Automatic Compressor Tank Drain

[uscarry45]

I need some advice / tips / recommendations on an automatic (electric) water tank drain for my compressor

I have a Puma brand 60 gallon upright 220V air compressor that I use on a daily basis heavily.

I have been looking at installing an automatic tank drain. I see ones on ebay for 39.99 and I see ones on Northern Tool for 139.00

Questions
Brand or Type recommendation?

I only have 4.5" underneath the tank from the the 1/2 npt bung to the floor can I plumb it out from under the tank and still make an auto tank drain work?

Other considerations?

Thanks in advance!!! Always appreciate your advice and input

 

[sberry]

I personally would just as soon have a very convenient manual method.

 

[The Cobbler]

these get favourable reviews, non electric works off the unloader port https://rite-products.com/moisture-...-valve-pn-152-0000-300-psi-1-4-npt-ports.html

 

[awdblazer]

i have the harbour freight model and its been working well for me for 4 years now

 

[PhantomEB]

Mines a manual version. Ball valve to a quick disconnect under the tank and 25' air hose with another ball valve at the end. My shop is 24' deep so I just to it once every 2-6 months as I please. Fire the water 20' up the alley but in a controlled fashion?

 

[engineer2]

I've been using one of these timed drains from Amazon without issues. No idea how it would hold up under daily use. One GJ'er said the valve on his got stuck, maybe from rusty water. As an alternate, there is lot to be said about using a ball valve to manually drain at the end of the day.

 

[Jamie V]

I've been using one of these timed drains from Amazon without issues. No idea how it would hold up under daily use. One GJ'er said the valve on his got stuck, maybe from rusty water. As an alternate, there is lot to be said about using a ball valve to manually drain at the end of the day.

We have a similar on on our shop compressor at work and it's worked flawlessly for the 7 years I've been here. And our compressor runs a ton with all the equipment running all day.

 

[raffaelli]

i have the harbour freight model and its been working well for me for 4 years now

I have this one also. However, I find when I paint cars, the blow off hose gets very hot and pops. I haven't yet, but plan to change it to copper.

 

[Kaizen]

can I ask what ya'll plumb the "blowoff" water into? mine comes out discolored and in my new shop i'm thinking I would rather not have the mess

 

[engineer2]

5 gallon bucket with a lid is easy, but you have to throttle it down so it doesn't spray.

 

[planecrazy]

can I ask what ya'll plumb the "blowoff" water into? mine comes out discolored and in my new shop i'm thinking I would rather not have the mess

What I did may be overkill but I attached a 5' length of 4" PVC to the wall, vertically. The bottom has fittings that end in a valve for a drain. The top has a screw off cap. In the end of the cap, I drilled a 1.5" hole and put a piece of grey scotchbrite behind it.

About a foot down from the top, I threaded in a nylon angled fitting.

I ran a length of poly tubing from my compressor drain to the barbed fitting. All the discharge gets blasted into the 4" PVC. It is contained there until I drain it, at my convenience. There is zero pressure on the PVC due to the hole in the top and also zero mess.

Here are some pictures (sorry for the one on it's side). My compressor is not hooked up at the moment as I removed it for an impending epoxy floor coating.

 

[raffaelli]

can I ask what ya'll plumb the "blowoff" water into? mine comes out discolored and in my new shop i'm thinking I would rather not have the mess

I have a chinese food container under the tank to collect the nasty. I have not yet needed to empty it, it evaporates.

 

[Kaizen]

I think my problem is I have it full open. so its like a jet blast. i'll ratchet it down and figure something out. thanks for the ideas

 

[TheGunCollector]

This is what I use and it works flawless.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S89W2KQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[marinusdees]

This is what I use and it works flawless.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S89W2KQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

These are available on ebay for a lot less money.

 

[Keel]

I use an old nos solenoid .. easy pleasy

 

[planecrazy]

I just hooked up an automatic tank drain to my compressor today. I've never seen anything like this before but the concept works, I think. I picked it up on eBay for around $20. The blue ball is a pressure vessel (rated at 16 BAR) and reservoir. There is a stainless steel float inside the ball. When the level of condensate reaches a certain point, the float opens an outlet valve and drains the ball.

As I just reinstalled my compressor from putting down a new floor, I only have one tank full of run time. There hasn't been enough water to drain the ball yet. All I know for sure is the thing does not leak air.

Anyone have any experience with such a device?

 

[ckucia]

I just hooked up an automatic tank drain to my compressor today. I've never seen anything like this before but the concept works, I think. I picked it up on eBay for around $20. The blue ball is a pressure vessel (rated at 16 BAR) and reservoir. There is a stainless steel float inside the ball. When the level of condensate reaches a certain point, the float opens an outlet valve and drains the ball.

As I just reinstalled my compressor from putting down a new floor, I only have one tank full of run time. There hasn't been enough water to drain the ball yet. All I know for sure is the thing does not leak air.

Anyone have any experience with such a device?

Saw these on ebay and Amazon. Has yours worked for you?

 

[SGKent]

2 compressors. each has an elbow screwed in where the old radiator style petcock drain was, a short piece of galvanized iron pipe, and a manual ball valve on the end that has a barb screwed in, and hose on each one to outside. Open, drain at the end of the day. Works perfectly. I am tired of complex automated solutions that fail and complicate life.

 

[DAVE VAN]

Embed the drain hose in a large sponge in a metal pan. No splash, works great.

 

[yatg]

I just hooked up an automatic tank drain to my compressor today. I've never seen anything like this before but the concept works, I think. I picked it up on eBay for around $20. The blue ball is a pressure vessel (rated at 16 BAR) and reservoir. There is a stainless steel float inside the ball. When the level of condensate reaches a certain point, the float opens an outlet valve and drains the ball.

As I just reinstalled my compressor from putting down a new floor, I only have one tank full of run time. There hasn't been enough water to drain the ball yet. All I know for sure is the thing does not leak air.

Anyone have any experience with such a device?

Interesting. But the thing has BSP threads, and it needs to be mounted below the tank. Works for you because your tank is on that rolling platform. How did it plumb up?

 

[ckucia]

Interesting. But the thing has BSP threads, and it needs to be mounted below the tank. Works for you because your tank is on that rolling platform. How did it plumb up?

I noticed the BSP threads on the ads. There was a complaint on Amazon about the thing leaking and I believe it's due to the threads. There are BSP->NPT adapters out there - just something to keep in mind if you went with one.

I haven't been able to find one with NPT threads out of the box.

 

[ConCretin]

I have my compressor with an automatic drain in a closet that opens into the garage. It works great but it seems to go off every time my wife is getting into her car.........the scream is usually followed by a profanity or two aimed in my direction.

 

[sberry]

Ok, auto drain thread, I will walk over and kick the valve for a few seconds, I sanded and painted all last week. Found all this copper water tubing, had to flare 1 end of 1 piece to make it work to a common hose thru the wall.

 

[mike93lx]

A hose running outside and a conveniently placed ball valve

 

[Showkey]

We had an auto drain at work.........it turned into a HUGE maintenance headache. Often it would stick open or closed. Usually debris was the cause. Way more trouble than it was worth........given that experience I would want one on home compressor.

 

[nadogail]

I removed the drain valve at the bottom of my vertical tank and installed a street ell looking out to the front, then nippled out to a ball valve operable with my toe.

I blow about a 1/4 cup of water out every few weeks onto the epoxy floor.

 

[BearsFan315]

here is my drain from my posting on here Craigslist Kobalt Compressor PickUp

Started install of the Drain, Used some 1/4" Pipe that I got from McMaster Carr and a Surplus Store online. All in about $20-25 as i opted for a full port valve vs a chinese knock off, sure either would work but only a few bucks more and i feel better

Pieces ready for install

Installed street elbow and a 6" ******, directed towards the FRONT of the compressor

Installed a 1/4" ball valve with a street elbow directed downwards on the end of the ******

View from the bottom

 

[like2wheel]

I have my compressor with an automatic drain in a closet that opens into the garage. It works great but it seems to go off every time my wife is getting into her car.........the scream is usually followed by a profanity or two aimed in my direction.

Perfect.

I'll have to get me one of those.

 

[platypus20]

I have had a Graingers sourced electric drain valve assembly on the air compressor tank for about 15 yrs, it blows off for 4-5 seconds, every hour, to hour and a half. It blows into a cat litter bucket with the lid wire tied on, with vent holes the bucket is either completely dry or there are a slight trickle of water.

 

[ALinCarolina]

I have two. One is piped from the tank drain and the other is attached to the bottom of my copper "radiator" on the wall. I installed a small air tank at that point to collect any water that comes down the radiator before it enters the refrigerated dryer.

When planning and building my shop I placed the compressor in the basement so didn't want to have to trek down there to manually drain it. When pouring the slab I ran a PVC pipe sticking up near the wall and ran it out into the woods. I dump the drains from these two valves, the drain from the dryer, and the drain from my dehumidifier into this. If these photos don't show up I can try again.

/Users/Allan/Desktop/IMG_2606.jpg
/Users/Allan/Desktop/IMG_2605.jpg

 

[ALinCarolina]

Try again.

 

[ALinCarolina]

https://i.imgur.com/V7wchPr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/a2f2Ql6.jpg

 

[ckucia]

Try again.

That is one serious compressor.