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DougG 
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Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Location: Mo
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 Topic: Keeping water out of air compressors
Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 8:38am |
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Got an 80 gallon compressor ; is there any way to keep condensation / water from building up inside ?
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Thad in AR.
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Arkansas
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 8:52am |
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Drain it daily.
A proper air Lind with drops along a wall helps keep it out of tools as well.
My neighbor has some sort of electric automatic drain on his. It drains every morning.
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Tbone95
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Joined: 31 Aug 2012
Location: Michigan
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 8:53am |
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No, but there are ways to remove it, even automatically. Need a blow down valve/ drain. You can buy them that operate on a float and blow down automatically but it’s pricey and more for places that use a lot of air, near continuous or very frequently.
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Coke-in-MN
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Location: Afton MN
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 10:53am |
Condensation of water in compressed air is a daily occurrence - How to prevent it down line from compressor is draining receiver often when in use . A refrigerant drier is used in industry to remove moisture , There are automatic dump valves with float internally that drain condensate , or like on trucks where a filter and dump valve work by air pressure when compressor starts and stops . http://www.wilkersoncorp.com/catalog/9cw-yb-241.pdf
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
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Boss Man
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Joined: 03 Mar 2018
Location: Greenleaf, WI
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 11:16am |
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I had a timed dump valve on my compressor when I had my repair shop. The more humid the air is the more condensation you will have when you compress it. You cant remove water from hot air so drip legs and moisture traps need to be added down line of the compressor.
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jaybmiller
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Location: Greensville,Ont
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 11:30am |
An 'intercooler' installed between compressor head and tank will get rid of most of it. On my 'todo' list. Have a Chevy air conditioning 'rad' ( 3/8" tubing) and fan ,just need the stores to be OPEN to grab some fittings and such..... There's LOTS of homebre designs on Google...
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Tbone95
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Location: Michigan
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 11:57am |
 jaybmiller wrote:
An 'intercooler' installed between compressor head and tank will get rid of most of it. On my 'todo' list. Have a Chevy air conditioning 'rad' ( 3/8" tubing) and fan ,just need the stores to be OPEN to grab some fittings and such..... There's LOTS of homebre designs on Google...
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So then you still need to drain the intercooler.
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DougG
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Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Location: Mo
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 3:26pm |
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Thanks guys,, seems just turning the drain cock is the way to go
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Clay
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Udall, Kansas
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 4:31pm |
Install a street L and pipe to a ball valve. Sure makes it fast and easy to blow down condensate from the tank.
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DMiller
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Location: Hermann, Mo
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 5:49pm |
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Have that set up on both of mine, then added High mounted feeder tubing to areas of my shop, drain legs with valves at each to drain any moved into the lines. Have a water separator I place inline to coalesce and drain water when use spray equipment for paint.
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 03 Jul 2021 at 7:36pm |
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yes, you need to drain the intercooler but then the air going INTO the tank is cool and dry.
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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HD6GTOM
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Posted: 04 Jul 2021 at 3:23pm |
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In the tire shop we had foot operated drain valves on our compressors. Simply walk buy, step in the lever and the water drained out. Compressor in the main building was beside the drain. Compressor in the back shop drained out on a sloaping floor. Floor slopes to the outside of the building.
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john(MI)
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Posted: 05 Jul 2021 at 12:53am |
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I been contemplating this question. The only way I can think of would be to connect the hose to the compressor itself, and not use a tank. Then you could install a couple of drier type devices in the hose coming from the compressor head. Probably wouldn't have much air pressure but it would resolve your problem.
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Steve in NJ
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Posted: 05 Jul 2021 at 7:01am |
A simple ball valve at the bottom of the tank works great. I have a 90 degree fitting with a ball valve screwed into that. In the summer, you need to drain the air compressor daily because of the warm weather. An inline dryer filter down stream will help protect the air tools from getting moisture in them. Some have a drain cock on the bottom to drain those as well. There are quite a few ways to run your piping to help with condensation. HTH Steve@B&B
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39'RC, 43'WC, 48'B, 49'G, 50'WF, 65 Big 10, 67'B-110, 75'716H, 2-620's, & a Motorhead wife
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Alberta Phil
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Posted: 05 Jul 2021 at 2:50pm |
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I've got a ball valve on a 90 deg. elbow on my tank drain. I added a hose extension through the wall so it blows the moisture (and noise!) outside. Usually drain it daily. All my air lines to different areas of the shop are 3/4 In. copper with drops and drain valves below air couplings. Hardly ever get any moisture out of them as there is a water trap and filter where the compressor tank feeds into the piping system. A good air dryer is fitted to supply air to the blast cabinet as moisture will cause problems with gun, especially with the very fine glass bead I use to clean carbs etc. Another dryer feeds the plasma cutter and any paint gun being used.
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