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Continuing my thoughts on air compressor setup, I will definitely invest in an automatic tank drain as many have suggested. I have a 20 gal. upright, and the current drain has about 1/16" clearance off the floor. To fit a drain device, I'm assuming I'll need to build a pedestal and sit the compressor a foot or two off the main floor.
Is that what most folks have done?
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what type of valve is on there now. You can remove that and put a street 90 in and then the tee for the auto drain. That is how I just did mine. Harbor Freight auto drain
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Agreed. Perhaps only a little elevation is needed. If the existing valve points straight down, the elbow will make all right without additional height.
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Mandrake said:
Continuing my thoughts on air compressor setup, I will definitely invest in an automatic tank drain as many have suggested. I have a 20 gal. upright, and the current drain has about 1/16" clearance off the floor. To fit a drain device, I'm assuming I'll need to build a pedestal and sit the compressor a foot or two off the main floor.
Is that what most folks have done?
I have a large wheeled upright. I just wheel it outside every year and drain it. it sprays red mist all over and I don't want that discharging in my garage.
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I have a street ell and a ball valve for the drain. When I start up I kick the valve closed with my foot and kick it open when I shut off. When the weather is humid quite a bit of water comes out.
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I use a manual drain and to get the height I needed on my 60gal compressor, for the drain, I just bolted it to a couple 4x4 blocks with some rubber feet between. No issues, so far. For those that have auto drains has anyone had one fail leaving the valve open or not fully closed, causing the compressor to cycle non stop? I usually leave my compressor powered all the time, maybe I shouldn't, but that would be my main concern with an auto drain.
Bob
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I prefer an extension that sticks out with a ball valve shut off.
Never goes bad, easy access. If you use a heavy valve you can open/close it with your foot
To make it more robust, you can easily set a grooved block of wood the exact height under it so it is fully supported.
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With the Harbor Freight auto valve they supply a tee if you put a 1/4 pipe out the one side and then your ball valve you will not have to kneel down to drain it so I drain mine more often
