Extending compressor drain for easier access?

[Cobra4B]

I don't drain my compressor nearly as much as I should. It's a basic C-man 33 gal upright. It seems that the petcock valve is always seizing or not sealing very well (have replaced it 2x). Can I just get a 90 degree elbow and some small pipe to bring the valve out in front of the compressor for easy access? Do they make air-tight lever valves (not sure what the technical name is... ball valve?) so I can just flip the lever and let the tank drain? Tired of crawling on the ground and reaching up under the compressor through the spider webs to get to a sticky petcock that requires pliers to turn.

 

[rsanter]

Yes you can and you should
In fact you can put a 90 on the bottom with a piece of pipe to come out, install a ball or gate valve and then go to a smaller copper line that you can run through the wall (smaller hole) so when you drain it you are blowing the water outside

Bob

 

[Wiggum]

I don't drain my compressor nearly as much as I should. It's a basic C-man 33 gal upright. It seems that the petcock valve is always seizing or not sealing very well (have replaced it 2x). Can I just get a 90 degree elbow and some small pipe to bring the valve out in front of the compressor for easy access? Do they make air-tight lever valves (not sure what the technical name is... ball valve?) so I can just flip the lever and let the tank drain? Tired of crawling on the ground and reaching up under the compressor through the spider webs to get to a sticky petcock that requires pliers to turn.

I did this:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142467

 

[Cobra4B]

Perfect... exactly what I had in my head.

 

[Coloshaver]

Yes you can and you should
In fact you can put a 90 on the bottom with a piece of pipe to come out, install a ball or gate valve and then go to a smaller copper line that you can run through the wall (smaller hole) so when you drain it you are blowing the water outside

Bob

. . . or, if your compressor is high enough, into a sink.

 

[911mike]

I think you should have a bit of pipe and then the ball valve. My thought is let the water collect in the pipe and not in the tank. You can replace the pipe easier than the tank. I ran 10 ft of flexible copper tubing and then a ball valve. Problem solved.

 

[TechnoMayor]

I bought this kit at Tractor Supply.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/other-...eZip=76179&ddkey=http:LocationBasedPricingCmd

 

[rsieracki]

i plumbed a cheap blow gun on the drain of my roll around compresser, tap it with my foot every so often... look at the rusty nasty puddle and then get disgusted ehhh

 

[slip knot]

I ran mine thru a 90 and ball valve setup and added @5ft of fuel line to it to drain it outside. I dont want that nasty red **** on my floor.

 

[alan camby]

I usually have a small bucket under mine, The bucket was at break during this photo.

 

[Chevy72pu]

Here is mine on a craftsman 33gallon.

 

[1steve]

Does anybody else run there extended drain through the wall outside to eliminate the mess or a bucket?

 

[NUTTSGT]

FWIW, I used a street elbow coming out of the tank, not a ****** and 90°. That makes one less connection.

 

[shannonw]

I run mine through a wall as well. mine comes out just like those as well except i have a timer drain on the end and out the timer end I have a hose ******. I didn't want to make a new hole in the wall since i may relocate it. I run just some plain clear hose a few feet down a wall to a pvc hose ******, which the pvc runs through a block wall. On the other side of the block wall are pavers so i run some 1/2 pvc down a few feet so the drain clears the pavers.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I installed a pill chord drain that is commonly used on trucks and rv's. cheap, works great, and I pull the string all the time.

Here is a video of mine.

Chris

 

[bams50]

Just remember to use strong materials. You don't want a fitting cracking and breaking off. This will only occur 15 minutes after you lock up the garage to leave for a week's vacation and forgot to turn off the compressor, letting the compressor run the whole time you're gone. Or until it blows up. Or burns up.

 

[KCarGuy]

I ran mine outside.
I use an Auto Drain setup, but a ball valve will work also.
The Drain plug was replaced with a 90 and a Hose adapter, then I made this setup.
Drilled a Hole in the wall behind the Compressor, slipped this through and used 4 Stainless Steel screws to hold it in place.
Connected it all up with a Good Quality Rubber Hose and its done!
No Mess...No Noise...No Build-up of Water!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

 

[c4cruiser]

Yes you can and you should
In fact you can put a 90 on the bottom with a piece of pipe to come out, install a ball or gate valve and then go to a smaller copper line that you can run through the wall (smaller hole) so when you drain it you are blowing the water outside

Bob

Or attach a short length of 1/4" rubber hose to the gate valve and use a bucket or plastic jug (gallon milk jug works) to collect the condensation.

 

[Basstracker34]

I copied post#17 in this link.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108890

Some say that galvanized will rust through and copper will not.

 

[LSU]

I'm ashamed that my upright compressor doesn't have a fancy floor stand like the two shown in ths thread do. I see a project coming.

 

[PCO6]

I extended my drain on the bottom of my compressor and it was a lot easier to use. The problem was that I only used it when I remembered to. I replaced it with an automatic drain. That was about 2 years ago and it's worked well so far.

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/8062622/Compressor-Components/Auto/Manual-Air-Tank-Drain

 

[TennesseeZ]

Here's how I did mine:
It's just a bushing in the tank, 1/2" street elbow, short ******, then 1/2" copper outside, the door closes fine, the seal seals, it works fine.

 

[mirrorimg]

Dont know if your thread size would be any different than mine Brian, but I would remove the existing valve and take it to the hardware store to make sure you get the right thread pitch/size for the hole.

I used some copper pipe instead of steel, and some rubber hose at the end of my valve to route the water into my backyard.

 

[Jim Stabe]

My compressor is up on a mezanine but the electrical box to turn it on is on the bottom floor. I extended the drain line with a flexible air hose to a copper pipe that goes down next to the switch where the valve is. Every time I turn it on I bleed the water out. I can also drain it after use with the same valve.