Do you Drain your Air Compressor after each use?

[Black02Silverado]

I use to drain mine but have not in a long time. You are supposed to to keep from the inside of the tank from rusting. We had a compressor on base where I use to work that ran the HVAC system that was a 15 gallon style compressor, I drained it one day just to see and got over 5 gallons of water out of it. It never was drained in all the years it was in use.

I was looking at hooking up a drain system to mine. More for safety reasons as well as to keep from rusting the inside. Not to mention I'm to lazy to drain it manually.

I found this online and thought it was pretty interesting.

 

[stadt11]

^ saw that site last night too

 

[Z71 Kris]

So far I have drained mine after every use, that is what the manual said to do, so thats what I do..

 

[JRD]

I always let all the air out of mine after every use, because it doesnt get used very often. I had not drained the water out the little valve in the bottom in a long, long time until about a month ago. It was so plugged up nothing would come out of it. I had to unscrew the whole thing and clean it out. Even then I had to let the compressor run until the tank was about 30 - 40 psi to finish cleaning it out. (it made enough pressure to finish the job). The water that did come out was brownish orange. Now I drain it all the time, and would recommend doing so based on my experience.

 

[Black02Silverado]

I know it is all about cost, but one would think that compressor manufactures would coat the inside of the tank so that it would not rust. That way water wouldn't be an issue except for the problem it does cause in relation to damage to air tools. At least the tank would not degrade and be an explosion issue due to weakness from rusting.

 

[Z71 Kris]

Say my compressor goes a few weeks or months without use, I have already drained the air out, should I check it so often for water inside the tank?

 

[Stumpuller6.5]

i have a 10 gallon air compresor at home it doesn`t get used much, i drain it once a year i guess, but like i say i use it two or threes times a year. I mostly use the VMAC on the service truck, it makes 70cfm, and has a 20 gal. tank, which i drain every once in a while. the new service truck will have a water trap and lubricator built in .

 

[DV2000NJ]

I'm going to go drain mine, this thread is making me feel bad...

 

[Nick The Great]

I've never heard of such a thing. I know for a fact my Dad has several air compressors on the farm older than me (26) and as far as I know, they've never been drained.

 

[DV2000NJ]

I'm going to go drain mine, this thread is making me feel bad...

Shit, I never did that. Lunch distracted me.