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Should I leave my air compressor on all the time?

Craig Artzner

Craig Artzner

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I just have a Craftsman 919.167244 (just a small 1.5hp garage compressor) and I don't use it every day, maybe once or twice a week on average. I just leave it plugged in all the time and it starts and runs as necessary to keep the pressure up.

Should I turn it off or just let it stay on? Like I said I don't use it that much but I like having the air on hand right when I need it without having to wait for it to build up from empty. What do you guys do or recommend?
 
I would turn it off for the same reason. Secondly I saw one that was left on at a community college, and the airline broke it ran all weekend until it caught on fire from overheating.
 
What we did with ours is wired in a new circuit with its own switch just like a light switch and mounted it right next to the shops main light switch. So when we walk in or out of the shop, off/on goes the lights AND the compressor :thumb:
 
Turn it off.

Otherwise it will eventually leak down, and the damn thing will kick on at 3AM and scare the holy bejeezus out of you.

I have never done this, but I had to have a big sign on the door coming in saying TURN THE DAMN COMPRESSOR OFF! :haha:

-- A
 
I had the same 'issue' with my compressor. I finally picked up one of these:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?jspStoreDir=hdus&catalogId=10053&marketID=401&productId=100000784&onlineStore=true&locStoreNum=8125&keyword=air+tank&langId=-1&searchRedirect=air+tank&storeId=10051&endecaDataBean=com.homedepot.sa.el.wc.catalog.beans.EndecaDataBean%402de08876&ddkey=Search

Now, whenever I fire up the big comressor, I fill this tank. Then I've got a small portable supply of air on hand all the time. It's enough to do a couple tires or any other small chore. It's also PORTABLE for when you need to help someone out.

-Ben
 
We got lucky enough the big one we bought can be set to kickon or you can turn it off.
 
quite a few small ones ive been around run then kickoff but the other way to keep them from kickin back on is to unplug them. Course thats elevator stuff thats been tampered with by who knows how many people
 
I would keep it turned off when not in use.

Also if you fix your air leak the tank won't go empty on you without using it. :doah: :p:
 
4X4HIGH said:
Also if you fix your air leak the tank won't go empty on you without using it. :doah: :p:
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Yeah I bought it brand new. I figured it was normal to have some leakdown. It usually kicks on maybe once a week. Maybe I'll get some soapy water and dab it around the fittings to look for bubbles...
 
If you have no air leaks it shouldnt ever run unless your using it ;) so leave it on.
 
Depending on your usage, yes it should be drained on a regular basis. I drain ours at home twice a month.
 
Muddytazz said:
Depending on your usage, yes it should be drained on a regular basis. I drain ours at home twice a month.
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It's light usage for me. I bought it last summer and have drained it twice.
 
On my compressor, I have a ball valve directly off the tank. I turn this valve off every day, but don't turn off the compressor. I don't trust soft lines, they can burst, by turning off the line system but leaving on the compressor, I always have full pressure without waiting for the tank to fill.

As for draining the tank, Jeff is right, it depends on how much you use the air. Another thing to consider, however, is the environment you are in. In a very high humidity area such as the one we live in, you have to drain the tank much more often. There is really no rule of thumb on draining, just see how often you need to. The amount of water you get out of the tank will tell you if you are doing it often enough. The only downside to not draining often enough is that you decrease the storage capacity of your tank.
 
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Unplug it until you use it. A friend owns a tubing(float down the river in a tube) service and he had just bought a new diesel generator and had it stored next to his air compressor. The line ruptured while no one was around and his security system has footage of 1:30am the head catching fire and that fire jumping to his new diesel generator and flames away.:eek1:

The other thing is that these newer smalled compressors had a head that is "lubed for life" or maintainance free so the more it kicks on the shorter the life of the compressor
 
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