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auto drain for compressor

washme1

Member
I recently replaced my compressor and someone suggested an auto drain which I purchased on EBAY for about $45.

It's very slick and simple to install. I mounted on the wall near the compressor and an outlet. One hose from the compressor drain goes to the new valve. Two controls are on the valve. One sets the frequency of drain and the other sets the time for the valve to open. Also has a test button. A second hose carries the discharge. By draining every hour for 5 seconds, I never have water in the tank. I'd post a photo if I could figure out how. If anyone wants a photo, send me an email address by private message.
 
We installed one and had it drain into our touchless bay every 45 mins for 10 secs and when it went off I damn near had a heart attack when I was in the bay because I forgot it was in there.
 
Put a valve on the line somewhere and throttle it back so it doesn't send out such a loud sudden blast.
 
Unfortunately you can't throttle it back the manufacture states that it has to be full output after the device to prevent back-building pressure that might damage internal parts. I just piped it to the rear of our building towards the Forrest so is to keep the animals awake.
 
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I have a 1/4" ball valve beneath the compressor that I turned down about half way. Otherwise, with 100# plus of pressure the discharge blows everywhere. Nothing in my instructions indicated that you shouldn't do that. Mine drains onto the floor and into a floor drain. Now, with the timer, it only discharges a few ounces each time.
 
I just ordered one off Amazon. Didn't want to sit for one from Ebay to ship from China. Hopefully one less daily chore eliminated.
 
For those of you that have an auto compressor drain, what do you have it set at? How often to blow out and for how long?
 
Most of the kits that have a solenoid on a timer will only go up to 45 minutes between purges and minimum 1 second on. That should be plenty.
 
I have one on the tank but also put another one on the air line right before it feeds into the Flojets. Keeps those pumps from freezing up on those busy days. Gets rid of any water buildup in the air lines.
 
I wasn't sure and set it to 40 minutes and I think around 2-3 seconds, but will monitor it and see if I get water build up in the tank. I took over 1.5 gallons of water out of the tank when I removed my old auto drain. Must have not worked in a while.
 
I have a Saylor Beal compressor that has a feature where each time it kicks off and the cylinder head depressurizes it blows off water from the tank via a valve of some kind that has a small air line from the compressor to the bottom of the tank. I was thinking that a person could do the same thing electrically with a solenoid valve and a time delay relay. Each time the compressor kicked off it could blow for x seconds. It bothers me to blow on a timer when obviously there is no condensation being put in the tank if the compressor hasn't run all night. i wonder why most of the blow down valves you purchase don't go longer than 45 minutes max?
 
I have a Saylor Beal compressor that has a feature where each time it kicks off and the cylinder head depressurizes it blows off water from the tank via a valve of some kind that has a small air line from the compressor to the bottom of the tank. I was thinking that a person could do the same thing electrically with a solenoid valve and a time delay relay. Each time the compressor kicked off it could blow for x seconds. It bothers me to blow on a timer when obviously there is no condensation being put in the tank if the compressor hasn't run all night. i wonder why most of the blow down valves you purchase don't go longer than 45 minutes max?

You can buy the same blow-down kit for any compressor. Even Harbor Freight has one.

You could put a cheap household timer on the plug for the solenoid and have it not come on at night.

There are blowdown valves that go longer than 45 minutes, but that's just a very common one so it's cheaper.
 
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