[Shop-talk] Air compressor took a dump.

[Dave Cavanaugh]

Thanks for the replies, especially the first one from Michael Porter; it 
appears it WAS the unloader valve.  When I blew it down for the first 
"test" yesterday I only ran the pressure down enough for the pressuer 
switch to try to start.  Today I went out and ran the tank completely 
empty and then turned the  compressor over by hand; it turned relatively 
freely, and started up fine when I closed the disconnect.  I hosed off 
the outside of the unloader valve with electrical cleaner; it was 
somewhat gunked up, as well as the pressure switch guts.  It seems to be 
working fine now but I'll probably order a new unloader.

On 3/27/2016 7:27 PM, Dave Cavanaugh wrote:
> This afternoon my air compressor locked up.  It's a two cylinder 60 
> gallon Campbell-Hausfield that I bought at HD about ten or twelve 
> years ago.  5 HP single phase, two cylinder, about 16 CFM at 90 PSI.  
> The first time I heard the belt squealing so I flipped the breaker and 
> got the flywheel turning using a pipe wrench.  After a couple of 
> rotations it seemed pretty free so I blew it down and it started ok, 
> but when it came up to pressure and stopped the flywheel stopped dead; 
> it didn't coast to a stop, and when I tried to start it again it was 
> locked up again.
>
> It's not making any more noise that usual, it's just freezing up. I 
> suspect something is getting hot and dragging.  I guess I'll pull the 
> pump in the next week or so and tear it down, but I'm tempted to just 
> order a new pump and call it good.  This is crappy timing because I'm 
> in the middle of a furniture commission and my little portable hot dog 
> compressor won't run my Dynabrades, plus I'm moving in about a year 
> and building a new shop, which will have a new 7.5 HP, two stage 
> compressor.
>
> Yes, there is oil in the sight glass; in fact I just changed the oil a 
> couple of months ago.  I used some 20 Wt ND I had on hand; probably 
> should have used Mobil One....but what color cap?
>
> Advice, opinions, suggestions?
> thanks
> Dave
> _______________________________________________
>
> Shop-talk at autox.team.net
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation  $12.96
> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> Unsubscribe/Manage: 
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/cavanadd@frontier.com
>
>