber air line between your compressor and the black pipe on your walls (you can get 1/2" or larger rubber hose from McMaster). I'd also recommend using a water separator/regulator on every air drop instead of just one by the compressor - it comes in handy when you have friends over and you're using multiple air tools. In my last house, I only had one air drop, but mounted my Rapid Reel to the wall right beside the drop. 100' of 3/8" Goodyear rubber air hose ready to go. My next house will have at least two air drops on each wall along with a retractable air hose on the ceiling in the middle. I will also mount the air intake for the compressor outside of the garage.

Cue-Ball
08-21-2007, 12:23 AM
Thanks Curt,

There are so many to choose from I am going to have to put some brain power into it before I get the wrong thing for my application.

I do know I will use a flexible hose from the compressor to the black pipe though for sure.

Thanks again guys for all the input.

Jim311
08-21-2007, 03:13 PM
I believe this is being WAY overthought. I live in Florida, land of 200% humidity. Most compressors have a drain on the bottom. Mine is just a little screw that you thread in and out. What I do is slightly loosen the screw. It lets the water out while the compressor runs and helps keep air out of my lines better. I don't loosen the screw enough to where it loses major amounts of air, just enough to where it lets out the water slowly.

whiskey_pickle
09-30-2007, 02:35 PM
http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/

nate
10-01-2007, 12:01 PM
My Dad had one of those on his compressor and it lasted about 2 weeks.

We put the compressor on the 2nd floor in the garage (barn style garage, upstairs is all storage, full 8 or 9 ft ceiling)

You can barely hear the compressor other than the ceiling vibrates a little bit.

CurtP
10-01-2007, 12:43 PM
http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/

Welcome to post 17, Capt.