air compressors, always bleed ?

[thejum57]

Do air compressors really need to be bled and drained after each use? I bought a Sears in the mid 90's, and worked it up until a few years ago when it died. I always left air in it because I thought if it was empty, that is when moisture would form. I did drain it periodically to drain out any water in it. What is the general thought .....

to drain, or not to drain?

 

Thanks !

[Hippie66]

Moisture gets in from the air they compress. They do need drained occasionally. Each use is overkill in my opinion.

[schardein]

Everyone will have a different opinion, but as a Marine Motor Transport Operator, we are trained to drain the air (and therefore water) from the air system daily after operations are complete.  This is on vehicles equipped with air brakes, so safety is paramount. 

 

That said, I drain the air on my shop compressor about once a year.  Craftsman 5hp/30 gal, 20 years old (bought new), cylinder sleeve, piston and air valves have been replaced once. 

 

I plan to buy an upright 60 gal single stage 240v air compressor soon, and plan to add a convenient way to drain it daily.

[86FUBAR]

I installed a "spitter valve" on my compressor! It's designed to automatically drain the water out on its own and are used on air brake systems , they were used on a lot of the older buses that we used to have at work and seemed to work ok . It is a bendix DV-2 valve

http://www.plazafleetparts.com/uploads/2/1/9/0/2190100/dv-2_drain_valve_installation.pdf

Here is a link to what and how it works.

[shelbyluvv]

I just had to send two of my Marines to Bridgeport to fix a P19 (fire truck). The truck was loaded onto a low boy here in the desert and shipped up north to be used for a few weeks. Needless to say the owners of the truck didn't drain the air system and the brakes are frozen solid.

 

Please drain your air tanks regularly.

[Hypoid]

Do air compressors really need to be bled and drained after each use? I bought a Sears in the mid 90's, and worked it up until a few years ago when it died. I always left air in it because I thought if it was empty, that is when moisture would form. I did drain it periodically to drain out any water in it. What is the general thought .....

to drain, or not to drain?

 

Thanks !

First, if there is water in the air, there is water in your compressor tank. 

Second, you never stated if your compressor pump seized up, the motor failed, or the tank rusted through.

Third, if you get a bottle of gas (any gas) from a welding supply, never leave the valve open. Facilities that refill those bottles make the effort to keep moisture out of their finished product, thus, the recommendation to keep pressure on those bottles when they are effectively discharged.

[gogmorgo]

I always drain mine after I'm done with it. It doesn't see a huge amount of use so I'd rather not have water sit in it. And even with only having compressed a tank once just to fill a tire, I can always hear water getting pushed out the drain valve. I also have an inline water separator to keep water out of tools and tires, but it's got a plastic body so I'm less anal about draining that.