Air compressor tank auto drain

[Darrell Bade]

Replacing my compressor because of a pin hole link in the tank. Many on here state using an auto drain in the tank. My Google searches have provided sketchy results, how does it work and where do I get one?

Thanks.

[Bruce Page]

I installed an IR automatic drain valve (ADV) in 2005 when I bought a new IR compressor. I can set both the cycle frequency and duration by turning 2 small knobs. I wired an on/off power switch and only cycle it when I’m working in the shop. (Our climate (NM) is relatively dry). I bought the IR ADV off of eBay in ’05 but they are available online. Installation was straight forward.

My setup: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....nally-some-air!

Some Amazon links: https://www.amazon.com/auto-drain-ai...air+compressor

[Bill Dufour]

I wired mine so it only runs when the compressor motor is running. It gives a little puff on every startup and I believe it vents after every 15 consecutive minutes. I should have a push button and drain it after the tank cools.
The float type have to gravity drain from the tank into the valve body. So the tank has to be several inches off the floor.
Both types can blow the water uphill and out over 200 feet of vertical climb or more.
Bill D

[Tom M King]

I never had good luck with them lasting, and switched to using good ball valves on all of them except the one on a refrigerated dryer. I don't remember what year I bought that Speedaire refrigerated dryer off CL, but I bought the rebuild kit for it. The rebuild kit included an automatic drain, so I swapped them. That thing still works, and I've never touched it since putting it on. I do have a big industrial filter between the compressor tank and the dryer that I change the filter in every few years when I think about it, so that might matter.

[Jim Becker]

The one I had in my previous shop was an IR unit I found on sale. The one I have now was a Husky branded (and nearly identical) unit I got at the Orange Borg...on sale.

[Roger Feeley]

I got one from harbor freight at least 15 years ago and it still works (I think). I hear a little puff when it starts up and shuts down. It was a bit of a pain to install. My compressor is a 26 gallon vertical tank and the ground clearance was too tight. So I had to mess around to raise the tank.

[Cary Falk]

I installed the HF on less than a year ago. It stopped working about a month ago. I displaced one of the internal o-rings. I took it apart and fixed it but am not confident that it is going to last. It looks like they are discontinuing them.

[Darrell Bade]

Guess my Google search wasn't terrible, it brought up a lot of the electronic ones. I had not seen them before, I thought the float type was all there was. Float type makes more sense to me. The one link Bruce listed had one on that page.

[David Buchhauser]

I use a small valve like the ones used on evap cooler water lines, then just leave it cracked open a slight amount with a pan underneath. It is a very small leak, but when it gets humid any moisture in the bottom of the tank drains into the pan and evaporates. I'm not a big fan of the auto drains with timers. I like to keep it simple.

If you look closely between the legs of the belt sander you can see the drain pan (an old pie tin) next to the bottom of the compressor. My compressor came with a drain valve located at the bottom of the tank, but I removed the valve and installed a 90 degree fitting with a short length of pipe which protrudes out beyond the tank for easy access.

David

compressor.jpgdrain pan.jpgdrain pan 1.jpg

[Tom M King]

I did the same piping the drain out to where it can easily be accessed. That's the first thing I do with one. I changed the valve to a good quality ball valve though that's easy to operate.

[Steven O Smith]

I made one using a time delay relay (mechanical) I found at the scrap yard and a solenoid valve. The relay stays on for a second (or whatever I have it set to) whenever power is applied to the motor.

[Keith Outten]

Darrell,

You had a pin hole in your tank and it didn't explode...your very lucky.

Years ago a 20 gallon air compressor blew up and totally destroyed a one car garage here in the county where I live. The owner had just left his shop and went inside for lunch. It blew all four walls out and the roof dropped straight to the ground.

Based on that accident and a few more we did a comprehensive non-destructive testing program at NASA Langley that included every high pressure vessel from huge air compressor stations and massive bottle fields to very small portable compressors. We kept very busy for several years replacing and repairing what we found from our inspection program.

I have been seriously considering purchasing an Ultrasonic Testing instrument to test my shop compressors and possibly do some free inspection for people in my area just because the danger of an exploding tank is a very serious event.

For all of you who have installed an auto-drain feature on your shop compressors, you did good!

[Jerome Stanek]

Darrell,

You had a pin hole in your tank and it didn't explode...your very lucky.

Years ago a 20 gallon air compressor blew up and totally destroyed a one car garage here in the county where I live. The owner had just left his shop and went inside for lunch. It blew all four walls out and the roof dropped straight to the ground.

Based on that accident and a few more we did a comprehensive non-destructive testing program at NASA Langley that included every high pressure vessel from huge air compressor stations and massive bottle fields to very small portable compressors. We kept very busy for several years replacing and repairing what we found from our inspection program.

I have been seriously considering purchasing an Ultrasonic Testing instrument to test my shop compressors and possibly do some free inspection for people in my area just because the danger of an exploding tank is a very serious event.

For all of you who have installed an auto-drain feature on your shop compressors, you did good!

My last compressor got a pin hole leak in the bottom and didn't blow up. Also 2 of the compressors at work got pin hole leaks and they didn't blow up

[mike calabrese]

Pin hole leaks are a result of corrosion mot likely. Corrosion in a compressor tank is dangerous. Think of it this way, it is like seeing a mouse in your house. If you see one you can bet your neck there are more. Check out compressor failures on youtube they are extremely powerful and potentially deadly.
be careful........
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...r+tank+failure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2LbTHfU5fQ
calabrese55

[Chris Parks]

A good way to minimise tank corrosion is to remove the drain valve and add a high pressure line in its place and then put the drain valve at the end of that line. set the compressor on a slight angle and the condensate should collect in the extended line instead of the tank.