Leaving a compressor pressurized
Jeff_Clarke
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
Is there any reason, in an area not accessible to children, etc. not to leave a pancake compressor pressurized over a period of days?
In other words, is it better for the equipment to go through a pressurization/depressurization cycle – or to just stay pressurized?
Jeff
Replies
I leave mine pressurized in the back of the truck all the time. Comes in really handy when you want to shoot some air inthe wheelbarrow tire or something.
As long as there's not a lot of water, from running for days prior, I don't see the problem.
The thing is meant to compress air and hold or dispense it.
No problem generally.
I'd not leave it powered up and a hose hooked tho'
A blow out in the hose means comp runs till it dies...Don't ask.
My shop comp is 20' from where I sleep, so if I forget to turn it off a weeper anywhere will remind me/us at 200 AM, when it kicks on..LOL
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
Good point ... but it's switched off too ;o)
Jeff
I was converting a small room adjacent to my bedroom into a walkin closet. Had the compressor set up basically at the foot of my bed. I forgot to switch it off one night,and it kicked on at 4 am. Scared the hell out of me! I stumbled out of bed in the dark ,feeling around the thing to try and find the switch. My heart was beating like a drum. I'll never do that again for sure.
I am HOWLING remembering almost the exact same mistake. Even the dog let out a "BORK?" when it kicked on...
I think I let out a "bork" myself. I swear I was sitting up with my feet on the floor before I was even awake all the way. I dont even like waking up to an alarm clock, never mind something like that.
Did that while building FIL house many years ago.
Zero- dark- thirty and I'm in a sleeping bag on a got in the house being built out in god country.
Jeez, I bet that would have been funny to watch.
LOL, Worse than that is leaving it on in the customers house and scaring the bejeebers out of them at one AM
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I agree. I felt stupid enough as it is, where I live you can hear a pin drop at that time of night. It was in the middle of the summer and I had all the windows open so I'm sure I woke up a neighbor or two.
At least after a second or two I figured out what the hell that noise was. I could imagine how someone not in the business would react to something like that . Especially someone in their later years or with a weak heart. I'm not kidding, my heart was pounding after that.
i've got the same deal,large 5hp,40' from bedroom,so you know when she kicks on. so hows this for laziness,i made a remote control 220 switch for it!i have 3 remotes,one in the shop it's in,2nd in a adjacent shop and one in the bedroom when i forget.works pretty cool and impresses your buddies. i'm thinking if anyone ever breaks in i can hit the remote and they will think all hail just broke loose.........................
i'm getting so lazy ,it wears me out thinking about it! larryif a man speaks in the forest,and there's not a woman to hear him,is he still wrong?
What are your buddies doin' in your bedroom?
"Everyday we learn something new. Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. It doesn't have to be an "A" the next day, but let's hope it improves." 08/27/08
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I don't know if you win the lazy prize on that one, I have a button on the bedside next to my bed that starts the espresso maker in the morning. (which is at the foot of the bed on top of the beer fridge next to the tequila collection)------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
I have a button on the bedside next to my bed that starts the espresso maker in the morning. (which is at the foot of the bed on top of the beer fridge next to the tequila collection)
Did it hurt when they hooked up the catheter?View Image
Since we're talking "lazy prizes" here - I keep a garage door opener remote in my kitchen. That way if I'm getting ready for bed and see that the geerage door isn't down I don't have to go outside the house to take care of it. (-:
My girlfriend asked me "did you sleep well?" I said, "no, I made a couple of mistakes." [Stephen Wright]
Got that beat - I just leave it up.
;)(Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City
I drain my compressor after every use, no exceptions. I also unplug all tools when I leave the job...I don't want the chance that anybody accidentally does anything when I'm not there.
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Edited 9/25/2008 1:48 pm ET by JFink
I'll leave it pressurized at home or work but I wouldn't transport pressurized. If an accident happened you wouldn't be popular with the first responders when that blew I tell ya!
Same here, drained after every use.
"I have a button on the bedside next to my bed that starts the espresso maker in the morning. (which is at the foot of the bed on top of the beer fridge next to the tequila collection)"What, no beer tap on the night stand? :)BruceT
Edited 9/29/2008 12:09 am by brucet9
"so if I forget to turn it off a weeper anywhere will remind me/us at 200 AM, when it kicks on"
Yeah -- I've noticed that too. Why does it never kick on at, say, 10:00 p.m.? Always 2:00 a.m.!
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
My attached 20x30 workshop is at 90' to my house. I have a red LED light hooked up to my compressor that indicates if it has power. The light is situated so I can see if it is on when I'm walking to the refrigerator. Same with my hot tub (temp) and same with my roof deicer.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
I don't know but it has happened to me too. More than once. Always at night.
The worst was when the grandparents were visiting. You would have thought our house was under attack. That was awful trying to get them to understand what was going on.Webby
Similarly, I once left a compressor (hose connected and motor plugged in) in an attic I was finishing over the weekend. The compressor was over the client's bedroom and came on at 0200.
They were freakin' out until they figured out what it was.
a.
The issue is to drain any water that has formed through condensation. Water causes rust which weakens the tank. It's not often that a tank will explode, it usually starts with a small leak. An impact could cause a blow out or knock a fitting off. It's a good idea to try to prolong the life of the tank by draining and inspecting what comes out. In many safety issues, we guard against that "one in a million" chance. It's never good to break basic rules, they are the most likely to get you.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
here's a tip.
don't leave it plugged in.
at the job.
'cause if U do ...
it'll kick in at around 4am.
waking up and scaring the hell outta the nice old lady who lives there, who's husband just happens to be outta town ... and nearly has a heart attack.
'cause if U do ...
the following morning will not be fun.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
It's plugged in ... in my basement ;o)
But not switched on ... so no SWMBO shocks ...
Jeff
unless it's old and rusting out.
no need to open her up.
that said ... I don't leave mine "compressed".
coupla over nights maybe ... but as a rule I depressurize over night.
next morning I let it run (open) a coupla minutes while setting up ... to help dry the tank.
I don't like water sitting in mine longer than it has to.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Did this happen to a "friend" of yours?
"Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words." - St. Francis of Assisi
no it happened to me and I'm still scared of that lady!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Is that the same lady in the caulk ad this month's JLC. Blue mascara, pink hair rollers, and a Winston dangling from her lips. She scares me too.
similar ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
By the same token, don't drop your Nextel phone thru a hole in the roof into the attic over the bedroom and not realize you did it until you get home and then start beeping it to see if it's in the truck somewhere about 11PM.View Image
I got this huge dinosaur shop compressor when it kicks off it sound like a diesel truck. let that kick off at 2 am. they all kick off at 2am, dont know why.
they all kick off at 2am, dont know why.
That's when the "haints" start messing around with stuff.View Image
Yeah, unplugging at night is a good thing. Was doing a master bathroom remodel, had the compressor sitting in the bedroom about 5 feet from the customers bed. Left it plugged in after running hardibacker. Went off at 2:30 am. That would have been fun to watch, it was one of those ridiculously loud porter cable pancakes to boot. Didn't do much for customer relations, good thing they loved the tile and woodwork.
I have always wondered though. Would it have been funnier if they were in a dead sleep, or if they were in the middle of fooling around. Either is kind of priceless. Just glad they didn't hold too big of a grudge.
Edited 9/27/2008 4:17 pm ET by Stilts
"
"don't leave it plugged in.
at the job."
Been there, done that.
Whoopee!!
so, You've done it too, eh?
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Yup!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
PC must put a timer on those things, cause I did the zact same thing on an addition a couple years ago......2 am.
Bing
I bleed mine off every night just so it has an easier time starting up in the morning when it's cold and won't trip the breaker.
beside draining my tank of air i also release the regulater so no pressure is on it
You can leave it pressurized, but depending on where you are running it, it's better to drain it every night. I do a lot of inside work in climate controlled homes so there's not a lot of moisture in the air. When I'm outside or in a damp garage though, I try to remember to drain it every day or every other day.
In my humid climate, I get ounces of water drained out of it every day.
I assume that leaving that water in there would do several negative things.
Rust - both the tank, and the drain petcock.
Possibly spill excess into the lines.
Reduce the volumn of air available in the tank to operate the tools
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I remember the day I came to work in the morning when I was a college student and there was some smoke in the building because the compressor did not start and started smoking.
One more tip.
Try releasing the pressure valve when the kitty is walking by.
The acrobatics and acceleration are pretty impressive.
Edit: I really dont mind cats, I even shared some of my sandwiches with the 14 year old cat on the last job I did. He always showed up around lunchtime.
Edited 9/29/2008 7:58 am ET by wood4rd