Does your compressor leaks over time with nothing connect to it?

[dogdog]

Does your compressor leaks over time with nothing connect to it?
I mean if you pressurized your compressor tank to full it is fine holds pressure for the time you are there but if you shut the compressor off, comes back a day or two. Tank is empty. With nothing connected to it. But I have spray soap bubbles (the ones plumbers use) on the fittings don't see any leaks.

Normal or concern?

 

[thewatusi]

You have a leak

 

[Chadwilliam1]

Mine does not. Something is leaking but the leak is too small for you to find.

 

[ken w.]

Just about all my compressors do that after a week. I don't worry about it.

 

[dogdog]

ok thx, let me go re-check / re-do all connections and see.

was thinking about upgrading to the 60 gal and put it outside but a little concern about this behavior if it is normal to all compressors or not if I get another one as well.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

It is not a concern but it is a waste of energy. Neither one of mine leak but of you can fix yours you are better off.

 

[larry_g]

Have you checked the fittings between the compressor head and the tank? The fittings around the pressure switch? Does it have a built in regulator that may be leaking? Lots of places beside the outlet and piping system that leaks can occur. AS said above two days to leak down is not a crisis, but depending on the compressor tank size it could be a substantial leak or a small one. Heck, there are a few wastrels on the forum that will drain the whole tank at the end of the day.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[dogdog]

..... AS said above two days to leak down is not a crisis, but depending on the compressor tank size it could be a substantial leak or a small one. Heck, there are a few wastrels on the forum that will drain the whole tank at the end of the day.

lg
no neat sig line

dunno much, it's a craftman 30 gal and 15 gal the un-professional ones. actually planning to go for a 60 gal and put it in the detached garage. with remote due to noise. This leak thing is one of the things trying to get clarifications. Yes the waste of energy and the time it needed to build up pressure when I want it again. Not that I work with too many compressors. that is why I am asking if this is a normal thing or not a normal thing thing.

thx

 

[Chadwilliam1]

If you look hard enough you will be able to find it. It is not always easy but it can be done.

 

[bareass172]

I took mine apart several times to get it leak free, it was tiny leaks I had trouble finding. The problem I have now is ****** fittings (on the list to replace). What I did as a temp fix is to throw in a 1/4 turn ball valve coming off the tank. Once I get good fittings I'll remove it, but now I just shut it off when I'm done and the tank holds pressure very well.

 

[dogdog]

the plan was to have the new 60 gal compressor and tank in the garage and this tie into it inside the house as storage only tank. trying to not have it leak. cause the unprofessional compressors are really loud with those oil less ones. WIll probably take it apart and check I guess. wonder if those florescent dye works well in this case

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I have a small portable that is due for a new pressure switch... There is a light hiss that will drain the tank in about an hour..... Guess I have no complaints; I bought that little 1/2 horse Coast To Coast compressor back in 1969....

 

[Canadian Charlie]

Mine leaks

 

[DWise]

My old Craftsman runs about once or twice for about 30 seconds in 24 hours. Not a problem.

 

[Luck-E1]

Hmm, I purposely let the drain valves at the bottom of my tank and at the water trap to allow a tiny wisp of air to leak out. I'm hoping to prevent any moisture to build up and cause corrosion. I only run the compressor when I need it, unplug it when done. There's a small leak at the pressure switch but I don't worry too much about it.
John

 

[djjsr]

I had the same trouble with my Craftsman compressor. In my case, I can stop the leakdown by cleaning the internal parts of the regulator but it's only temporary and the problem returns (even after installing a new regulator). I finally installed a ball valve between the pressure switch and the regulator. I close the valve when the compressor is not needed and it holds pressure ok.

note - Mine is an oiless type and the particles I find in the regulator appear to be tiny particles of aluminum. I suspect it's from the piston and will probably become a bigger problem someday. Oiless pumps aren't very good.

 

[Elvenhome21]

I shut my compressor off the day after christmas and didnt turn it back on until end of april. Shut off pressure is 125, it was still at 105.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I winter, it leaks down in a day or 2. In summer, it takes at least a week. Not worth my effort to chase it down.

 

[stage20]

ive got a weird issue with mine. if i put the regulator down to zero, the tank will leak down in a week to around 60#... its an 80gal tank. if i leave the regulator pressurized, the damn thing doesnt leak. not sure how that works. got some ghosts.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Leaks drive me batty. My old champion 80 gallon would leak from 175 down to about 155-160 and would stay for
Months. Anytime I pumped it back up, leaked down and stayed. I always have the tank pressurized but keep the ball valve closed so the airlines and regulator are not pressurized. That's just another 5 or 6 connections to manage. Whip to tank, whip to regulator, connection between reg and filter, filter to hose reel, hose reel to hose, hose to fitting, etc... I just open the ball valve when I need air.

On my newest champion project, if you lifted up on the pressure switch it would leak.

This sounds dumb, but I found dawn and water to not work well. I bought a $5 bottle of "leak detection fluid " from HD. Works well for chasing leaks. Should last me a lifetime. It swabs on like PVC cement. I have a thing for old compressors so it's served me well in the number if leaks I have chased down over the years.b

 

[stage20]

Leaks drive me batty. My old champion 80 gallon would leak from 175 down to about 155-160 and would stay for
Months. Anytime I pumped it back up, leaked down and stayed. I always have the tank pressurized but keep the ball valve closed so the airlines and regulator are not pressurized. That's just another 5 or 6 connections to manage. Whip to tank, whip to regulator, connection between reg and filter, filter to hose reel, hose reel to hose, hose to fitting, etc... I just open the ball valve when I need air.

On my newest champion project, if you lifted up on the pressure switch it would leak.

This sounds dumb, but I found dawn and water to not work well. I bought a $5 bottle of "leak detection fluid " from HD. Works well for chasing leaks. Should last me a lifetime. It swabs on like PVC cement. I have a thing for old compressors so it's served me well in the number if leaks I have chased down over the years.b

where is the leak fluid located?

 

[dogdog]

where is the leak fluid located?

that is the plumbers leak detection fluid in the plumbing isle.

I tried that couldn't find mine. maybe think pour in a bottle of those dyes and use that black light to see if I can find it. any one think this is bad good ?

 

[ijuslikefords]

My 12 year old Craftsman 60 gal will hold pressure with in 10-15 psi for a week or more if I shut the valve at the tank. I've looked at the new 60's at the store, and I would not buy one.

 

[Todd.Brock]

It's in the black pipe aisle with the different thread sealants and Teflon tapes. It's Oatey brand. Blue liquid , about the size of a PVC cement can.

 

[marinusdees]

Quick disconnect fittings leak. Some a lot, some a little. Put a master shut off on the compressor and it won't leak unless your check valve between the compressor and tank leaks. If there isn't one or it leaks, it will leak past the valves in the compressor. Unless it's a major leak, ignore it. If it is major, find it and deal with it.

 

[dogdog]

Alright bump from the dead.... apparently there is a check valve at the tank... for some reason it's leaking in reverse back to the pump slowly. Took out and cleaned with ultra sonic and soapy water. now pressure held at 130PSI for past 3 weeks.,,,,

 

[Kev442]

I'm thinking that's what I wrecked a couple weeks back. My old twin cylinder CH frankenpressor has a 30-40% duty cycle and I got carried away running it for over a hour and 15 minutes straight using the blowgun. When I went in there and shut it off, smoke was pouring off the head, oops!
Went from losing 20 psi a week to all of it overnight...

 

[Showkey]

In an industrial setting there a contractors that specialize in finding leaks.........leaks cost BIG money.

 

[md21722]

If the tank outlet valve & drain valve are good, there isn't much other than the check valve. The check valve is about $10 to buy outright if you didn't want to fuss with it. They do wear over time.

 

[johninct]

My system doesn't leak but I try to drain everything daily unless I am lazy and going to need a little air the next day. Say my tank drain has been open all night, I turn on the compressor and it will still blow a little water out of the bottom. I know some people only drain out some water, leave the air in the tank and call it good but I think it is better to drain my whole tank. I also have hardly any water in my drops.

 

[xjfish]

Alright bump from the dead.... apparently there is a check valve at the tank... for some reason it's leaking in reverse back to the pump slowly. Took out and cleaned with ultra sonic and soapy water. now pressure held at 130PSI for past 3 weeks.,,,,

Nice work! Mine leaks down completely within 3 hours, tank leaks! Compressor works great. Replacement unit is literally sitting 5' away, waiting on electrician...

 

[Hephaestus29]

I have a craftsman oil-less design with
a coated cylinder. It's been a good
compressor and only losses air when
I squeeze the trigger.