Another compressor question

[TonyJ]

The paint makes a difference,,,, that quinc looks good. I would have been fine with a fixer upper for my last one I bought new, was harder to shop in those days.

The Quincy was a 230 and was a damn good compressor but I since sold it to a neighbor and then bought a SB 707. He has had it for about a year now and still hasn’t hooked it up and used it.

 

[Iron Beaver]

I'm late to the party, but as far as regulators go I have never gone wrong with higher end Arrow Pneumatics products. I think Milton rebrands those as well

 

[threeputt]

I'm late to the party, but as far as regulators go I have never gone wrong with higher end Arrow Pneumatics products. I think Milton rebrands those as well

Not a problem being late. Appreciate your input on the regulator. So far this cheap one is doing its job but if it goes bad I will look into the Arrow brand. At the time I just couldn't find one and TonyJ suggested the one I am using now.

I am the only one working at my shop now and don't use it every day. I have slowed down since I got into my 70's and probably will slow more as time goes on.

Even though my compressor is an overkill for what I do I don't plan on dumping it anytime soon. Still going strong after at least 58 years. It did sit idle for 20 of those years though.
Thanks

 

[threeputt]

Well, I thought things were working good. Monday I turned the compressor on and heard it make a noise.

It is outside in building next to shop.

I investigated and found two of the three 30 amp fuses were blown. I bought three new ones and it started fine.

Things blow fuses, they normally don't blow on their own.

Next day before I turned it on I went out to the building and turned the pulley by hand. It was tight and sort of hard to move when I first tried to turn it.

I removed the three belts and found the compressor was much harder to turn than last year. Maybe a bearing could be going bad. Oil was foamy looking.

I changed it last year and put 30 weight non detergent oil in it. I did use the cheaper walmart oil. Wondering now if I should have used the best ?

Anyway it works but before I turn it on now I will just have to make sure it turns free or I am sure it will blow these fuses again sooner or later.

I may have to tear it down and find out. Can't really tell where the slight noise is coming from but I do hear it slightly when spinning by hand. . I can also feel it a little, not much.

Really I never really was listening to anything. The two fuses that blew just got me thinking.

 

[redmondjp]

What was the outside temperature when the fuses blew?

At some of the manufacturing companies that I used to work for, we had the air compressor outside, right behind the building. We would have to go out there with heat guns and warm up the pump if we wanted it to start below freezing, for the first time in the morning. So it could just be that your oil is too thick. I would recommend 5w-30 or 10w-30 Mobil 1 synthetic, which is what I have switched my air compressor pumps over to for this exact reason (able to start in cold temperatures).

 

[dkmc]

There is a reason they make Air Compressor Oil. It's available in multi-weight synthetic as well. Mobil 1 is gasoline ENGINE oil. Not for compressors.

 

[redmondjp]

There is a reason they make Air Compressor Oil. It's available in multi-weight synthetic as well. Mobil 1 is gasoline ENGINE oil. Not for compressors.

Plenty of compressor OEMs have now switched to recommending regular ENGINE synthetic oil for air compressor pumps. I've been using it for two years now in multiple air compressors and it works great. No foaming, no carbon buildup, and it starts up great in the cold. This has been discussed on this site many times over the past several years - have you not seen any of those threads?

I'm not trying to start an oil war as there is already another site for that. But I am using it and believe me, the sky hasn't fallen yet. I also used regular Dextron III in my Honda automatic transmission for 125K miles which the internet forums told me would cause all kinds of untold internal carnage. Buying ATF at Sam's club for $2.28 per quart instead of $10/quart from my Honda dealer saved me hundreds of dollars too. Just sharing what worked for me.

30W non-synthetic air compressor oil is TOO THICK for successful startup at cold temperatures.

 

[dkmc]

Plenty of compressor OEMs have now switched to recommending regular ENGINE synthetic oil for air compressor pumps.

I'm sure the "OEMs" that sell the junk pumps from China figure the pump will be done before the oil needs to be changed the second time anyway, so type of oil doesn't matter much. Motor oil will foam if it gets condensation in it, and that's why compressor oil is made to shed water. Motor oil is not. Doesn't have to in an engine that has oil temps of 200F or more. But what ever the cheapest oil works I guess.

 

[redmondjp]

I'm sure the "OEMs" that sell the junk pumps from China figure the pump will be done before the oil needs to be changed the second time anyway, so type of oil doesn't matter much. Motor oil will foam if it gets condensation in it, and that's why compressor oil is made to shed water. Motor oil is not. Doesn't have to in an engine that has oil temps of 200F or more. But what ever the cheapest oil works I guess.

The water issue can be dealt with by changing the oil on a regular basis. I've seen plenty of compressors with oil that had water in it in an emulsion just like happens when a coolant leak happens on a car engine, so I am not entirely convinced that there is a huge difference in this area. The water is heavier and will settle to the bottom of the crankcase and pool up.

 

[threeputt]

What was the outside temperature when the fuses blew?

At some of the manufacturing companies that I used to work for, we had the air compressor outside, right behind the building. We would have to go out there with heat guns and warm up the pump if we wanted it to start below freezing, for the first time in the morning. So it could just be that your oil is too thick. I would recommend 5w-30 or 10w-30 Mobil 1 synthetic, which is what I have switched my air compressor pumps over to for this exact reason (able to start in cold temperatures).

Temperature was in the mid 50's and not cold. No freezing temps this season yet. Since I got this compressor back in operation last year I have never used it in cold weather.

 

[threeputt]

The water issue can be dealt with by changing the oil on a regular basis. I've seen plenty of compressors with oil that had water in it in an emulsion just like happens when a coolant leak happens on a car engine, so I am not entirely convinced that there is a huge difference in this area. The water is heavier and will settle to the bottom of the crankcase and pool up.

I probably have not used this compressor 15 hours since I changed the oil.
I did use the Super Tech 30 w non detergent from walmart.
I also think the oil is the problem because when I checked it in years passed it was never foamy .
I will change it tomorrow and put better oil in it.

 

[csp]

Changing the oil now that it's difficult to turn isn't going to make it easier to turn. The genie is out of the bottle already.

I highly doubt that that the oil was the problem anyhow. More than likely it's just usage rearing its ugly head.

 

[threeputt]

Changing the oil now that it's difficult to turn isn't going to make it easier to turn. The genie is out of the bottle already.

I highly doubt that that the oil was the problem anyhow. More than likely it's just usage rearing its ugly head.

I tend to agree.
It could also be a rough bearing inside that is making it hard to turn after sitting

 

[threeputt]

The air compressor is working like new again.
I finally found the unloader valve located on end of compressor opposite belt pulley.
Cut the lock wire and then it only needed a slight turn in and now it works like it did when new.

I hear it unload now when it turns off. Now when it sits after not using it for a while I can turn the pulley with ease. I hope no more blown fuses which I doubt I will. I love that nice hiss sound when the regulator shuts it off at 120 psi.