Air compressor drainage for the lazy and forgetful

[Unkel Kunkel]

I know - air compressors need the condensate draining off at intervals otherwise it accumulates and it results in rusting of the lower part of the air tank and this can lead to weakening, leaking and  … worst possible case -  the tank dramatically explodes.

Problem is, I forget .Also ,   the valve is awkward to reach; it’s fiddly to undo and when  released it sprays water into my palm and up my sleeve.

So, being lazy and forgetful , one of these automatic valves seemed an attractive gadget for me to try:

 

The tank drain valve is removed and replaced this - which is a solenoid- operated valve with  electronic timing that  allow choice of different intervals to ‘blow off’  and also set the duration of the opening in seconds and there is a ‘ test’  button. Closing the blue valve allows the end cap on the right can be removed and a stainless mesh filter can be removed for cleaning.

The little periodic  brief  releases blasts the moisture out.A hose to outside the garage or a better outlet than the one shown could be devised 

The power supply is taken from the compressor switch.

Advantages -        It works - really well.

Disadvantages -1.Fitting would be quicker  if the instructions that came with the one I bought had been supplied in a language other than  Chinese.( There are loads of other suppliers, though)

                            2. The ‘pssst ! ‘ air release  takes you by surprise first  few times.

                                      

 

 

Edited April 5 by Unkel Kunkel

[Colin Lindsay]

4 minutes ago, Unkel Kunkel said:

 2. The ‘pssst ! ‘ air release  takes you by surprise first  few times.

Not to mention when it freezes into solid ice whilst draining, so stops hissing... just until the cat goes over to explore then it goes bang again with an almighty hiss and the poor cat leaps up to the roof.

I must admit to forgetting to drain the compressor for a few days or so, and the water build-up is amazing. (Just ran out and drained it after this morning's work!)

 

[Pete Lewis]

when we had a jumbo compressor we added a air drier and an automatic water dump valve 

from our  truck fraternity  available from any truck factors 

Pete

 

[PeteH]

23 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

when we had a jumbo compressor we added a air drier and an automatic water dump valve 

from our  truck fraternity  available from any truck factors 

Pete

 

Ditto. Air braking system "autodrain`s". Truck brake air vessels fill with water at an amazing rate. I take the plugs out of my garage compressor every couple of years and put the endoscope in for a look see. (It must be due again, the last was during lockdown?)   Had to scrap one once. The guy was really "chuffed" `cos he`d coated the inside with anti corrosion paint, to stop it rusting, so thick I couldn`t examine it!. As result I couldn`t certify it, so the insurer wouldn`t cover liability. Later we had Ultrasonic thickness guages, which made life that much easier, despite the fact they had to be calibrated frequently. Gave some of the Traction Engine fraternity nightmares though, when they where told their boiler could only be used with pressure downgraded, unless they did substantial repair. Some fireboxes where frighteningly thinned.

Pete

[Stratton Jimmer]

Some of our diesel locomotives at the railway, with high pressure air systems, have "spitter" valves which automatically exhaust any fluid from the air tanks.

[Unkel Kunkel]

I, like many had not  really thought much about  ‘ pressure vessels’ , diy compressors and the importance of draining,  but on reflection, it is obvious that having air in a 100 litre cylinder compressed at 10 bar, if the tank were to rupture, the increase in volume of that air as the pressure reverts to atmospheric is going to be  large - and very sudden.

Edited April 6 by Unkel Kunkel

[PeteH]

Rupturing of (air) pressure vessels is extrememly rare. In the main they "pinhole" long before they become a hazard. The only one I had experience of in a 20year "career" was in an old railway workshop, when the safety valve had been "gagged" down and the Compressor pressure switch failed. The resultant effect was as a torpedo, it took out all the benches in it way and embeded in a Victorian double brick wall 100 yards from it`s station. No injuries, but lots of damage and the fall out went on for weeks. The insurer did cover in the end, and the prepetrator was never discovered.

Now Steam Boiler`s? That`s an all other ball game, and lives have been lost. One lady in Basingstoke, found an arm on her driveway and the explosion was over 3 miles away. 2 Men Died.

Pete

Edited April 7 by PeteH

[Unkel Kunkel]

 The gadget was chosen primarily to address my  forgetfulness and laziness.

The draining  of water has secondary gains in that it  removes water from the air supply and by reducing corrosion lessens the amount debris in the air supply to air tools and lengthens the working life of the pressure vessel of my compressor -  which is an expensive one to replace , whether it pin- holes or violently ruptures.

I don’ t know any figures relating to incidence of  such  events or morbidity/ mortality  data, but I  am sure Pete is quite correct in saying that they are rare.

This means that such bad events  probably fall   into the ‘ low risk ‘ / ‘ high hazard’  area

i.e. very unlikely, but when they do occur the consequences can be extremely serious.

Therefore , there  is case  for awareness and adoption of sensible reasonable precautions as good routine workshop practice 

- to  maintain those considerable good odds firmly in one’s favour!

 

Edited April 7 by Unkel Kunkel

[PeteH]

Generally speaking, drainage and or the manaagement of same, just comes down to good housekeeping, as necessary as collecting all the tools and keeping the bench/workshop clean clear, something that 99% of us are all guilty of neglecting to some extent. ( I know a couple of the "1%" but they have serious OCD)

Pete.

[Unkel Kunkel]

58 minutes ago, PeteH said:

Generally speaking, drainage and or the manaagement of same, just comes down to good housekeeping, as necessary as collecting all the tools and keeping the bench/workshop clean clear

I am ashamed to say there-in lies my problem, Pete!

[Colin Lindsay]

Neglecting to drain the compressor and turning the bluetooth speaker off every day are my two biggest failings. If a unit on standby uses a few pounds per year this thing has run for about four years without out ever being turned off, just the iPod is stopped and it goes to sleep by itself.