Water in Compressed Air, Why Now?

[cavalry]

I consider my compressed air setup pretty decent but suddenly am having issues. Any large consumer is releasing water vapor at rate that is unacceptable. This setup has been in service for 10+ years so I am typically fluent in its abilities and fully understand that hot air holds water vapor which is undesirable.
Intake for the compressor is in the shop which is kept at 50% humidity year round, I have not had issues in the winter nor have I had issues in previous humid summers.
Compressed air leaves the compressor and before going to the 80 gallon reservoir goes through an after cooler. Auto tank drain is working correctly, there is no liquid water in the tank. I have a IR fa75ig 1 micron filter before my refrigerated air dryer, and another fa75ig .01 micron filter after the dryer, both of which are dry and indicating good filter. The dryer would certainly take care of the moisture issues but it is expensive to run so I operate only for critical applications, I run a bypass on the dryer when not in use so the air is still filtered but not going through the dryer. Like I mentioned, I have never had moisture problems before like this so I am not sure what has changed other than the weather which should not be a factor.
Any ideas?

 

[Beerhippie]

.

 

[WWheeler]

Every compressor of mine has always an abnormally high level of water on occasions. They seem to coincide with times of prolonged high humidity and/or wide temperature changes, and longer periods with it on not being used or right after starting it up after having it off at 0 pressure it had to rebuild. I think that sums up the times, but it's hard to narrow down exactly when and what the cause my be for that variation. I can use it almost daily opening the drain and my water separators and getting almost nothing for weeks, even months on end, and then next thing I know my tank drain is making a river and my separator's are getting full in no time.

 

[Beerhippie]

The only time this has happened to me was this spring when the refrigerated dryer broke down during a heat wave. Water spraying from tools is not good.

 

[MacMcMacmac]

Auto drain in the dryer working OK?

 

[cavalry]

Auto drain in the dryer working OK?

If I turn the dryer on it works well. I typically bypass the dryer due to costs and never having this issue before. I'm going to have to **** it up until this is remedied.

 

[MacMcMacmac]

I'm not far from you geographically, and I can tell you the humidex this year has been crazy. It would not surprise me if it was just a matter of exceptional operating conditions giving you grief, all other things being equal.

 

[Beerhippie]

I'm not far from you geographically, and I can tell you the humidex this year has been crazy. It would not surprise me if it was just a matter of exceptional operating conditions giving you grief, all other things being equal.

And 50% is hardly low humidity--especially when it's hot.

 

[cavalry]

And 50% is hardly low humidity--especially when it's hot.

I find 50% pretty decent as bare steel does not readily rust. The shop is very rarely above 70F even with no AC running. I keep it around 65 in the summer when working and 60 in the winter.

 

[RTM]

And 50% is hardly low humidity--especially when it's hot.

The 92% we’ve had lately makes even 57° miserable. afraid to fire up the air compressor, I’d have a tank full of water by the end of the day.

 

[Beerhippie]

I find 50% pretty decent as bare steel does not readily rust. The shop is very rarely above 70F even with no AC running. I keep it around 65 in the summer when working and 60 in the winter.

I guess I'm spoiled by our semi-arid 20-40%. It can get up to near 100% right after a thunderstorm, but that rarely lasts for more than an hour or so.

 

[drmarkr]

It's 7% at this moment here in Tucson. It can be actively raining and still only 60% humidity here, lol.

 

[Beerhippie]

It's 7% at this moment here in Tucson. It can be actively raining and still only 60% humidity here, lol.

Yep. I spent two seasons (spring-fall) at Grand Canyon, working on the rim and hiking in the canyon. Single-digit humidity can get scary, especially up in the woods on the rim.