my air garage compressor has water in it.....I assume I need to replace it??

[goblues38]

20 gallon, 240 volt

It is an 35 year old craftsman I got from my father in law when he passed away. It has water sloshing around in it and the drain is i guess rusted shut. Couldn't open it with a 3 ft breaker bar. Kept stripping the nut.

My limited research says water = rust.....rust = kablam and this thing is just a ticking time bomb.

Any ideas?

I have looked into replacements, and to get anything close to it's specs, i am looking at $500ish.

 

[df4801]

Have you tried drilling a weep hole yet?

If that doesn’t work then I’d try a catch can.

 

[NE Raptor]

If I were you then I would try and find a way to get the drain out. They build up moisture normally so you do need to drain then every now and then.

You could drill a hole after it is free of air and then re tap it with another drain bolt.

 

[Halo Raptor]

Dude just buy another one. Compressors arent even that expensive. If you were draining it regularly its prob all rusted inside and ready to fail

 

[Ruger]

It's not abnormal to have some water in the tank, particularly in a humid climate. Your compressor compresses air - water vapor and all - into the tank. Over time the accumulated water can be enough to slosh and cause rust. That's where you are.

It is a wise thing to release the pressure in the tank through the drain to let the air pressure in the tank blow the water out, again especially in a humid climate. It's too late for that now.

I'd see if you can get the drain replaced. You might be able to get it to turn loose by soaking it in a penetrating oil for a while. If you can get it loose, see if one of your buddies has an inspection camera (used for rifle barrels and other purposes) to inspect the inside of the tank for rust. If it is significant enough, rust can weaken the steel of the tank. You know where I'm going with this... if the tank is weakened internally by rust, it may rupture catastrophically under pressure. If anyone is nearby they could be injured, and I am not just talking about their ear drums.

 

[Pikser]

Just buy a new tank. I replaced mine with a 30 gallon for under one hundred dollars

 

[EricM]

It'll get a pin hole eventually and leak air. There IS a small chance it could explode, but I've never heard of a rusted tank exploding. They just leak.

I'd still replace it though. The water is getting into the air and that is bad for tools, tires, etc... Go with an upright model to save some floor space.

 

[Raptorrunner2019]

a 20 gallon tank yes, get a new one. Some of the big air compressor tanks are very expensive. They should have built in drains. My dad has filters on his lines on his to keep water from getting through the piping and into whatever he is using air for. He has a pretty intricate setup with connectors in various places. He doesn't want water getting in his tools that are connected to the compressor. Just food for thought depending on what you decide to do.

 

[Otis857]

20 gallon tank is pretty small. You should be able to get a replacement tank for a reasonable price, or just free up the drain, drain the water, and use it till it starts to leak (may never leak at all). Then go get a decent air dryer and put it as far away from the compressor outlet as practical (the farther, the better) to help prevent moisture from getting into your air tools.

Depending on the cfm of your compressor, and how you plan to use it, going with a bigger tank may or may not be a good option. My compressor has an automatic drain on it that eliminates the water/rust problem. It just gives gives it a quick blast of air off the bottom of the tank every 3 hours or so to keep the moisture from building up. Good luck!

 

[LXCOUPE1]

I have a 60 Gallon craftsman that I love but if it ever fails I will probably go to Harbor Freight next time. A friend of mine bought one and it has the same motor that came on my craftsman and cost a little more than half what I paid for mine.