I just replaced the main check valve and pressure switch on my 60 gal. shop compressor because it was losing pressure but it still leaks somewhere. Is there an acceptable pressure loss for an air compressor?
[OP]
Contributor
I just replaced the main check valve and pressure switch on my 60 gal. shop compressor because it was losing pressure but it still leaks somewhere. Is there an acceptable pressure loss for an air compressor?
Last edited by Chris Padilla; 02-03-2017 at 6:23 PM.
Member
No. If it leaks it costs you money in power usage and wear. Find the leak and fix it. Put soapy water in a spray bottle and spray over joints to find leaks. Cheers
Contributor
Is the pressure loss strictly in the compressor or do you have lines attached that may be the culprit?
Member
I second this, soapy water will reveal even the smallest of leaks. Just watch the area you sprayed for a few seconds, sometimes it's takes the bubbles a little bit to rise.Originally Posted by Wayne Lomman
Contributor
If you don't find anything with soapy water, try changing out the quick couplers on the compressor. I never got anywhere with soapy water, but when I installed Milton couplers, my leakdown problem went away. In retrospect, I didn't spray the soap solution *in* the old couplers (that seemed like a bad idea for some reason), just on the pipe nipple; maybe I would have gotten bubbles if I had.
If your compressor is hard piped in...never mind!
Member
I have a solenoid valve on mine that is wired to one bank of my lights. When I leave the shop I turn the lights off and the solenoid closes no air loss. Also have a solenoid that is hooked up on that circuit that energizes the electric to the compressor so as long as my lights are not on there is no air or the compressor can't start.
Member
Steve, If nothing shows up with soapy water, it could be the pressure regulator. The diaphragm could have hardened. That was where mine was leaking from
Larry
[OP]
Contributor
I was able to find a few leaks after some prompting here. There was one small one at the check valve connection and a larger one at the pressure switch connection. Turns out I had a bottle of leak detector fluid that you apply with a dauber. I doubt the small leak would've been found with plain soapy water. The leak detector fluid is dark pink and turns a lighter color when producing very small bubbles. I think everything is air tight now. Thanks all for the input.
NH Woodworkers Guild
When I moved from one place to another 7 years ago, my compressor tank was fully charged and 10 months later when we finally put in place in the shop, the charge was still full.
[OP]
Contributor
That's what I call airtight. I checked mine this morning and it still loses about 25 psi overnight. Looks like I still have work to do.
Contributor
I just bought one of these compressors used. First time I've ever had or used one. From what I'm hearing you guys leave air in your tanks. I was under the impression I should drain the tank after each use. Kind of a pain especially when you just want a quick use sometimes. Doesn't doing this leave your tank in danger of rusting out more so than draining them? I'm also thinking about picking up just an air tank to keep filled for those times that I just need a quick shot of air. Thoughts?
Contributor
I shut my compressor off every night (love Jerome's idea of hooking it up with solenoid and relay from the lights). I also have a valve coming out of the tank that supplies my air lines that gets closed. My air lines/system leaks but not the compressor so I still have a full tank in the morning when I turn it all back on.
For moisture I replaced the petcock with a street ell, a length of pipe and a qtr turn ball valve. Ell and pipe gets the valve to the edge of the tank where it's accessible. I open the valve at the the end of the day and drain just accumulated moisture. Don't loose more than a couple PSI.
Member
For water I have an auto drain that came from Harbor Freight that works pretty good but about once a week I manually drain the water
Member
I've got older "commercial" Two Stage 80 gal, 240 Volt, it's more than 5hp but I'm too lazy to go check right now. Bought it for a song from a very large production facility that was going out of business. The man managing the liquidation of equipment said this one needed a rebuild and gave me the rebuild kit with it. A $1,700 machine for $300, I thought it was worth the gamble. Got it home, wired it up and it came up to "full" pressure in 11 minutes which I was told was typical of a well working machine. Put a hose to it and went to work. Shut it off at night. Found it dropped to about 60psi overnight. Started disconnecting the hose from the tank nightly. After that it would hold for two weeks and still be at 90ish psi. Got out the soap spray and found the "big" (2 inch?) plug the pressure regulator screws in to had REALLY tiny bubbles. I decided I could live with that and still do. I still disconnect any hoses nightly and ALWAYS shut the compressor off at night. This is more for safety than energy savings. Years after I bought this compressor the pressure regulator relay contact froze (welded) in the on position causing the compressor to run continuously. Got REAL hot and blew piston lube out of who know where. Fortunately I was home and heard the continuous running and was able to kill the power and not have the compressor kill itself or start a fire. So I turn mine off when ever I'm done using it and that idea of a contactor (sp) on the light circuit is spectacular. ps still have the rebuild kit in the box. ;0)
[OP]
Contributor
Good suggestion about replacing the petcock. I installed the street ell, etc and besides better access to the drain my system now doesn't show any signs of leakage. I think the water also drains better with the ell than with the petcock as it has a small place to pool.
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