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Compressor draining #2672098
06/30/19 08:41 PM
06/30/19 08:41 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28
New Jersey
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Claw57 Offline OP
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Claw57  Offline OP
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New Jersey
I have a 30 gallon horizontal tank oil less compressor.
I usually only use it about once a week and I would drain it after each use, but I think I'm going to start using it daily.
Probably only about 2-3 hours after work.
The question is should I drain it after each use, or would it be okay to just drain it weekly?
It seems like it would be a lot of wear to fill it and drain it every day.


Because I like it that way.
Re: Compressor draining [Re: Claw57] #2672102
06/30/19 08:45 PM
06/30/19 08:45 PM
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Florida STAYcation
dIc dOc Deity ! Offline
The village idiot's idiot
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I had a fairly big system ... 5 hp 2 stage with 160 gallons PLUS of air storage .... drained it once a moth

Re: Compressor draining [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2672142
06/30/19 09:37 PM
06/30/19 09:37 PM
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nowhere
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Sniper Offline
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nowhere
They make automatic drains that just open for a bit then close on a schedule you can set.

You don't have to completely empty the tank, just open it till the water stops coming out and close it.

Re: Compressor draining [Re: Claw57] #2672175
06/30/19 11:06 PM
06/30/19 11:06 PM
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The Swamp
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Sixpak Offline
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Do it before the compressor gets warm from use, to allow the moisture to condense. Watch your external water traps for clues as to when to drain the tank - how fast they fill up, as well as the relative humidity. Summer generally means more moisture in the air than fall or winter.

Re: Compressor draining [Re: Sixpak] #2672178
06/30/19 11:15 PM
06/30/19 11:15 PM
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Florida STAYcation
dIc dOc Deity ! Offline
The village idiot's idiot
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I bought my system WAY BACK WHEN from a huge air compressor biz in Royal Oak MI .... the service guy who hooked me up to the 3 phase system I had raced again at Detroit Dragway .., we grabbed a big pizza and had a BS session.

ON THIS TOPIC .... jsta the other day he had a service call at a big gas station/auto repair shop..... their compressor was acting up - no air volume..., lots of stops and starts ....

yadi yadi YADA .... the air tank had NEVER HAD BEEN DRAINED !

Re: Compressor draining [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2672455
07/01/19 11:11 AM
07/01/19 11:11 AM
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Posts: 19,239
north of coder
moparx Offline
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how much water was in that tank ?
i drain my compressor after each use.
beer

Re: Compressor draining [Re: moparx] #2672543
07/01/19 01:35 PM
07/01/19 01:35 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
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Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert Offline
Circle Track
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Lincoln Nebraska
^^^ me too (daily). shop owner request.


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: Compressor draining [Re: RapidRobert] #2672611
07/01/19 04:32 PM
07/01/19 04:32 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,828
Ontario, Canada
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Stanton Offline
Don't question me!
Stanton  Offline
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Ontario, Canada
Harbor Freight sell and inexpensive automatic drain. Its been on my 60 gal compressor for at least ten years with no issues and my compressor sees a LOT of use !!!

It also helps to have a couple drain points if you have hard lines around the shop. Not all the condensation stays in the tank !!

Re: Compressor draining [Re: moparx] #2672624
07/01/19 04:53 PM
07/01/19 04:53 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
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Florida STAYcation
dIc dOc Deity ! Offline
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Florida STAYcation
Originally Posted by moparx
how much water was in that tank ?
i drain my compressor after each use.
beer


It was almost completely FULL ! .., 80 or so gallons IIRC !!

Now as much HOT HUMID AIR as you expell .... I can see Yurr need to drain daily ! wave

Re: Compressor draining [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2672631
07/01/19 05:04 PM
07/01/19 05:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,666
North Dakota
6PakBee Offline
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North Dakota
Like so many questions this is one that the answer starts with "it depends". The moisture in the tank comes from the humidity in the air. If you are in a dry climate you rarely have to drain it. If you are in a humid climate, you'll have to drain it more frequently. My advice, start at a week and if you are getting nothing out go to a month, and on and on until you determine for your location what is appropriate. Unless of course you get your jollies draining the tank and in that case, go for it every day. grin


"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
Re: Compressor draining [Re: 6PakBee] #2672669
07/01/19 06:11 PM
07/01/19 06:11 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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Freeport IL USA
I drain the water out of the tank on my air compressor when I turn it on every day. Once the water stops blowing out, I shut off the drain valve.
I do shut off the air valve to the lines every night, and I also shut off the power to the compressor every night. I'm the only business in a residential area, it used to bug me if I heard the compressor kick on in the middle of the night. Shutting everything off solved that problem. Gene

Re: Compressor draining [Re: poorboy] #2672674
07/01/19 06:18 PM
07/01/19 06:18 PM
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Florida STAYcation
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pb ... haven’t you sealed up the compressor and lines so you don’t lose air pressure overnight?

Re: Compressor draining [Re: poorboy] #2672719
07/01/19 08:07 PM
07/01/19 08:07 PM
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Omaha Ne
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TJP Offline
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Omaha Ne
Originally Posted by poorboy
I drain the water out of the tank on my air compressor when I turn it on every day. Once the water stops blowing out, I shut off the drain valve.
I do shut off the air valve to the lines every night, and I also shut off the power to the compressor every night.


iagree

Re: Compressor draining [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2672721
07/01/19 08:08 PM
07/01/19 08:08 PM
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Posts: 4,131
Canada -- Posts: 4034 -Registe...
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5thAve Offline
Doesn't care what this says anyway
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I usually don't use my compressor much and when I do it's pretty steadily for a couple days so I drain it after every use.

Re: Compressor draining [Re: 5thAve] #2672817
07/01/19 11:31 PM
07/01/19 11:31 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,587
Great Neck,LI,new york
hemi-itis Offline
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Great Neck,LI,new york
Water separators inline to the hose helps keep water from your tools. up


HEMI-ITIS has no cure.
My condition is fully BLOWN!!
Re: Compressor draining [Re: hemi-itis] #2672978
07/02/19 11:32 AM
07/02/19 11:32 AM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,253
Florida STAYcation
dIc dOc Deity ! Offline
The village idiot's idiot
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Florida STAYcation
To the guys that drain after every use .... you realize that it takes many hours for the hot compressed air to cool and then water separates from the air

Re: Compressor draining [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2673055
07/02/19 02:04 PM
07/02/19 02:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,951
northwest USA
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NANKET Offline
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northwest USA
Originally Posted by Doc Fiberglass
To the guys that drain after every use .... you realize that it takes many hours for the hot compressed air to cool and then water separates from the air


There you go again interjecting pertinent facts into these threads. LOL. Carry on.

Re: Compressor draining [Re: NANKET] #2673063
07/02/19 02:26 PM
07/02/19 02:26 PM
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Florida STAYcation
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I’m sorry N-guy ..... should I be spank ??!! laugh2

Re: Compressor draining [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2673097
07/02/19 03:22 PM
07/02/19 03:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
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northwest USA
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NANKET Offline
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northwest USA
No it great. Just fouls up everyone master plan with all these facts! LOL loving it!

Re: Compressor draining [Re: Claw57] #2673319
07/02/19 06:21 PM
07/02/19 06:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 30,947
Oregon
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AndyF Offline
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AndyF  Offline
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Oregon
I have an automatic drain setup on my compressor which I really love. I didn't know anything about them years ago but a guy talked me into putting it on my compressor and now I'm really thankful. It just blows a bit of air out of the bottom drain on the tank every 45 minutes.

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