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Idea for push button air tank drain

Gunfreak25

Well-known member
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Location
Yuma, AZ
It would be uber cool! The idea I had started with the pull cable type drain valves that most of us are already using on our deuce's. Then I simply thought about those "push pull" tiny electric solenoids that have small but powerful piston that....push and pulls. I thought, what if I could just mount this solenoid near the air tanks and use it to simply pull and release the air tank drain cables via a button on the dash? Course, my truck has a converter in it so I can run 12V and 24V stuff. So I am already one step closer.


Or am I just being lazy? :mrgreen: I think I could make this work for a cost well under what store bought electric tank drain valves cost.
 

Gunfreak25

Well-known member
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Location
Yuma, AZ
This is what everyday commercial Semi tractors use so I don't see why one couldn't be made or put on a deuce. Seems most semi's use the Bendix model D-2 which is just an electronic air tank drain valve who's circuit is controlled by a dash button. Yuma's home to many semi junk yards, I will have to go searching around for something like this. :D
 

mudguppy

New member
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duncan, sc
so why not just use an air-horn solenoid - that's exactly what it does. pipe it up to the drain port and wire it in to a momentary push button.

i think i may do that; they're cheap on eGay.
 

biodeucel

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Potsdam, NY
As long as the solenoid can apply the required amount of force and you can seal it up so it doesn't corrode, it should work fine. Just make sure you get the right type. They have them that have a spring return in one direction, so they don't apply force in both directions.
 

3dAngus

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Location
Perry, Ga.
It's always a good idea to drain air tanks daily. My M1061e1 trailer has one built in and it is a required part of daily maintenance to drain daily. Great idea.
 

Ferroequinologist

Resident railroad expert
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Liberty Hill, SC
I built one for my deuce a long time ago, used a 24vdc magnetic door timer device, and two 24vdc 1/4npt normally closed solenoid valves. When you shut the power off on the main switch, it started a 5min time cycle and would open the valves. after 5min they would close and there wouldn't be any more draw.

I'll need to dig it all out of storage and take pictures.
 

Ferroequinologist

Resident railroad expert
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Liberty Hill, SC
OPPS! I forgot to mention, it had an override switch, in case I was just stopping for a minute or for fuel, etc. I would sometimes let it blow until clear then hit the override when I stopped for fuel.

The 5min time was to completely drain the tanks if I knew I was done with it for awhile.
 

kwiksilver

New member
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Location
Charleston, SC
If you drain your tanks with a wide open port, the air will blow right through the water. You would need some way of slowing down the flow. As far as the air horn valve, I've taken one of those apart and I can see that needle valve getting mucked up pretty easy.
 

3dAngus

Well-known member
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Location
Perry, Ga.
Hey guys! Check this out!
I climbed up under my M106 to take some pics for you.
This is an incredibly simple mil-spec installation. Not push button, but pull, like an emergency brake. It should work and it could not be simpler.
The first pic is of the labels I told you about to drain daily. (Hope I get the sequence right)
The second is the "T Handle" for releasing the air and water out and in this case you walk to the back of the trailer after you unhook.
The third is the entire air tank under the trailer with the pettock tied to the mil-spec cable.
And the 4th pic is a close up of the pettock. Just looks like a swivel based ball for air and water release. I do recall, if you pull gently, it releases gently, and if you pull it all the way out, you get a gusher of air, so with the mechanical fixture you have some control over the amount of air pressure vs. water being released. Of course, this is a bottom fix too, so water would settle at the bottom. You could run the cable anywhere.
Hope it helps someone.
 

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