Air Compressor Leaking

[The Tool Tyrant]

FWIW, when you fill from empty to full pressure, the compressed air will be hot, in which it expands so as your gauge may indicate 160psi, as the compressed air cools, the indicted pressure will drop so be aware this is normal and NOT a leak.

 

[Kenskip1]

FWIW, when you fill from empty to full pressure, the compressed air will be hot, in which it expands so as your gauge may indicate 160psi, as the compressed air cools, the indicted pressure will drop so be aware this is normal and NOT a leak.

3T, How right you are. As it cooled the pressure dropped and now is setting at 150 PSI. I am familiar with this procedure. We refill oxygen bottles in the fire department to about 10 pounds over the recommended pressure to allow for thermal dynamics to take place. (expansion and contraction) 2100psi.

 

[tig]

In my case with my Quincy it was the check valve at the top of the compressor where the compressed air goes into the tank.

Son-of-a-*****, my 6 month old Quincy is leaking in the same spot.



I've been flummoxed trying to find the leak in all MY fittings. I never expected it to be on the compressor itself.

I really do not want to disassemble these fittings (just a PITA).

Is there any way to seal a leak like this from the outside?

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Not correctly! Just take them apart, clean all the threads (male & female) apply Loctite 592 thread sealant and re-assemble. Easy-peezy!

 

[tig]

Loctite 592 thread sealant

I think you mean Loctite 545. 592 is for low pressure applications.

Thanks though!

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

I think you mean Loctite 545. 592 is for low pressure applications.

Thanks though!

Negative. 592 is good to 10,000psi. https://shop.boeing.com/aviation-supply/p/59231=6P#:~:text=Service Temperature: -65 - 400,Pressure Resistance: 10000 psi

I have used it for years on all my compressors...and it smells great!

 

[dnschmidt]

If it's only six months old why not call Quincy and have their local distributor fix it under warrantee. In Phoenix the Quincy distributor is Compressed Air Power. After five years my check valve at the top of the compressor began to leak. I called them up, their dude came out in his repair truck, he fixed it and I paid him like $150 and that was that. Why does everybody on this board make a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[tig]

If it's only six months old why not call Quincy and have their local distributor fix it under warrantee. In Phoenix the Quincy distributor is Compressed Air Power. After five years my check valve at the top of the compressor began to leak. I called them up, their dude came out in his repair truck, he fixed it and I paid him like $150 and that was that. Why does everybody on this board make a mountain out of a molehill.

Why do people need to add snide remarks when they could have just stopped with their useful reply? Oh, it's because they think they are smarter than anyone else.

Anywhoo, calling Quincy is moot because I'm a dunce and I don't actually have a Quincy compressor, but an IR. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I wrote my post. I'm now curious to see if I can actually get a warranty service call from them as you suggest.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Why do people need to add snide remarks when they could have just stopped with their useful reply? Oh, it's because they think they are smarter than anyone else.

Anywhoo, calling Quincy is moot because I'm a dunce and I don't actually have a Quincy compressor, but an IR. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I wrote my post. I'm now curious to see if I can actually get a warranty service call from them as you suggest.

Okay Tig, I've seen your garage / set-up so you have no excuses...15 minute fix tops...probably faster than you can make the call and set-up an appointment. Don't be a wuss, just fix it! Ain't noth'n to it, but to do it!

 

[tig]

Okay Tig, I've seen your garage / set-up so you have no excuses...15 minute fix tops...probably faster than you can make the call and set-up an appointment. Don't be a wuss, just fix it! Ain't noth'n to it, but to do it!

I've ordered some 592 as you recommended. I've also submitted a warranty claim to IR.

We'll see who wins the race ;-).

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

I've ordered some 592 as you recommended. I've also submitted a warranty claim to IR.

We'll see who wins the race ;-).

Jeeeez...NOW, you're just showing off!

 

[dnschmidt]

Exactly, what snide remark did I make? At least I know what brand of compressor I've got. (OK, that possibly could have been a snide remark but I'd only give it a four out of ten on the snide remark scale.)

 

[PoorUB]

What’s it take to make that up? 30 sec? It’s a compressed air system. They all leak. Have a beer or a cup of coffee and forgot about it.

Draining that far down overnight would be a deal killer for me too.

My compressor runs about once a week if not used and that is with a tank drain on a timer dumping 1/4 second blast every 15 minutes.

I had a 7 gallon portable I gave to my daughter and SIL that held air for ever. I used it only for remodeling so it might get shoved under the work bench and fogotten. I have pulled it out after a year or two of not running it and it maybe lost 3-4 pounds.

 

[Hohn]

Draining that far down overnight would be a deal killer for me too.

My compressor runs about once a week if not used and that is with a tank drain on a timer dumping 1/4 second blast every 15 minutes.

I had a 7 gallon portable I gave to my daughter and SIL that held air for ever. I used it only for remodeling so it might get shoved under the work bench and fogotten. I have pulled it out after a year or two of not running it and it maybe lost 3-4 pounds.

Losing air can vary from annoyance to tens of thousands of dollars a month in wasted energy bills, depending on the scale involved. You have to decide for yourself where you are on that scale.

 

[Hohn]

FWIW, when you fill from empty to full pressure, the compressed air will be hot, in which it expands so as your gauge may indicate 160psi, as the compressed air cools, the indicted pressure will drop so be aware this is normal and NOT a leak.

Great observation.
I'd like to observe one other thing:

We are still using tapered pipe threads...In 2023.

This is an absurdity all its own.

Tapered pipe threads are one step removed from steam engines and horse and buggy.

The problem of leaking fittings has been solved long ago. SO WHY DO WE PERSIST IN PROPAGATING AVOIDABLE PROBLEMS?

If your fluid conveyance system needs some kind of dope on the threads, it's a bad design. Threads are not seals and seals are not threads.

A standard ISO 6149 port is good to well over 400 bar with adjustable fittings, doesn't leak, and is a global standard with parts available at every hose shop on earth. Every cartridge valve and other type of actuator you can dream up is offered in this standard. You can adapt it to anything else pretty easily.

There are compelling reasons to abandon the archaic tapered pipe thread standards and only inertia and laziness justify keeping the atrocity of poor design that is the tapered pipe thread.

Someday, I'll post my rant on pipe threads. Today, you just get the short version.

 

[PoorUB]

A standard ISO 6149 port is good to well over 400 bar with adjustable fittings, doesn't leak, and is a global standard with parts available at every hose shop on earth. Every cartridge valve and other type of actuator you can dream up is offered in this standard. You can adapt it to anything else pretty easily.

Someday, I'll post my rant on pipe threads. Today, you just get the short version.

I agree, to a point. Can you machine an ISO 6149 port easily in the field with an operator with little education? There is a place for NPT threads. It is a simple proven design.

 

[Hohn]

I agree, to a point. Can you machine an ISO 6149 port easily in the field with an operator with little education? There is a place for NPT threads. It is a simple proven design.

Proven to leak and initiate cracks.

Can’t machine in field very easily, but don’t need to. They rarely cross-thread and are very durable, owing to threads that don’t nominally interfere.

 

[PoorUB]

Can’t machine in field very easily, but don’t need to.

I worked in HVAC for years, so I was thinking gas piping systems. Although other methods of attaching black pipe have been developed in the last few years. Time will tell if it holds up over the long run. I have worked on gas pipe in 50+ year old buildings with nothing wrong with it.

 

[tig]

IR refused warranty repair because I could not prove date of purchase. i failed to keep receipt from Tractor Supply and they didn't have a record.

So I fixed it myself.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

IR refused warranty repair because I could not prove date of purchase. i failed to keep receipt from Tractor Supply and they didn't have a record.

So I fixed it myself.

See...wasn't bad, right?

 

[Jim greengo]

Unhook the air hose at night,see if that helps.