auto tank drain - where should I mount it?

[metalmagpie]

I am putting together a compressor from multiple sources. It will run off 220 three phase power, which I generate with a rotary phase converter. It will be used as a second compressor to put into service when the primary one is down, or to add CFMs when I need to do blasting. (It has a robust unloader so I can trust it won't try to start while loaded.)

The tank is an 80 cubic foot vertical ASME tank from an old Kellogg-American compressor. It is the second tank I tested, and this one passed hydro test so I'm cleaning it up and am going to use it. To ensure I get as many years as I can out of it, I intend to mount an automatic tank drain valve, the kind with a timer and two dials and a solenoid valve. I could mount it down by the floor, or I could mount it up on the top plate. Either way I will have a 1/2" brass street ell coming out of the tank, then a 12" brass pipe ******.

I'm not sure if I should put in a tee at that point to a 1/4 turn ball valve with the other leg going to the auto drain valve. What do you think?

And I'm not sure if there is any drawback to mounting it up high on the top plate. Also looking for wisdom on that.

Thanks!

metalmagpie

 

[38 Dodge Coupe]

I installed mine in the bottom of my IR compressor in place of the existing petcock valve. It works just fine.

 

[steel 35]

Up high easy access, I adjust mine for use.
Or not!

 

[kbs2244]

it is a drain
put it where the water will collect
that means the bottom of the tank

the drain plumbing should be free to blow out the water

 

[ScaldedDog]

it is a drain
put it where the water will collect
that means the bottom of the tank

the drain plumbing should be free to blow out the water

This. Depending on your usage pattern, consider how often you need to drain the tank. I plugged mine into a programmable wall socket that's only on for a minute every morning. The autodrain timers I found wanted to drain every few minutes, which is way, way more often than I need.

Mark

 

[Ran when parked]

Aggreement for the bottom of the tank. Mine is on an adjustable timer that plugs into a dedicated receptacle connected to the light circuit. It only operates when the lights in the garage are on.

 

[whateg01]

I thought op meant the controls for the drain, thinking surely he knows that a drain has to be at the lowest point to do any draining, but that is a heck of an assumption on my part. So yes it needs to come out the bottom of the tank. If there are separate controls I would still make sure that the water can flow out from there. I'm other words don't make the water have to travel up to the top of the tank before being discharged.

 

[nadogail]

Pressure in the tank being drained can push the water uphill if needed.