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Air Compressor drain valve

Bart Leetch

Bart Leetch

Member
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3,206
Location
Clinton, Washington on Whidbey Island
After reading a post on another forum :eek: last night I went out & drained my air tank & removed the drain valve & reducer & installed the a ball valve that fits the threaded hole in the tank.

I pumped up the 50 gallon tank to 120#. Then I opened the valve you can just about guess what happened. There was a 3 gallon shop vac the old metal can style vacuum & a full faced clear mask for turning wrapped up on top of it about 2' from the bottom of the compressor. Well the vacuum ended up about 6' away & the mask was about 18' away & the valve was frosted over. :rofl: :thumb: I am happy to announce there is now no water in the bottom of my air tank. The opening on the valve is around 3/4"-1". I just crack the valve & let her rip. What a difference...WOW.
 

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Yes. Ball valves are great. Did that to mine several years ago.
Also put a hose on it to direct the water.
Those old petcock valves are a pita.
 
[size=+1]A couple years ago, I found an I-R automatic drain valve for mine on Ebay. Think I only paid about $25.00 for it at the time - they retail for well over $100. Anyway, it has a timer on it, and drains the tank for one second about every hour, whenever the compressor is turned on. Works great. One caveat, though: when the shop is quiet, and you're just relaxinf or working with hand tools, that one second blast of air can be quite starteling.

Anyway, if you can find one on Ebay or wherever, I highly recommend it.[/size]
 
thanks bart

ya got another good idea to spread around i got a in the works pressor that will have such a contraption on it now. like steve said the other ones arent fun.
 
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Hi Jim, Could we see a pic or two of that valve. I'm interested in how you have it arranged.

Thanks in advance

..........:) ..........

Jim DeLaney said:
[SIZE=+1]A couple years ago, I found an I-R automatic drain valve for mine on Ebay. Think I only paid about $25.00 for it at the time - they retail for well over $100. Anyway, it has a timer on it, and drains the tank for one second about every hour, whenever the compressor is turned on. Works great. One caveat, though: when the shop is quiet, and you're just relaxinf or working with hand tools, that one second blast of air can be quite starteling.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1]Anyway, if you can find one on Ebay or wherever, I highly recommend it.[/SIZE]
Click to expand...
 
Bart Leetch said:
.....After reading a post on another forum :eek: last night I went out & drained my air tank & removed the drain valve & reducer & installed the a ball valve that fits the threaded hole in the tank.
Click to expand...

Bart: Sometimes, pictures can be deceiving?? Your valve does not look like it is at the bottom of the tank and allow for total draining of the tank?? How do make sure that all of the moisture is expelled??
 
Randy Meijer said:

Bart: Sometimes, pictures can be deceiving?? Your valve does not look like it is at the bottom of the tank and allow for total draining of the tank?? How do make sure that all of the moisture is expelled??
Click to expand...


Randy the valve isn't right at the bottom of the tank because the tank is a hot water tank & the bottom is convex but I checked & all the water is removed when I empty the tank through that approximately 3/4"-1" hole in less than about 5 seconds.
 

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[size=+1]Boyd,
Here are the pix of the I-R automatic drain I have installed on my compressor:[/size]

Drain1.JPG
[P]
Drain2.JPG
[P]
Drain3.JPG
[P]
 
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