Water leaking from air operated wipers

[wndsr]

I have air operated wipers that leak water from the motors and into the cover boxes and onto the helm. I have a water seperator located in the port engine room after the compressor and after the storage tank. I drain it often but still get water from the wiper motors. Any suggestions??

 

[Dustoff44]

I had the same problem. Cure was to drain the water out of the tank. I couldn't believe how much came out.

 

[Brian Degulis]

It's proubably the temp diffrence as the air cools on it's way to the wipers. Try draining the tank and putting a small amount of de natured alchol in the tank that should help.

Brian

 

[BUSTER]

Regularly draining the air tank is essential.Also adding a small inline air dryer/filter will eliminate the problem completely,even in a climate of extreme temperature differentials. A small unit can be purchased at any good auto supply store like NAPA very reasonably. Tony

 

[Trojan]

Your volume of air use when the wipers are in use must be real low if all your wiper motors leak water when in use. I would check for a large dip somewhere in the feeder line before it separates to go to each wiper. Doesn't sound like your separator is doing its job. Maybe because the air flow is to low through it. After use the condensate will run back down the lines and puddle in the low spot and pass out in the next use. That's one way. Most air wipers are a pulse type wiper in most applications. You could try adding a T in the line just after the wiper valve with a needle valve and let the air bleed out some when you operate the wipers. This would require more air flow and cause the separator to work better. The air pulsing is bad for the separator operation and it lets the air slug up causing water droplets to form on the inside of the tubing after the unit. Then again maybe your separator is a to big of unit for the air flow. Maybe a air brush separator or a little bigger would work better. It's hard for a separator to work when the air flow is pulsing through it. They require a constant air flow to separate the water from the air.
BILL

 

[yachtsmanbill]

I had the same problem. Cure was to drain the water out of the tank. I couldn't believe how much came out.

I agree that the water in the reciever is the major culprit. Where my tank was mounted you couldnt even get to it, plus the drain cock was frozen solid, PLUS the discharge port on the tank was plugged solid as well. There was at least 1-2 quarts of water in the tank! We welded a new bung in the end of the tank and mounted it vertically.
If its a problem to get to, consider an automatic blowdown (AC or DC) at the drain with a tube to the bilge or crap can. ws