Compressor Automatic Drain Valve
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 131
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From: Austin USA
Compressor Automatic Drain Valve
I was wandering around Harbor Freight over the weekend and saw an Automatic drain valve for compressors. This thing had the drain valve, a T-Fitting and a lenght of tubing. How do these things work? Are they worth the $20?
While I was there I picked up a 1000# engine stand on sale for $39.
While I was there I picked up a 1000# engine stand on sale for $39.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 131
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From: Austin USA
They had a 2 ton on sale for $150. I picked up a flyer for some tent or parking lot sale they were going to have and I think the had a 2 ton lift for $99. I'll check that when I get home.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
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The auto drain valves use the pressure cycling of the unloader valve to pop the drain for a few seconds. Pretty simple, actually. You will have to identify and cut into the unloader line on the compressor to make this work.
Someone on the net has a whole web page dedicated to this product. You can read all about it, with pictures and everything, here:
http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/
Someone on the net has a whole web page dedicated to this product. You can read all about it, with pictures and everything, here:
http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Nice writeup, he clearly knew nothing about compressors etc to start with tho...
If clearance is a problem an elbow can fix that problem. His note at the end re the plastic tubing blowing out gave me a chuckle.
If clearance is a problem an elbow can fix that problem. His note at the end re the plastic tubing blowing out gave me a chuckle.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 3
From: Sapulpa OK
His description is only for pressure switches with an unloader valve on it. If you happen to have a compressor with a centrifugal pressure release then you need to connect the sensing tube to the line that gets bled off at shutdown. You may have to do a little searching for that. If you need help I would be glad to help. Just let me know.
Also all you guys with auto drain valves on your tanks or other equipment, Always install a manual drain in the same circuit. If your auto drain fails the only way you know about it is if you open your manual drain and you get lots of water then you know something is wrong. Many state building codes require this.
Also all you guys with auto drain valves on your tanks or other equipment, Always install a manual drain in the same circuit. If your auto drain fails the only way you know about it is if you open your manual drain and you get lots of water then you know something is wrong. Many state building codes require this.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Oregon
The write up does give the general idea, (better than the HF instructions). I had one on mine and it worked for quite a while. Then the valve would open and not close, till the pressure went all the way down - read, empty tank.... I've not had a chance to mess with it since, but a few notes:
The reason the guy had problems with the plastic tube, besides the poor heat properties; it's only rated to 100psi. I would wait till it goes on sale for $10 and then buy a quality petcock, tubing and "T". The valve has rubber diaphram, a couple inches across. I think this might be rated for the lower pressure, too, and will be the next thing I plan on replacing - on my quest to make this thing work flawlessly. But then, I've eyeballed the one from grainger, anyone know if the two are the same?
I've not had a chance to mess with it since, but a few notes:The reason the guy had problems with the plastic tube, besides the poor heat properties; it's only rated to 100psi. I would wait till it goes on sale for $10 and then buy a quality petcock, tubing and "T". The valve has rubber diaphram, a couple inches across. I think this might be rated for the lower pressure, too, and will be the next thing I plan on replacing - on my quest to make this thing work flawlessly. But then, I've eyeballed the one from grainger, anyone know if the two are the same?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 131
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From: Austin USA
I think I'll give this thing a shot. My compressor already has a plastic tube for the pressure release, so at least I wouldn't have to to any cutting of the metal to install the thing. Might wait until they have thier parking lot sale and see if it's on sale.
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