Leave compressor tank charged?
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mustangmccance
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this is not the best picture, and the setup is somewhat temporary as the area the compressors are in is going to be framed into a closet when I do the bathroom this summer but you can see the valves on the output from the tank. I then shut the switch off at the compressor so while it leaks down a little over a few days it only takes a minute or so to pump all the way up again.
After making this post last night I took a look at the compressors, sprayed a little wd40 on the joints and found a small leak where the pressure control valve was. I tightened it up a couple turns and so far at least over night there has been no drop in pressure time will tell if I got all the leaks stopped.
After making this post last night I took a look at the compressors, sprayed a little wd40 on the joints and found a small leak where the pressure control valve was. I tightened it up a couple turns and so far at least over night there has been no drop in pressure time will tell if I got all the leaks stopped.
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mustangmccance
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I don't understand the point of draining the lines. If you shut the air off at the tank with a ball valve, why do you need to drain the lines? mine do leak slightly so in a day or two they will be empty anyway I just wonder what is the reason.
Falcon67
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The ball valve idea on the output sounds great .. any pics?
I don't understand the point of draining the lines. If you shut the air off at the tank with a ball valve, why do you need to drain the lines? mine do leak slightly so in a day or two they will be empty anyway I just wonder what is the reason.
I don't have solid air lines, just a 50' rubber hose that does not need to be subjected to constant air pressure when not in use.
robertwhite
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I'll go against the grain and state that I have always drained my Craftsman 5hp/60gal tank after use. It only gets used about 1-2 times a week, so I can't see having condensated air built up inside the tank allowing rust to form. I just pull the blow off valve stub and then open the bottom petcock. A small amount of water ALWAYS comes out the bottom. Just always made sense to me to do it this way. Compressor is about 20 years old at this point and still works as new.
mustangmccance
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that makes sense.
I just did the same to both my compressors this week. then I put a piece of plastic tubing on the end that I can stick into a plastic jug and it works great for draining the tank. maybe now I will do a better job of keeping it drained.
Kind of a different but related question has anyone ever had a hose or something blow while their compressor was unattended and left on? I leave my compressor on 24/7 and have for years with no problems but I wonder what would happen if it blew and you were not there to shut it off. Obviously the compressor would run nonstop but how long would this go on before it seized up or burst in to flames or tripped a breaker or would it just run and run?
cyamaha2007
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^^^ One other man posted that his works compressor burnt up. My works compressor just ran and ran and ran. It was on about 18 hours we guess by the hour meter.
It happened at one of our shops in the company. we close at 7pm, by the time someone got there at 7am to open back up, the back was filled with smoke and the compressor was HOT. It still works but it doesnt sound the same and Im sure it only a matter of time before it kicks the bucket. We dont know when it bust by in that short amount of time it did that much damage. Compressors arent rated for 100% duty cycle,lol. I imagine if left on long enough it would trip the breaker after it siezed up, just hope that nothing is on fire by that point.
Gary300 - I would be afraid of breaking that long *** ****** off the bottom of the tank if it was mine, especially if that thing gets moved around at all. just something to consider when that tank is pressurized to 150psi. Id hate to see that thing come shooting off there like a rocket
Your tank doesn't just stay full of "condesated air". As soon as your tank cools to room temp, all the water ends up on the bottom of your tank. You only need to open the valve for a second or two in order to let all the water out, you don't need to let all the air out too.
Like I said above - I ALWAYS drain the water out of my compressors when I'm done (I'm sure every compressor manual will tell you to do this) but I do leave the tank mostly charged with air.
Should I wait for a while for my tank to cool before draining water? Usually just drain after using the compressor, prior to purging air out of the hose. In the short time I have been using my compressor, I have yet to see any water come out of the drain. The weather here has been dry though, no humidity or high temps (yet).
Maybe a minute or two. It won't take very long for the air in the tank to cool and condense, compared to the compressor on top. Also if you haven't used it that much, it shouldn't get that hot anyway.
Although you should *ALWAYS* drain your compressors, I don't think people need to be too worried about moisture. There's always going to be a few drops of water on the bottom of your tank. They usually have thicker metal on the bottom to account for this.
I have a little Porter Cable pancake compressor that I failed to drain for many many years. One day I took off the 1/2" intake port and looked inside with a little flashlight, and nearly had a heart attack seeing all the rust in that tank I was still using. Then I pressure tested it to about 330 PSI, expecting it to explode...but it didn't, so I still use it at 125.
logical
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It may be different for every tank but my 60 gal. Eaton is set up horizontal tank style and I have a 5 gallon pancake that does this same thing I've noticed. I normally leave it charged with the switch off and the ball valve at the output closed when not using. But at least for my set-up, a short opening of the bottom drain is not the most reliable way to get all the water out. If I have ignored it long enough to get a little moisture built up and then open the drain all the way I get a little water, then up to a minute of just air, then another blast of water. I think the rushing air overpowers the water and pushes it out of the way up to a certain air speed and then once the pressure is bled down some the water finds the valve. Unless you open that thing all the way up every so often and bleed it all the way down, there could be water in there that you don't realize.
Anyhow, so I crack it open a short blast daily when using and do a full drain more like weekly.
Who am I kidding?...I crack it open somewhere between 3 times a day and once every 4 days and I do a full drain at somewhere between 3 and 17 day intervals.
Anyhow, so I crack it open a short blast daily when using and do a full drain more like weekly.
Who am I kidding?...I crack it open somewhere between 3 times a day and once every 4 days and I do a full drain at somewhere between 3 and 17 day intervals.
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Iam a freak about turning off the breaker, on my compressor and lift ect, and never leave anything plugged in!! After seeing a friends battery charger on his dewalt melt and start a fire iam paranoid!! wait did i leave that light plugged in ....gotta go!!!!