Do you leave your compressor pressurized?

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  • Norm in Fujino
    replied
    Originally posted by Ed62
    I drain mine after using for the day. The petcock stays open until I'm ready to use it again.

    FWIW, my neighbor, whose opinion I have a great respect for, doesn't drain his. But I think leaving the tank with water in it, invites problems.

    Ed
    I agree, especially here in Japan's humid clime. I neglected to depressurize mine for one day and the next time a lot of rusty water came out. I leave my valve open when not in use.

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  • eezlock
    replied
    do you leave your compressor pressurized?

    Yes, I have an 80 gallon horizontal tank with a cast iron pump (twin cylinder).
    It stays on line all the time, basically, in severe cold weather I may and do sometimes turn it off, if I'm not going to use it for a few days. This is an old
    60 year old service station compressor that is outside under a slant roof
    exposed to the weather and never gives any trouble. I had to replace the electric motor a few years back...but no big deal, this thing runs very quietly
    for a large old compressor. We could stand right beside it while running and it won't make enough noise to interrupt our conversation. I usually drain the condensation from the tank about once a week...never much to worry with
    maybe a half a cup of water and that is it!

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  • PhilofKayDu
    replied
    Cochese, When I had to replase my air comp., I went for the HF 3HP 10 gl. I love those sells and coupons. C'man, thanks for the info. I don't think Shopnotes or Wood mags. ever explained it any better. Phil

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  • cabinetman
    replied
    The short answer is that I've had/have compressor tanks that never failed. One is still working fine after 35 years.

    Under ideal humid conditions compressor tanks, and airlines can become moisture collectors and transmitters. The principle is simple. Humidity is a level of moisture in the air. When a compressor is running, it takes in the air to compress it into the tank.

    In addition to that, in the compression of the air the air gets heated, which in turn will develop moisture. Some of that moist air will collect on the walls of the tank and some will stay in suspension for a short period and collect at the lowest point, which will be the bottom of the tank.

    Draining and drying out the tank is only effective until the next time the tank is filled, moisture will gather. The problem is to remove or control how much of that moisture gets passed out to the airline, and eventually to the air tool.

    The moist air in suspension can exit the tank when an air hose is used. Now, we have a new source of collection...the air hose. Besides the hose carrying the moist compressed air, the movement of that air through the hose will develop its own source of warmth just by the friction of the movement and create moisture. What moisture doesn't get transferred to the hose will collect in the tank.

    So, now you can see that there is a never ending source of moisture being utilized and created. How can moisture be controlled? There are a few remedies. An air dryer can be used which cools the air, and the water can be extracted, so you wind up with cool dry air. Dryers can be very expensive and usually wouldn't be part of a homeowners set-up. Very few professional shops on a small scale don't budget for driers.

    An alternative method is to create a path for the air which allows for the collection and extraction of the water with a run of airline long enough to provide some cooling. For small shop conditions just installing a filter at the tank that handles the airline can be very ineffective. The fact that it's close to the air pressure, hot moist air can get blown past the filter. The air is warm at that location, and gets moved on along the air line.

    The fix is to come off the tank with an airline, and have it placed at an incline, with a drain tap along the way. At the end of the airline, mount a filter and a regulator. It also will have its own drain tap. Then from there, have your working line to the air tool, whether it being a spray gun, fastener, sander, drill, etc. To maximize collecting the air, install on the tool, a disposable filter (could also install a small regulator). There are shapes to those filters that can be convenient to the tool. Some are bulb shaped, some are tube shaped, and they thread right on the tool, just like a QD fitting.

    If you don't have the room for an elaborate layout system, fitting up a small compressor with an effective use of space can be helpful. This thread discusses how to configure a small space for a compressor, and a drawing which explains how to layout airlines with drain taps.
    .

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  • Cochese
    replied
    Nice topic. I was considering picking up the HF 2HP 8gal hot dog compressor this weekend. As I have no permanent power, I'll most likely be draining every time I use it.

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  • PhilofKayDu
    replied
    Originally posted by Relative
    Therein seems to be the key. Just how do you make some sort of effort to treat the inside of the tank to prevent corrosion? Is it even possible to access it somehow and create a fog of something like Rustoleum to coat the inside and at least slow down the process?

    Ideas?

    Mike
    I have wondered about this same topic. Would someone please explain? And how long does the average portable air compressor last? Phil

    Leave a comment:


  • Relative
    replied
    Originally posted by cwsmith
    The inside of the tank is not treated to prevent corrosion and I guarantee you that you do NOT want to be around should your tank ever rupture.
    CWS
    Therein seems to be the key. Just how do you make some sort of effort to treat the inside of the tank to prevent corrosion? Is it even possible to access it somehow and create a fog of something like Rustoleum to coat the inside and at least slow down the process?

    Ideas?

    Mike

    Leave a comment:


  • chopnhack
    replied
    After I am done with mine I drain it. I don't like the idea of leaving that much moisture inside for too long.

    Leave a comment:


  • bing!
    replied
    I drained mine today and will do so everyday. Like you guys say, it's a small tank anyway. Thanks again! /bing

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  • jdon
    replied
    Anybody have suggestions about how to dry out (and keep dry) the tank after draining?

    I always seem to get condensate in my compressor (HF 8 gal), so always relieve pressure by opening the drain petcock. However, the tank interior never seems to dry out (even leaving the drain valve open between uses). I'm afraid that with a moist interior, corrosion is going on even though I've drained as much water as I can. Maybe a heating cable wrapped around the tank exterior to promote evaporation???

    Leave a comment:


  • cwsmith
    replied
    I've spent most of my life in the employ of a compressor manufacturer. As DBHost stated, the compression of air will cause any moisture to condensate (fall out) in the tank. If left in the tank, it will cause corrosion and the chances of a tank leak or burst is increased... increasingly so as the unit ages.

    I have two compressors... the small one only takes a minute or so to charge so I open the drain valve after each daily use and let the discharge blow out any moisture. I then leave the tank drain open, until I need to use it again.

    On my larger 33-gallon, it takes some time to fill fully pressurize that tank. So, there I don't blow off the pressure every day. But, I do open the drain valve after each daily use to drain off any condensate. I then shut the valve and keep the remaining pressure.

    Again, it is absolutely essential that you ensure that no condensate is left in the tank for any period of time. The inside of the tank is not treated to prevent corrosion and I guarantee you that you do NOT want to be around should your tank ever rupture. Usually such tanks only leak, but "ruptures" do happen and you don't want to be there. Keep the tank drained, for a small 4-1/2 gallon receiver, it should fully pressurize within very few minutes.

    CWS

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  • SHADOWFOX
    replied
    I only have a PC pancake compressor so I drain it when not in use and unit is left unplug unless I am using it.

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  • cabinetman
    replied
    I leave the tank pressurized. My air system is set up similar to this layout. I only have a ball valve at the output from the tank (mine is a vertical). The regulator and filters are piped a distance away.

    When I'm done for the day, I shut off the air valve and turn off the power to the motor. The tank doesn't leak, so it will hold the air. As for draining, I may have to do that daily depending on the humidity. I do that with pressure in the tank to help blow out the gunge at the bottom if any.

    If the water is allowed to build up, it will reduce the volumetric capacity of the tank.
    .

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  • sweensdv
    replied
    Other than an occasional emptying for maintenance purposes I always leave my compressor's tank full of air. I do shut off the power switch and back the pressure regulator back down to zero but I also found emptying the tank all the time to be just a big pain. The reason I set the pressure regulator back to zero is that the quick connects would leak and drain the tank in a day or two and this eliminates that from happening.

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  • pecker
    replied
    I don't drain mine daily, as it would be a real nuisance to wait 5 minutes for it to charge back up just to blow a little dust off something.
    Even draining it once a month only produces about 1/4 cup of water.

    To keep the connected lines from bleeding down the air tank when not in use, I removed the quick disconnect right at the output of the regulator, and inserted a ball valve. When I'm done for the day, I close the valve and it maintains the charge in the tank.

    Mine's a portable, but not real portable

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