Water leaking out of air pressure regulator.

[Vincescoinwash]

Hi all, lately I have had a small leak dripping down from an elbow that connects the air line to the drip and low pressure line for one of my bays. What is confusing me is that there shouldnt be any water getting through the check valve between the air line into the T that connects to the the drip and low pressure line. I tried changing the check valve yet it still leaks from the air regulator which has no direct water flow going to it. Any ideas?

 

[MEP001]

It's probably coming from the compressor.

 

[Vincescoinwash]

It's probably coming from the compressor.

The air compressor? How could water be getting in there? I thought about that too but couldn’t figure out how that would be possible.

 

[cantbreak80]

I recall a service call to resolve poor Mark VII foam brush performance…and water leaking from the air pressure regulators.

The 20 gal portable air compressor would turn on immediately when any foam brush was used, and the air pressure would drop like a rock.

I could barely move the compressor to access it’s drain valve…it felt like it was bolted to the floor.

Turns out, the owner had never drained the tank and it was completely full of water…160 lbs worth!!!

The old “board style” system required 5 new air regulators and a FloJet pump. The owner was astonished to see how well the foam brush system worked.

He promised to drain the compressor at least once a week. I never heard back from him so…I guess it’s still working?

 

[Vincescoinwash]

I recall a service call to resolve poor Mark VII foam brush performance…and water leaking from the air pressure regulators.

The 20 gal portable air compressor would turn on immediately when any foam brush was used, and the air pressure would drop like a rock.

I could barely move the compressor to access it’s drain valve…it felt like it was bolted to the floor.

Turns out, the owner had never drained the tank and it was completely full of water…160 lbs worth!!!

The old “board style” system required 5 new air regulators and a FloJet pump. The owner was astonished to see how well the foam brush system worked.

He promised to drain the compressor at least once a week. I never heard back from him so…I guess it’s still working?

I drain my compressor pretty much daily so it shouldn’t be that…. Btw you’ll break 80 one day

 

[MEP001]

I drain my compressor pretty much daily so it shouldn’t be that

There's always moisture in the air unless you live in the south Australian desert. It's normal for some to condense out no matter how often you drain the compressor. You might also have a different check valve somewhere that's failed, but you didn't mention what this regulator is for so I have no guess, except there's probably always been a small amount of water from the compressor getting through the regulator, and now that it's bad and leaking it leaks water.

 

[MEP001]

Turns out, the owner had never drained the tank and it was completely full of water…160 lbs worth!!!

I did a service call for the same thing once, they said "We're sick of resetting the thermal overload on the compressor, just replace it!" So imagine how much an 80 gallon I/R compressor 2/3 full of water weighs. A half-hour of what I billed them was just draining it. Then they tried to fight the bill because they said no one told them to drain it. I was the one that did the walkthrough with them showing all the regular maintenance stuff, and they got a complete literature package which included compressor maintenance.

 

[Greg Pack]

I had more moisture in my air at my busy car wash then my less busy car wash But the busy car wash is climate controlled, the less busy car wash has near 100% humidity in there most days. I'm starting to think it has more to do with run cycles of the compressor.

Just installed a harbor freight dryer a few Months ago which so far is doing a good job. Filter regulators are dry as a bone now.

 

[Vincescoinwash]

There's always moisture in the air unless you live in the south Australian desert. It's normal for some to condense out no matter how often you drain the compressor. You might also have a different check valve somewhere that's failed, but you didn't mention what this regulator is for so I have no guess, except there's probably always been a small amount of water from the compressor getting through the regulator, and now that it's bad and leaking it leaks water.

Its leaking from the air regulator on the air line after the solonoid for the air and before the check valve that goes to the drip and foam brush low pressure lines and their solonoids for the individual bay. Which leads me to believe either the check valve is no good (which I’ve just replaced and it still leaks) or there is water in the air line. I’ll have to check tmrw to see if there’s water coming from the air line. It’s quite a bit of water so, it is also inconsistent and sometimes doesn’t really leak, seems to be only when the drip is on tho, not really sure.

 

[cantbreak80]

[Snip]...I was the one that did the walkthrough with them showing all the regular maintenance stuff...

A recent customer took a phone video of the entire remodel walkthrough.

After four weeks of almost daily texts/calls/emails about routine operations, I suggested he review the video.

 

[mjwalsh]

Vince,

As close to & higher than the "elbow drip leg" on the air line side ... try to put something like the following low cost manual drain water catcher filter & then observe that during both low & high humidity days. It might finalize the where the rogue water is coming from.

Mini Air Line Filter

Amazing deals on this Mini Air Line Filter at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Vincescoinwash]

Vince,

As close to & higher than the "elbow drip leg" on the air line side ... try to put something like the following low cost manual drain water catcher filter & then observe that during both low & high humidity days. It might finalize the where the rogue water is coming from.

Mini Air Line Filter

Amazing deals on this Mini Air Line Filter at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Not a bad idea! The only problem is the lines copper so it might a bit of a pain.

 

[water guy]

I had the same problem it ended up being a bad regulator on my presoak

 

[water guy]

Here is some pictures we have the Ginsan Champion System

 

[Vincescoinwash]

I had the same problem it ended up being a bad regulator on my presoak

But no water nor persoak should be getting to the air regulator at all that’s where the leaks coming from, sorry I think I’m just misunderstanding what you said!

 

[water guy]

There's a check valve in those regulators that goes bad

 

[MEP001]

But no water nor persoak should be getting to the air regulator at all that’s where the leaks coming from, sorry I think I’m just misunderstanding what you said!

Post some pictures of your equipment.