How does an air compressor drain valve work?
As water builds up in the tank, it flows into this housing. The rising water level causes a float inside the housing to rise. Upon reaching a pre-set level, the float triggers the drain to open, and the water drains out. Some compressed air is lost with this type of valve.
Why is a compressor drain valve so important?
The drain valve allows excess water vapor to escape into the environment which helps prevent corrosion that will possibly reduce the life expectancy of the compressor because of corrosion. The drain valve will also help reduce wear on other parts of the compressor unit as well.
What happens if you don’t drain your air compressor?
What happens to an oil-free air compressor if you never drain the tank is the tank rusts. On top of that the drain itself gets rusted up and will not work after a while. The tank will fill with water instead of air and water will come out of the air hose.
How do I get the water out of my air compressor?
Common practices to remove moisture from compressed air include:
- Draining the tank.
- Using a water trap and filter regulator.
- Using a refrigerated air dryer.
- Using a desiccant air dryer.
- Using a deliquescent air dryer.
- Through piping system air drying.
- With the storage tank cooling method.
- Through absorption drying.
Should you leave your air compressor drain valve open?
Drain tank of moisture after each day’s use. If unit will not be used for a while, it is best to leave drain valve open until such time as it is to be used. This will allow moisture to completely drain out and help prevent corrosion on the inside of tank.
How do you open a drain valve on an air compressor?
The first step is to make sure your compressor is turned off. This could be unplugging it from the outlet or just making sure the switch is in the off position. Next, reduce the pressure in the tank to under 10 PSI. To release pressure, pull the ring on the ASME safety valve.
What is the valve on the bottom of an air compressor?
What Is The Valve On The Bottom Of An Air Compressor? That little exit valve on the bottom of an air compressor is known as a drain valve. As you might expect it’s designed to drain stuff from the air compressor’s tank.
How often should you drain water from air compressor?
It is recommended that you drain your tank daily, whether it is manually or automatically. Water build up in your tank can cause the bottom of your tank to rust forcing you to invest in a new tank. If you find yourself forget about draining your tank, you should look into purchasing an electronic drain valve.
Where is the drain valve on an air compressor?
bottom
A condensate drain valve is a small device typically located at the bottom of a compressor’s air receiver. Whether the air compressor drain valve is open or closed determines if water flows out of or remains inside the compressor tank.