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Compressor drain

Bellaireroad

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Mar 22, 2013
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636
Location
Fort Worth
Who makes a good drain that works off the check valve , so that the tank drains when the compressor cycles? I'm not interested in the electric timer type of drain ... thanks


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earthmover1980

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Oct 16, 2015
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125
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South West Michigan
What we did with our air compressor is install a semi truck air tank drain valve, with the spring detent, and the pull cable. Done. At the end of the day, shut off the compressor, and pull the cable to drain it. Simple as that!
 

2oolhound

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Dec 18, 2010
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BC Canada
It won't let me link to the actual one I have. I fixed the link to go to the model. Mine is auto and it was about $100. Either they've gone way up in price or you just have to shop around. It's been very reliable for quite a few years.
 

Schurkey

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What we did with our air compressor is install a semi truck air tank drain valve, with the spring detent, and the pull cable. Done. At the end of the day, shut off the compressor, and pull the cable to drain it. Simple as that!
^^^ What he said. About nine dollars.

https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/TWR401070/TWR401070

https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/TWEVEL032135/TWEVEL032135

https://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/TWRVEL032160/TWRVEL032160

Air_Compressor_01.jpg


Air_Compressor_02.jpg
 
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The Cobbler

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CJM8515

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NJ
I thought about buying such an item for my compressor, but the cost is crazy imho. I find it easier to just get some small fittings, a ball valve and flip the valve when done.
 

The Cobbler

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I agree the cost is high,which is why I haven't purchased yet, but,,, when you consider how much we spend on tools , compressors, etc, this is like cheaping out on tires on your cars IMO.
 
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srr

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Jul 10, 2015
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111
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San Diego
I thought about buying such an item for my compressor, but the cost is crazy imho. I find it easier to just get some small fittings, a ball valve and flip the valve when done.

I thought so too until I read it was made mostly of SS and was rated for 300 PSI. Plus at my age crawling on the ground to get to my compressor drain PLUS remembering to do it once in a while. ;)
 

lakeroadster

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Jan 19, 2015
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Central Colorado
I'm a member of the DIY street elbow, pipe ******, and ball valve crowd.

Less is more... reach down, open the valve... when the water stops coming out close the valve.

I built a puke tank for mine using a Folgers can and some kitty litter to capture the rusty water.....

A flap cut in the lid, and a shop rag between the lid and can, allows the pressure to escape / vent.

easy peazy.

attachment.php


Curious... what's the big deal with bending over?
 

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srr

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San Diego
****. I never noticed that.

I have it installed on a two-stage compressor tank (175 psi) and it's been there a year.

I will have to research that and see what my options are.

Sounds like it's working OK to me, As long as your breaker is off when your not around the worst that could happen is it would lift and reseat at 120 PSI? Or drain the tank? :dunno:
 

srr

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Messages
111
Location
San Diego
I'm a member of the DIY street elbow, pipe ******, and ball valve crowd.

Less is more... reach down, open the valve... when the water stops coming out close the valve.

I built a puke tank for mine using a Folgers can and some kitty litter to capture the rusty water.....

A flap cut in the lid, and a shop rag between the lid and can, allows the pressure to escape / vent.

easy peazy.



Curious... what's the big deal with bending over?

My current set-up (1977 CH 80 Gal 2-stage) is a short ****** with one of those butterfly valves that are really hard to turn and it is actually under the tank, a real pain to deal with. I'm on high BP meds and they make me nauseous if I spend to much time horizontal. :sad:
 

CJM8515

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I thought so too until I read it was made mostly of SS and was rated for 300 PSI. Plus at my age crawling on the ground to get to my compressor drain PLUS remembering to do it once in a while. ;)

That I can understand. Im a young guy and dont mind bending down lol.
 

04chase

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Oct 14, 2015
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530
Location
SO CAL
this is what i have on mine for now

https://www.grainger.com/product/CONRADER-1-1-4-x-1-1-4-x-2-68-Brass-12U302?s_pp=false&picUrl=//static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/12U302_AS01?$smthumb$&breadcrumbCatId=2235
 

Schurkey

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Oct 27, 2011
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The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
Sounds like it's working OK to me, As long as your breaker is off when your not around the worst that could happen is it would lift and reseat at 120 PSI? Or drain the tank? :dunno:
It doesn't lift at 175; it doesn't leak at 175.

I now have some concern that it might BLOW UP at 175...but it's been there long enough that I don't know how realistic that concern is.

There's also the idea that I can't find a max working pressure for the part number I actually have. The 120 psi max is for different NAPA part numbers, potentially a different manufacturer.

Yes, the compressor is generally turned off when I'm not there...although I did have a constant-run problem when an O-ring blew out on my filter/moisture trap. The compressor ran continuously for most of a day because I wasn't in the garage at the time.
 

srr

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Jul 10, 2015
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Location
San Diego
Thanks, that's what I was looking for


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Mine came today. One thing they didn't mention was, it HAS a screen on the tank side to keep **** out of the valve. Did you ever get yours? Anybody else?
 

srr

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Jul 10, 2015
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111
Location
San Diego
Got it installed, works great. Hardest part was waiting for an 80 gallon tank to drain to "0". I bought the over priced installation kit as I couldn't find the filter/valve by itself. I made a video of it working but there is no sound but you can see the moisture appear in the hose around the 40 sec mark.

 
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Bellaireroad

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Mar 22, 2013
Messages
636
Location
Fort Worth
Mine came today. One thing they didn't mention was, it HAS a screen on the tank side to keep **** out of the valve. Did you ever get yours? Anybody else?

I haven't .... it's on the "to do" list... thanks for posting the video, looks like it works good
 

smalltown

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Jul 9, 2015
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Location
Western Maine
I thought so too until I read it was made mostly of SS and was rated for 300 PSI. Plus at my age crawling on the ground to get to my compressor drain PLUS remembering to do it once in a while. ;)

I'll bet it's not the bending over it's the getting back up :lol:
 

MacMcMacmac

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Oct 21, 2014
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Location
canada
I drained about 40 gallons of water out of the instrument air compressor at work which had one of these pneumatic auto drains on it. I don't trust them to keep ahead of the condensate production.

I installed a timed auto drain kit and the tank is completely empty of water whenever I test it. In 25 years of working with air systems, I have seen maybe 2 that have failed.
 

Schurkey

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Oct 27, 2011
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The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
There was a time I worked for a company that used an industrial scroll-type compressor, and a H-U-G-E air tank. I have an 80-gallon tank, I bet I could fit five of them inside this monster with room around each one.

The "parts guy" was responsible for draining the condensation from the tank. I don't think he appreciated this part of his job. My work-station was the closest to the tank, so I wound-up draining it now and then. It had a ball-valve near the bottom, leading to a short pipe.

We'd haul the water outside in 5-gallon pails, a dozen trips. The company had unlimited money for mandatory overtime, but couldn't buy a second torque wrench or a tank drainage system.
 

MacMcMacmac

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Oct 21, 2014
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Location
canada
I had to hook up a hose to a 1500gal tank that was completely full of water due to someone's over zealous use of teflon tape on the drain fittings. 100psi can shoot water pretty far.
 

lbperry

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Mar 11, 2012
Messages
399
Location
North AL
Earthmover and Schurkey;
How do these work? Do you pull the cable; it drains and the pressure bleeds off; and it resets automatically?
Thanks,
 

Schurkey

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Oct 27, 2011
Messages
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Location
The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
Earthmover and Schurkey;
How do these work? Do you pull the cable; it drains and the pressure bleeds off; and it resets automatically?
Thanks,
The entire valve/mechanism is located on the drain pipe, except for the upper end of the cable which is mounted somewhere higher on the tank. In my case, it's mounted to the same platform as the electric motor that turns the compressor pump.

Pull the cable, valve unseats, tank drains...until you release the cable. With the cable released, the valve re-seats and the tank stops draining.
 
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