How To Drain A Porter Cable Air Compressor – Tips to follow

Air compressors have become somewhat of a necessity in our daily lives. From driving power tools to inflating tires and pools, they can be used to complete many day-to-day tasks. One popular name in air compressors is that of Porter-Cable.

These air compressors are not only incredibly efficient but also quite safe to use. In fact, they are one of the safest air compressors on the market. It is very important to maintain the Porter cable air compressor properly in order to keep it working for a long time. This includes draining the moisture from the tank. We have put together a comprehensive guide to help you achieve this. Read on to know more.

Guide on How to drain Porter Cable Air Compressor

Moisture can be very dangerous for your air compressor as even a little moisture can completely destroy the unit. Air compressors are expensive devices so you cannot afford to buy new ones over and over again. Therefore, it is important to drain your air compressor among other things. To help you out, we have explained the whole process in a few simple steps that you can easily do on your own. Let’s get going.

Steps to follow

  • Switch off the air compressor

The first and most important step is to switch off the porter cable air compressor if it is running. Make sure that you remove the plug from the socket. Draining a running unit can be very dangerous as it could lead to electrocuting incidents so make sure that you take good care of this.

  • Release the pressure

Next, it is important to reduce the pressure of the porter cable air compressor. It is suggested that you should lower this value to about 10 PSI. The ASME safety valve comes with a ring on it. You need to pull on it in order to release the pressure. Make sure you have safety goggles on when doing this.

Also, shield the valve using one hand to deflect the air and use the other hand for pulling the ring. The released air might stir up debris or dust which can go into your eyes and cause irritation. You need to keep pulling on the ring to release the pressure. Make sure you keep doing this until the pressure of the unit is lowered to 10 PSI.

  • Release the air compressor’s drain valve

Finally, it’s time to release the moisture which has built up inside the air compressor’s tank. The drain valve is usually below the tank on most porter cable air compressors. Locate it in order to begin draining. Once you find the drain valve, open it up by twisting it in one direction and drain out the moisture by letting it flow out. Make sure that all the moisture has properly drained out by tilting the tanks slightly back and forth. Do this gently because you do not want to damage the air compressor.

  • Close the air compressor’s drain valve

After making sure that all the moisture has been properly drained out, close up the drain valve. This is the final step of the process so make sure you do it properly. Make sure that it is shut tight because leaving it loose might be dangerous for the unit.

  • Air compressor is ready

Now the air compressor is ready for use. You may switch it on immediately if you have some work that you need to do right away. You can also just store it if you’re not using it immediately. Either way, your air compressor has now been drained and can be used safely.

Tips to follow

Follow these few simple tips in order to ensure a safe and efficient draining process.

  • Wear safety gloves

The tank drain might not be very clean so make sure you wear gloves before you begin the draining process. This will also help protect your hands in case any part of the air compressor is too hot.

  • Drain after every use

Generally, it is good to completely drain your air compressor after each use. Compressing air leads to a build-up of moisture in the tank. This will increase each time you use the air compressor and there might come a time when it may start rusting the tank from the inside. Draining after every use helps prevent this.

  • Leave the drain open if the unit is not in use

Leaving the drain open will help completely dry out the valve. However, make sure you tightly close it before using it.

 

FAQ’s

  1. How often should you drain the air compressor tank?

Answer: The best practice is to drain the air compressor tank after each use. However, if you don’t want to do that then it is advised to do this at least every couple of days. Otherwise, the moisture build-up in your tank may impact the air compressor’s performance.

  1. Why do I need to drain the air compressor tank?

Answer: Air compressors take in free air which contains moisture. Moisture build-up in the air compressor tanks severely impacts its performance. This will limit the amount of air that can e pumped out and you may also face rusting.

  1. What happens if the air compressor is not drained?

Answer: If you do not properly drain the tank of an air compressor for a long time it will rust. The tank will get filled up with water which will start coming out of the hose instead of air. This will ruin your air compressor.

Conclusion

We hope this article helped you understand how to drain a porter cable air compressor. Just follow the few simple steps mentioned above and you will be able to get the job done in no time. Moisture is really dangerous for an air compressor so it is important to learn this process in order to maintain your porter cable air compressor.

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