Automatic Compressor Drain Kit

[Pherdie]

With winter and damp conditions ahead for many of us, I wonder if anyone has had personal experience with this Harbor Freight Automatic Compressor Drain Kit???

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46960

For $9.99 it seems like a nice addition for us 'petcock challenged' folk.

Fred

[winchman]

This fellow wrote about his experience with it:

http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/

[Path]

I tried it ... but the tubing would burst. Also the internal o-ring would squeeze out and therefore leak. Took it back. Although I was using it on a HF compressor at 165 PSI, which I think is at or near the max according to the online manual.

Have a friend that also bought one ... ended up sending it back for the same reason, only he was at 140 PSI.

For me it was just too risky, if it failed and I was gone the compressor could burn up.

HF did take it back without a problem ...

Path

[airsmith282]

ssome stuff is better just let on the shelf to look at ,, given they only want 10.00 for it and its made from brass othe then the tubbing, the brass is worth more then 10 bucks alone, really if it was a good item then it would sell for alot more and it would have to pass a paten test , no patten usualy means us consumers are the gini pigs on stuff cause the company needs to see how many come back to haunt them,,i dont drain my tank as often as i should but iam starting to remeber to use my water filter all the time now, i need my tools to stay running and last me including my compressor,

a device such as this one needs not to be allowed on the market at all unless it has been a proiven and paten design and proved 100% safe, but this is not how things work in the world for some reason, its a nice idea but even i would never get taken in..

my amster craft vise grips cost me 50 bucks for a set of 5 and you know i new beter. but i was being cheap and i thought well they got good teethe on them well was i ever wronge they dont do crap and are good only as welding vice grips to hold stuff togeter to degree, my old old vise grip branded vise grips have some what worne teeth and they will still grab anything i want and not let go ,, il not ever buy the master craft vise grips again , next time iam going to spend some real money on a set , live and learn..

now if you really want to extend the life of your tank and tools, then put up a note that you cant miss that says on it drain compressor tank before i start work, this way its the first thing you do every day, then you be come the automatic drain system and it wont cost you a dime,,
or if you gota wife like mine that takes part in some of my projects she lets me know to drain the tank or put the filter on the line first,, or both ,,

its funny you know my tank is in a heateed basement and man can it ever collect alot of water for some reason,,

[Boucher]

Other solutions to draining air tank

I just added a short nipple, 90°ell, another nipple and a ball drain valve with a 45° ell. It is much easier to drain now. These are all brass. The compressor is outside and I am concerned about how freezing weather will affect it.

I had a large truck that had an Automatic drain that vented a little air on each cycle of pressure. It was self contained just screwed into the 1/4 drain port. It worked great. It was original equipment on a large Ford truck. I imagine it would cost at least $100. I owned that truck for 25 years and it worked flawlessly.

I had been thinking about a solenoid valve controlled by a timer. Even thought about putting a whisle on it and setting it for Happy Hour. Retirement is great, Don't You know!

[JCHannum]

Drains on the bottom of compressed air tanks will be exposed to dirty, rusty condensate and air. Small pilot operated valves have small passages and internal parts that will become clogged or fouled causing the valve to fail in either the open or closed condition. This will happen sooner or later with any of these valves, usually sooner.

The most reliable drains are the timer operated ball valves that rotate full open and closed on a timed cycle. These do not clog or jam, but are costly. For home use, a manual ball valve, 1/4" is plenty large enough, opened every time the compressor is shut down will serve the same purpose at a much lower cost.

[Doozer]

Put a Y-trap filter before the solenoid valve.

--Doozer

[Falcon67]

I did the same - 1/4 brass, ball valve and some elbows. I just need to complete it by poking the outflow tube through the wall. Crack the valve for a few seconds once in a while, no problem.

[kennyd4110]

I tried it ... but the tubing would burst. Also the internal o-ring would squeeze out and therefore leak. Took it back. Although I was using it on a HF compressor at 165 PSI, which I think is at or near the max according to the online manual.

Have a friend that also bought one ... ended up sending it back for the same reason, only he was at 140 PSI.

For me it was just too risky, if it failed and I was gone the compressor could burn up.

HF did take it back without a problem ...

Path

My experience exactly. I replaced the plastic tubing with copper-and that worked for a little while it still started to leak. It was more of a hassle and worry in the long run.

If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is.

[gellfex]

Actually, mine has been working fine for several years, I love it. But my single stage compressor peaks at ~125 or so, so YMMV.

[dewat]

My experience exactly. I replaced the plastic tubing with copper-and that worked for a little while it still started to leak. It was more of a hassle and worry in the long run.

If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is.

Same here, now I know it wasn't just me.

[gnm109]

My compressor drain is at the bottom center of an 80 gallon tank. I use a three-foot piece of 5/8 steel tubing with a fork on the end made by splitting the tubing and bending it apart. This turns the hande on the little drani valve. I let the pressure out and drain the compresor every few days and never seem to get more than a cup of water out if it.

I don't like the looks of the H.F. auto valve. I don't like cutting anything on the compressor tubing. Instead, I'm going to plumb the drain to the outside of the tank on the bottom and install a ball valve with a handle so that draining it will be easier.

[steve45]

I had a pneumatically controlled automatic drain on my compressor that cycled everytime the pressure dropped 10 PSI. It was a piece of junk.

I installed an ASCO solenoid valve that had a built-in timer. It has worked perfectly for about 2 years. You can set the frequency and duration of drain intervals. Mine drains every 45 minutes for a period of 2 seconds.

I highly recommend the ASCO valve!

[lakeside53]

yes.. that's exactly how I'm doing it.. Not sure what period/duration I'll set yet as the compressor will get used infrequently. Might also have a button on the wall to press for "drain".

[Steve Seebold]

A simple drain is a brass elbow in the bottom of the tank with a pipe out to the side and a disconnect on the end of the pipe. Plug your air hose in once a month and drain your tank.