Do You Leave Your Air Compressor On?

[George Clark]

Attached are photos of a failure of a combination regulator, filter and water trap in my shop air system. Fortunately, I was in the shop when it failed. It sounded like a shotgun blast when it let go. This was an ARO unit that I installed new. The line pressure had never exceeded the rated pressure of the unit. All four of the locking lugs on the regulator body failed.

The point of my post is not to degrade ARO, parts fail, but to encourage you shut your compressors off when you leave the shop. Had I been away from the shop with the compressor on it would have run continuously until the compressor seized (bad) or things got so hot that the shop caught on fire (really bad).

I had a similar failure about 20 years ago when an air hose fitting failed on my relatively new compressor. I was at home but away from the shop. My wife mentioned that the compressor had been running for a long time. When I went to investigate the compressor was still running but extremly hot. When things cooled the pump was seized and required a complete overhaul at a cost that almost exceeded the cost new. Lesson learned.

George

[Rob Damon]

Not sure if it is the same, but I recieved a recall notice of one that looks similar to that a few months back due to failure. I-R sent me a replacement one free of charge, even though it was several years old and beyond warranty.

I always turn my air compressor off and close the ball valve at the tank and relieve the pressure in the hose. I have not piped the shop yet.

With an 80 gallon tank at 155 psi, I can normally go for days without having to run it, so it does not make sense to leave it on unless I know I will be using it continuously and the pressure has dropped to under 90 psi on the tank.

Considering it can pump out 27 scfm, the idea of a hose busting and blowing out that much air continuously, doesn't seem like a pleasent experience.

Rob

[Gordon Eyre]

Never leave it on but do leave it under pressure (about 120).

[Chris Padilla]

My compressor is on a 24-hour mechanical timer...it is basically on 12 hours and off for the other 12. I hate it when it kicks on at 2 am and I have to change undies....

[Curt Harms]

My compressor is on a 24-hour mechanical timer...it is basically on 12 hours and off for the other 12. I hate it when it kicks on at 2 am and I have to change undies....

Or worse yet, kicks on at 2 a.m. and wakes SWMBO, leaving her in a foul mood.

[Curt Harms]

If you had a fire and had copper or plastic lines. Sweated joints could melt, separate and what was a fire is now an inferno. I don't know if that could happen but I sure wouldn't want to find out, either.

[Bruce Page]

Never leave it on but do leave it under pressure (about 120).

Like Gordon, I shut my off - most of the time...

[Perry Holbrook]

I installed a contactor on my compressor. The coil is wired thru the light switch for the shop. Compressor can't run unless I'm working in the shop with the lights on.

Perry

[Rod Sheridan]

Like Perry, mine has a lighted switch in two locations (garage and basement shop) so I only run it when I'm using it.

I also drain it after using it.

Regards, Rod.

[Steve Kohn]

I installed a contactor on my compressor. The coil is wired thru the light switch for the shop. Compressor can't run unless I'm working in the shop with the lights on.

Perry

I use a similiar approach. I have a relay in line with the dedicated 220V circuit for the compressor. The relay is only activated when the lights are on. Since I always shut off the lights when I leave the shop, the compressor can't turn on.

Of course when I turn on the lights and the compressor starts it scares the heck out of me.

[Chris Padilla]

Looks like I'll be adding to my own list (not LOMLs):

Wire in a light switch for the compressor to make turning it off easier (my compressor is mounted up near the ceiling )

Put in a ball valve to kill the pressure in the lines and isolate the compressor from them.

Oh, and LOML Is a HEAVY sleeper...I'm the light one.

[Erik Christensen]

i have my 220v/2 stage unit on a solenoid with the solenoid powered by a switch in the same dual box as my shop lights. If I don't need air I leave it off but when leaving the shop I always hit both switches down on my way out the door.

[Chuck Gallup]

I installed a contactor on my compressor. The coil is wired thru the light switch for the shop. Compressor can't run unless I'm working in the shop with the lights on.

Perry

Most excellent tip!

[Perry Holbrook]

Actually, in addition to the contactor, I installed a solenoid operated valve in the compressor outlet as well. Double protection. My compressor is installed outside and not all that easy to get to, if there were a problem I wouldn't necessarily notice so I took extra precaution.

Perry

[Thomas Bank]

Never leave it on but do leave it under pressure (about 120).

Same here. Shut off compressor and close the ball valve to the air piping. I've heard too many stories similar to this about something springing a leak and the compressor running until it didn't...