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New guy 1999 belair compressor help!

4K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Nim-Rod 
#1 ·
hey guys new to the forum I recently just got (for free) a 1999 belair 120 gallon 140 psi compressor. Was in the back of a body shop under scrap. Seems to hold pressure but when i use my tools it deff at not full potential. Went to drain it and brown looking water came out a lot of it. BTW I'm new to this stuff so please be easy. Is there anyway to clean the inside of the tank. Also the picture I'm providing shows a bolt that seems to be lodged in a hole where air comes out right before the hose. Would i be able to get a new regulator for this compressor. It has 2 gauges one for regulated and one for tank which does not work. Also i need a new hose this one seems to be held on by zip ties and these metal clamp things. The hose coupler is a M STYLE if that matters.

Any help would be appreciated
Thank You


2012-03-07_19-42-01_259 by yunust3232, on Flickr
 
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#3 ·
Drain the tank as best as you can. Get rid of that mess where the hose is connected and put a good fitting on it to connect a new hose.

I dont know of any way to clean the inside of the tank other than draining it. I think to keep the air clean you need a good filter and water seperator.
 
#4 ·
Compressor tanks cannot be easily cleaned internally. Normal operating procedure should be to drain it regularly to minimize internal rust. The normal compression cycle pumps air containing moisture into the tank. The air then cools and moisture condenses in the tank. That is why all compressors have drains on them. How often you drain them depends on how much you use the compressor. Commercial installations should have an an automatic drain on them so no one has to remember to manually drain them. Unfortunately, many shops decide try to save some money by not installing an automatic drain and they decide to do it manually. Then they usually forget to do it and a tremendous amount of moisture can build up internally.

This can be dangerous because rust can thin the the metal in the tank after several years creating a situation where the tank can literally explode. It doesn't sound like your compressor has been seriously neglected like this but you should understand that draining a compressor is important! You can get decades of safe operation if you drain a compressor regularly. My rule of thumb is if I use the compressor while I'm in the shop, I drain it!
 
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