Draining the compressor

[Robert Dunaway]

How often should I open the drain on my compressor and let the water out?

This is specifically for my little Porter Cable pancake. But I'm interested in knowing for compressors in general. I like air on demand, but I also don't want my tank to rust.

[Chris Szczygiel]

I always drain mine after I shut it down at the end of the day.

Even on small pancakes I've seen people thread in an elbow, a short piece of pipe and a valve. Not so much for ease of access to the drain but more for a place to allow water to collect below the tank.

[Von Bickley]

You can't drain one too much.... and you only need to open the drain for a couple of seconds.
I have seen automatic drain plugs on large industrial compressors that open every so many hours for a few seconds.

I would try to remember to drain mine at the end of the day if I was using it.

[Jon Lanier]

Do you run your compressor with the drain open:confused:

[Joe Chritz]

Every time before I spray and whenever I think of it between times.

I used a 1/2 pipe, 90 and ball valve so I can open it with my foot. It generates a surprising amount of water.

A good auto drain would fix it all together. I haven't used a good one so I don't have any recommendations. Being cheap at heart I just used a pipe and valve.

Joe

[Don Abele]

Robert, for my 4 gallon pancake, I open the valve for about a second or two at the end of the day when I'm done using it. When I put it away to store it, I completely drain the tank of air.

For my 60 gallon IR compressor in the shop, I have an auto drain valve made by Honeywell IIRC. It can be set for 1 to 45 minutes delay and 0.5 to 10 seconds duration. I have mine set to open for a 1/2 second every 45 minutes. My compressor is only energized when I'm in the shop. I open the breaker when I leave. So it only vents when I out there working. It's loud and takes a little getting used to. But it helps me keep track of time :D.

So you know, in the past I had a Cambell Hausfeld 13 gallon tank for about 6 years or so and never drained it or let the pressure out. It worked great the day I sold it. But I wouldn't recommend treating a tank that way.

Be well,

Doc

[Reed Wells]

Ha, When ever you see that more water than air is coming out.

[Rick Levine]

Robert,

Check out this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=81622&highlight=drain+valves

As you'll note I installed a HF valve and it is working fine for me but for a pancake it is probably overkill.

[Thomas Canfield]

WORD OF CAUTION FOR PANCAKE DRAINS - The drain connection is not on the bottom of the tank, and you must tip the tank to get out all the liquid (water & trash). Just hooking up a pipe and valve will end up allowing quite a bit of liquid to accumulate in the bottom of the tank before reaching the drain connection. I cut some tapered 2x material and installed under the base of my Porter Cable unit so that the drain connection is then on the bottom. I requested information Porter Cable to determine if there was any detrimental factors for the compressor, but never got a response. Being an oil-less unit there should not be any oil-level problem.

The pancake drains are really a poor design on most I have seen and one should be cautious.

[Robert Dunaway]

Thanks Thomas. I've never ever done that and, now that you mention it, it makes sense.

I'll make sure she gets all the water out tomorrow.

It is a crappy design, now that I think about it.