Shop Air At Last!

Al Launier

Member
Messages
1,683
Location
Bedford, NH
Well, these past couple of days I've been spending some time setting up my Sears portable compressor that has been used mainly for blowing out the sprinkler system each fall. It is located in the garage and needed to be brought to the top of the project list so that it will provide some "shop air" for my work shop. Seeing the compressor just sitting there, seldom used, I decided to make better use of it.

Installed a 1/4" air line, some compressor fittings (T, ball valve shut-offs, quick disconnects), & routed it through the garage wall to the shop. Also installed a new 20amp circuit to add a couple of 4-plex receptacles for shop equipment (DP, Jointer, BS, pending TS, combo belt/disc sander, router), a 2-plex receptacle for the compressor & a hard wired switch in the shop to turn the compressor on/off from the shop when needed.

Haven't finished it yet, but expect to do so tomorrow. Then I have to test for a leak(s) somewhere on the compressor as it surprisingly doesn't hold pressure overnight. Since I can hear the leak, I'll be painting some dish soap on the fittings to see if it shows itself. Once done, it'll be nice having better use of the compressor.
 
The work you're putting in now will be well worth it. You're going to wonder how you got along without it, Al. ;)
 
That should be a great help to your shop Al.

BTW for testing my lines, I just used some windex, didn't have to mix up soap, bubbles enough to show any leaks, even slow ones.
 
I checked for air leaks in the compressor tank & a couple using the Windex, but for some reason I didn't envision Jim singing his bubbly song. Tried to tighten the fittings & replaced the drain plug "assembly" & replaced it with a conventional 1/4" NPT plug. That stopped the leak there, but a "T" fitting is still culpritizing the integrity of the tank. More work to do, but the shop air plumbing & new electrical ciruit is done. Everything worked with no tripped CBs & no smoke. :thumb:

PS Thanks for the tip on using Windex Darren, it works well & is easier than painting soap on the fitting joints.
 
Just be glad that I am not singing, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air...."

Now you can think of me while tracing your air leak.

Enjoy,
JimB

This comment would probably make more sense if you'd picked a song that was written after the phonograph was invented. :rofl:

(OK, technically, it was published in 1919, a good 42 years after Edison and his phonograph, but still...)
 
Harder than I thought to resolve the leak. Have sprayed everything, AFTER having to use Teflon tape on all the joints. Gotta keep at it, but surprisingly difficult chasing a "simple" leak. :huh:
 
You might check the the Check valve coming from the pump to the tank. Usually there is one right on top of the tank where the tube connects. Sometimes they go bad and leak air back to the pump or the valve that opens up to make it easier for the motor to start up.
 
Al sometimes the leak can be in the quick connect or the air blast gun or such.. have one that i tried to fix the leak and it still leaks so i just disconnect it till i need it again..
 
Thanks Guys. Actually, I tried both. Took off the plastic cover on top & bubble tested every fitting in site. NADA Also, I had ball valves on the air lines turned off to hold the air pressure, so the QDs didn't come into play. Will go after it again tomorrow. Nothing like a new day to solve problems.
 
Well, even though the compressor was charged to 145 psi, it leaked down to 125 psi & held there throughout the night. Acceptable, but will final tweak anyway.
 
My bet would be the check valve, like Darren already suggested. A leak through it wouldn't show on a 'soap bubble' test, because the air actually leaks back into the compressor, and then back out the air intake filter.
 
Well, even though the compressor was charged to 145 psi, it leaked down to 125 psi & held there throughout the night. Acceptable, but will final tweak anyway.

Does the compressor specs say it should go up to 145 psi? Just wondering if the pressure relief valve or the check valve may be only designed for 125 psi. Typically both are stamped with their max values. I noticed though mine is a max of 125 psi, it does leak down to 100 and seems to stay there, even after a week of sitting turned off. I typically turn off the power and shut the tank valve when I'm not using it.

I'm still betting on the check valve though.
 
I removed the cover panel & disconnected the lines to the brass check valve. The nuts were looser than expected. Attempted to remove the check valve, but couldn't, even with a tight fitting 7/8" wrench & hitting the wrench with a bronze mallet. The wrench started to deform the hex, so I decided not to push it. So, I just poured a bit of paint thinner as recommended per the manual that I had found & downloaded. Wanted to remove the check valve & clean it thoroughly, but decided that it wasn't worth the risk of stripping threads or whatever. I confirmed that it was a RH thread so it wasn't that I was wrenching in the wrong direction. Also, there was a red sealer of some sort on the threads of the check valve. That probably is what cured up hard & prevented loosening of the valve. After hooking the lines back up to the check valve & tightening things down, I cranked the compressor up. It shut off at 145 psi, & leaked down to 125 psi overnight. That's as far as I'm going with this as I don't see me using much pressure in the shop, only when blowing out the irrigation system in the fall & that's only at 50 psi.
 
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