Drain your compressor at the end of the day?

martin_05 · Jan 19, 2017

Just got off a surreal phone call. I called my compressor manufacturer to question the leakage I am getting (120 to 90 PSI overnight with nothing connected at all). In addition to that, the compressor has an automatic condensate drain valve. I thought this was cool until the damn thing cycles every single time the compressor starts and has a timer with a maximum wait time of 45 minutes. Again, wasting compressed air unnecessarily.

What came back from the other end was "Well, sir the manual says you are supposed to completely drain the tank at the end of the day every day. That's what we recommend".

Once I picked my jaw off the floor I told him that my day job is at a company with dozens of very, very large compressors of all kinds spread all over the facility. There is no way anyone is going to drain them all. It's ludicrous. In fact, I've never seen that done in thirty years, anywhere. You'd probably get fired for it. I mean, it costs money to compress air!

So, here's are the questions:

How often do you drain condensate from your compressor?

What kind of air leakage do you see, whether a machine is connected or not?

Thanks,

-Martin

kobesko.chris · Jan 19, 2017

I drain mine daily just habit and improves the performance of my plasma cutter greatly

Sent from my LGL62VL using Tapatalk

sfriedberg · Jan 19, 2017

I drain mine daily. Lots of condensate comes out. Don't need a gallon of water in the tank rusting it up.

John Welden · Jan 19, 2017

Fuck no. Give me a break.

What brand?

Edster · Jan 19, 2017

I never drain mine. I have a kaeser auto drain on the wet tank and one is built into the dryer. They fill up with condensate then once they are full they drain only the condensate. No compressed air comes out the auto drain. No compressed are is wasted and they are quiet too.

Houndogforever · Jan 19, 2017

Wait, do you mean drain the fluid, or drain all pressure out of the tank?

Frederick Harvie · Jan 19, 2017

Mine came with a large label stating drain daily . Also it is a recommendation from the provincial department of labour compressor inspector that compressors be drained daily

kustomizingkid · Jan 19, 2017

Drained of air or water???

My last job had a slick setup, compressor was in the ceiling and they ran about 10' of 1/2" diameter hydraulic hose to a ball valve. Nice knowing the water would drain down the hose.

Bill D · Jan 19, 2017

I have an electric auto drain but it is wired to the motor supply. It gives a short burst each time the motor starts then every 45 minutes of continuous running it gives another burst. When the motor is not running no air loss.
I currently have no separate way to drain tank at end of day but it will have a max of 45 minutes of water build up inside.
Bill D.

Weirsdale George · Jan 19, 2017

I have a foot valve hooked up to the drain port placed on the floor right where I open up the main air valve -- at the beginning of the day, I just step on it for a few seconds till I hear air coming out. If I am spray painting or abrasive blasting, I'll step on the valve every time I pass the tank.

J-Head · Jan 19, 2017

On a compressor "drain daily" to me means drain the water off the bottom every day.

I have a 5 hp Champion Advantage series compressor that is about 3 years old now and you can leave the valve on for about 2-3 weeks without loosing enough pressure for the pump to kick on.

This compressor also came with a pneumatic operated auto drain that drains off the accumulated water in the tank every time the pump shuts off. Even when it is not that humid out water always comes out the auto drain hose at the end of each cycle. Based on this observation I don't think draining every cycle is overkill.

Jersey John · Jan 19, 2017

Well, I drain mine at the end of the day and certainly get some water out.

HTH

John :typing:

M.B. Naegle · Jan 19, 2017

Draining the condensation daily from the tank is normal. Draining everything out of the tank??? Someone doesn't know what they're talking about.

With south Texas humidity, we get lot's of condensation. So our's is set up so that all lines are elevated to let everything run back to the compressor tank and a surge tank. Both are equipped with auto drain's that go off for 2 seconds every 30 minutes. We have a Johnson Control refrigerated moisture collector too but it's got a leak and is off at the moment. To avoid leaks, we have ball valves to isolate every machine or bench when they are not in use (seems that most leaks develop in hoses, tools etc) and there's a moisture trap at every machine or bench. We shut off the compressor every night and with it the auto drains.

martin_05 · Jan 19, 2017

Houndogforever said:
Wait, do you mean drain the fluid, or drain all pressure out of the tank?

Drain all. That's what they said. I have never done this in my life.

martin_05 · Jan 19, 2017

Interesting comments. Yeah, they told me to drain the entire tank, air and condensate, at the end of the day.

I can see that in more humid regions it might be necessary to drain condensate far more frequently. I didn't think of that, Southern Cal spoiled I guess.

Another take-away is the idea of having the compressor elevated and a separate tank for condensate. I can see this being the "sacrificial" tank. Not sure how convenient it might be.

The more I read about Kaeser compressors and their technology the more I want to buy one.

SIP6A · Jan 19, 2017

When I was an apprentice I also acted as the plant maintenance man. One day the owner comes out of the office and ask me to go check on the three 25HP air compressors they were cycling on and off about every five minutes. Not really knowing what to look for I went over and just watched them run for a few minutes. Thought I could drain the water out of the tanks so at least it would look like I was doing something until I thought of something to do. Went and got a five gallon bucket and started to drain water out of the first one I took 11 five gallon pails out of that one compressor. It must have been so full it effectively had a couple gallon received. Once the water was drained out the compressor cycled like it was supposed to.
After this I plumbed the compressors so they could be blown down outside. After that it was my job to blow them down once a week.

alskdjfhg · Jan 19, 2017

I'm kinda paranoid about draining them, I do the whole tank.

Had to change 3 out of 4 air tanks on a truck one time, due to water eating through the tanks. Dont think they had ever been drained.

Costs money to compress air, but neglect also can damadge the compressor and reduce efficiency, that costs money too.

IronReb · Jan 19, 2017

The compressor we use is about 20 years old. It gets drained any were from once a week to maybe twice a month when we remember to think about it. Who ever set this shop up made use of the overhead crane columns, there are six on each side of the shop made from 10" pipe. Each one is piped into our air system so there is a lot of area to displace the water. Takes a while to pressure up our system but once there, boy does it take a lot to bleed it down.

rons · Jan 19, 2017

martin_05 said:
Just got off a surreal phone call. I called my compressor manufacturer to question the leakage I am getting (120 to 90 PSI overnight with nothing connected at all).

So, here's are the questions:

How often do you drain condensate from your compressor?

What kind of air leakage do you see, whether a machine is connected or not?

You have a leak, no question about that. Find out where it is. I still have a small leak in my system
if I leave the main valve open, about 2-5psi overnight. I just close the main valve at the tank and
that is good enough for the moment.

Draining depends on how much air is moving through the system. I have a short length of brass pipe
at the drain so that the tank does not store water, it's in the 12" pipe. I also coated the tank with
industrial primer when I rebuilt the system, no rust at all after more than 10 years.

Maybe you should describe what system you are using and give a link to the manual.

Lakeside53 · Jan 19, 2017

Mine is at startup and for 2 seconds ever hour (auto timed a valve). There is NO value in draining all the air. My air is "dried" by the auto discharge and doesn't eat the tank any quicker charged or at atmospheric pressure. The discharge air volume is insignificant.

Yes, fix the leak.

Drain your compressor at the end of the day?

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