Your air compressor is one of your most valuable assets, and it’s also a highly complex machine. When it goes down, it’s critical to understand how to troubleshoot your air compressor. It’s a significant investment for any company, and it’s critical to operations. When it goes down for any reason, it’s important to know exactly what to do.
10 Essential Tips For Troubleshooting Your Air Compressor
Excessive Noise in Operation – When the compressor is operating more loudly than usual, it could be any number of issues such as a loose pulley, flywheel, belt, cooler, or accessories. Tightening any of these could help. You may also want to add oil to the crankcase and check for any damage to bearings.
The floor mounting could also be loose and require tightening. You may also want to replace vibration pads at this point.
Not Enough Pressure in Use – There may be a leak somewhere in the compressor line. At this point it’s important to check for leaks or restrictions along the hose or piping. If you find something, this can easily be repaired. It may also be that the air filter needs to be cleaned or replaced to improve pressure or air flow. There are ways you can reduce pressure drop in the system.
Air is Blowing Out of the Inlet Valve – One cause for this may be that there is a broken first stage inlet valve. In this circumstance, the valve assembly would need to be replaced.
Excessive Belt Wear – Excessive belt wear can happen for a few different reasons. The pulley could be out of alignment, in which case it just needs to be realigned with the compressor flywheel. If the belt is too loose or too tight, the tension would need to be realigned. If there is a wobble, you can check for a warn crankshaft, keyway, or pulley bore. These things can result from running with loose pulleys.
Fuses Blow Excessively – If this is a recurring problem for you, it may be as simple as checking that the fuses are of proper ampere and rating for the right use. There could also be low voltage to the system, or a defective unloader or check valve. It may be time to replace or repair. You’ll also want to check the belt to see if it needs to be loosened.
Excessive Oil Consumption – Any number of issues can have an impact on increased oil usage. There may be a restricted air take at this point that can be resolved by cleaning or replacing the air filter. If an oil leak is the culprit, tightening bolts or replacing the gasket could do the trick. It could also be that the piston rings would need to be replaced.
If you used the wrong oil viscosity, you would need to drain the oil, and refill it with the proper viscosity. If the compressor is operating in a tilted state, it would need to be leveled out. You could also need to replace the cylinder if it is scored.
Excessive Moisture in Air – If you’re dealing with excessive water in the compressor tank, you’ll need to turn the system off, reduce the pressure, and drain the water. Installing an air dryer or air filter will minimize the moisture levels in the air that is used. There are more ways you can reduce moisture in compressed air as well.
The Compressor Vibrates – If the compressor is continuously vibrating, the mounting bolts may be loose. In this case, they may just need to be tightened. Installing vibration pads may be another way to reduce this problem.
No Pressure in Receiver When Compressor is Off – There may just be a faulty check valve. If this happens the tank needs to be bled. You can disassemble the check valve assembly, and clean or replace any faulty parts.
The Compressor Stopped Working – It may just be a loss of power. You can try plugging the compressor into a new power source. A bad unloader valve can cause the compressor to stop working as well. If so, it may just need to be replaced.
When Troubleshooting Doesn’t Work Contact A Professional
Sometimes, replacing or tightening the part in question may simply not be enough. If you’ve done what you can to troubleshoot your air compressor and you’re still having trouble, it may be time to contact Compressor Services. It also helps to remember that preventative maintenance can help to troubleshoot these problems before they happen.
Our experienced technicians can help ensure that the job is done right. If you’re having air compressor issues, contact us today!
