picked up the Champion

[sdriv]

I finally got the Champion vr5-8 that a friend of mine needed "out of his way"relocated to my garage. Now since I'm a total novice at compressors I need help on how to get it working. First on the list is a 5hp single phase motor, currently has a 3phase, So I will be busy searching for a 5hp 1740 rpm 1-1/8" shaft. From what I can tell I will also need to get some type of starter switch? Is that correct? While I was turning the pulley I also noticed that the intercooler line has a whole in it Is that something that can be soldered? or am I best to get a whole new pipe? It also needs a air filter and housing but I only have come across the type that goes straight up. It seems this one angles downward so any help on parts for that would be great as well. That is about what I can tell from visual inspection. What test if any are there to test the pump? or any other inspections that I could do in my research? Looking forward to working this project through with any help from all of you experts!!!

 

[wild cowboy]

the best deal on the best motor there is:

www.ebay.com/itm/201251460693

intercooler pipe will need to be brazed, have a torch?

 

[sdriv]

Thanks Cowboy I did come across a few on ebay all around the $350 range. I do have a torch. Do you think brazing will hold up? I did find an after cooler tube for about $85 shipped

 

[wild cowboy]

brazing works fine on HVAC piping and they carry much more pressure.

be careful on motor selection - just because a motor is $350, doesn't make it a good deal, most all are junky and made in india, china, etc. - the one I linked you to is made in USA, and no motor has the reputation of a Baldor!

that motor retails for about $900

 

[sdriv]

will do. The ones I have been looking at are either Baldor or Leeson

 

[Spinnacak]

I also picked up a slightly used VR5. Paid $400 and it came with a NIB 5hp Baldor single phase L1430T. Had to wire rewire compressor for single phase -- it's a work horse. Similar motors can be found for around $300-$350 in my area. I wired mine with a Siemens mag starter and On/Off/Auto switch so I can leave it plugged in and control it from the panel since my pressure switch doesn't have this capability. (Don't forget the heater after wiring it up and admiring your handiwork). A Siemens/Furnas E62 should be enough for the pump, depending on what motor you mount.

Air filters can be found on eBay and other sources for about $30 that REALLY quiet this thing down. I painted mine green to match the pump.

http://www.factoryaircompressorpart...lencer-assembly-for-r15-r30-rv15-rv30-models/

 

[sdriv]

Awesome thanks for the info. I think I am going to go with the same motor you mentioned. I just ordered a manual for it so that should help with the learning curve. I think that air filter will work I may have to extend it from the manifold a bit so it will clear the case. Do you have any pics of yours? Any visual aids will help me in this process.

 

[sdriv]

OK I looked up the furnas overload heater??? what is that? and where would it go to?? Also do you have the model #for the mag starter you used? I just did a quick search for Siemans mag starter and they results came up starting at like $1000 Im thinking they are not the ones I need?

 

[Spinnacak]

Here is what I have that may help from when I was building mine a few weeks ago. The 220v single phase mag starter is a Siemens 16CF12AGACG with a 49SBSB1 switch wired in series with a pressure switch that came with the unit. Not pictured is the E62 heater I picked up off eBay. This component is installed below the copper piece on left side of starter can be researched on Google for a description.

http://vid834.photobucket.com/albums/zz262/spinnazdeuce/IMG_4699_zpssf856bcg.mp4





I found most of what I needed in this forum as well as some searching on the manufacturer/distributors websites. It's easy enough to do and let me know what else I can do to help. I'll take more pictures of the air filter assembly soon if you need to see what it looks like installed.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156881
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108444
http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/que...nows-the-insides-of-an-air-compressor.480092/

 

[redmondjp]

OK I looked up the furnas overload heater??? what is that? and where would it go to?? Also do you have the model #for the mag starter you used? I just did a quick search for Siemans mag starter and they results came up starting at like $1000 Im thinking they are not the ones I need?

Do some more searching on this forum - there are plenty of compressor wiring posts which go into detail on how to install and wire the motor starter. You want a NEMA size 1 starter (there are several different makers of these) for a single-phase motor (you can also use a 3-phase starter and only use one heater in it). You can find these online for $150 - 200 (or less on Ebay or used locally). It is typical to mount the starter directly to the compressor, but it can be on an adjacent wall as well.

The heater is a tiny strip of metal that goes into the starter - it provides overload protection for the motor - it is selected to heat up at the same rate as the motor windings do, and when it senses an overload, it trips off the motor to protect it.

Congratulations on your new compressor!

 

[sdriv]

Ok so I am learning a lot here. This is a pic of what is on the compressor now. I'm thinking it is a 3phase starter of some sort. Would I be able to use this if I convert to a 5hp single phase? If so is there some way to test this one to see if it is functional? I realize I may have to replace some things but I am on a bit of a budget and didn't realize these starters a pricey

 

[ADSR]

the best deal on the best motor there is:

www.ebay.com/itm/201251460693

intercooler pipe will need to be brazed, have a torch?

Thanks. Put that seller in my favorites. That's cheap!

 

[redmondjp]

Ok so I am learning a lot here. This is a pic of what is on the compressor now. I'm thinking it is a 3phase starter of some sort. Would I be able to use this if I convert to a 5hp single phase? If so is there some way to test this one to see if it is functional? I realize I may have to replace some things but I am on a bit of a budget and didn't realize these starters a pricey

You may be able to use this starter - the upper portion is a 4-pole contactor. The lower portion is your motor overload protection - those flat, silver-colored vertical strips of metal are the heaters that are sized to match the motor. When the strips heat up, they deform and depress a lever that connects to a switch in the base - this switch is in series with the contactor coil and when opens, turns off power to the contactor which in turn de-energizes the motor. There is usually a push-to-reset button hidden on the overload section somewhere (which connects to a 'reset' button on the cover on higher-end starters).

I see two control circuits entering the box at the bottom - I'm guessing that one comes from the pressure switch, and the other from either an on/off switch or a low oil pressure cutout switch.

The key as to whether you can use this contactor is the coil voltage on the contactor - this should be printed on the side of the contactor somewhere (you will likely have to use a mirror or remove the contactor from the case to read it). When you switch to a single-phase motor, you're likely going to be using 240VAC for the control circuit. You can also use 120VAC, using one leg of the two power wires, IF you have a 4-wire feeder to the compressor that includes a neutral wire.

So your contactor coil will have to work with either 120 or 240VAC. If it was originally wired for 480V 3-phase, it's likely that the coil is 277V, which MAY work on 240VAC (have to try - if the contactor snaps in fast and hard when energized, it should be fine). If the contactor doesn't pull in at all, or barely does, then you will have to get a contactor with a different voltage coil (I think on some, but not all, contactors, you actually can swap out the coil section).

Assuming that your contactor coil voltage will work, you can use this starter for the single-phase motor, using only two of the poles to switch the two hot leads to the motor. You will then have to buy new heater strips that match your selected motor (not that hard, each starter mfgr. has a table of heater strip sizes matched to motor sizes by full load amps and/or horsepower).

Report back on what your contactor coil voltage is.

 

[wild cowboy]

Ok so I am learning a lot here. This is a pic of what is on the compressor now. I'm thinking it is a 3phase starter of some sort. Would I be able to use this if I convert to a 5hp single phase? If so is there some way to test this one to see if it is functional? I realize I may have to replace some things but I am on a bit of a budget and didn't realize these starters a pricey

Not that pricey, you can get a new Shihlin P30T for $68 delivered, although that might be sacrilege to an old compressor firm that has been around since 1920

 

[redmondjp]

Not that pricey, you can get a new Shihlin P30T for $68 delivered, although that might be sacrilege to an old compressor firm that has been around since 1920

This will most likely work, but this is the lowest-end Chinese copy of an IEC (European spec) motor starter - not even close to a NEMA US-spec motor starter in quality, reliability, or durability. And the price reflects that.

There are some good videos available online that compare IEC and NEMA motor starters under fault conditions. Spoiler alert: after the test, the IEC starter seems to have vaporized as we can't find it anywhere!

If you have to cut corners and save a few bucks, I suppose this unit is better than no starter at all (scary the number of times I have seen this - motors direct-wired without any overload protection), but it wouldn't be my first choice. I will say that one advantage of this type of unit is that you don't have to buy heater strips for it - you just adjust the dial right above the point where it trips out during motor starting.

 

[sdriv]

Ok so here is the stats of the mag starter. Looking at the specs I don't think this will work as it says only up to 3hp for single phase. So after some research I have found the one that Spinnacak suggested for $150 which is doable on the budget

 

[sdriv]

I was able to get the pump pulley off and clean up the motor some. This gave me good access to the intercooler tube to inspect it. So the hole is about the size of a BB and from what I can tell it was caused by the belt guard cage rubbing against the tube and wearing through as is evident from the x patterns along the tube. Im up in the air on this one? Shoule I just replace it or is it safe to repair?

 

[sdriv]

This one has the auto tank drain. Is this something I should keep or remove?

 

[redmondjp]

This one has the auto tank drain. Is this something I should keep or remove?

It appears to be one of the ones that operates once each time the compressor cycles - I'd leave it - one less thing for you to worry about (draining the tank).

The auto tank drains that drive me crazy are the timed ones which blow for a few seconds every hour or two (which is overkill unless the compressor is seeing almost constant use) - where I used to work, that auto-drain would activate and scare the bejeebers out of me every single time it activated (because usually it did it when the compressor wasn't running and it was pretty quiet in the shop)! And then it would be off for just long enough for me to forget all about it until the next time . . . and so the cycle repeated, D'op!

 

[PETE BALLARD]

This one has the auto tank drain. Is this something I should keep or remove?

I would do a good through system check, there is a drain tube inside the tank that enters mid height on the tank and then goes to the bottom inside the tank that sometimes crumbles apart due to age. I would check and replace if bad or re-pipe it to pull off the bottom outlet. The inside portion is plastic. You will not know if it is broken unless you remove it for inspection. If it is broken it will cycle but not remove moisture from the bottom of your reservoir. Good luck with your project.