Menards Ultra Quiet Air Compressor

[Dave Fritz]

I've been having issues with tractor tires and the little portable compressor I have just isn't doing the job. I had a California Air Compressor 20 gal and liked it until the windings went bad in the motor. I wasn't going to get another but my wife reminded me of the noise my old Ingersoll Rand 20 gal. compressor made. I'd forget to turn it off and it would come on in the night and since I can't hear, it was no problem. Not so with her. Anyway I purchased this from Menards: https://www.menards.com/main/p-15360...gn=Masterforce They have there 11% off, which means we have a gift certificate to shop in their store for $44 worth of stuff.

I've always modified the drain because as you can see it's smack dab in the middle, which makes sense unless you 80 years old with arthritis. air tank.jpg

What would you suggest? I've seen auto drain systems but have no experience with them. In the past I've just removed the drain, installed an elbow and a hose and put the drain plug on the end of that. It's difficult figuring out the size wrench needed. It appears to be between 1/2 and 9/16ths.

[Ronald Blue]

Get a 90 street el and go to the farm store and get a hydraulic hose with the same size male pipe threads. Either grab a pipe coupler or get a ball valve with female threads to screw on the end of the hose. 15 or 18 inches long should be sufficient length. You also could use a piece of pipe similar length and operate with your foot if you go with the ball valve as well.

[Bill Dufour]

Street el and I used pex to a ball valve. Try that first and add an auto drain onto the longer pipe if needed
Bill D.

[Dave Fritz]

Thank you for those suggestions. I'm using the compressor now making sure it's ok before I mess with it. I guess I'll have to use a pipe wrench to the original off. I've read about people breaking off the valve leaving some of the threads still in the opening. I sure would hate to have that happen.

[Edward Weber]

It appears to be between 1/2 and 9/16ths.

Probably 14mm
That being said, you'll need to make sure what standard of plumbing threads are there.


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[Paul F Franklin]

Dave,

So how quiet is it? (Maybe ask your wife! )

[Myles Moran]

I'd be surprised if the threads weren't 1/4" NPT, but I could be wrong.

When I pulled the old drain valves off my compressor to replace with ball valves, the proper size wrench (yes I checked both my SAE and metric sizes) ended up rounding off the flats before the valve would loosen. A 10" pipe wrench made quick work of actually getting the valves out because of it's self tightening geometry.

[Edward Weber]

I'd be surprised if the threads weren't 1/4" NPT, but I could be wrong.

When I pulled the old drain valves off my compressor to replace with ball valves, the proper size wrench (yes I checked both my SAE and metric sizes) ended up rounding off the flats before the valve would loosen. A 10" pipe wrench made quick work of actually getting the valves out because of it's self tightening geometry.

They probably are 1/4" but when you come accross a metric fitting or odd size, it's always good to check with a "known" fitting.

[Curt Harms]

I did like others and added a 1/4" NPT street ell, 12" nipple and ball valve. I was able to position things so they were pretty protected but reachable. In my mind adding a pipe extensions leaves a place for water to sit besides in the tank. Nipples are easy to replace if needed, air compressor tanks less so.