New(to me) Compressor!

[shoot summ]

I've been helping a Neighbor sell off her deceased Husband's tools, had a huge sale last weekend and alot of stuff cleared out. I did snag a Puma 60 gallon upright compressor for $200.

I got the compressor home last weekend and have spent the week going through it cleaning it up. He had it sitting outside under the soffit of his shop so it was a bit dirty but overall it is in good condition. There was a drain valve set up on the tank and it appears he drained it regularly.

Here is what I have done so far:

1) Replace drain valve and pipe with brass pipe and ball valve

2) Replace mismatched intake filter assembly(I found the original broken housing in his shop), I noticed the cheap replacement he used was much louder than the factory filters.

3) Pull all of the fitting off the tank and clean the threads and reseal everything.

4) Change the compressor oil.

5) Clean up the wiring.

6) Add a ball valve to shut off the air.

I fired it up last night, it is still a bit louder than I want, but MUCH better than my Crapsman 33 gallon oilless. I'm considering the Solberg intake silencers but am wondering if I really get $75(3x$25) worth of silencing out of them?

The other thing I was trying to achieve, and maybe I am chasing a dream here, is a tank that would hold the air pressure over time. I found one small leak last night in the drain valve assembly and fixed it. When I shut down last night the gauge was at 130lbs, this morning it is around 110lbs. Do any of you guys have tanks that hold their pressure over time, or should I just expect a small leak, accept it, and move on?

 

[Zrexxer]

It's up to you whether you want to accept it and move on. I have one compressor that when it shuts off at 175 psi, I can close that ball valve and come back in a day, a week, or a month and it hasn't lost 1 psi. I have another that will lose 20% of its tank volume in a week of disuse, but it's just not enough of a problem to me to spend the time chasing it down.

 

[GDA]

Well, that is what maybe a minute or so to repressurize if it sits for a day or so? Not that big of a deal if you ask me but, that said I like all my stuff to be up to spec so....

A spray gun filled with some soapy water will help you trace that leak and, depending on location, will allow you to make a educated $ and time decision on whether its worth the effort to really get it sealed up nice and tight.

 

[daveroy]

If its a weak/leaking one way valve then you may not find it with soapy water...
Don't ask how I know this!

 

[Warrenator]

Yeah, those check valves that go between the compressor and tank pick up a lot of crud, I disassembled one and lapped it but it still leaks a little, the air will go out the unloader valve. You might put a new valve on but it will start leaking again at some point. Meh, not worth the hassle.

 

[shoot summ]

Thanks guys, based on all of the effort I put into sealing the fittings I was thinking the unloader, check valve, or the blow off.

I don't currently have a switch on the compressor so I would like to leave it on, and not have it cycle needlessly, may just end up putting a switch on it though.

 

[pipsters]

Thanks guys, based on all of the effort I put into sealing the fittings I was thinking the unloader, check valve, or the blow off.

I don't currently have a switch on the compressor so I would like to leave it on, and not have it cycle needlessly, may just end up putting a switch on it though.

When air heats up with compressing it, and gets forced into the tank, it will eventually cool down. When it does this the pressure drops off. I doubt you have a leak, they are pretty obvious as you can usually hear even the small ones. On my compressor, a smaller 25 gallon 150 psi job, the compressor cuts out at 155 and drops to about 145 within the next 15 minutes, then slooooowly bleeds down from there little by little. It's just the air cooling down lowering the pressure inside.

 

[hofferwood]

Thanks guys, based on all of the effort I put into sealing the fittings I was thinking the unloader, check valve, or the blow off.

I don't currently have a switch on the compressor so I would like to leave it on, and not have it cycle needlessly, may just end up putting a switch on it though.

PUT A SWITCH ON IT!!!!!
Think about it, ya leave for the day, check valve malfunctions,there she goes.
Short cycling for 12 hrs.
You put too much into it
CW

 

[Hammer1963]

put a switch on it!!!!!
Think about it, ya leave for the day, check valve malfunctions,there she goes.
Short cycling for 12 hrs.
You put too much into it
Cw

agreed !

 

[shoot summ]

Thought I would update this, I went ahead and bought the Solberg intakes.

I guess the standard Puma intakes were pretty quiet as they made no noticable difference....guess that was a $75 lesson....