just wanted to remind all to drain your compressors........i didn`t and blew a hole in the bottom........
About two years ago at work, we heard a huge BANG! and looked down the street to see a cloud of pink dust. We went to investigate and discovered a massive compressed air tank (1500 gallons or so) at the business down the street had let go. Same issue, no one at the business could remember the last time the tank was drained. They were lucky no one got hurt, they found chunks of the tank several blocks away!
almost every shop ive worked for has drained the tanks at the end of the day. a habit i have picked up. never thought much about it really, thanks for the reminder!
Drain them every day! The water in the tank will not do any of your equipment any favors, and it smells bad, to boot.
I installed a sump made with a st-el and a 12 inch pipe with a valve in the end. This saves the tank and puts the valve in a more accesable place.
we use the valves that expell the water every time the compressor motor stops. its also a requirement in shops here in cali. not a bad idea for home as well. skull
I have two 5hp 60 gal compressors linked together and the drains are mated also, which leaves almost two feet of 1/2" plastic pipe for the water to collect. The condesation never stays in the tank, although it dosen't really matter as I drain them after every use.
I had a 30 gallon tank start leaking air and I "bravely" welded a patch on it and got by a few more years and when the new one came I used brass and semi truck plastic air line to make a remote valve and a 2 liter plastic bottle as a holding tank so that it is easy and accessable to drain daily. I also ran a 50' 1/2 copper coil in the freezer of my beverage holder to cool the air as it leaves the tank before it goes to the regulator and again, on the drain petcock used a 2 liter bottle as the holding tank (drilled and tapped the bottle lid to match the drain thread) Works great to keep the tank and air lines moisture free.
I should do that on my 30-gallon tank, I'd be more into keeping up with it if it was easier to do. I had my machine shop 15-gallon tank rot out on me. The hot humid weather here really makes it worse too. On a funny note a few weeks ago, I was over at another shop and the owner was draining his big tank. I walked in, he had the enclosure off the compressor and it was running behind him. The belt catches his work shirt and tears it off his back, totally. It happened in like a split second. Good thing he scales in around 270-280 or he could have gone with it. Bob
Good idea. I haven't drained mine in a while. It's now on my weekend to-do list. This thread deserves a sticky.
Mine is a up rite tank and the drain is so close to the floor all I could do is let it go on the floor. Well I didn't like that ideal so I put a elbow in it and a push to connect 1/4 fitting with about 18" of line, then a ball valve with a short pc of tube out the other side. Now I put the tube in a bucket and slowly open the ball valve. I open it up every Monday morning. JC
in the heat and muggyness of our summers i try to run mine with a slight bleed..so nothing builds up in the tank..also in the winter.. every now and than i need to be reminded if i have cracked the valve a little..thanks for the heads up
Agreed! Thanks for the reminder! I haven't drained mine in several months and it's been very humid this summer here.
My uncles shop had the weld on the end cap fail of a 250 gallon tank when the compressor failed to shut off overnight. the end of the tank blue off and totaled out the car it was sitting next to, it blue out all the doors , windows and lifted the building offf its foundation. they ended up tearing the building down and rebuilding it with a separate room for the compressor and mechanicles.
My petcock just stripped out, not the threads but the arms of the wingnut. I think it is time for an auto drain.
My compressor sits in an out building. I ran a bleeder pipe and petcock outside. It's real easy to get to so it gets drained real regularly. Make it easy to do and it'll get done.
Good Idea ! It's been awhile since I've done so. Going to do it shortly. Thanks. firstnomad www.angelfire.com/jazz/flatlandstudio
I only use my 25 gallon unit about once a week so I leave it stored with the drain open. I still wonder how much the remaining moisture is rusting out the inside...
This illustrates the second rule of compressor safety.... Turn the damn thing off at night.A "runaway" situation like above is a dramatic and extreme example of what can happen, also, a simple broken air line will ensure that the compressor just runs, and runs, and runs, and runs until someone comes back to notice it. lots of needless wear and maybe a fire. As for rule 1, (draining the tank), my compressor came with a device that works on a timer and purges the tank for a few seconds (adjustable) every so many minutes (adjustable), so I don't worry about my main compressor, my back up requires manual attention though.
I don't know what the best is, but Harbor freight sells them pretty cheap. I bought one last summer, and still haven't installed it.
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