Please be gentle with me.
I bought a lightly used 80 gallon Speedaire compressor about 4 years ago. I got a great deal on it because it was not a single phase 5 hp motor, but I swapped the motor out with a single phase 5 HP Balder motor I bought off eBay. Motor looked like brand new and I believe it was a "take off." My car project was put on the back burner so the compressor was used intermittently but not a whole lot. I changed the oil twice since I've had it even though there is probable only a few hours on it since I bought it.
Question 1: Twice in the last couple of weeks, when the motor started up after using it on/off for a few hours, it suddenly made a lot of noise on startup. Not the usual chugging noise it's supposed to make. The first time I was wearing hearing protection and by the time I got them off, the breaker had tripped. The second time (weeks later) I was near it. It didn't sound like a "screech" or anything, but not the normal noise. Louder for sure and a bit higher pitched. It still seemed to be pump air. I immediately killed the power for for about 3 seconds, turned it on again - same noise. Killed the power for three more seconds, turned it on and now it sounds normal again and had cycled 3-4 more times without reproducing the noise. I honestly can't tell if it's coming from the tank, motor, pump, fan cage etc. Otherwise it's run fine. No knock, clanging or other noises. any ideas?
Question 2: The above got me thinking about lubricating the motor. The small compressors I've had in the past I never really lubricated the motor, nor do I remember if there were fittings to do so. This Balder motor has a grease fitting at each end. Not knowing any better I gave it a shot of grease when I first got it although I assume it's lubricated from the factory. How and when do you lubricate the electric motor? What specific grease do you use?
Thanks.
I bought a lightly used 80 gallon Speedaire compressor about 4 years ago. I got a great deal on it because it was not a single phase 5 hp motor, but I swapped the motor out with a single phase 5 HP Balder motor I bought off eBay. Motor looked like brand new and I believe it was a "take off." My car project was put on the back burner so the compressor was used intermittently but not a whole lot. I changed the oil twice since I've had it even though there is probable only a few hours on it since I bought it.
Question 1: Twice in the last couple of weeks, when the motor started up after using it on/off for a few hours, it suddenly made a lot of noise on startup. Not the usual chugging noise it's supposed to make. The first time I was wearing hearing protection and by the time I got them off, the breaker had tripped. The second time (weeks later) I was near it. It didn't sound like a "screech" or anything, but not the normal noise. Louder for sure and a bit higher pitched. It still seemed to be pump air. I immediately killed the power for for about 3 seconds, turned it on again - same noise. Killed the power for three more seconds, turned it on and now it sounds normal again and had cycled 3-4 more times without reproducing the noise. I honestly can't tell if it's coming from the tank, motor, pump, fan cage etc. Otherwise it's run fine. No knock, clanging or other noises. any ideas?
Question 2: The above got me thinking about lubricating the motor. The small compressors I've had in the past I never really lubricated the motor, nor do I remember if there were fittings to do so. This Balder motor has a grease fitting at each end. Not knowing any better I gave it a shot of grease when I first got it although I assume it's lubricated from the factory. How and when do you lubricate the electric motor? What specific grease do you use?
Thanks.
