There have been several topics dealing with the proper use of an air compressor in the forum, and there will always be a suggestion on draining the air compressor on a regular basis. My query will simply focus on the air intake and what causes rusting inside the tank.
Now is it the water/moisture trapped inside or the air/oxygen inside the tank that is causing the rust inside the walls of the chamber ?
It is somewhat confusing since I was before corrected by a good friend in one of my previous replies that it is the air or oxygen that causes rust build up on metals and not the water. So if its the air/oxygen being pumped inside the tank, then its the one that's been causing rust inside the air chamber and not the moisture/water that goes with the air. What do you think guys ?? Kinda confusing if I may say so !
CIGWELD Weldskill 250 amp Mig Welder
AHP Alpha-TIG 200X welder
HITRONIC 300 Amp DC Inverter IGBT Welder
YAMATO 300 amp AC Stick Welder
YAMATO 200 amp DC Inverter IGBT Welder
DeWALT Chopsaw
HOBART and ESAB Welding Helmets
cloned STIHLs
MS 044 chainsaw
MS 070 chainsaw
Re: Just need some clarification on air intake !
IMO bro I think all those factors contribute to rusting one way or the other. Air / Oxygen and Water / Moisture.
Millermatic 180 Autoset Mig Welder
Miller Spoolmate 100 Spool Gun
Victor Firepower 350 Oxy Ace Outfit
3M Speedglas 9002X AD Helmet
Makita LC1230 Dry Cut Saw
Ingersoll Rand Air Tools
Snap On Tools
Metabo Power Tools
Norseman Drill Cutting Tools
Bosch Power Tools
3M PPS
Re: Just need some clarification on air intake !
It's the air.
Specifically, the oxygen in the air. Water, being H2O does have Oxygen but it's pretty stable. That Oxygen atom would be hard-pressed to separate from it's two Hydrogen buddies. Remember our high school experiment (electrolysis) where we run a direct current into water to separate O and H into two test tubes? It takes that energy to split them.
If that's the case, then bare steel pipes full of water should not rust, right?
Not really. Even water has dissolved air/oxygen in it. That's why fish can "breathe" and that's why we have air pumps in aquariums (or is it aquaria?). That's why we line our steel pipes with epoxy. To prevent those dissolved oxygen in the water (or in the air, if a pipe is not flowing full) from eating away the steel.
