Automatic Drain For Your Air Compressor

mslisaj · Oct 14, 2009

I have a five HP 80 gallon compressor and it's just a pain to get down and play with the simple petcock and drain it. Short of installing a simple ball valve down there does anyone use an automatic drain. I know they can be pricey but I was just wondering what others do. I can't be the only one that is lazy about draining the tank............ Suggestions and comments will be appreciated...........

Lisa

GeorgiaHybrid · Oct 14, 2009

Use an elbow and pipe a drain to the outside of the tank even if you get an auto drain. You still need to maintain them (auto drain) and it will make it easy to drain by hand with a ball valve if you do not go the auto route.

ghnl · Oct 14, 2009

I attached ~ 3' length of air hose to the drain fitting (may be a 90 degree elbow there, too) with a valve at the end of the 3' air hose. Now I don't have to bend down & reach in under the tank to open the drain. I still have to drain it manually (can I say that on this forum?) but it is a lot easier now.

Tazfink · Oct 14, 2009

I placed an elbow and a ball valve on the bottom of mine, the only bummer thing about it is it shoots rusty water out onto the floor. Better there than in the tank I guess...

Just for something stupid to do..... I thought about putting a whistle on it... maybe one of those "whooowwWWEEEEE" type whistles...

mslisaj · Oct 14, 2009

Thanks gentlemen for the reply's. I have the elbow and the short pipe, but the petcock is what I need to get rid of next. The ball valve is my next move but I was just curious with the auto drain thing........... Good idea's though. Amazing I never thought of running it outside the building. For years I have been making a puddle under the compressor. So even if I don't go the auto drain route I will have a little plumbing project going on to finish the installation.......

Lisa

bluesman2a · Oct 14, 2009

I have the elbow and ball-valve with a short stand-off (some would call it a 6" ******). On the end of the valve put on a hose-barb with a short hose. I empty this into an old water bottle. You could drain it outside the shop if you wanted to.

mslisaj · Oct 14, 2009

P.S. I just figured my C.I. and I'm one over my age at 56. God I made it !!

Lisa

GeorgiaHybrid · Oct 14, 2009

mslisaj said:
For years I have been making a puddle under the compressor.

Lisa

Some places have you arrested for that.....

mslisaj · Oct 14, 2009

Definitely go outside the building as I have the compressor in a corner and it's a sheet metal "pole barn". So I'm about 24" to freedom............

mslisaj · Oct 14, 2009

Well Georgiahybrid, you have me laughing out loud now..........

Appreciate the humor too.............

Lisa

Zrexxer · Oct 14, 2009

I just sourced a used electric drain valve on eBay for 20 or 30-something bucks, and plumbed it where it vents outdoors. Not wanting to drill through the wall for this installation, I just sweated an couple of ells into the 3/8 copper line where it ducks underneath the overhead door and blasts out in the yard.

It's so dang loud though, I only use it while I'm actively using the compressor. The neighbors would be bitching about that blast every 45 minutes all night long.

mslisaj · Oct 14, 2009

Nice installation of the Auto Valve. I want thinking more on the style of valve that vents when the compressor cycles. I forgot what the neighbors may think too having to listen to this. Good point.............

Industrial Concepts · Oct 14, 2009

mslisaj said:
Nice installation of the Auto Valve. I want thinking more on the style of valve that vents when the compressor cycles. I forgot what the neighbors may think too having to listen to this. Good point.............

Look at a Zero loss piston drain from Suburban Mfg.- gosuburban.com

jmh21586 · Oct 14, 2009

mslisaj said:
P.S. I just figured my C.I. and I'm one over my age at 56. God I made it !!

Lisa

Where did you here of C.I. ???

Mine is 32. Age 31. Too close to call. I need to buy something quick.

jmh21586 · Oct 14, 2009

I thought it was a Garage Logic am 1500 thing out of MN. Best radio show ever.

tcianci · Oct 14, 2009

I bought the ten dollar HF compressor drain kit, It goes in pretty easily once you de-code the difference between what they say they provide and what you really need to install it. Sadly it worked for only a month and then quit (in the open position) They gladly gave me a new one which didn't last through the first day! It's still sitting on my desk, I'll either scrap it (almost 2 lbs of the finest brass China has to offer) or maybe fix it myself and install it again. Till then its a little ball valve and a old brownie pan under the compressor.

NUTTSGT · Oct 14, 2009

I swapped out the petcock on my with an elbow and ball valve too. I just need to run it outside. I already have the hole in the wall for it, just need a short length of hose.

ScaldedDog · Oct 14, 2009

My Eaton came with an auto drain, and I like it. The air is dry here, and I don't use the compressor much, so I set it to run 2 seconds every fifteen minutes, but plugged it into a light timer that comes on at 11:30am and goes off at 12:20 every day, so the drain is only open 6 seonds per day. I plumbed it through a ball valve I keep partially open, and that keeps the noise down.

Mark

Zrexxer · Oct 14, 2009

ScaldedDog said:
but plugged it into a light timer

That's an excellent idea! I'm going to steal that one.

Bfoughty · Oct 14, 2009

I installed the ball valve and elbow/extension on the bottom of the tank. I also have an automatic drain that I purchased from Duncan Equipment. I have not insalled the auto drain at this time due to the compressor not being in it's final location. We have them on our truck exhaust systems at the fire station and they work very well.

e-tek · Oct 14, 2009

I can't plumb it to the outside here as it freezes solid, so I just ran it into a tupperware container that I can empty easily - no rust puddles on the floor!

autoclassicnut · Oct 14, 2009

ScaldedDog said:
My Eaton came with an auto drain, and I like it. The air is dry here, and I don't use the compressor much, so I set it to run 2 seconds every fifteen minutes, but plugged it into a light timer that comes on at 11:30am and goes off at 12:20 every day, so the drain is only open 6 seonds per day. I plumbed it through a ball valve I keep partially open, and that keeps the noise down.

Mark

Two good ideas here...light timer ad the ball valve partially open, I did that at work (ball valve partially open)... and now we can stand close when it goes off and don't need to wear earplugs now...

edcantu9 · May 1, 2015

Is it cheaper to buy a kit for $25 or buy the pieces separately to make something like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Campbell-Ha...987?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43c954e55b

I am trying to find the pieces individually on lowes.com but search does not bring any of them up to compare pricing?

gungatim · May 1, 2015

not sure, maybe it was cheaper in 2009, but metal prices have gone up since then...

sberry · May 1, 2015

I used some old copper water lin,e had to flare 1 piece to do the whole thing, shoved the tubing thru the wall and a piece of rubber hose. When I been using it a lot and read a thread where someone is overly complicating the matter I walk over and crack the valve a blast.

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