Air Compressor Timer

[69-er]

I forgot to turn off the circuit breaker to my air compressor last night. Well, during the night it turned on, and at some point both connecting rods broke. Since it couldn't build pressure, it ran for who knows how long until I heard it running this morning.

Is there a method or system available to prevent an air compressor running uncontrolled for long periods? I thought of using a timer that could be set to run for, say, 30 minutes every time the compressor starts and resets when the compressor turns off. I think that would be long enough since I don't believe I would ever need to operate the compressor any longer, but if it were unattended, short enough to prevent an uncontrolled run time.

I've searched online, but haven't found anything that has a delay longer than 17 minutes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Larry

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I take it something must have broken and caused a leak to cause it to come on and stay on. It didn't just come on and run continuously for no reason. The pressure switch should have cut it off.

For 25 or 30 years we had a small portable compressor at my dad's house in the basement that stayed plugged in and plumbed up to a regulator on the carport. It occasionally cycled and we never had a problem. Now, in my workshop, separated from the house, I have a large 7.5hp/80 gal/two stage that I leave switched on all the time. I do shut off the valve at the tank, but something could still go wrong I suppose. I've been considering switching off the breaker every nite, but that is nore added effort and something else to wear out, since 50 amp breakers are not switch rated.

Charles

 

[RAYJAY]

this is what i did so I know the air compressor is on. I just make sure the light is off before I'm done for the night

[

and its a tied into a service disconnect switch

jeff

 

[69-er]

I take it something must have broken and caused a leak to cause it to come on and stay on. It didn't just come on and run continuously for no reason. The pressure switch should have cut it off.

Charles

I also left an air tool connected to the hose which had a slight leak. Sometime after the pressure switch turned on the compressor, the rods broke. Since it could no longer build up pressure, the pressure switch never would have been able to shut it down.

Larry

 

[Danglerb]

Growing up every night before the garage door closed the breakers were turned off. This rule could have had something to do with the fact that my dad did most of the wiring. After my own electrical creativity was added the practice became essential.

 

[PAToyota]

Rayjay: I did the same thing, light on top of the disconnect - but you have a LIGHT on top of the disconnect!

 

[472scout]

Any leads on a 240v HP rated countdown timer?

 

[boosteddsm92]

this is what i did so I know the air compressor is on. I just make sure the light is off before I'm done for the night

and its a tied into a service disconnect switch

jeff

^^this^^, it works!

 

[pipsters]

this is what i did so I know the air compressor is on. I just make sure the light is off before I'm done for the night

[

and its a tied into a service disconnect switch

jeff

That looks cool but it's so close to the compressor that I don't really see the need for it. Neat light though.

OP I think you'd be better off just powering the compressor down.

 

[Krokodil]

This thread is 5 years old!

 

[472scout]

^^this^^, it works!

The light is ok, but a timer would be fail safe.

I've looked at grainer and mcmaster carr, but no luck so far. Looking for an analog, not digital, 240v rotary countdown timer. One that I can dial up to 8 or 12 hours. Set and forget. No need to worry that I left the compressor on before heading out for the weekend. No getting up at 3 am night because the air compressor kicked on and is waking up the neighborhood.

This thread is 5 years old!

And?

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I just turn mine off, and mine is in the basement so I have to walk all the way downstairs to turn it off.

 

[alan camby]

The light is ok, but a timer would be fail safe.

I've looked at grainer and mcmaster carr, but no luck so far. Looking for an analog, not digital, 240v rotary countdown timer. One that I can dial up to 8 or 12 hours. Set and forget. No need to worry that I left the compressor on before heading out for the weekend. No getting up at 3 am night because the air compressor kicked on and is waking up the neighborhood.



And?

How about you buy a relay (sometimes called a ice cube style) that has a 115 VAC coil. Run power from your shops overhead lighting through the coil. Then run the wire that controls the magnetic starter for the air compressor thru the N.O. contact on the relay. This way, when you shut off the lights in your garage/shop the magnetic starter can't kick on.

 

[472scout]

How about you buy a relay (sometimes called a ice cube style) that has a 115 VAC coil. Run power from your shops overhead lighting through the coil. Then run the wire that controls the magnetic starter for the air compressor thru the N.O. contact on the relay. This way, when you shut off the lights in your garage/shop the magnetic starter can't kick on.

Not a bad idea, but I'll probably forget the lights too.

 

[malibu101]

How about you buy a relay (sometimes called a ice cube style) that has a 115 VAC coil. Run power from your shops overhead lighting through the coil. Then run the wire that controls the magnetic starter for the air compressor thru the N.O. contact on the relay. This way, when you shut off the lights in your garage/shop the magnetic starter can't kick on.

I have a magnetic contactor that is connected to my lights so that it is energized when the lights are on.
I still have to turn the compressor on, but if I forget to turn it off-when the lights are off it has no power.

I never had a problem. I was just worried about a "runaway" when I put it in as I can forget some things.

Plus it sounds manly when you turn the lights on and hear the nice thud of it pulling in.

 

[alan camby]

Not a bad idea, but I'll probably forget the lights too.

At some point you have to take responsibility to shut off your stuff. You Can't remember the lights either

You are not one of those guys that forgets to shut off his truck at night? Do you ever go to bed and wake up the next morning and the truck is still running. Better put a timer on it too.

If you put this timer on your comp and set up for 7-8 hours. A lot can happen in 8 hours and you will learn to depend on this timer. What if you just add some air to your tires and off you go. A few minutes later the Air line is cut by the shutting garage door. Compressor will be running full out for the 6.5-7 hours.

 

[malibu101]

Or just take the cheap, easy, redneck way out and tape a note on the door

SHUT OFF COMPRESSOR

 

[alan camby]

Here are some timers if you have to have one. Omron makes them that go up to at least 100 hours and down to .1 seconds with anything between.
http://www.ia.omron.com/product/60.html

 

[472scout]

Here are some timers if you have to have one. Omron makes them that go up to at least 100 hours and down to .1 seconds with anything between.
http://www.ia.omron.com/product/60.html

Thanks.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

At some point you have to take responsibility to shut off your stuff. You Can't remember the lights either

You are not one of those guys that forgets to shut off his truck at night? Do you ever go to bed and wake up the next morning and the truck is still running. Better put a timer on it too.

If you put this timer on your comp and set up for 7-8 hours. A lot can happen in 8 hours and you will learn to depend on this timer. What if you just add some air to your tires and off you go. A few minutes later the Air line is cut by the shutting garage door. Compressor will be running full out for the 6.5-7 hours.

You are missing the point, he doesn't want the compressor to be able to run more than thirty consecutive minutes.

for instance, I was using my compressor outside. doing some things. Not a heavy load, I finished up with it later on I went inside and my compressor was running (mine is in my basement) it sounded rough so I went to turn it off and it blew a head gasket so it couldn't build pressure. So for about an hour it was running like this.

OP, my dad has a timer on his so it will only run certain hours of the day.

 

[OldTC]

You guys are great,......I just ran across this thread while looking for something completely unrelated, and had never thought of a run-away compressor.
My new shop is still in the electric rough in stage so I can add the service disconnect and light before I insulate!!

Thanks for sharing these great ideas!!

 

[69-er]

Or just take the cheap, easy, redneck way out and tape a note on the door

SHUT OFF COMPRESSOR

I never did install a timer. So after a few times with me bitchin' about leaving things on in the shop, my wife printed up a sign saying to turn things off, (to put it mildly)

I pretty much have made it a habit to turn off the lights, AC, (or furnace), MIG gas, radio, air supply valve at the drier/separator, and finally, the compressor C/B.

 

[Bob C]

I never did install a timer. So after a few times with me bitchin' about leaving things on in the shop, my wife printed up a sign saying to turn things off, (to put it mildly)

I pretty much have made it a habit to turn off the lights, AC, (or furnace), MIG gas, radio, air supply valve at the drier/separator, and finally, the compressor C/B.

A simple note saved you a lot of time, cash, and mental anguish.

 

[infoNS]

This programmable timer should work. Seems simple enough. It looks as though you just have to run a few wires from the hardware to your compressor, create a timing schedule on a device, and you have a timer! Price point, not bad, especially for the technology used. Compared to other digital timers, like Intermatic and Tork, this seems like it would be the best fit.

Electronic 7 Day Timer Switch|Universal Equipment Timer | Nanospark

 

[RCStocker]

HELLO OLD POST
Leaks cause the compressor to run.
Turn off the compressor every night and drain the tank or put an automatic drainer on it. If you keep your equipment in good shape without leaks you will not have a problem. The problem is the dolt who owns the compressor. LOL

 

[clarkwd]

I have a compressor in the garage at the end of my house and a second garage serviced by this same compressor 200 feet away. (I buried PEX for the air when I ran power to the new garage.) I've been through the signs, leak fixing and nagging wife, but it still happens that a filter leaks, I leave the automatic drain plugged in or it blows a head gasket and runs continuously. I needed to do the following.

1. Be able to turn the compressor on and off during the day.
2. Always have the compressor always off after 9PM.
3. Be able to turn the compressor on from the second garage.
4. Have my automatic drain come on only when the compressor has power.
5. The switch had to handle my 240V 20 amp compressor.

Here's how I did it.
I bought a WEMO switch. This switch can either be switched like a light switch, programmed to go on and off, or controlled from the internet. The switch controls a duplex outlet with the tank drain plugged in on one side. The other side has a plugged in 24V transformer power brick. The 24V output from the brick goes to a Hunter PSR22 pump start relay. When the WEMO switch turns on the duplex outlet, the tank drain has power and the pump start relay is closed. If the presssure switch on the tank is low, the compressor turns on. I did not find a way to set a timer on the WEMO to turn it off X minutes after turning on, like a wind up timer, but you can program a bunch of off times if thats a concern.

The WEMO comes from Best Buy for about $50
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/belkin-wemo-light-switch-white-light-gray/1218832.p?id=1219047436295&
The pump start relay is about $50
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002P4C5ZW/?tag=atomicindus08-20