Compressor systems in freezing temperatures

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

2airishuman

Contributor
Messages
2,659
Reaction score
1,958
Location
Greater Minnesota
# of dives
100 - 199
I live in Minnesota, and it gets cold here.

If I get a compressor, the most sensible place for me to keep it is in the garage. The other alternative would be the basement and then I'd be carrying cylinders up and down the basement steps.

The garage is unheated and reaches freezing temperatures in the winter.

What problems does that pose? Is freezing damage a concern for the compressor, filter stacks, and related equipment?
 
ideally I would put the compressor in the basement and run a fill whip and shut off switch into the garage. It should be OK though as long as you are making sure the water traps get properly emptied. Worst case is you can put a parabolic heater in front of it for 10-20 minutes before you fire it up if you're concerned
 
I was told years ago by the manufacturer of my store's compressor (when I owned a dive center in NY) to have a high wattage incandescent light bulb on all of the time few feet above the compressor and it should be sufficient to provide the required heat for the compressor especially when it is off. You should check with the mfg. of the compressor you want concerning this issue. I am not too crazy about compressors in basement for safety reasons (including availability of fresh air supply to compressor).
 
I was told years ago by the manufacturer of my store's compressor (when I owned a dive center in NY) to have a high wattage incandescent light bulb on all of the time few feet above the compressor and it should be sufficient to provide the required heat for the compressor especially when it is off. You should check with the mfg. of the compressor you want concerning this issue. I am not too crazy about compressors in basement for safety reasons (including availability of fresh air supply to compressor).

The same thing can be accomplished with a ceramic heat emitter, like those used to heat reptile enclosures, without having a light on constantly. If combined with a proportional thermostat controller, it will only draw enough power to maintain the set temperature.
 
Drain all the water from seperaters Buy the time the priority valve opens the temp will be fine. Or you could throw a cover over it and have a light bulb under the cover away from touching the cover.
 
You will eventually get lazy and it won't get drained correctly and you will crack a line or valve when it freezes. Put it in the basement, plumb a fresh air intake from outside and plumb a fill whip to the outside as well.
 
I live in Minnesota, and it gets cold here.

If I get a compressor, the most sensible place for me to keep it is in the garage. The other alternative would be the basement and then I'd be carrying cylinders up and down the basement steps.

The garage is unheated and reaches freezing temperatures in the winter.

What problems does that pose? Is freezing damage a concern for the compressor, filter stacks, and related equipment?

Heat tape and a bit of fiber glass insulation around the water trap(s) Look into oil sump heaters. Some are available with pipe threads that might fit your drain plug. Assuming there are no internal interferences. Connect both to a thermostat, done. Should not require many amps for both.

If you can't make a drain plug heater work a ~40 watt bulb in a "work light" enclosure under the sump with an old blanket or moving pad over the whole thing. Just be sure not to create a fire hazard.

$_58.JPG


400 watts is way more than you need, I'd probably put a big resistor in line to cut the power a bit. Check the treads on your drain plug, and verify you have room inside before you buy one.

Tobin
 
Advice appreciated.

It gets down to 0 F on a sustained basis in the garage at least once every year, maybe colder for brief periods when the doors are open. It has been my experience with water systems that it is difficult if not impossible to keep equipment above freezing all winter in this climate using heating tape, etc. Maybe the basement is the best answer.
 
Advice appreciated.

It gets down to 0 F on a sustained basis in the garage at least once every year, maybe colder for brief periods when the doors are open. It has been my experience with water systems that it is difficult if not impossible to keep equipment above freezing all winter in this climate using heating tape, etc. Maybe the basement is the best answer.

Heat tape + fiberglass wrap. One scrap fiber glass bat and some duct tape. Alternatively if you can find some Expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) you could fabricate a "cozy" for the water trap. White glue layers together and carve out a void for the water trap.

Cork self adhesive pipe wrap is pretty handy too for odd shapes.
05f4c6a2-eb51-400f-bdfa-20a238bede6b_1.2f360358e33e046527cab45b1b593eed.jpeg


Good luck.

Tobin
 
I also live in Mn. my compressor has been in my unheated garage for almost 20 years and the compressor has been fine. If I do ever have to use it during winter months, I pick a day when it warms up.
If that doesn't work for you, maybe make up a box out of plywood that would fit over the compressor. Insulate the sides and put a light bulb inside. Do this the day before you need to do fills.
You could put hinges on the top of the box to make checking things out easier.

Al
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom