Doug wrote:
I've been led to believe that the compressed air will create moisture/
condensation in the unit which obviously can do damage. I usually try
to remember to bleed mine.


Compressed air doesn't create moisture; it only compresses what already exists
in the atmosphere that day. The process of compression creates heat, which will
allow more moisture to stay in the vaporous state. Later, as the tank cools
down, that vapor may well condense since cool air can't hold as much moisture as
warm air.

As a former scuba instructor, I'd always taught my students to never let a tank
run completely empty as positive air pressure kept moist ambient air from
entering the tank. However scuba air is MUCH drier than shop air. Given that
shop compressors don't usually filter out moisture as scuba compressors do, it's
a bad practice to just let that moist air sit in the storage vessel, rusting it
out over time.

Bottom line... it's probably better to dump the air when you're done... at least
for shop compressors.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com