My compressor just trips out breakers…how come?

My compressor just trips out breakers as soon as i switch it on, i have changed capacitor but still remains dead. Could it be the motor, or the main switch?

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Your compressor is popping the breaker as something in it, or in the circuit, is pulling more amps than the breaker can handle. That it’s popping is a good thing, as it’s preventing a bigger problem in your house or shop electrical system.

If you have eliminated a ground fault or short in the power cord, then the next thing to look at in the compressor electrical circuit is the pressure switch.

It reacts to pressure in the compressor system, turning the power on when the pressure falls to the cut-in point, and turning the power to the compressor motor back off again when pressure in the system reaches the cut-out high pressure setting.

It’s my guess that this may be your problem. It may have failed and in the process created a short.

Since it’s a lower cost fix to change the pressure switch than the motor, may I suggest you do that? Worst case scenario of changing the pressure switch doesn’t solve the problem is that you’ll then have a spare on the shelf.

Hope this helps. Let us know the resolution, would you?

Here’s where to get more information on using compressed air.

Hayward-Hallett Air Compressor Rebuild

I’ve received a request from a visitor for any information we can provide on the rebuild of an old Hayward-Hallet Air Compressor. I have no personal information to provide.

If you rebuild this type of air compressor, or know of anyone that has information about this type of air compressor, we sure would appreciate it if you could provide that information in a comment. Thank you.

Re-orient your air compressor?

Curious whether you can run a horizontal compressor in the vertical position? Is there a shorter life span because of the way the motor is situated?

As far as the compressor air tank goes, it doesn’t care the orientation. It will be difficult to drain water if the drain valve is not at the bottom, and if the air discharge port ends up being close to the bottom, you’ll be expelling water along with your air. These issues can be overcome.

Where I don’t think it’s a good idea to turn your compressor on it’s side, has to do with the motor.

If your compressor is oil lubricated, then turning the compressor on it’s side would be like turning your car on it’s side, and running the engine. The crud in the oil sump would quickly spread throughout the compressor pump and wreak havoc. Not to mention oil would be leaking out the fill port.

Even if your compressor is not oil lubed, I would expect that the orientation of the compressor head is correct as it’s designed, and in my opinion  shouldn’t be changed.

Did you by a Campbell Hausfeld compressor from WalMart?

Walmart is recalling 16000 dangerous compressors.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a recall for 16,000 dangerous, Chinese-made air compressors that were imported by Campbell Hausfeld and sold exclusively at Wal-Mart.

According to Campbell Hausfeld, a device within the compressor that is supposed to shut the unit off to avoid overheating can fail, allowing the tool to become dangerously hot. While there is a clear fire risk, the CPSC says no one has been injured from the device so far.

The recall involves the model HU200099AV air compressor with a 20-gallon tank. They were sold at Wal-Mart stores for about $250. Consumers can return the item to Wal-Mart for a full refund.

Source: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7015530766

Reduce Compressed Air Use & Pay For Service With Savings…

It’s just good business for every company using compressed air to use it as economically as possible since compressed air is one of the most expensive energy sources.

I  found this interesting proposition from a company in the U.S. that sells compressors and compressed air management systems and, they claim, you can pay for the system to reduce compressed air use out of the energy cost reductions that their system will generate.

I’m long past believing in the “free lunch” or the “tooth fairy”,  but if I were in business today, what with the economy and all, I’d be looking at ways to try to maintain production and lower costs, even if the promise seemed too good to be true.

If their system works, and I presume that they’ll have evidence of that, then it were me, I’d be asking for details about the Pay as you Save compressed air reduction system; a fully automated air compressor control system.

If you want more information contact Kurt Lang at Air Compressors.com. His email address: klang@aircompressors.com.

Oh, and I don’t know these guys from Adam. Just seems like the time is right for a product like this, wherever you decide to get it.

Changing the oil in a Speedaire, or other, DIY air compressor

Every brand of compressor is slightly different, yet all reciprocating type compressors that are oil lubed have commonality.

So, the first question you need to answer is… is your compressor oil lubed for sure?

If you aren’t sure, navigate to the Speedaire page on this website, find your local outlet using the guide provided, and ask them

While you are at it, ask them if they can send you another manual too.

All splash-lubed compressors have an oil sump somewhere under the compressor pump housing. They sometimes have a site glass too, to allow you to see how much oil is in the sump.

Run your compressor without oil and eventually it will seize, just like your car engine would if you ran it without oil.

Some compressors don’t have a site glass, unfortunately, though some have a dip-stick built into the oil fill cap instead. Check yours for that as it will make refilling the oil to the correct level much easier.

Look for a plug near the bottom of the compressor pump housing that will thread out. That will be your oil drain. And yes, unless you are really careful, you will drip dirty oil all over everything. So pick your spot, one that won’t be damaged by oil leaking onto it if you have a spill.

Drain the oil out into a reservoir that you can use to estimate about how much oil was in your sump. That way you can put the same amount back in, if you don’t have a site glass or dip stick to measure the oil level as you refill the sump.

Near the top of the oil sump, usually below the piston housing, there will be a port into which you can add oil. I can’t be more specific than that as there are so many brands of compressors, and many have quite different oil-adding ports.

The port into which you add the oil will be vented. That means that there will be a small hole in the cap somewhere to allow atmosphere into the oil sump as the oil is consumed.

Be careful! I’m not talking about the air intake at the top of the pump housing here. Don’t put oil into that one.

After you have replaced the plug at the bottom of the sump, add compressor oil (not car oil, not 3 in 1 oil, only compressor oil) into the fill port until you’ve added about what you’ve removed. A little more will be OK, but very little more. You don’t want to overfill the sump.

If you’d like to see some photos and step by step instructions for checking and adding your oil, pages 49 to 53 of my eBook The Home Compressor offer those. It’s now $8.88, and is available right here.

One reason an air compressor bleeds compressed air.

My air compressor is set at 80 psi. It pumps to this setting and as soon as it shuts off you can hear a leak from a valve at the back.

Then the pressure drops quickly which causes the compressor to recharge.    Do you think an o ring has gone?

You can feel the air coming out only when it has stopped pumping. The escaping air is from sort of screw attachment to a valve on the top at the back of the tank. Can you tell me why?   How do I fix?

Bill answers…

It’s hard to be sure without seeing it, but I suspect that “the valve at the back” is the unloader valve for your compressor.

It’s supposed to open when the compressor stops to “unload” the air that’s compressed over the piston.

So, when your compressor reaches the high pressure cut-out, the unloader valve opens, you hear that characteristic “psssshhhhtttt”, and then the air stops.

Only, in your case, it’s not stopping.

That tells me that the air (again, assuming that it’s the unloader valve that the air is leaking from)is bleeding back out of your tank, up the air line to the unloader valve, and out to atmosphere.

When your compressor is compressing air, it’s pushing that air down into the tank through a one-way valve (also known as a check valve). That valve is supposed to keep the air in the tank when your unloader valve opens.

I think that either your check valve has a worn seat, or there is debris that’s preventing it from closing tightly, and that’s where the air is coming from.

If you are up to it, make sure the tank is empty and the compressor is unplugged, and look for where the air line from the compressor head goes into the tank. There should be a check valve assembly there. Dismantle it, make sure that the internal valve flapper or ball is seating cleanly, reassemble and test.

If I’m right, this should solve your problem. Here’s where to go to get more information about using compressed air.

Slow your air cylinder down to reduce noise and impact damage.

Many industrial machines using compressed air as an energy source, use air cylinders or other pneumatic actuators to do the actual work.

Compressed air is ‘explosive’ as it moves from high pressure to low pressure on it’s way back to atmosphere. That means when the air valve shifts and air flows to the cylinder, the cylinder piston and rod moves extremely quickly. A high speed cylinder rod may not be best for your application, and you will want to reduce the speed and the impact.

One easy method of controlling the speed of an air cylinder is installing flow controls in the air lines between the valve to the air cylinder, in the cylinder ports themselves, or even in the exhaust ports of the air valve, though the latter is least desirable.

Here’s the rest of the article.

Parts for an old Devilbiss Air Compressor?

I have a devilbiss model 330 air compressor circa 1942. I would like to source parts for it, where should I look?

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Two things come to mind about finding parts for an old Devilbiss air compressor.

Have a look at the Repairs page on this website and see if any of the repair depots are close enough for you to contact them.

Or, to quote their site, ” DeVilbiss Air Power Company has over 2000 Authorized Warranty Service Centers throughout the United States and Canada that provide the highest possible level of customer service. Contact an Authorized Warranty Service Center to order parts, accessories, or for warranty repair work.” So visit this page – Devilbiss Home Page – and follow their links to find their repair shops in the state of Washington or anywhere else in the USA.

A compressed air regulator question.

If I have a small air compressor with a tank pressure of 130 psi where would I install the regulator and what is the best way to regulate the pressure to the tool?

I have a 100 psi(max) brad nailer and need to reduce the pressure to the tool.  I also want to avoid making the compressor continually run.

Bill answers…

Hello and thanks for taking the time to write it.

Have you had a chance to visit the Regulator page on my website yet? I think you’ll find answers to all of your questions there.

Or, may I entice you into purchasing my Home Compressor eBook? It too provides lots of details about regulators for the home compressor along with a wealth of knowledge about using and troubleshooting the home compressor.