We all know we are supposed to drain moisture from air compressor tank weekly. Well the little drain **** most compressors come with is a PITA! The little wings get bent, or it just spins on the valve. Because it has a "hard seat" you often have to use a wrench to get it to stop leaking. Then you wind up having to use a wrench to loosen it, and then the little thing just spins. Well yesterday I serviced my latest compressor find. Changed the oil, adjusted the pressure switch, replaced the intake filter, and tried to drain moisture from the tank. Well drain **** wouldn't budge. Finally wound up drilling it out, and colasping the rest so I could get it out. Ran a pipe tap through threads just to clean them up. Last night, we went to BORGS, and at HD, I picked up a new drain ****. It's a Husky, soft seat drain ****. You only need to finger tighten it to close it. Plus it doesn't have those wings to bent. Cost less than four bucks. Oh yeah, I only got about a quarter cup of water out of tank. and it was clear (A real good sign.) I have run this compressor with nail gun for about 18 hours this week, so previous owner must have kept it drained. This compressor is a 1.0 HP, twin cylinder Sears from late sixties / early seventies. Still pumps to 125 PSI with no problem. Nice thing is it runs on 110.
Air Comprressor Drain
- Thread starter junquecol
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For shop use I put a compressor in the crawl space under the house and hard-plumbed it to a panel in the garage where the quick disconnects are mounted. I'm bad enough about remembering to drain the tank now and then, so this was an even bigger concern here given the extra nuisance of going under the house. To solve this I replced the drain valve with 1\4" soft copper line with flare fittings ran to a 1\4" brass ball valve which is also mounted to the panel in the garage. Now when I shut off the compressor I just open the drain valve for a few seconds and any moisture is blown out. It's convenient and right there so now it never gets neglected.
I picked up a mid 70's vintage Sears compressor last year (actually, Bruce, I think you pointed the CL add out to me....) and had the same issues with the drain. Had to use pliers and crawl around on the floor. I ended up using some standard pipe fittings to add and easy to reach drain.
Works like a charm.
Works like a charm.
I totally agree Bruce that those drains are a royal PITA :tongue2: back in my shade tree racer days I wrestled with many of them on car radiators with similar results. I plumbed the drain valve out like Mt. Gomer on my vertical tank compressor and it makes things a heck of a lot easier. :wsmile:
I must admit that I got a chuckle when I read Bruce's post where our software had deleted out the term.
For the sake of accuracy in terminology, I must dissent though. The term that Bruce used is the proper one that is used by industrial supply catalogs and houses, as well as mechanical engineers.
Here is the difference: A gate valve has a circular disc (the gate) which is perpendicular to the flow direction and to the pipe is raised vertically when the spindle is turned. When the gate valve is fully open, there is no restriction to the flow and you can see striaght through from one side of the valve to the other. A Sluice Valve is a bigger version of the same thing used on water mains (4",6" and bigger pipes). A gate valve usually has a hand wheel on the spindle.
On the other hand, a stop **** has a circular disc or jumper which is parallel to the flow is raised off its seat when the spindle is turned. Even when this valve is fully open, there is some restriction to the flow because the water has to flow upwards and over the seat before it can pass through the stop ****. You cannot see straight through from one side of the stop **** to the other. A stop **** has the same type of square topped spindle but instead of a crutch wheel has a crutch top - a straight cross piece on top.
Air compressors are typically outfitted from the factory with stop cocks - the term that Bruce used - not gate or ball valves. This is to reduce the velocity (and thus danger) of the pressure exiting the valve.
CH makes a little drain valve extender that I put on my compressor. The big surprise was that I wasn't prepare for it to blow oily water across the hangar floor at high pressure. I'll put a rag over it.
One my neighbors has some doohicky that auto purges the bottom of the tank.
One my neighbors has some doohicky that auto purges the bottom of the tank.
Yep, HF carries them. I think there are a few NCWWers who've tried them out.
http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-compressor-drain-kit-46960.html
Travis
I see Scott beat me to it. Correct term is ****, not valve. Package even says !/4" soft seal drain ****. Our "politically correct software" does like this word:no:. It thinks I'm a DOM (which I probably am.:rotflm
Today while using compressor, one of the bearings in the motor started singing. Tomorrow night, I will rip it apart and replace both of them. They are most likely 6203's, which are the most popular size of bearings. I've even seen them on the non business end of 3-5 HP three phase motors. The arbor on both Delta Contractor's saws and the Uni use them. I keep a supply on hand.
I see Scott beat me to it. Correct term is ****, not valve. Package even says !/4" soft seal drain ****. Our "politically correct software" does like this word:no:. It thinks I'm a DOM (which I probably am.:rotflm
For reference, the following words/ phrases are not allowed on the site and automatically moderated:
*****
********
*****
***********
****** ******
*** ****
**** ***
*********
*********
******** *****
I hope this was helpful :wsmile:
Thanks Bas, thats really quite helpful.
I bought the stuff to replace the drain on my compressor to make it easier to access ages ago, I just haven't bothered to hook it up yet because I still have to pull my compressor out to take it places once in awhile.
I bought the stuff to replace the drain on my compressor to make it easier to access ages ago, I just haven't bothered to hook it up yet because I still have to pull my compressor out to take it places once in awhile.
I must be jinxed or something, I've gone thru three of these..... For some reason, they just stop working. They work OK for a couple of months, then just seem to stop. Now it's an old compressor, and the water does have a 'trace' of rust, possibly that is causing the failure...
Henri
Henri, you might want to try buying the "original" version that HF copied. It is made by Wilkerson and you can buy them on-line from McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com) for about fifty bucks. The part number is: 4919K13.
Thanks for the info. I'll be ordering that bad-boy today!
My compressor is 'mounted' outside under the porch (protected from weather) to get the noise outside. When I remember, about once a week, it's just a pain to go out and empty the tank. This will be a welcomed addition.....
Henri
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