Air tank issue

Hmmm;

     Me tink you rustum through! Good that was possibly where it was designed to fail. Yup! Air tanks should be drained daily! Learned that years ago. Oh, that was for the big Diesel Truck  Repair and Auto Body shop, sorry.     No, all kidding aside, got in the habit and drain my Airbrush Compressor tank, On the unit that has one, every second use, especially in Humid weather.

I should also have said that my compressor is a small shop compressor, not a made for air brush.

The compressor comes with a build in air regulator, and also had another connection originally to be use to inflate tires, I used this second connector and added an air regulator and the water trap so, I can use it for both nailing nails and air brushing duties.

Joe

Having-fun

 

I only use my compressor when I need to nail some wood with a nailer, or when I going to paint model parts. I keep the valve open until is time to use the compressor which, at this time I close the valve.

Once I am done with the compressor, I take out all the air then open the valve to allow any moisture to escape, I leave in Miami Florida and summer can get very humid. Just my 2 cents.

Joe

 

Good input, Joe. I need to be more diligent about that.

dswebb

Just from an engineering standpoint....pressure tanks are/should be designed to "leak before burst" if they rust or take damage. So that you don't have a catastrophic failure somewhere and get an "explosion" from the energy in the tank that can throw shrapnel etc. So you want the rust to either create a small pin-hole or crack that will leak and relieve pressure, or else some kind of a "blowout panel" that is weaker than everywhere else let go first. Which if yours was a nice regular rectangular piece that popped out, sounds like what it might have been. 

So it may well have done exactly what it was supposed to do under the circumstances. Good to know.  :)  But all good advice about draining the water out. 

Just some random thoughts from an engineer. :) 

 

An interesting thought, Doug. It makes sence. The hole was almost a perfect rectangle. 

I only use my compressor when I need to nail some wood with a nailer, or when I going to paint model parts. I keep the valve open until is time to use the compressor which, at this time I close the valve.

Once I am done with the compressor, I take out all the air then open the valve to allow any moisture to escape, I leave in Miami Florida and summer can get very humid. Just my 2 cents.

Joe

Just from an engineering standpoint....pressure tanks are/should be designed to "leak before burst" if they rust or take damage. So that you don't have a catastrophic failure somewhere and get an "explosion" from the energy in the tank that can throw shrapnel etc. So you want the rust to either create a small pin-hole or crack that will leak and relieve pressure, or else some kind of a "blowout panel" that is weaker than everywhere else let go first. Which if yours was a nice regular rectangular piece that popped out, sounds like what it might have been. 

So it may well have done exactly what it was supposed to do under the circumstances. Good to know.  :)  But all good advice about draining the water out. 

Just some random thoughts from an engineer. :) 

Hey OM, thanks for chiming in. I like your system. It sounds like a good way to go. My compressor is 3 gallons, not sure how well that would work in my case, but I will tinker.

I am excited as all get go that this new compressor is holding pressure. What a novel thing. It makes me wonder how my leaky compressor may have affected spraying. Maybe its my imagination but in the one time I sprayed with the new one, it felt different. It seemed to spray better, more consistent.

I also like how my compressor issue turned into a learning moment. Good stuff from you guys.

Bakster

So... a dumb question. For the first the time (just got my new compressor), my tank is holding air. My previous one had a slow leak at the air guage fitting. I tried teflon tape but it still leaked, and I was afraid to overtighnen it. Anyway, my question is this. Do you see a reason to release the air between uses? Does that compressed air reduce the life of seals and such? Maybe have an impact on water accumulation in the tank?

 

My compressor is an 8gal portable and I leave it aired up, been that way for years. Even when I drain the tank I just let the water out and shut the valve. Mostly the compressor is not even plugged in, I get several paint sessions out of a tank of air and when I notice the main pressure is down around 35- 40 psi I air it back up to 125 and unplug it. The fact that it doesn't work hard building air results in there is very little water to drain actually, mostly in humid weather airing up tires outdoors or some such thing. What I don't like about the drain on this compressor is it's off center to the belly of the tank so it has to be tilted, if they placed it on an end at least I could lift the handle but sideways is inconvenient imo. Course it's not all that big of a unit or a deal, just a gripe if one wants to gripe is all, lousy engineering.

goldhammer

Shouldn't have any effect on seals (doubt there's any, most are a reed valve ( opens on compression to force air into the tank)).

If not running you aren't adding moisture to the tank.

I just let mine bleed down naturally, you will always have some pressure loss since it's all mechanical and won't be completely air tight.

 

Very good. Thanks GH!

Shouldn't have any effect on seals (doubt there's any, most are a reed valve ( opens on compression to force air into the tank)).

If not running you aren't adding moisture to the tank.

I just let mine bleed down naturally, you will always have some pressure loss since it's all mechanical and won't be completely air tight.

So... a dumb question. For the first the time (just got my new compressor), my tank is holding air. My previous one had a slow leak at the air guage fitting. I tried teflon tape but it still leaked, and I was afraid to overtighnen it. Anyway, my question is this. Do you see a reason to release the air between uses? Does that compressed air reduce the life of seals and such? Maybe have an impact on water accumulation in the tank?

steve5

 

 

Bakster

Hey, thanks Guys. That makes sence. I had wondered about that because some water drained out when I flipped the compressor over. Let that be a lesson to me, and others, to drain the tank. I didn't do that at all over the 6 years I had it. Lesson learned!

 

 

thanks steve , compressor being drained .

 

Lol... my pain can be your salvation. 

goldhammer

Air pressure can push the last of the water away from the drain, but should be minimal.  We had one guy at work that would leave it open and close it the next morning.  I closed it when drained so I wouldn't forget if I was first in and turned it on.

You can go either way, doubt you will see much difference since you don't get any airflow in the tank with just the drain open to help evaporate anything left.  If a week or more between uses it might help a little, especially if in a nice warm area.

 

Thank you for your input.

Air pressure can push the last of the water away from the drain, but should be minimal.  We had one guy at work that would leave it open and close it the next morning.  I closed it when drained so I wouldn't forget if I was first in and turned it on.

You can go either way, doubt you will see much difference since you don't get any airflow in the tank with just the drain open to help evaporate anything left.  If a week or more between uses it might help a little, especially if in a nice warm area.

Sorry that happened, Steve. Tough way to learn about draining tanks.

A question for you experienced tank compressor folks:

When you drain the tank at the end of the day, do you leave the drain valve open until next time or leave it closed? I am just wondering if leaving it open might help it dry out inside even more.

I ask becuase I am a relatively new hobby compressor with tank owner.

TIA

Bakster

Hey, thanks Guys. That makes sence. I had wondered about that because some water drained out when I flipped the compressor over. Let that be a lesson to me, and others, to drain the tank. I didn't do that at all over the 6 years I had it. Lesson learned!

thanks steve , compressor being drained .

Hey, thanks Guys. That makes sence. I had wondered about that because some water drained out when I flipped the compressor over. Let that be a lesson to me, and others, to drain the tank. I didn't do that at all over the 6 years I had it. Lesson learned!

New compressor is on the way.

Thanks again guys!

Time for a new compressor

Part of the regular maintenance of an air compressor with a tank is to drain the water which collects in the tank. When humid air is compressed, then released it cools and water vapor condenses.    The water leads to rusting of the holding tank & developing week spots.  You get a blow out when you least expect it.  Drain your tank at least monthly.  

A patch (epoxy) won't help.  Perhaps if you have access to welding gear you can chase the problem back to good metal and weld in a patch.  Time and effort cost versus a new compressor - I'd say get a new compressor

Sounds like a rust through.  Compression heat generates moisture from the air.  They all need drains.

We drain the 80 gallon compressor at work daily and get up to a half cup a day depending on the time of year.