Where do you drain your air tanks?

[StaggeringGoat]

I have several smaller compressors that I use all hooked together and that means 5 tanks to drain. It wouldn't be cost effective to put an automatic drain on each one and pipe that somewhere.

The problem is when I let the water out of my tanks, I get a nice rusty puddle on my floor. I can't exactly put a bucket under it because the air pressure blows the water everywhere.

There must be some way to acomplish this task without making a mess on the floor. Anyone? Running a drain line outside for each tank just isn't feaseable....

 

[machine_punk]

I suppose you could put some sort of oil drip tray down...maybe a big scotch pad to keep it from blasting all over? I guess I just decided to live the with rust stain on the floor.

 

[buzz4041]

I got a valve piped out on mine and I wrap a towel around it so it soaks up the water. I just crack the valve a little and let the tank drain down. I do the same rag trick to all of my blow downs and main filters and air/filter regulators at each drop. My floor is epoxy so no stain

 

[dennis111]

Since my compressor drain is very close to the floor, I use the wife's disguarded cookie sheets.

 

[HAP]

I've got mine tied to my sink drain. I made a 45* nozzle that is inserted to promote flow away from the sink. The sink simply drains out onto the grass. I also have a solenoid that is actuated by a mommentary button. So I just press the button intill there is no more visible moisture coming through the nylon drain line.

HAP

 

[930dreamer]

I have a piece of rubber line fed into a gallon container.

 

[1948]

make up a drain rail out of some steel tube and an NPT die. all into one drain to the outside, easy access. since they are tied together anyway.

 

[1ownerT]

Since my compressor drain is very close to the floor, I use the wife's disguarded cookie sheets.

I do the same (discarded), also barely cracking the valve open.

 

[Shadowdog500]

+1 on a cookie sheet!

 

[JCQuick]

mine is next to the door so I have a hose on the drain and it sticks out the bottom of the garage door

 

[Chris Adams]

I have a cheap plastic tray, about 1.5 inches deep.
The sudden blast of air when my auto drain opens shifted it a couple times.

So I tossed some lead tire weights in the bottom, now it stays put. A few drops spray around it, but nothing worth worrying about.
It's all hidden under the tank bottom skirt anyway.

 

[fr0mastaj]

My drain valve setup is pretty close to the floor, so I just put a folded up shop rag directly underneath it. It absorbs all of the rusty water and nothing splashes around either - nice and clean concrete.

 

[KCarGuy]

I have an Autodrain system that Has a Hose attached to it and goes outside behind my garage.
Every 30 minutes it opens up and blasts for 5 seconds.
Might scare a stray cat or 2 in the middle of the night...

 

[paranoid56]

i just put a hose on it with a ball valve. makes it easy to drain to outside. also keeps the water out of the tank and in the hose.

 

[PassnThru]

Since my compressor drain is very close to the floor, I use the wife's disguarded cookie sheets.

I do the same (discarded), also barely cracking the valve open.

I like to think he meant unguarded cookie sheets....

 

[ptschram]

Mine dumps into a gatorade bottle.

 

[darkzero]

i just put a hose on it with a ball valve. makes it easy to drain to outside. also keeps the water out of the tank and in the hose.

+1

The ball valve makes it so much easier than having to reach under the tank.

With my old 20 gal compressor it didn't sit close to the door & the drain was close to the ground. I just used an old oven pan under it with an old shirt/rag in it. Open the valve & it drain right into the pan & the rag caught everything, no spraying onto the concrete.

 

[66RICH]

I purge it out the back wall.

 

[rlitman]

When I read the thread title, the first thing that came to mind was:
Out the bottom.

But seriously, my compressor is in my garage loft. I have a long ****** in the bottom of the tank, a ball valve at the other end, with a drain valve under that. I then have a hose hanging from the drain valve, and I drain the water into a jar every few days.
Usually it's just a tablespoon or two, and the idea with the long pipe ******, is the water sits in there, and not in the tank.

I use the drain valve, because I can adjust the opening so I don't get a blast when I open the ball valve.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

Since my compressor drain is very close to the floor, I use the wife's disguarded KOTEX.

 

[dennis111]

Originally Posted by dennis111
Since my compressor drain is very close to the floor, I use the wife's disguarded KOTEX.

Shhhhhhhhh------you're giving away my secret.

 

[Jawn]

Mine's a portable compressor with the vent-out-the-middle type of drain ****, so I just grab an already-cruddy shop rag when I reach down to open it... keeps rusty, oily, cold water off my hand and keeps the landlord's floor clean-ish.

 

[Steevo]

I drain into a jug, using a hose. Then I pour it out under my neighbors car in his driveway. He's been looking for that leak for a year now.