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Compressor problem

Steve Maskery

Steve Maskery

Old Oak
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I don't know a lot about compressors. I switch it on, it charges up, it blows air. My compressor is a little under 2 years old. It's not used very often.
Recently it's started to cut out.
There is a pull-on-push-off switch and also a red button, some sort of override thingy.
The red button pops out after a second or three, shutting down the machine.
Can anyone shed any light on my problem please?
 
What is the red button overriding?
Does the back of the red button just have electrical connections or is there a connection to the air tank
Does the unloader valve hiss when the compressor switches off at the set pressure
Photos please
 
Just re-read your query. So this cutout is tripping on start up so you dont get up to pressure at all.
Empty the tank and open the drain valve. Try and start the machine under no load. If it now runs ok, close the drain and see what it does.
 
Mine sounds similar type of machine, the little red button is an overload trip/reset. I find it really does not like cold weather.
 
9fingers said:
Just re-read your query. So this cutout is tripping on start up so you dont get up to pressure at all.
Click to expand...
Correct.
9fingers said:
Empty the tank and open the drain valve. Try and start the machine under no load. If it now runs ok, close the drain and see what it does.
Click to expand...
I'll go and try that just as soon as I'm functioning properly. Party last night...
wallace said:
Mine sounds similar type of machine, the little red button is an overload trip/reset. I find it really does not like cold weather.
Click to expand...
It hasn't got cold here yet. A bit misty in the mornings, but 20C+ when that burns off.

I've just had a thought. The cable isn't very long, so it's on a very long, heavy-duty cable reel extension. But it's been working fine ever since I bought it.

I'll take a bit of footage and post it up.
 
Ok that button is as Wallace said is an overload breaker.
Does the unloader valve hiss when the motor turns off having got up to pressure. If it does then the motor capacitor likely to be inside the box on top of the motor could be weak. Before it gives up the ghost completely make a note of the value and working voltage (450ac ish). A replacement from ebay should not cost a lot.
There are more obscure less likely answers but the capacitor is a cheap option that might well fix the problem.
 
As I said, the electrically larger. The grey one. If when you source a replacement you can find a higher voltage one that will still fit mechanically then get that one.
Ypu should find a choice of spade terminals or wire leads. Whichever is more convenient to you.
Polarity is un important
 
Yes and no. Yes I know I should but no, I don't do it. 😯 It never runs for very long and the only other thing the reel gets used for is pressure-washing (and you can tell from the state of my car that that doesn't happen very often...)
I'm going to Limoges today, I'll buy some cable and replace the short one that is currently on the machine, so that I don't have to use the extension at all.
 
My new capacitor has arrived, but I'm a bit confused.
Bob, you said that polarity is unimportant, and indeed, the original capacitor has two identical black leads. But the new one has one blue and one brown lead
new capacitor.jpg
Is it still the case that polarity is unimportant? If not, I propose connecting the brown lead to the indicated screw, because the top two screws are from the grey capacitor and the left screw already has a red lead attached to it from the other capacitor. Is this right? Apologies if I am being thick
Many thanks.
Steve

capacitor polarity.jpg
 
Steve Maskery said:
Correct.

I'll go and try that just as soon as I'm functioning properly. Party last night...

It hasn't got cold here yet. A bit misty in the mornings, but 20C+ when that burns off.

I've just had a thought. The cable isn't very long, so it's on a very long, heavy-duty cable reel extension. But it's been working fine ever since I bought it.

I'll take a bit of footage and post it up.
Click to expand...
Voltage drop because of the very long extension cable?
Worth trying directly to a wall socket, see if it works without the extension leads.
Electricity gets weaker the longer wires it has to go through, add in a few less than perfect connections, what went in at 240 volts may come out at 200 volts, which may not be enough to run a motor, but will light a bulb.
Very simplestic explanation, to a complicated problem! Well known in 12 volt circuits, less well known in mains voltages.

Bod
 
Bod1 said:
Electricity gets weaker the longer wires it has to go through, add in a few less than perfect connections, what went in at 240 volts may come out at 200 volts, which may not be enough to run a motor, but will light a bulb.
Very simplestic explanation, to a complicated problem! Well known in 12 volt circuits, less well known in mains voltages.
Click to expand...
Actually, a real life problem for some of us. When using a compressor on site (110 volt) I invariably have to ensure that I have my thick 32A cable to supply the compressor, and limit the length of cable run (no daisy chaining of extensions). Anybody found trying to cut into my power supply to run their grinder or lighting circuits off my cable is instantly disconnected and gets the sharp side of my tongue! AFAIK decent size portable single phase compressors all have capacitor/capacitor run motors which means that if the supply voltage drops to a low enough level they either won't start at all or if they do will run erratically. They also tend to suffer capacitor or starter failures. Seen that a few times with company-supplied compressors, invariably as a result of voltage drop on the supply cable because people simply don't understand the relationship between wire cross section, length of wire and electrical resistance
 
@Ovaloe: It amazes me that so many USA bits of power tool kit work well enough on 120V.

They only got saddled with it because of lobbying by the copper industry at the time of standardization - dangerous enough to be fatal, but not hifgh enough voltage to be sensible. But it does require a lot of low-resistance wiring, yummy. I'm told you can still buy aluminium-cored cable over there, although thankfully I've never yet had to deal with any.

At least 110V, being actually 55-0-55V, has some common sense behind it, although it's a pain (I find my transformer gets heavier on a weekly basis now!).

E.

PS: don't get me started on wirenuts...
 
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