Air Compressor Water Release Collector

[FarFire70]

I received a 60 gal Kobalt Compressor one year ago and, ever since, I've been in a love-hate relationship with it because of the water 'blow-off' valve/method. Long story short, I replaced the terrible thumb nut with an elbow, some pipe, and a hand valve leading to some tubing.

I've been trying to get better at bleeding the tank, especially leading into the humid summers in MD, but, while I like the hand valve, I hate the tube going to nothing. My current solution is to wrap the tube end in a grease rag and let it collect the rust-colored water.

The hand valve has been a Major improvement but the tubing isn't where I want to be. I'd prefer a fixed solution where I turn the hand valve and it bleeds off without my intervention to cover the pipe end and doesn't spray rust color tubing all over my garage.

My question to GJ is how are you collecting/terminating your water bleed-off valve for your air compressor?

 

[Greeny]

I have a cheap coil hose hooked up to the drain. Then I put a blow gun on the end of the hose. Now I just pull the coil hose out of the garage, and squeeze the blow gun, blowing the rusty water on the grass.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I ran mine downstairs (comp is upstairs) and out the one wall with a ball valve. Put a quick connect on the outside along with a male fitting stuck in it for draining purposes...now I have a remote drain and an outside quick connect!

 

[Want2race]

I like the coil idea. I have replaced the valve with some 1/4" pipe and placed a 90 degree valve in an easy spot. From there the fitting goes towards a floor drain and angles down.

I've tried a few of those automatic valves.. Still haven't found one I liked or thought was worth the $$

 

[Hammer1963]

The coil hose is great idea. I'll be on this one asap!

 

[eddiemeddiem]

The end of my drain hose is zip tied into a plastic coffee with a bunch of rags stuffed in it. I toss the rags every few months and put new ones in.

 

[redmondjp]

My 25-year-old compressor is still bolted onto its original shipping pallet, so there is a few inches of additional space beneath it.

So I removed the petcock at the bottom of the tank and installed a 120VAC solenoid valve, along with a momentary pushbutton in the support bracket underneath the compressor pump. This is powered by a separate 120V cord since the compressor is 240V.

Every time I am in that corner of the garage (to open/close output valve on compressor, for example), I push that button for a second or so. I have an old Chevy pickup hub cap underneath to catch the discharge, which is never more than a small amount since I drain it regularly.

No more bending down with water pump pliers and fighting the spiders to get to that blasted petcock valve!

 

[FarFire70]

I've been thinking of something like the coffee can idea. It's a lazier version of when I'm doing now in wrapping the house with rags during discharge. Lazier in the good sense.

I have the 90 deg with the ball valve and it's much better than the draincock.

I like this idea of the coil hose but, with the amount of water my tank seems to accumulate, I'd worry the wind world catch it and over time I'd paint my cars or siding.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

You can purchase a 120V solenoid valve with an adjustable timer and never worry about it again. You can also look at the Hankison Snap-Trap and Trip-L-Trap. These require no power and only blow off when they detect a sufficient water level. Route some tubing through the wall and outside and you're all set.

 

[sberry]

Plumb the hose out the wall?