Well, I went to flip on my compressor today and got a buzz, but htat was it. It appears the pressure switch is kaput. Any ideas on how tough it will be to replace it? It's a Craftsman compressor.
Randy
Compressor Question
Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 9 of 9 known posts recovered
LAST EDITED ON Jan-22-01 AT 07:42 AM (EST)
Did you bypass the swicth with the power to dubble check to see if that was the problem? If it is, changing out the pressure swicth is a matter of a 9/16(?) wrench,teflon tape, screwdriver and a pair of needle nose pliers. Sears should be able to order the parts. Just an aside, when was the last time you drained the water from the resivior tank? Hope this helps Steve D!
Sounds like the unloader function of the px sw. Bypassing the switch with power direct, if it is the unloader, will still not run the unit. you can usually manually unload the compressor to see if it will then start.
All of these parts are generic. try MSC or grainger or local industrial supplies vendor.
Hope this helps
Can you turn the compressor over by hand? You need to check to make sure it will freewheel alright. A buzzing motor usually means something is bound up or stuck. I had the pressure switch go out on mine a while back and my compressor simply wouldn't turn on, no noise, nothing.
Kiiski
Kiiski
If the compressor turns over by hand, the next most likely item to check is the starting capacitor on the motor. If you hear anything at all when the switch is flipped, it is not the pressure switch.
"SAVE ALL THE PIECES"-Phil Brown
Ken Clapson · Jan 22, 2001 12:11 PM
#5 sourceOr if and most likely depending on the motor. It could the the small govenor in the motor that starts the motor on the start windings and shifs over to the run windings when motor is up to speed. I've had this happen on my compressor a couple times ( gets quite damp in the greenhouse at times ). Basically unit was trying to start on the run windings. Just took off end of motor and cleaned shaft, lubricated and things work fine.
Ken
OK, I got a new pressure switch and your right, that wasn't it. I turned it on and the motor turned over very slowly. I left it on for 30 seconds or so, but it just kept turning over very slowly. I turned it off then back on and nothing. It kinda goes "Hum", but no action. I don't know much about compressors except that you hook up the air line and turn them on and they go.
So, what's next? Take the motor apart and lube it? clean the, what, brushes?
Thanks for any help. I'm about ready to paint and would really like a working compressor.
Randy
Randy
Sound like to me the hum is what I memtioned in the previous response. The motor is trying to start on its run winding instead of the ster windings. If your motor has a capacitor on it, it problably has two windings. The start and the run winding. Take the back of the motor off. There usually is a plastic slider with contacts on it. Some also have a small spring. What happens when the rpms increase the mtor " shifts from its start windings onto the run windings. Sometimes corrsion and gunk doesn't allow the plastic disk to slip on the shaft to " say shift gears from the start to the run windings". Simply clean the shaft and the slider and lubiricate for smooth operation and the motor will work well.
Ken Clapson
LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-01 AT 03:16 AM (EST)
Ken,
Yea, I got it working. The little contact point that is engaged when the plastic disk flips the lever was broken. Had to do some fancy soldering and re-enforcement to get it going. The joint holding the contact point was fatigued. At least I can paint now, but I suspect a new motor will be somewhere on the horizon.
Randy