Had a compressor given to me today, no instruction manual. It has been sitting for at least two years without use. It is a non-oil type, Campbell Hausfeld, electric, 5 hp 22 gal tank. It has a drain valve at the bottom so I opened it up, brown water condensation drained for awhile. Looks like brand new on the outside......... I am more concerned with the integrity of the inside. Any advice/tips? Thanks, Jeff
IMO best bet get a hold of C/H and get their opinion. Compressorrs are pretty sturdy tank wise, but pro opinion is the best way to find out.
any steel tank compressor is gonna have rust in it.run it with a couple of water traps and it should be fine.if you are worried about the tank bursting buy a new tank.
I believe that valve is made for that reason exactly. The compression of air creates condensation. My C/H compressor does the same thing, Sounds like the last owner just never drained it. Drain it once and awhile and you should be just fine. I use mine all the time and it works great.
Thanks for the replies. Water traps? Is this what removes the gunk before it gets in your tools/paint? I assume these are purchased seperately or are they built into the tank/line?
yup go to a local home depot or lowes.run 2 of em in line and drain daily so you dont get water in your tools or when spaying air.they are pretty cheap $10 or less.if you are going to paint than maybe step up to a dessicant style one.cost more.
My favorite water traps are homemade. I take a long stretch 12-30 ft or more of large diam copper tubing (large diam to make the air SLOW MOVING so the water drops out easily as the air cools), run it straight to the top of the wall by the ceiling, then zig zag it down the shop wall to use up all the tubing as a cooler/condenser. Then I put a tee in the line at the low point near the end of the homemade cooler. I take a large pipe nipple (2" or 3" diam - whatever you can find at the store) about 6-12 inches long, screw on a reducer fitting at each end to look a bit like a pipe bomb (it acts as a water reservoir for the condensed water that falls out of the compressed air), then attach one end to the tee you installed at the low point in the line, and put a cheap Ace Hardware drain valve at the other end of the pipe-bomb-water-trap to let the water out every once in a while. I have no trouble getting dry air that way even after long time use of my air tools. It will not spit water like most other systems will. I'll try to get some pics and post them later if anyone wants to see what I did with mine.
Very interested in some pics............ Probably looks like you are brewin up some grain alcohol in that lab of yours...
You Will Be Fine.i Have Pulled Tanks Out That Have Been In Service For 30 Plus Years, When Cut For Salvage We Found Them To Be In Good Pretty Good Shape Still.they All Have Water In Them No Matter What.unless The Tank Has A Dent In It I Would Not Worry One Bit!!!!!