I R air compressor mishap

mite-help

Member
Hello all. I have a ts-5 15.6 cfm compressor that ran for an unknown time last nite, with contacts stuck shut on cut-off switch, & safety valve blowing. I had strung extra hose to shadetree job trying to beat the heat. no leaks, could hear compressor kick on-off only when air was used. forgot to shut off air valve & switch as I normally do when I leave shop, left tools, called it a day. when I found it this AM, tank was warm, lower compressor also, but no need to pull hand away. my plan today is to replace switch, change oil, drain, thanks for any other input? wait & see I guess.sure hoping for little damage. this unit operated great.
 
If everything was only warm to the touch, I'd guess nothing got damaged. Good air compressors are made to run for extended periods of time. (But what do I know?)
 
thanks. kinda hoping that. neighbor had smaller one do this. said shop was full of fog/haze from heat/oil. had none of that so maybe got lucky. don't know why switch failed other than hot weather, line voltage or such. unit not real old, [use]
 
I have a smaller IR compressor, SS-3 with 60 gallon tank. I run the ridiculously overpriced IR synthetic oil but with that in there it has a 100% duty cycle. If you could put your hand on compressor body and tank then you are probably ok. If oil hasn't been changed in over a year then probably a good idea to change it.
 
I added a 240 volt spring wound timer (12 hour) in line to my compressor, so when I need to use it I spin the timer to about 2 hours or so. I can't forget to switch it off, in case a line blows out, it won't run for hours or days on end . The timer was about $75 as I recall. I think I got from McMaster Carr. You might find one at a local electrical supply store.
 
Gumby has a good idea with the timer.

For my compressor, I rigged a relay that closes when I turn the shop lights off. It feeds an amplified Ford seat belt buzzer through a 12 VDC power supply, and also turns on a light, all to remind this thick headed guy to turn the compressor off. I hate waking up in the middle of the night and hearing that thing running. I hate even worse getting my britches on to trek across the road to the shop to turn it off.
 
I have a IR compressor at the shop, it's a 10 HP, 3 phase 240v.

I had to replace the starter and the pressure switch. Luckily they both failed (at separate times) in the open position, so it just quit, didn't overpressure. Found both components were of minimal quality. Went back with better quality, American made switches.

BTW, it's not too difficult to wire a lighting contactor in the power circuit, have it come on with the shop lights.
 
If it didn't already burn it up I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's designed to run for long periods of time. Change the oil and the pressure switch and forget about it.
 
If I may suggest this: don't replace the switch with an OEM product. For about the same money get a heavy duty Square D or Furnas in a steel enclosure. Oh yeah, you probably have a quart of water in the tank now, don't forget to drain.
 

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