compressor issue

[Rob Stanhope]

howdy .my pancake compressor keeps running.it holds the air,so i know the tank isn't leaking,wondering if it's the line that runs from the compressor to the tank,and if so easy fixes
thanks

[Steve Perez]

Leaks are pretty easy to find so I guess it is not an obvious one. You say the tank holds the air so its not the regulator. You say the motor keeps running, so it must not be gaining adequate pressure to trigger the switch, otherwise the safety valve would eventually kick off. How old is it and do you use it alot? It could be the oil less pump seals wearing out.

Again I am assuming its not an obvious leak that you can hear and track. For the motor not to turn off it would have to be a pretty big one.

[Pat Germain]

Does the tank pressure continue to build as the motor runs? If it is, it will eventually exceed the maximum pressure for the tank and a safety valve will pop to relieve excess pressure.

I don't know about your compressor, but some small compressors use a bladder instead of a piston to pump air. These bladders don't last very long. When they fail, they leak and will no longer build pressure in the tank. If your motor is running and pressure does not build, this is a possibility.

There could be a leak, as you suggested, but you'd likely be able to hear it hissing if that were the case.

[Rob Stanhope]

it's about three years old with light use I only use this one with my finish nailer.I've got it up on my bench now to get a better look at it.
thanks

[Steve Perez]

Rob, when you turn it on what is the highest pressure reading you attain and how long does it take? Does it stay at a certain pressure even while the motor is running?

[Rob Stanhope]

i just let it run for about ten minutes and 60 p.s.i. was the highest it got .no hissing or other obvious signs of a problem,other than the fact that it runs non-stop.wondering if taking it apart and snooping around would be benificial,or a mistake

[Steve Perez]

Is the air filter clogged or obstructed? If not, unless anyone else has any other ideas, it sounds like its internal again maybe with the seals whether it be the piston or the bladder like Pat said. I would take it apart (the pump part only). The only alternative is that you have a non working compressor. I know on my Thomas compressor they sell rebuild kits which includes the seals. Hopefully you can order something similar for yours but youll have to weigh the cost/benefit ratio of spending time and money to fix this one versus buying a new one.

[Rob Stanhope]

I'm going to open it up now and take a look at it.

[Charles Thomas]

If it is a Porter Cable, they use a silicone ring at the line to head connection. They blow out if it runs too much. They are around $2.50 each. The head has to come off to replace it. About a 20 minute job. Pretty cheesy setup.

[Steve Flavin001]

You Should Specify The Maker Of Your Compressor Here As Well

[Rob Stanhope]

this one is a little porter cable ( 6 gal.) i'll check the silicone ring everything else looks as it should.

[James Stokes]

I can tell you exactly what is wrong. Your flapper valve is bad. If you take off the top of the motor there is a metal flapper valve (flat piece of metal looks like a feeler guage) sometimes you can turn these over to fix the problem but generally they need to be replaced.

[Rob Stanhope]

that was it .flapper valves had some 'crud' under them. a good cleaning took care of it. thanks

[James Stokes]

I knew it, I have had several pancakes do the same thing.

[David G Baker]

You can sometimes get good deals on the pancakes at garage sales due to the flapper valve problem. A little cleaning or valve replacement and you can have a functioning air compressor for a good price.