Rusty Water In New Air Compressor Tank

Reader Question:

When draining a new Makita air compressor (2wks old)I get rusty water. Is this normal?

Bill’s Answer:
Tough call, Paul.

It may be new to you, but that really doesn’t indicate when the Makita air compressor was built.

If, like others, it was made across the pond, and came across by ship from the country of source, who knows what humidity levels the compressor saw since it was assembled and test run?

I would think that rusty water would not be a good sign for a new air compressor.

If this were mine I would run it again for a while without draining the tank, then after a few uses, drain the tank again (even though you should drain it after every use). If rust appears again, that would suggest to me that the inner tank surface has not been properly coated at the factory, and that may mean early tank failure.

So, if it’s new and rust continues to appear in the tank drain water, then I’d take the compressor back and ask for a new one.

Cheers,

Bill

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