Rebuilding a old devair 5hp 80gal compressor. will need your guys help :)

[jasonc]

Been reading this forum for many years and i now need some help.

Inherited a old compressor when my boss closed down his shop. It was working and but was replaced about 10 years ago and sat in a corner. Now i need help rebuilding the compressor.

What i know about the compressor.

Company: DEVAIR
Model: TAP-5050
Specs: 5hp, 80gal, 3 phase

Pro: No rust on the tank except 1 spot, oil and filter changed every few months, drained daily, stored indoors

Con: 3 phase and i am running 1phase 220v 30amp outlet, the valve for where the air comes out has snapped and the other half is still on the tank and has rusted a little (need to extract). No magnetic starter.


What i did so far:
-ordered a rebuild kit for the motor with new filters and oil.

What i need help on:
- removing old compressor rusted valve
- do i need a magnetic starter?
- need to hook 1phase outlet to my 3phase compressor(planning on getting a digital phase converter but do i need 1 of those motors?
here is a website i plan to get the converter from
http://www.americanrotary.com/phase-converters.html
i plan to buy the $$324 digital with panel. do i need one of those small motors?

Here are some pictures. Im guessing 99% of the forum members here know more about compressors then i do so any help would be appreciated.

i will also have a friend who works as a electrical teacher in highschool for some help but he doesnt know much compressor wiring but im guessing its safer then doing it myself

 

[kams1973]

I've had success removing broken pipe ******* w/ the Proto screw extractors. They also make an inside pipe wrench, but I have no experience with them.

 

[mjozefow]

I'm not an expert on 3ph, but I feel like a digital phase converter is not going to be the way to go for a compressor. I'm sure A_Pmech will chime in.

I use a rotary phase converter for my shaper and lathe.

 

[EdT]

Watched a plumber at my mom's house remove a broken pipe from her boiler by cutting through it in a couple of places with a recipro saw an the collapsing it on itself with a cold chisel. Seemed like he cut part way into the threads, but not clean through them. Taped the new threads and it worked out fine. WRT the motor. You can probably get a single phase 5 hp motor for less than the phase converter. Simpler solution, less stuff to fail.

 

[scott37300]

Internal pipe wrench, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKQ6W6/?tag=atomicindus08-20.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I'm not sure why you want to bother with the three phase. It would seem to be simpler on the compressor to simply install a single phase motor. This is not like lathes and mills. With those, you get things running and leave them running while you work, and they don't start up with a huge load on them. A compressor on the other hand, has to start up instantly, on demand of the pressure switch, without warning or preparation by the owner/operator. Just doesn't seem practical for the average GJ member, unless you have a whole shop of three phase, and always have the three phase buss supplied when you are working in the shop.

Yes, you probably will need a magnetic starter. Its doubtful that a pressure switch's contacts will last long switching on and off the full current of a real 5 hp motor.

As noted, internal pipe wrench as first choice for removing the broken ******. Then you will have it when you need it next time (ten years from now).

Charles

 

[jasonc]

can i just swap out the 3phase baldor with a 5hp single phase baldor motor?

i herd the single phase motors are much bigger and some other small issues

 

[Charles (in GA)]

can i just swap out the 3phase baldor with a 5hp single phase baldor motor?

i herd the single phase motors are much bigger and some other small issues

Bigger, but not hugely so, esp not in a size as small as 5 hp. Don't know of any other real issues, so long as it is wired correctly.

Charles

 

[jasonc]

hit a bit of a snag. tried all 3 internal pipe wrench and non work. the biggest size seem to work but slipped.

is there any other way of getting the pipe out?

 

[cwlo]

Keep looking for an internal pipe remover that will work for you. The sawzall cut, and tap out works well with a careful hand, but it would be my 2nd choice.

Another option would be to heat it red hot, and try to knock it to deform it enough away from the threads so you can get a clean cut without damaging the threads on the tank. Not sure if you have to be concerned with that amount of heat on the tank. Can't see a problem myself.

Chris

 

[jasonc]

i was also thinking of swapping the whole baldor motor for a gas 5hp motor. is that even possible?

im reading other post and some suggest cutting the pipe in pieces with a hacksaw and extracting it with a flat head

 

[Chris Adams]

hit a bit of a snag. tried all 3 internal pipe wrench and non work. the biggest size seem to work but slipped.

is there any other way of getting the pipe out?

I recently had to fix the same problem on a 80 gallon, broken ******. All the brass and electric had been stolen off the unit, they broke off the ****** when they shoved the tank over.
I sprayed it well with PB blaster, let it sit over night, used my heat gun to heat it to about 400 degrees then pulled it with a cheap internal pipe wrench.
The oil and the heat made all the difference.

 

[kams1973]

When you exhaust all other methods, you may have to cut the ****** w/ what you have available. It is not nessessary to cut through it though. Just get a good groove cut into it. Then get a chisel and go to town. You may have to modify the chisel to suit your needs.

 

[EdT]

It would probably be a large hassle to convert to gas and you will need around an 8-10 HP engine and, I think, some kind of clutch to allow the engine to start w/o running the compressor. Either that or the engine has to run all the time. This kind of rig is fine for a truck mount or where thare is no electricity, but seems a bad idea for your needs.