10 inputs determine the right condensate management.

A distributor-facing pre-quote checklist. If the customer answers most of these at the first call, the second call is the quote.

1. 01
   Where does the compressor condensate discharge to today — floor drain, sanitary sewer, or oil-water separator?

   If the answer is "floor drain" or "sanitary sewer" on an oil-injected compressor, the customer is out of compliance. EPA fines for oily-discharge violations run $25K-50K per day per violation. Lead with the OWS conversation; it's a five-figure-exposure fix that's typically a four-figure quote.
2. 02
   How many condensate points does the system have — and what's the current drain at each one?

   Walk the compressor room. Photo each drain. Aftercooler, receiver, dryer outlet, every coalescing filter, every particulate filter — each needs its own drain. Manual drains in industrial service are almost universally non-functional (operator forgets); customers often think one drain at the receiver is enough.
3. 03
   What's the compressor HP, the operating hours per week, and the climate?

   Sizes both the drains and the OWS. Humid-climate installs (Gulf Coast, Southeast, eastern summer) need a 1.5x de-rating on the OWS and zero-air-loss drains at every high-volume point. Peak summer condensate is what defines "right-sized," not nominal flow.
4. 04
   How long do the existing timer drains stay open, and how often?

   Most customers don't know — and the timer is almost certainly running longer than needed because no one wants to under-drain. A 5-second/ 5-minute timer wastes 1-3 SCFM continuously; on a 50 HP system at $0.12/kWh, that's $400-800/year per drain in compressed-air bleed. Quote the upgrade with the math.
5. 05
   Is the compressor oil-injected, oil-free, or mixed?

   Oil-injected compressors need an OWS without exception. Oil-free compressors don't produce oily condensate and can typically discharge to floor drain — verify against local rules. Mixed sites with any oil-injected machine on the shared discharge still need the OWS sized to the oil-injected portion.
6. 06
   Is there electrical service at every drain point, especially outdoor or remote ones?

   Decides the drain type. Electronic zero-air-loss (BEKOMAT, JORC level-sensed) needs 24V DC or 115V AC; magnetic-float (JORC MAG-11, KELTEC) runs on zero power. Outdoor installs without power almost always end up on magnetic-float — and need freeze protection.
7. 07
   What does the local POTW (publicly owned treatment works) cite as the oil discharge limit?

   The federal benchmark is 40 ppm; many local POTWs are stricter (10 ppm, sometimes 5 ppm). Pull the local sewer-use ordinance before sizing the OWS. Audit-failure exposure is set by the local limit, not the federal one.
8. 08
   When was the OWS adsorption media last replaced?

   Media loads with oil over 6-12 months and must be replaced before breakthrough. Once it saturates, the OWS stops capturing oil and the customer is out of compliance without knowing it. If the customer can't tell you the last replacement date, the media is probably past due — quote a media kit with every visit.
9. 09
   Has the compressor capacity been added to since the existing OWS was sized?

   Common compliance trap. Customer installed an OWS when they had two 25 HP compressors; they're now running three 50 HP units on the same OWS. The OWS is now undersized for actual flow and effluent is over limit at peak. Sum the current nameplate HP and re-size.
10. 10
    Is the install outdoor, generator-package, or in any unheated space that goes below freezing?

    Both drains and OWS housings can freeze. Frozen discharge = blocked drain = upstream component floods. Quote heated-housing variants or insulated enclosures for any sub-freezing exposure — most OWS units are not rated for outdoor freezing service.