Air Compressor Issues (Solved)

[HodgePodgeGarage]

post 14

I was gone all day or I would have snapped the pic of it.

Fortunately, I kept the box. Pulled it off the shelf to box it back up and it’s for the 5 HP motor. I think a little switcheroo must have happened somewhere.

I feel bad for posting here and having everyone help when it was so simple, but I’ve also spent three evenings trying to figure this out, checking wiring, and everything else, only to discover I didn’t get the motor I ordered

Sorry y’all. I do appreciate your help greatly. Sorry for the troubles.

 

[The Cobbler]

no worries, glad it was figured out

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

Me too. Already got it off, pulley removed, boxed up, and on the porch for pickup by UPS tomorrow. Going to continue working on plumbing the air around the garage and will order the proper motor and pulley tomorrow morning!

no worries, glad it was figured out

 

[whateg01]

So you'll also upgrade to a mag starter with the new motor?

 

[mike93lx]

I was gone all day or I would have snapped the pic of it.

Fortunately, I kept the box. Pulled it off the shelf to box it back up and it’s for the 5 HP motor. I think a little switcheroo must have happened somewhere.

I feel bad for posting here and having everyone help when it was so simple, but I’ve also spent three evenings trying to figure this out, checking wiring, and everything else, only to discover I didn’t get the motor I ordered

Sorry y’all. I do appreciate your help greatly. Sorry for the troubles.

I want a refund!

All good. Hang around, you might like it here

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

So you'll also upgrade to a mag starter with the new motor?

Just getting a proper 5HP motor instead of the 5 HP SPL motor.

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

I want a refund!

All good. Hang around, you might like it here

I do like it here! I’ve spent a couple years reading this forum researching different topics. Was about time I joined!

 

[whateg01]

Just getting a proper 5HP motor instead of the 5 HP SPL motor.

That's why I asked about the starter. You didn't mention one.

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

That's why I asked about the starter. You didn't mention one.

The motor doesn’t come with a mag starter and I haven’t seen one that does. I think that’s an upgrade from the upgrade. Lol! Overkill for my needs, perhaps?

 

[whateg01]

The motor doesn’t come with a mag starter and I haven’t seen one that does. I think that’s an upgrade from the upgrade. Lol! Overkill for my needs, perhaps?

Does the motor have overload protection built in?

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

Does the motor have overload protection built in?

This is the motor I’m looking at. It draws 22 Amps. I don’t think a mag starter is necessary. Not sure about the overload protection.

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-5HP-Compressor-Electric-Motor/dp/B0C5N89HLN/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[The Cobbler]

motor doesn’t come with a mag starter and I haven’t seen one that does

they are separate items. the mag starter is used because the pressure switch is not rather for a 5hp load and will burn the contacts on it.

 

[The Cobbler]

It draws 22 Amps.

at start up it's a lot more . 2-3times that . I doubt your pressure switch is rated for the kind of load you're applying

 

[whateg01]

This is the motor I’m looking at. It draws 22 Amps. I don’t think a mag starter is necessary. Not sure about the overload protection.

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-5HP-Compressor-Electric-Motor/dp/B0C5N89HLN/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I don't see anything that says it has overload protection. That doesn't mean it doesn't have it, but I think I would be surprised if it did. I guess at least it has "speedy rotation" !

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

at start up it's a lot more . 2-3times that . I doubt your pressure switch is rated for the kind of load you're applying

Good to know. Thanks. Will research more today before ordering. I can order this one also:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5N7P1CY?tag=atomicindus08-20

I know it’s not a true 5 HP, but it’s the same frame and shaft size as my old motor was. My old motor must have been 5 HP SPL, as it didn’t have any mag starter. I’ll dig up the pic of the name plate.

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

Just pulled up the nameplate from the old 5HP motor. It was 5 HP SPL. I’ll just stick with that. This looks to be the equivalent of the original motor. This is what I ordered in the first place, but was sent the wrong motor.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5N7P1CY?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[GeoBruin]

Your pressure switch is rated at 26 amps. You're fine.

 

[whateg01]

I don't think it really matters what you took off of the compressor. You replaced the pump with a different pump, right? What does the new pump require? If the new pump requires a true five horsepower motor to run as specified, then you need to replace the motor with a true 5 HP motor.

 

[hobie18]

2.24 pulley

 

[whateg01]

Your pressure switch is rated at 26 amps. You're fine.

Not if the motor does not have overload protection

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

I don't think it really matters what you took off of the compressor. You replaced the pump with a different pump, right? What does the new pump require? If the new pump requires a true five horsepower motor to run as specified, then you need to replace the motor with a true 5 HP motor.

Yes. I brought the manual in so I could research it today. Looking at the manual specifications, it says 5 HP Motor, 850-1180 RPM. It suggests a 5.6” pulley at 3450 RPM. It does not say anything about 5 HP SPL. I honestly don’t know the difference between SPL and not, other than someone said earlier that 5 HP SPL isn’t a true 5 HP.

Pressure Switch is a Condor MDR21-EA11. Can’t find exact specs from Condor, but another site said it’s rated up to 24 amps, so it might not work for this application with the bigger motor.

 

[mm08822]

The true 5HP motor shows OL reset button. Get the 5hp motor and forget the 5HP-SPL.

If the pressure switch isn't rated for 5HP (it will be stamped), then buy a new one. Crazy to not use the full compressor capacity and spending the same money for either motor.

A lever (On-Off) operated pressure switch with unloader valve is cheap and easy to install.

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

The true 5HP motor shows OL reset button. Get the 5hp motor and forget the 5HP-SPL.

If the pressure switch isn't rated for 5HP (it will be stamped), then buy a new one. Crazy to not use the full compressor capacity and spending the same money for either motor.

A lever (On-Off) operated pressure switch with unloader valve is cheap and easy to install.

Thanks. I’ll see what is out there for pressure switches.

At this point, I’m wondering if I should just go out and get a new 80 gallon Ingersoll Rand at TSC on sale for $1,200

 

[mm08822]

Thanks. I’ll see what is out there for pressure switches.

At this point, I’m wondering if I should just go out and get a new 80 gallon Ingersoll Rand at TSC on sale for $1,200

Just make sure it is rated for 5HP @ 240vac and you will be fine. Lever-operated for on-off is simple and gets the job done.

And you want the 175 psi range. (Check the working pressure rating on the tank ASME label.)

 

[GeoBruin]

Every 5 hp compressor sold in every big box store on the planet comes with one of a few condor pressure switch models with similar ratings and none of them come with mag starters. I understand the GJ way is to go big or go home, but the OP is trying to minimize his investment and essentially recreate one of these big box store compressors.

I have one myself. The motor is rated at 22 amps, and the pressure switch (Condor MDR 11/11 EA) is rated for 26 amps. This is as configured from the factory.

Edit: Looks like the Vevor motor the OP is considering is rated at 25 FLA. I thought I saw 22 somewhere earlier in the thread.

Edit 2: it is rated at 22 amps and the reviews mention that it is thermally protected.

 

[dscheidt]

Yes. I brought the manual in so I could research it today. Looking at the manual specifications, it says 5 HP Motor, 850-1180 RPM. It suggests a 5.6” pulley at 3450 RPM. It does not say anything about 5 HP SPL. I honestly don’t know the difference between SPL and not, other than someone said earlier that 5 HP SPL isn’t a true 5 HP.

Pressure Switch is a Condor MDR21-EA11. Can’t find exact specs from Condor, but another site said it’s rated up to 24 amps, so it might not work for this application with the bigger motor.

SPL on a motor dataplate means "special". That means the motor's requirements are different from what the code book calls out for the horsepower rating. In theory, they could be higher, but in practice, it is used to mean "this is not really a 5 HP motor, we just want the people buying it to think it is". It could be 5HP is peak output, that it can't maintain for a long time, it could be something else. For a package system, like a store-bought compressor, there's nothing wrong with that, assuming it was all designed to work together. It does make replacing the motor on something difficult, because you don't know what the real specs are.

 

[Bert_]

Spl is "special" aka marketing lies. A motor labeled 5hp SPL is usually about 2-3hp in reality.

Me personally I would stay away from a Chinese motor from Amazon. Sounds like a good way to be buying another motor in a year or two.

 

[Steve_P]

I'm confused on what the OP is buying, but:
240V and 22A running is ~5.9 HP at the typical 83% efficiency. At 75% it's 5.3 HP.

The typical big box store "5HP" 240V compressor is, or used to be, 15A, which is about 4HP at 83%. He linked to a similar motor to this, the "SPL" motor.

I won't debate whether this is a good motor or not, but the 22A motor does appear to be a 5 HP motor, unless it has a ridiculous efficiency

OP, make sure your pressure switch is rated for at least 22A, which it seems to be, and that the contacts are relatively clean and not burned up and pitted. You can clean them with a small file. New pressure switches aren't that expensive if it looks crappy.

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

Well… sometimes you need to know when to cut your losses. I was researching the motor and pressure switches this morning when my wife said “maybe you should just buy a new one”. I didn’t really have the money for a new compressor back when I bought this from the auction in May (yes, I’ve been chipping away at it that long, although only seriously in the last two weeks, as I travel A LOT for work). I took a peak and the Ingersoll Rand I was eyeballing was on sale at TSC for $300 off. If you bought online for store pickup you got an additional 10% off. We had stacked up rewards points that took an additional $100 off, and I had a rewards coupon for a free 24 hour utility trailer rental from the store. With all the discounts (almost $600 off) plus tax, I walked out the door for $1,049.39.

I have to take a 20% hit for a restocking fee on the McGraw pump head, but that’s not a big deal. I have about $400 in returnable parts from this compressor project, so for a little more, I got myself a new 80 gallon, 2 stage Ingersoll Rand.

I’ve put enough hours into this thing (long before making the post) that I could have bought a new one if I was getting paid for those hours. It’s all good though. Now to finish up the air plumbing in the garage and back to garage projects.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[whateg01]

Gonna **** when the next buyer of that "new" pump gets it home and out of the box only to find it's been ran before but I guess that's not your problem.

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

Gonna **** when the next buyer of that "new" pump gets it home and out of the box only to find it's been ran before but I guess that's not your problem.

I’m assuming that’s what the restocking fee is for, as it’ll be sold on the floor as an open box item. I’ll be clear with them about the scenario. I’m not gonna lie to them and say I didn’t run it (and it’s clear it has been run).

Edit/update: I just called up to my local Harbor Freight and explained everything. The manager I spoke with was very understanding, told me I am perfectly fine to return it and that restocking fee is because they’ll put it on the floor at an open box discount. She said if I wanted to get a store credit, she’d most likely give me a full credit back (but has to speak with her manager) or I can pay the $50 restocking fee. Going to ponder it while I take the pump head off this evening, but I think I’ll take the restocking fee option because I don’t have any immediate needs for anything from HF right now.

 

[PoorUB]

No question you have the wrong motor. On 240 volt a motor will draw roughly 5 amps per HP. Your 15 amp motor is about 3HP.
Your original set up might have said 5HP on the label, but compressor manufacturers lie! You had a 3HP compressor.

Then you replaced the motor wit one similar to the original, then decided the pump was shot and bought an honest 5HP pump and tried to run it with a 3HP motor. You need to drop the motor pulley by about half, or buy a real 5HP motor that draws about 25 amps on 240 volt.

 

[yatg]

Your 15 amp motor is about 3HP.
Your original set up might have said 5HP on the label, but compressor manufacturers lie! You had a 3HP compressor.

 

[HodgePodgeGarage]

Just wired up the new compressor this evening and within moments, I had a full tank of air The new compressor ran quite quietly, filled the tank fast, and I couldn’t be more glad that the old compressor fiasco is behind me. Got some time in running my plumbing for the air too, so I should be able to wrap that up in another evening or two and be on my way to other projects!