Decompressing your air compressor

[Drouin66]

I am sure this has been brought up before, but I am new. I use my air compressor on weekends "sometimes". Is it good to decompress it when not being used, is it bad , or does it matter?
O.....mine is one of those stand up statuary 60 gallon ones.



Thanks for the advice in advanced........

 

[930dreamer]

Mine doesn't leak so it stays charged all the time.

 

[A_Pmech]

Welcome to the forum!

No, it' doesn't matter either way. However, pumping it up after draining the receiver is an inconvenience and is (in my opinion) a waste of electricity.

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

^ This

Drain the water from the tank regularly by cracking the drain valve. Fix any air leaks. No harm in leaving it charged as long as your condensation build up in the tank is managed.

Compressed air costs money.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

My tank stays charged. I just turn the regulator down to zero and turn the unit off.

Tommy

 

[redmondjp]

I've left my 60-gallon upright charged for the past 25 years. I have a ball valve right at the output from the tank and I turn that off when I leave the garage for the night. It doesn't leak down at all.

That's my recommendation.

 

[zkling]

Leave it charged. If one really wanted to do some pondering they could think about the fatigue life cycle of the tank at atmospheric and then charging it each time for use only to bring it back down.

 

[65Stang]

Probably costs more to charge it back up if you release the pressure after each use. I have 80 gallons plumbed throughout my garage and shop and always keep it pressurized.

 

[sberry]

on 24/7/365

 

[Zrexxer]

Not only umpteen times before, but within the last week.

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279793