New to compressors and need to know a few basics

by Andrew Duncan
(grimsby ontario canada)

i have a 4.5hp 20gallon horizontal reciprocating compressor.

(1)is it required or necessary to decompress your tank after each use.
my friend told me its required after each use to decompress the tank or it will eventually cause internal damage.

my setp father has a 60gallon vertical compressor its almost inacessable other than to turn it from `auto` to `off` because it has a slow leak an will kick on once maybe twice over night but he doesnt decompress the tank

its for personal automotive repair nothing extensive.
but im affraid to leave it overnight because i dont know what the outcome might be. i might even neverous over uneducated information.

(2)also can a air line drier be effective between the pump and tank or would water form inside the tank and lines after passing through the drier directly out of the compressor pump.

(3) how often should i change the compressor pump oil
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Bill says...

Andrew, good questions.

I drain my tank as in so doing it drains the water from the tank, and water in the tank can and probably will rust the tank over time.

If you aren't worried about rust, leaving pressure in your tank overnight is quite safe.

Ask your father in law to fix the leak... I suspect it might be the check valve. He's wasting energy and money.

Refrigerant driers are often installed after the compressor and before the tank. Depending on the setting, water vapour can still migrate downstream and condense in the lines after the drier. If you want bone dry air, install a drier before the application. See the section on driers for more info.

Check out the pages on oil issues for info about changing compressor oil.

Cheers and thanks for writing in.

Bill