Hi All,
I just purchased a Dewalt (D55143) 3 gallon oil free air compressor and am experiencing water spraying/leaking out of the nozzle. I usually blow some air on my project to clean it off after sanding and I’m really getting annoyed with water dripping and spouting out all over the wood. Any idea how to fix this?
Thanks in advance,
Bosh,
Replies
Condensation in the tank. Put in a water/oil filter, and drain the tank periodically.
Bosh,
There should be a drain valve somewhere on the bottom of the tank. You should drain the air and water after every use. Sometimes it is good to read the instructions. :^)
Rob
Probably should go find those inscuctions - dope! I just built a box for it and tossed it in there so I wouldn't have to listen to the noise anymore.
Thanks again!
If you want to keep it in the box, just remove the shutoff, screw in an appropriate extension, and put the valve back on the extension so it can be drained every week or so without messing with the box.
Although many here scoff at the idea, it is possible to have that compressor get so rusty over time (by not draining it) that the metal gives and the whole thing explodes. There was a letter to the editor a few years ago from a guy who had this happen, took out a good part of a wall in his shop. Fortunately, he was out of range.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Very good advice for those of us with the shop attached to the house...
Edited 5/1/2007 2:51 pm by Buster2000
"...for those of us with the shop attached to the house..." Or for those with head attached to body. ROFL!!!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I think I'm going to go out to the shop and drain the compressor....
For those of us that have been around a tire shop that works on truck tires, we have seen the apparatus that the truck tire is put into to pump it up. It is sort of like prison bars, big heavy bars that envelop the tire and are designed to take the brunt of the "blow" if the tire fails. Some times a ring comes off without this apparatus and can literally take a mans head off. A truck driver (my son) says to not drive along side of a truck and distance - if a tire should blow, it can literally blow you off the road
Edited 5/1/2007 8:54 pm ET by tinkerer2
When I worked at a gas station many moons ago, we put truck tires under the hoist to inflate them. I saw a split ring come off.............once!! If it hadn't been under the hoist, it would have probably made several laps around the bay at eyeball level. - lol
Years ago, the truck I bought to haul horses with had split-ring wheels. Once I found out what they could do, off they came immediately to be replaced with normal wheels. Bad enough to have to change a flat on the road with horses in a trailer, don't need other aggravations, LOL.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 5/2/2007 11:45 am by forestgirl
"A truck driver (my son) says to not drive along side of a truck and distance - if a tire should blow, it can literally blow you off the road." I saw that happen on the freeway once. Couldn't figure out at first what happened to the poor lady up in front of me, then the rubber started flying around.
"so I'm thinking it probably doesn't help much to reduce the rust." I would disagree. I suspect there's a difference between a tiny little 1/2 tsp (or whatever) and what would build up over a long period of time without draining. Rather safe than sorry, whatever the case. Actually, it'd be fairly easy to tell, because either clear water comes out, or rusty water comes out. All we need to do is find someone who uses their compressor alot (I'm thinking pancake compressor hear, sans all the contraptions of a big compressor), and drains it every time s/he uses it. Follow them for a couple years, and find out what color the water is that comes out.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
"by not draining it" Though I've never heard anyone say it, and the fact I've not spent a whole lot of time in the pressure tank observing, my guess is that just draining it doesn't really dry it out, so I'm thinking it probably doesn't help much to reduce the rust. Those tanks are going to go bad whether drained or not. Functionally, they must be drained, however.
Edited 5/1/2007 9:01 pm ET by tinkerer2
You say you've built a box to surround the compressor to reduce the noise level. By enclosing the compressor in this manner it's going to be unable to dissipate the heat created by its operation unless you've include some means of providing air movement through the box. Not only does the motor create heat but the compressor head itself generates lots of heat.
Does anybody know of a source for a small (two hp or less) rotary screw aircompressor? These things are practically silent, but I've yet to find a source for one of suitable size for a home shop.
Chicago Pneumatic makes a nice little three horse.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
Everyone - thanks for your responses!
Woodhacker - I've got adequate ventilation for the compressor - so there's no worry about overheating. It is very nice not to hear that think anymore though!
Bosh,
"Does anybody know of a source for a small (two hp or less) rotary screw aircompressor? These things are practically silent, but I've yet to find a source for one of suitable size for a home shop."
What about a Hydrovane? (not a rotary screw but small and quiet).
As far as I know rotary screw types are 5 horse and over- and expensive.Philip Marcou
I have a client that had a pancake and I asked him about this once. He said, "Drain!?" I drained out about a gallon of rusty water for him. He used it to dust off new upholstered and leather furniture in prepping. Can you imagine that disaster waiting to happen?
I can't believe he hadn't already sprayed rusty water all over something.
Rob
From experience, makes a good "stain." ;-)
I opened the drain valve last night - that was nice and fun! Got a splash of nasty rusty water everywhere! No more water leaking now!
Thanks again for the input!
No problem. Now don't forget to do it regularly.
Rob
Take the compressor outside , draw down the pressure to 10 lbs with a blow gun or pull the safety ring . Under the tank there is a drain cock, open it and rusty water will stream out. When done close the drain tank and refill the airtank.If you drain the tank at least weekly you will not have this problem. I leave the drain cock open when storing the compressor for extended periods of time.
mike
I installed an automatic drain on my big (80 gal.) compressor, now I don't have to remember to drain it.
I did the same, money well spent.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
I installed an automatic drain on my big (80 gal.) compressor
Napie, please enlighten me. How does an automatic drain work? I only have a 20 gal compressor that doesn't get a lot of use but I often forget about draining it for several weeks at time. Not good with the high humidity we have here in San Antonio.
Thanks, GeorgeYou don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard<!----><!----><!---->
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I can't speak as to Napies, but mine is made by MotorGuard and is a solenoid valve with a timer. You can set the interval between drains as well as the length of time the valve stays open. You unscrew the existing drain valve at the bottom of the tank and just screw it in and plug it in to a 110 outlet. I have a hose from the drain that goes out the shop wall.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
Thanks. Does it shut off the compressor motor while it is draining or does the compressor just spin its wheels while the drain is open?
GeorgeYou don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard<!----><!----><!---->
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It has no link to the compressor motor. Even if it was set to the max 30 second cycle time it would not use enough air to cause the compressor to come on (at least on my machine). I have mine set for a 10 second drain every 45 minutes.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
Ahh So! The light bulb has come on. I was envisioning completely draining the tank like I do when I drain the water out. It doesn't need that. Just a quick spritz at a set interval. Sounds good. Probably keep the dog on his toes, too. He doesn't like anything that compressor does.
Thanks again. GeorgeYou don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard<!----><!----><!---->
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My Jack Russell still eyes it with suspicion and gives it a wide berth!------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
That is how mine works. Draining the whole tank would be pretty wastful.
Napie, please enlighten me. How does an automatic drain work? I only have a 20 gal compressor that doesn't get a lot of use but I often forget about draining it for several weeks at time. Not good with the high humidity we have here in San Antonio.
Harbor Freight sells one that drains the tank whenever the compressors shuts off:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46960
Pretty slick, cheap too. I think I paid the better part of $200 for my electric one.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
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