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Compressor and baseboard heater

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Old Apr 11, 2004 | 11:30 AM
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Compressor and baseboard heater

Happy Easter fellow Ford Enthusiasts,
I just bought a compressor with 60 gal. upright tank and am having difficulty finding the right location in my shop. One potential place is in front of the 220V baseboard heater, about 1 foot away of course. Is this a problem? It doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling, I'm concerned the heat from the heater will expand the air in the tank. I know it's got a pressure relief but.....

Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2004 | 11:50 AM
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Air compressors need to be drained of moisture. Draining them depends on how much you use it, the only issue I could see is the possible increase of rust because of the constant heat from the baseboard unit.
Moisture, heat and steel = rust. IMO
 
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Old Apr 11, 2004 | 11:54 AM
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Shouldn't be. I have Fabric covered furniture approx 6-8 inches away from my baseboard heaters in the house.

You could however put a piece of sheet metal between the heater and the compressor. Kinda of like a starter heat shield, althought the heat from the heater goes predominately UP the wall and doesn't radiate too much. 3' X 6' Bend a 90 at about 4' and slip the 2' long end UNDER the compressor and make a couple of stand offs at the top to keep it from waving around.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2004 | 03:57 PM
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Part of the function of the tank is to condense water out from the air inside on the cool tank exterior wall. It can't perform this function if the tank is heated.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2004 | 05:56 PM
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Hmmm, verdict still out. I had thought of Larry's idea with the baffle between the heater and compressor. Maybe if the baffle had a gap between the bottom and the floor the natural convection of the heat rising from the heater would create an updraft around the baffle and keep the compressor cooler (relative to the heat by the heater)??
My options are limited so if this could work then great, but "where there's a will there's a way" so I'm sure I can also find another location if it's not feasible.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2004 | 06:34 PM
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Dwayne: Even if the baffle was on the floor you'd still have an UPDRAFT due to convection. Place the baffle approx. 1/2 way between the heater and the tank. You'll still get plenty of flow thru the heater and the convection draft will pull around the bafle.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2004 | 11:28 PM
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If you made the baffle out of plywood or another non-conductive material and made it as high as the compressor it would keep the heat away. It could go all the way to the floor or you could leave a gap if you wanted to. That gap will certainly attract all of the dust in the shop tho. You will also need somewhere to drain the tank condensation to also.
 
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Old Apr 12, 2004 | 12:10 PM
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have you thought of moving the heater?
you could probably move it the length of itself without moving any wires, as most baseboard rads can have the power fed from either end.
 
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Old Apr 13, 2004 | 12:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Fordzlla
have you thought of moving the heater?
you could probably move it the length of itself without moving any wires, as most baseboard rads can have the power fed from either end.
Actually I didn't think of that. I'll have a look see

thanks for all the suggestions.
 
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Old Apr 13, 2004 | 07:27 AM
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There you go thinking out side the box.........
Great to have this many minds solving a problem.
 
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Old Apr 14, 2004 | 06:49 AM
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I'd try to locate the compressor just outside in a semi-enclosed closet to protect it from the weather and pipe the air through the wall. Draining it becomes no problem, noise is outside instead of inside. If your using your air tools the compressor will be coming on a lot, even if you have a large tank. Besides, floor space is so valuable the three or four square feet it will occupy comes at a high price.
 
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Old Apr 19, 2004 | 02:47 PM
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Scott, that may work in Texas, but here in Kansas, our lines freeze all winter. Sometimes at work, it will be noon with a kerosene heater before we can use the air. While heating the tank isn't ideal, it does need to be heated some. If you leave it cool in there and the heater isn't on all the time, I don't see anything wrong with it.
 
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