Air Compressor Water Separator open all the time?

[Barry Lawrensen]

I run the MakerSpace in my school. A Hitachi Bebicon 3 HP air compressor is installed in the adjacent mechanical room with piping to the MakerSpace for air tools, spray booth, and the air assist on the Epilog laser. Recently, the water separator on the bottom of the compressor is open and hissing all the time. This isn't normal, is it? Granted, it is 90% humidity and 85 degrees in the room; but in the first few months, it didn't do this. It was professionally installed, with an additional water separator on the black pipe line above the compressor, and also on the quick connect at the spray booth.

Here's a short video.

I haven't had a permanently installed compressor before, so appreciating having this. But since it is "leaking" air all the time, the compressor runs a lot, and when I shut off overnight, it is empty in the morning because of this water separator valve being (stuck?) open. This is only 10 months of light usage, though the compressor runs regularly to keep pressure (and a LOT lately since this water separator seems to be broken).

Thanks for helping me learn!
Barry

[Bill Dufour]

Looks like it may have a float inside. Idea is the float gets wet and rises up to open the dump valve. Water is blown out of the bowl and the float inks sealing the dump valve on the bottom.
Or it good be a more simple manual valve either a rubber nipple that you bend sideways to open or a screw valve like a petcock.
Dry the tray it is blowing into and see if any water comes out. It looks like the bowl may be 1/4 full of water or just bad reflections.
My guess is a bit of rust or crud is preventing the valve from sealing all the way. Easy to clean. Turn pump off, drain all pressure, unscrew bowl and look at the valve seat. You may need to blast it clean with compressed air from another source or something like brake cleaner, wd40 etc in a spray can.
Bill D

[Barry Lawrensen]

Thanks, Bill, for your reply. Will try what you suggested.
<<Turn pump off, drain all pressure, unscrew bowl and look at the valve seat. You may need to blast it clean with compressed air from another source or something like brake cleaner, wd40 etc in a spray can.>>

Regards,
Barry

[Bill Dufour]

Just realized have you drained the tank so you know it has no water in it? There should be a drain valve somewhere on the bottom of the tank.
Bill D.

[Tom M King]

It needs a particulate filter before the water filter. Even so, those things don't last forever. You can take them apart several times, to clean them out, but they do have a short life if used much in humid air, and the compressor has any age on it. The best way is a particulate filter in front of a refrigerated dryer.

edited to add: they come in sizes according to the inlet, and outlet pipe sizes. Get a larger one than whatever the regulator size is.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Tom, I think you missed OP's question. It's the moisture drain at bottom of tank that's not closing, not a moisture separator.

[Tom M King]

Sorry, but thanks for the correction. I understood "water separator" as being a water filter. I replace those little butterfly valves (or whatever they're called) with a larger ball valve, even on the small compressors. Usually have to use a street elbow to get enough clearance.