Air Compressor Condensation Drain Process

[sti491]

Hi all. I have a Quincy QT5 80 gal vertical compressor. Bought it new 2 years ago. Just got around to plumbing the bottom drain so its easier (less messy) to do, and it's way quieter doing it.

The manual says to purge air from the the tank down to 35psi before opening the drain ball valve to let the water/moisture out. With it plumbed now, it's easy and quiet enough to just open the drain with my foot for a few seconds. Even at full pressure it is no longer ear splitting loud, as was when the drain end was open at the valve.

So my question is, is it really necessary to purge the air out of the tank down to 35psi before draining it? It's a big tank and that takes a while. It seems to get the water out just fine doing it a full PSI?

 

[Kaizen]

Not really needed. But at full psi you are blasting the components you just installed. Even with rusty water it will do some wearing. If not dirty water you are fine. The other reason is just safety. Water at high pressure can cut skin easy


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[The Tool Tyrant]

Sounds like Quincy's legal team wrote that!
None of the automatic drains require bleeding down prior to purging. That info is just crazy.

 

[Moosefire]

Almost seems backwards. As soon as you re-pressurize that 80 gallon tank you'll create more moisture in the tank. It's an endless cycle. Just do it at full pressure and be careful with what it who is around when you do it

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[sti491]

That's what I was thinking. I have been surprised how much water can come out especially in the NC summers, but it has always been very clear... no rust yet.

 

[coljar]

I have mine plumbed to the automatic drain at full pressure, but it is also on a switch located on the wall in the shop so I can blow it off in a single action. It blows to the outside through the wall in the back room.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I repiped the drain on my compressor when I took the wheels off. I now have a ball valve on a 1/4" copper line that drains into a 1 gallon plastic milk jug. The copper goes through a hole drilled in the center of the cap and i added a piece of Scothbrite between the cap and the jug, with holes in the cap that to allow the air to escape without blasting water all over.

The drain usually only lets a little spurt of water out and I've never had to drain the jug.

Tommy

 

[sti491]

Thanks everyone. The easiest method I found to do this is attach a 200psi rated 4ft whip hose to the drain, it goes back under the tank to a small bucket on the floor. I have a medium sized flat weight (from a Barbell) that it's zip tied to, in the bottom of the bucket. If I sit a folded towel on top of the bucket it hardly makes any noise at all. Simple and it works. If that hose ever blows, which I doubt, I'll hard plumb it in.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Mine is plumbed to the outside and I drain at the full 175 PSI. No issues yet and I want the pressure to blow any water, rust or **** out of the tank.

 

[mike93lx]

At high pressure, I would expect some water is staying in the tank, unless you have your piping setup to capture the water before it is blown out. If you have a bunch of water in the bottom of the tank, it's just going to get blown around and not out of the drain.

I bet that if drain for a couple seconds under high pressure, stop and then try again, more water will come out.

In my hot dog Compressor, I have a significant amount of water that will only come out if I tip it back and forth with the drain open

 

[rlitman]

My compressor is in my garage loft, with an easily reachable handle that can be used downstairs. I have the ball valve in the bottom of the tank plumbed into a tube that runs to the bottom of a pretzel barrel full of "gutter stuff" foam. That cuts down a lot on the noise and spray.

And I too just drain the 175 PSI tank.

 

[sberry]

I have hose thru the wall. Valve on each tank plumbed to a common line.

 

[Falcon67]

I have a gate valve and the line pokes outside the building. I just rip it open once in a while and let fly, then close up.

 

[58Yeoman]

Mine is plumbed to the outside and I drain at the full 175 PSI. No issues yet and I want the pressure to blow any water, rust or **** out of the tank.

Same here.

 

[sberry]

I have a gate valve and the line pokes outside the building. I just rip it open once in a while and let fly, then close up.

No easier or better way to do it.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

I added a ball valve to mine with an npt to hose barb fitting. A section of tubing goes outside and under my shed for blasting out water. Mine is only 120 psi though. Still much better than the old fitting that slung rusty water all over the garage.