Air Compressor wiring issue. I'm stumped

[pattenp]

Yep.. when I said add red tape I was thinking it was NM that he used. I should have paid more attention to the pic.

Well if the OP is running individual conductors that makes perfect sense. I guess I was assuming he had NM inside the flexible conduit.

Still, for amateurs, a bit of red tape would help.

 

[er3456df]

Instant tripping means a dead short somewhere, you're getting good advice here but don't get carried away with details. Ohm the compressor windings, see if there's continuity to ground. Do the same with the pressure switch.

You could also undo the two motor leads, and see if the breaker still trips when the switch engages. This would cut your troubleshooting in half.

Also don't rule out a bad circuit breaker........ wire a lamp directly to the breaker, see if it trips when you turn the lamp on.

 

[pattenp]

I take it you didn't read post #22 where he fixed the problem and is having no more breaker tripping.

Instant tripping means a dead short somewhere, you're getting good advice here but don't get carried away with details. Ohm the compressor windings, see if there's continuity to ground. Do the same with the pressure switch.

You could also undo the two motor leads, and see if the breaker still trips when the switch engages. This would cut your troubleshooting in half.

Also don't rule out a bad circuit breaker........ wire a lamp directly to the breaker, see if it trips when you turn the lamp on.

 

[er3456df]

I take it you didn't read post #22 where he fixed the problem and is having no more breaker tripping.

You are correct.

 

[Methodical]

I have a used magnetic starter rated 5hp 1ph and pressure switch for straight trade for your Condor. Let me know.

Thanks for the offer, but I am going to leave things as they sit for now.

Thanks again everyone for the help.

Al

 

[Methodical]

Methodical,
A magnetic starter protects your motor from high amp spikes at start up.
It does look from your photos, your using a Condor overload relay. Thats a good thing.
Many single phase compressors come only with a pressure switch which end up "welding" closed the contacts resulting in a continuos run situation. Your pressure switch is definitely a better control set up. Leave it alone and run your compressor. If and when the time comes for a replacement then consider a mag start switch.

On your size motor I wouldn't worry with a magnetic switch. The main benefit you'd get is that the compressor would not restart on its own after a power failure. The magnetic switch disconnects on a power failure whereas your current switch will stay on and the compressor would start up on power being restored. The magnetic switch also provides overload protection, but your motor should already have built in overload protection.

I believe those are the higher-end Condor pressure switch with thermal overload; check again. If it's that the case, you don't need a "magnetic starter" like everyone else mentioned.

Thermal overload put your system in check to ensure you don't overheat your equipment (or duty cycle) and the contactor/switch. That feature is the exact feature as in the "magnetic starter"

I checked and the system does have thermal overload protection.

Also, for those that posted about placing red tape on the white hot wire, I just replaced the white wire with a red wire.

Thanks

 

[Trey T]

Sounds like you understand the system you have. I believe your switch costs about the same if not more than a brand-name magnetic starter + pressure switch combined - ~$150.

Thanks for the offer, but I am going to leave things as they sit for now.

Thanks again everyone for the help.

Al