Oil skimmers for compressor condensate and oil-water separation

Compressor condensate is mostly water with a little oil, about 50 to 1. Where that oil floats free in a sump or pit, a hanging long-reach belt skimmer (from $479) takes it off; where it has to be separated from the water before disposal, the F16AC condensate coalescer ($898) does it on site.

What is in air compressor condensate

Every compressed-air system squeezes water out of the air, and that water carries compressor lubricant with it. Dirty condensate is mostly water: expect a 50 to 1 ratio, about 1 gallon of oil in a 55-gallon drum. The volume is large: a 100 HP compressor in 70°F air at 80% humidity makes about 2 gallons of condensate an hour, 48 gallons a day around the clock, of which about a gallon is oil. Disposal companies charge $150 to $250 for a 55-gallon drum of oily condensate. Separate it on site and you pay to dispose of the oil only: on those numbers, one drum of oil every 57 days (about $150) instead of nearly fifty drums of condensate (about $7,500).

Compressor condensate oil-water separator, coalescer or skimmer: which one

Be honest about what you have before you buy. A skimmer removes oil that floats. If condensate drains to a floor sump, a pit or a collection tank with a visible oil layer on top, a belt skimmer running continuously keeps that layer off. It does nothing for oil dispersed in the water. A coalescer passes the condensate through media that merges fine droplets into a layer, then holds it so the oil can be drained off. The F16AC is that: an economical alternative to a large separation system, suitable for almost any size compressor, and in most cases enough for programs such as ISO 14001. An oil-water separator with an activated-carbon polishing stage is the tool when your lubricant forms a stable emulsion (some synthetic compressor oils do) or when a discharge permit sets an oil limit in ppm you must document. Zebra does not make that; check your local sewer-discharge rules and your compressor OEM's advice, and if that is what you need we will say so on the phone.

Which model for condensate sumps, pits and drains

Prices are today's 115 V list prices on the product pages. Everything is built in Solon, Ohio.

Accessories for the F16AC are in the F16AC accessories collection; the full coalescer range is under coalescers.

Sizing a hanging belt skimmer for a condensate pit

Anything over 24 in of reach is a hanging unit: instead of a fixed foot, the belt hangs free on a weighted tail pulley, which is what lets it go 25 ft into a pit. Measure from the surface the skimmer will mount on straight down to the water at its normal level (not the pit depth), order the next reach up, and make sure the belt has a straight drop with no pipes or ledges in the way; it will not route around obstacles. The motor stays outside the fluid on two screws or a magnetic base. A 1 in belt removes about 1 gallon of oil an hour, a 2 in belt about 2; for a condensate pit the 1 in poly belt is usually plenty, and the stainless belt is the pick when the water runs hot or dirty. The reach guide shows the measurement; the skimmer sizer takes two photos and returns a part number.

What the F16AC condensate coalescer does

The F16AC Muscle compressor coalescer is a translucent barrel with spin-welded fittings, coalescing media that adds surface area for the oil to collect on, and a manual oil drain spigot. You watch the oil layer build and drain it off; the media is replaceable. Limited 90-day warranty, ships from stock, rolls between compressors on the drum dolly. The Z17 Muscle coalescer is the equivalent for machine coolant on a CNC sump: a different job.

Common questions

Can an oil skimmer handle compressor condensate?
Yes, where the condensate collects in a sump, pit or tank and the oil floats as a visible layer. A belt skimmer picks up what floats; it does not separate oil emulsified in the water. At a collection point by the compressor or dryer drain, the F16AC coalescer separates the oil on site.

How much oil is in compressor condensate?
About 50 parts water to 1 part oil: roughly 1 gallon of oil in a 55-gallon drum. A 100 HP compressor at 70°F and 80% humidity makes about 2 gallons of condensate an hour, so the volume is water, not oil.

Do I need a coalescer or an oil-water separator?
A coalescer (the F16AC) merges fine oil droplets into a layer you drain off and suits almost any size compressor. If your lubricant forms a stable emulsion, or your discharge permit sets an oil limit in ppm, you need an oil-water separator with a polishing stage; Zebra does not make one.

How deep can a belt skimmer reach into a pit?
The long-reach hanging belt skimmer is in the picker from 36 in to 300 in (25 ft); longer is a quote. The belt hangs free on a weighted tail pulley, so it needs a straight drop with nothing in the way.

What is the warranty on the F16AC?
The F16AC carries a limited 90-day warranty; the coalescing media is replaceable. Zebra's lifetime warranty applies to belt, tube and disk skimmers, so a long-reach belt skimmer on a condensate pit is covered for life (registration required).

Related: Long-reach belt oil skimmer · F16AC condensate coalescer · Coalescers · How to choose an oil skimmer · Oil skimmers for CNC machine shops

Written by the engineering team at Zebra Skimmers Corp, Solon, Ohio. Prices and lead times are the ones on our product pages on the date shown and can change; the product page is the source of truth. Last updated October 2026.