Timed Tank Drain Valves anyone ?

[awemawson]

Has anyone experience of these 'electronic' timed drain valves? I admit I keep forgetting to drain my tank and just now drained an alarming volume of water from the tank of my Hydrovane

A bit of automation wouldn't go amiss

 

[Ton-up]

I have fitted them on all the tanks at work. If you comp is 'on line' all the time just put them on a timer or just turn them on with the compressor. Have a blast of about 4 seconds every half hour.You MUST use the test button regularly as the drains can still block.

 

[8ob]

I cant remember the make but we used to have these sphere shaped iron gadgets on the drops that were automatic ( mechanical) .There was a float inside and as soon as water got in there the float lifted and expelled the water. There is a new one here somewhere I will try and find it, the good thing about them was being automatic they were fit and forget.

Bob

 

[optima21]

I made a manual one using the dain valve from an old air filter

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cat152-14-mini-air-filter/

and loctited into a bsp blanking plug

when the pressure in the reservoir drops below about 5psi it drains

Im guessing that if its a hydrovane yours may be used more than mine so may never be off long enough for the pressure in the reservoir to reduce enough to get the valve to open

 

[RonA]

I cant remember the make but we used to have these sphere shaped iron gadgets on the drops that were automatic ( mechanical) .There was a float inside and as soon as water got in there the float lifted and expelled the water. There is a new one here somewhere I will try and find it, the good thing about them was being automatic they were fit and forget.

Bob

Like these http://www.spiraxsarco.com/global/us/products/documents/liquid_drain_traps-sales_brochure.pdf

RonA

 

[pondy]

i have the same one in the link, came fom China, had it on for ages now and its given zero issues, does make me jump every time it opens. i can get a pic of it later if your interested

 

[500e]

Yes please pondy

 

[armalites]

My blast cabinet has them to back purge the filters and they do scare you when they trigger.

I've recently upgraded to a Hydrovane and I have a weep somewhere in my lines because overnight it will bleed down but with the Hydrovane it's better for them to run up to temperature so I always run it up from empty so it gets a good run, for the first few seconds I run it up with the drain open.

I do like the idea of being able to give it a quick purge electronically

 

[knighty]

always fancied an auto drain valve, but I wanted to set the timer for longer than 45min between purging

bought a valve and have a timer but haven't got around to connecting it up, I was going to try a 5min purge in the middle of the night and see how well that worked

I did have a 20litre tank from a small compressor... I was thinking of plumbing that in below the compressor and having two valves so the tank could fill up during the day, then overnight a valve separates it off and another opens to empty it... but I'm not sure if it's worth the efort

 

[Woody.v8]

As said every time it vents I Shi......jump a bit.

 

[carbon]

I use one, not exactly the same as it didn't have the small manifold but seems to work well.

 

[123hotchef]

I should fit one to the compressor i cant get to easily, can they be wired into the same mains cable that powers the compressor?

 

[Woody.v8]

I should fit one to the compressor i cant get to easily, can they be wired into the same mains cable that powers the compressor?

Can't see why not

 

[pondy]

here is mine, poor pics as its in a sound proofing box so had to use a torch, you get the idea, a few fittings etc needed an nd cobbled up a mount. its wired into the compressor switch, the input side. it opens for a few seconds every 20 or so mins, i get alot if water out when it first gets switched on, this is on a 50litre compressor

 

[123hotchef]

sweet what are the 2 cable ties green and black holding on?

and where is the cheapest place to obtain one from

 

[123hotchef]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-DC-22...567502?hash=item4b0c0a95ce:g:cIIAAOSwx2dYJTpZ

£13 aint bad

 

[pondy]

sweet what are the 2 cable ties green and black holding on?

and where is the cheapest place to obtain one from

they are holding in to the bracket i made, it has some masking tape in between, it was one of them quick jobs that i would amend later on, been fine so left as is

 

[123hotchef]

they are holding in to the bracket i made, it has some masking tape in between, it was one of them quick jobs that i would amend later on, been fine so left as is

ha ha i know that too well!

 

[Coo]

I'm guilty of buying one of these but not fitted it yet !!!

 

[armalites]

Read lines 4 and 5 on the installation section

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-AC-DC...910873?hash=item4b0fc1de99:g:gU4AAOSw241Ydfk0

This one is cheap and is in Guernsey which has got to be a bit quicker than China