Filter on Automatic Drain Valve?

[garagemark]

I have an automatic drain valve on my 80 gallon air compressor and, on occasion, a tiny little piece of crud gets caught in the plunger and the valve won't completely close.
I then have to take it out of service, take it apart, clean out the offending piece, reassemble and reinstall.
I do a blowdown whenever this happens just before reinstall, but I get no discernable debris from that.
The piece of junk is quite small, but just enough to be aggravating.
Anyone else have this issue? Should I maybe look at an inline filter of some kind?
I've always kept the water at bay so I'm sure the tank isn't ready to fail. It's just a little POS once in a while that goofs things up.
What say all?

[MikeL46]

Can you add a 2nd valve inline with the first? Crud may block one valve, but the other will seal. Next cycle will blow the crud through.

Mike

[Doozer]

Anyone else have this issue? Should I maybe look at an inline filter of some kind?

Everyone with an automatic compressor drain has this issue.
The astute among the population realize this, and add a filter.
The rest continue to blame the manufacturer for their problem.

-Doozer

[Ed ke6bnl]

I have an electric timed blow down every 45 min for about 10 sec. Compressor goes off at night with the light switch. Never had a problem in about 15 years. Did have that problem with the non electric on b4 this one. This one is not cheap cluse to $100

[garagemark]

Everyone with an automatic compressor drain has this issue.
The astute among the population realize this, and add a filter.
The rest continue to blame the manufacturer for their problem.

-Doozer

Well it certainly isn't the manufacturer. However, might be a selling point for a manufacturer to incorporate an inline filter to combat the problem that everyone has.
Any recommendations as to brands or styles? I found a throw away model for cheap at Harbor freight. Four bucks.

[10KPete]

I installed a Harbor Freight automatic almost 25 years ago and it has been very trouble free.

[old mart]

If you have room for a manual valve between the auto drain, you could remove it without draining completely. A conical sintered bronze filter would take care of most solid particals and could project into the reciever.

[garagemark]

I do have a ball valve ahead of the auto drain, so I don't dwindle the entire tank to putz with the thing. I also give the line a hefty blowdown with the ball valve before reinstalling the drain.
I will install an in-line something to catch the occasional particulate and will probably have no more trouble.
Thanks all.

[tom_d]

Never used an automatic drain. Always did it by hand, cracking the ball valve once week. If a filter is added does this cure a problem, or does it just introduce a new maintenance issue with clogged filters, and remembering to clean out or change the filter?

[deltap]

Might be something as simple as having a dirt leg in the blow down line. It's a tee with a nipple and cap below to catch debris.

[lakeside53]

I have had no filters or issue in 20 years. The big compressor at work - 24x7, blow off every hour - no issues ever. Any crud gets blown out.

[alanganes]

Might be something as simple as having a dirt leg in the blow down line. It's a tee with a nipple and cap below to catch debris.

Similar to this, I have seen the automatic valves mounted and plumbed such that they are located above the level of the tank drain. The air pressure still pushes the water and junk up and out of the valve, but the debris does not collect at the inlet of the valve between the times it actuates.