Broken compressor drain

[slowTA]

So I have a Craftsman compressor from 1997 and I haven't been the best about draining the tank... mainly because I keep damaging the flimsy drain they put on these things.

This time I really buggered up the drain. To the point where it's in multiple pieces, some of which are in the tank! Is it going to be a problem with a chunk of brass floating around in there?

An easy out made a nice mess out of it and thinned out the drain to the point where I feel its expanding in the tank as I try to take it out, which just makes it more stuck.

What are my options at this point? Drill and tap for the next larger NPT, tap the original size and hope the brass is soft enough to let the tap center itself in the old threads, or buy new?

 

[cvairwerks]

Unscrew the plug and fix it on the bench. Rattle the pieces out of the tank.

 

[slowTA]

That big plug seems REALLY tight (yeah, it has to be)... but is it supposed to come out?

 

[OccupantRJ]

Drill and retap. Those plugs can be a ***** to remove without heating with a torch, and then can still be.

 

[toolchaser]

+ 1 on leaving the big plug in. Tap the hole & put in a 90 deg elbow with a ball valve

 

[tomwil]

Isn't there an expiration date on those tanks?

Sounds like a bomb ready to go off, especially if not drained and rusty inside.

 

[Wrench97]

Or use a modified hacksaw blade to cut slots in the brass fitting 180 deg apart and use a a small punch/chisel to knock out the pieces.

 

[The Cobbler]

I would try to drill out the brass with the correct drill size for 1/4 npt, then re tap it.
don't go to deep with the tap .

use some good thread sealant & screw in a new drain. test for leaks .
you can always go up to 3/8 if you can't get good threads in that bushing
as others have mentioned, look at re plumbing the drain so you don't always break them

 

[slowTA]

There is no expiration date on these tanks, propane tanks age out at 12 years.

The big plug rounded off when I tried to unscrew it.

I wound up drilling a bit smaller than the root diameter, about .450" and picked out the threads. It seems to be ok now. Thanks for the replies!

 

[rsanter]

+ 1 on leaving the big plug in. Tap the hole & put in a 90 deg elbow with a ball valve

This.
Drill to the right size and retap with the original size pipe tap. If you start the pipe tap right it will cut the brass right out of the steel threads.

Absolutely use a 90 and a ball valve