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I just unpacked a new Dewalt Model D55155 compressor and it seems to be leaking a little (went from 200psi in the tank to 180 psi in about half an hour).  I have tried swabbing a little soapy water on fittings, but I can't find anything.  Is a little bit of leaking to be expected?

I'm trying to decide whether this is...

1. Something I should live with.

2. Something that I should return immediately.

3. Something else.

 

Thanks.

Did you check the drain valve on the bottom, where you drain out condensate?  

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Waddy

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I did, but I didn't see any bubbles.  Then again, I'm not entirely sure I'm doing it correctly.  I just put a little Dawn dish soap in a cup and watered it down a bit.  Applied with a Q-tip.

 

I got the last one from the Home Despot, so exchange isn't an option at the moment.  There is a service center in town, and it's portable so I can take it there easily enough.  I guess I was really just wondering if any leakage at all is normal.  The only other compressor I've owned was really old and leaked all over the place.  But should a brand new one leak...even a little?

Ah...

Just revised my leak check technique (upgraded to a spray bottle), and it is indeed leaking from the drain valve.  I guess I just need to replace the valve because it doesn't appear to be leaking from the threads but from the bottom of the valve itself.  That is, the valve isn't closing completely.

 

Thanks for the help.

I have a little Senco compressor.  I sometimes forget it's on.  I can leave it on for hours and it will never hear it start up when I'm not using it.  Because it rarely kicks itself on, I sometimes forget it is on, and leave it on for days.  I'll be working in the shop, knowing I have not turned it on, and it will kick itself on to refill.  So it does leak some, but not over a couple of hours.  More like over a couple of days.

Did I mention that it is sometimes on?

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

some advice on these compressors....

first a little history on these DeWalt "Emglo" compressors...DW bought out emglo with the goal of selling the line off at a big profit 2 years down the line...this hasn't happened because of the enormous amount of warranty problems associated with what they did..and what they did was to take apart a few pumps/motors and send the individual parts all over the place and then proceeded to take the lowest bids for each one...then they assembled them and that was that...this has caused unbalanced systems which, in the case of mine, results in my having to put a piece of carpet underneath it so it doesn't go, quite literally, spinning/skating across the floor...sheeshus...this vibration also results in parts coming slowly loose over time...be very sure to check the wiring at the ballast resistor every once in a while...if you ever smell an electrical problem odds are very high that one of the wires has come loose and is arcing which results in the insulation being melted and the compressor fairly soon afterwards shuts down because it is no longer getting power...ALL parts are prone to come loose!!!!!...the above information is form experience and 'inside information'...

on the subject of the drain valve, if the replacement is of kind design, it will have a rubber o-ring...the point being that over tightening of this will result in failure, so only tighten it just enough to make a proper airtight seal...