Comments on: Automatic Compressor Drain http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:39:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: meetoo http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-984607 meetoo Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:07:49 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-984607 One more thing. Yes it required me to raise my compressor. But it was a project worth doing since I upgraded to some of those HF knobby tires to replace the hard-rubber wheels and beefed up the axle. Makes it a breeze to move now. I use an aluminum pie pan underneath to catch any of the water. At first it spewed plenty of water and rust. But a good time afterward you can can hardly notice any water. It's doing it's job. And it reminds me to eat some pie and put a new pan underneath. :) One more thing. Yes it required me to raise my compressor. But it was a project worth doing since I upgraded to some of those HF knobby tires to replace the hard-rubber wheels and beefed up the axle. Makes it a breeze to move now.

I use an aluminum pie pan underneath to catch any of the water. At first it spewed plenty of water and rust. But a good time afterward you can can hardly notice any water. It’s doing it’s job. And it reminds me to eat some pie and put a new pan underneath. :)

]]> By: meetoo http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-984596 meetoo Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:01:48 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-984596 I have one and it's worked fairly well for over a year. It did need to have the petcock cleaned out once, since the old rust was eventually all excreted. I bought two on sale because they were really cheap. One is a backup or may get installed on new compressor. Honestly, I can't buy the brass parts for less than what they sell an entire kit for. Anyway, a big plus of this system is that it depressurizes the compressor piston on the "blow-off". So you can kick in the compressor whenever you like (back pressure relief). Some compressors won't start (starter cap, long power cord, head pressure, etc.) unless they get below ~80 psi. I have tools that won't work well unless they run at 90 to 100 psi. So it now keeps me from bleeding off 10 to 15 psi down to the restart threshold. I have one and it’s worked fairly well for over a year. It did need to have the petcock cleaned out once, since the old rust was eventually all excreted. I bought two on sale because they were really cheap. One is a backup or may get installed on new compressor. Honestly, I can’t buy the brass parts for less than what they sell an entire kit for.

Anyway, a big plus of this system is that it depressurizes the compressor piston on the “blow-off”. So you can kick in the compressor whenever you like (back pressure relief). Some compressors won’t start (starter cap, long power cord, head pressure, etc.) unless they get below ~80 psi. I have tools that won’t work well unless they run at 90 to 100 psi. So it now keeps me from bleeding off 10 to 15 psi down to the restart threshold.

]]> By: Al Soup http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-910023 Al Soup Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:24:37 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-910023 Greetings. I have been researching a dedicated air compressor system for my shop (permanently mounted compressor and plumbed airlines) and found a good review of the Harbor Freight auto release system here: http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/ The authors caveat has to do with the plastic line - he recommends upgrading it to copper. BTW: It looks like you can "vent" the outflow from the valve if you live in a higher humidity climate. Thanks Greetings.

I have been researching a dedicated air compressor system for my shop (permanently mounted compressor and plumbed airlines) and found a good review of the Harbor Freight auto release system here: http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/

The authors caveat has to do with the plastic line - he recommends upgrading it to copper.

BTW: It looks like you can “vent” the outflow from the valve if you live in a higher humidity climate.

Thanks

]]> By: Nate Bezanson http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-817146 Nate Bezanson Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:50:13 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-817146 Joe, it operates every time the compressor cycles, so unless you've got an undersized compressor that runs continuously, this will drain many times throughout the day. The pressure switch that controls the compressor's cycling also has an "unloader" that depressurizes the cylinder so the motor can start next time it's needed. It's the hiss you hear whenever the motor stops. This hooks into that line, and it's that pressure drop that triggers the mechanism. Joe, it operates every time the compressor cycles, so unless you’ve got an undersized compressor that runs continuously, this will drain many times throughout the day.

The pressure switch that controls the compressor’s cycling also has an “unloader” that depressurizes the cylinder so the motor can start next time it’s needed. It’s the hiss you hear whenever the motor stops. This hooks into that line, and it’s that pressure drop that triggers the mechanism.

]]> By: Benjamen Johnson http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-796910 Benjamen Johnson Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:32:38 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-796910 I drain my pancake compressor every couple of months have it on my calendar, although I've never gotten more than an oz or two after that amount of time. I do it thought because I've seen problems first hand. Where I used to work we had a humidity chamber on the production line for testing our hygrometers. It had a compressor with a little five gallon tank that was under 150psi. The humidity generator ran at least 4 hours a day and the compressor ran pretty much continuously. On day I get a call from production saying the humidity generator wasn't working right. The first thing I check was the drain valve on the tank, which was supposed to be checked every day. Well evidently it wasn't because water started streaming out of it. So I stopped draining it and got a bucket. I drained about 3 gallons of water from the tank...no kidding. ---------- I'll have to look into one of these when I get a proper compressor. I drain my pancake compressor every couple of months have it on my calendar, although I’ve never gotten more than an oz or two after that amount of time.

I do it thought because I’ve seen problems first hand.

Where I used to work we had a humidity chamber on the production line for testing our hygrometers. It had a compressor with a little five gallon tank that was under 150psi. The humidity generator ran at least 4 hours a day and the compressor ran pretty much continuously.

On day I get a call from production saying the humidity generator wasn’t working right. The first thing I check was the drain valve on the tank, which was supposed to be checked every day. Well evidently it wasn’t because water started streaming out of it. So I stopped draining it and got a bucket. I drained about 3 gallons of water from the tank…no kidding.

———-

I’ll have to look into one of these when I get a proper compressor.

]]> By: Joe http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-796853 Joe Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:00:59 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-796853 Would a "small burst" be enough to purge the water from the tank? When I've used my compressor a lot over a whole day, I'll get a pretty big puddle when I drain it. Would a “small burst” be enough to purge the water from the tank? When I’ve used my compressor a lot over a whole day, I’ll get a pretty big puddle when I drain it.

]]> By: PeterP http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-796811 PeterP Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:11:11 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-796811 BC, Could you just install ball valves in place of the caps? BC,

Could you just install ball valves in place of the caps?

]]> By: BC http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-796778 BC Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:24:58 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-796778 I wonder if this could somehow be fitted to an air line. In our shop (60' x 120') we have 3/4" black pipe air lines with strategically placed pipe nipples to hold condensation. Right now, in order to drain them, we have to depressurize the whole system and remove rusty caps from the ends of the nipples. I wonder if this could somehow be fitted to an air line. In our shop (60′ x 120′) we have 3/4″ black pipe air lines with strategically placed pipe nipples to hold condensation. Right now, in order to drain them, we have to depressurize the whole system and remove rusty caps from the ends of the nipples.

]]> By: SirFatty http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-796756 SirFatty Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:36:16 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-796756 @Partick So you don't get a puddle of water in the bottom of your compressor tank, rusting from the inside. @Partick

So you don’t get a puddle of water in the bottom of your compressor tank, rusting from the inside.

]]> By: Patrick http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-796720 Patrick Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:02:32 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-796720 Maybe I'm missing something, what is the benefit of one of these things? Maybe I’m missing something, what is the benefit of one of these things?

]]> By: tmib_seattle http://toolmonger.com/2009/02/10/automatic-compressor-drain/#comment-796478 tmib_seattle Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:43:06 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=19854#comment-796478 I have one of these on my compressor tank. It works as described, a small blast of air out the drain valve every time the compressor turns on or off. Mine lasted a couple years before it started leaking. When it did, I just bought another kit and replaced the valve portion. The only real caveat to it is that the drain valve sticks out the bottom of the tank by a couple of inches. It may be needed to raise the tank up a little bit to get enough ground clearance for the valve. I have one of these on my compressor tank. It works as described, a small blast of air out the drain valve every time the compressor turns on or off.

Mine lasted a couple years before it started leaking. When it did, I just bought another kit and replaced the valve portion.

The only real caveat to it is that the drain valve sticks out the bottom of the tank by a couple of inches. It may be needed to raise the tank up a little bit to get enough ground clearance for the valve.

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