Air compressor repair or mod

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

It's not getting to 150 psi so the pressure switch is out of adjustment or was replaced at sometime with the wrong one and the leaking compression fitting. I could bypass the leaking fitting by moving the coupler so it comes off the pressure regulator.
I'll get a new air filter, drive belt and change the oil in the pump.

Have you tried adjusting the regulator to get up to 150 psi? Just thinking out loud...

Not yet, I don't have a 220v power source at home. I did find 2 electrical conduits in an unfinished area under the basement stairs and I believe one of them goes to the A/C unit outside. I should be able to install an electric box into the conduit run and run a new line into the garage.

 

[Y_J]

lckstckn2smknbrls, Do you by chance have any experience with the 110v welders? I been looking at one at HF but it's been way to many yrs since I've done any welding and wondered just how well they work. Playing with 220v is somewhat out of my league as far as running new lines goes

 

[Steve A W]

The compressor will run cooler and last longer at 120psi.
I've got all My compressors set at 120psi and never lacked for air.

Steve A W

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

lckstckn2smknbrls, Do you by chance have any experience with the 110v welders? I been looking at one at HF but it's been way to many yrs since I've done any welding and wondered just how well they work. Playing with 220v is somewhat out of my league as far as running new lines goes

Sorry I don't. The most welding I've done was 35 years ago in high school and it was oxy-acedling. Running 220v is as easy as running two 110v circuits in one conduit. From the 2 pole breaker you run the 2 hot leads and the ground to the outlet, there's no neutral in a 220v circuit and it doesn't matter which hot lead goes to which terminal on the outlet. Just be sure you use the proper gauge wire for the amperage your working with.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

The compressor will run cooler and last longer at 120psi.
I've got all My compressors set at 120psi and never lacked for air.

Steve A W

I probably will leave it the way it is but you never know. It is going to be a huge improvement over the tiny compressor I have now.

 

[KMixson]

The compressor will run cooler and last longer at 120psi.
I've got all My compressors set at 120psi and never lacked for air.

Steve A W

Exactly. You very rarely need more than 120PSI of air. The thing you need more often is CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) which is volume. Most all of the accessories you operate will run fine at 90PSI. If you get up above 120PSI you it will be more dangerous due to the fact that you can get air shot into your skin much more easily even from the exhaust of the accessory you are using. Be careful.

 

[JMichael]

All of the homeowner grade compressors that I've seen from that era had a max PSI of 120. I've got a 22gal Sanborn that I bought in 83 that is switchable from 110/220 but the factory max psi was and still is set to 120. I also own a newer 6 gal Porter Cable compressor that shuts off at 150, but as stated above, most air tools will operate just fine at 90-100 psi. I know all of my air tools and nail guns will.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

The compressor will run cooler and last longer at 120psi.
I've got all My compressors set at 120psi and never lacked for air.

Steve A W

Exactly. You very rarely need more than 120PSI of air. The thing you need more often is CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) which is volume. Most all of the accessories you operate will run fine at 90PSI. If you get up above 120PSI you it will be more dangerous due to the fact that you can get air shot into your skin much more easily even from the exhaust of the accessory you are using. Be careful.

One thing I have not bin able to find out is the exact tank size or the cfm output. The tank is much bigger than the 10 gallon tanks and similar to the 15 to 20 ones. Is there a formula to figure out the cfm's at different psi outputs?

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

All of the homeowner grade compressors that I've seen from that era had a max PSI of 120. I've got a 22gal Sanborn that I bought in 83 that is switchable from 110/220 but the factory max psi was and still is set to 120. I also own a newer 6 gal Porter Cable compressor that shuts off at 150, but as stated above, most air tools will operate just fine at 90-100 psi. I know all of my air tools and nail guns will.

I wish it was a dual voltage motor that would make things simpler. I looked at the Porter cable compressor but eventually want to use the compressor to paint a Starcraft boat I'm working on and the 6 gallon tank just wasn't going to cut it.

 

[New River Rat]

The compressor will run cooler and last longer at 120psi.
I've got all My compressors set at 120psi and never lacked for air.

Steve A W

Got your font set at 120, too.

 

[Steve A W]

The compressor will run cooler and last longer at 120psi.
I've got all My compressors set at 120psi and never lacked for air.

Steve A W

Got your font set at 120, too.

New River Rat
I always post with a bigger font so people with eyes like Mine can read it easier. :shock:

Steve A W

 

[Y_J]

lckstckn2smknbrls, Do you by chance have any experience with the 110v welders? I been looking at one at HF but it's been way to many yrs since I've done any welding and wondered just how well they work. Playing with 220v is somewhat out of my league as far as running new lines goes

Sorry I don't. The most welding I've done was 35 years ago in high school and it was oxy-acedling. Running 220v is as easy as running two 110v circuits in one conduit. From the 2 pole breaker you run the 2 hot leads and the ground to the outlet, there's no neutral in a 220v circuit and it doesn't matter which hot lead goes to which terminal on the outlet. Just be sure you use the proper gauge wire for the amperage your working with.

Sounds about like me only the high school welding was 45 yrs ago. Jeez time goes by way to fast some times.
I was considering buying that 110v wire welder at HF but I think I'll just borrow my neighbors until I find out just how well I can do with that one.

 

[Y_J]

lckstckn2smknbrls, Do you by chance have any experience with the 110v welders? I been looking at one at HF but it's been way to many yrs since I've done any welding and wondered just how well they work. Playing with 220v is somewhat out of my league as far as running new lines goes

Sorry I don't. The most welding I've done was 35 years ago in high school and it was oxy-acedling. Running 220v is as easy as running two 110v circuits in one conduit. From the 2 pole breaker you run the 2 hot leads and the ground to the outlet, there's no neutral in a 220v circuit and it doesn't matter which hot lead goes to which terminal on the outlet. Just be sure you use the proper gauge wire for the amperage your working with.

Thanks for explaining how to do that. I'll be putting up that 10' X 17' Portable Garage from Harbor Freight come next payday and was wanting to have 110V and 220V out there. Add a couple of work benches, a bigger compressor that's bigger than what I have(3 Gal, 100psi), I'll be able to work on the boats and trailers without the wind and rain bothering me.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

lckstckn2smknbrls, Do you by chance have any experience with the 110v welders? I been looking at one at HF but it's been way to many yrs since I've done any welding and wondered just how well they work. Playing with 220v is somewhat out of my league as far as running new lines goes

Sorry I don't. The most welding I've done was 35 years ago in high school and it was oxy-acedling. Running 220v is as easy as running two 110v circuits in one conduit. From the 2 pole breaker you run the 2 hot leads and the ground to the outlet, there's no neutral in a 220v circuit and it doesn't matter which hot lead goes to which terminal on the outlet. Just be sure you use the proper gauge wire for the amperage your working with.

Thanks for explaining how to do that. I'll be putting up that 10' X 17' Portable Garage from Harbor Freight come next payday and was wanting to have 110V and 220V out there. Add a couple of work benches, a bigger compressor that's bigger than what I have(3 Gal, 100psi), I'll be able to work on the boats and trailers without the wind and rain bothering me.

How old is your house, What's the amperage of the electric panel?

 

[Y_J]

It's an older mobile home (11x70) but I'm not sure of the amperage on the 110v or the 220v. I know the cloths dryer runs off of the 220v and the window AC also does but everything else is 110v. I've got a breaker panel in the back bedroom. I guess I could try to look at that and figure it out. I know if I try to run to many things at the same time it kicks the breaker, like the dish washer and the microwave just don't work to well together LOL.
I do have an outdoor extension cord running from the living room out the window so I got power out there for things like my pressure washer, angle grinder (which I found today likes human flesh) and my electric roto-tiller. I have found that the AC and the dryer will work together (both are 220v)

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

The a/c and dryer are probably on separate 220v circuits unlike the dishwasher and microwave which are on the same circuit.

 

[Y_J]

That makes sense. Thanks.. I'm gonna try to figure out how to get a different circuit for the portable garage..

 

[New River Rat]

The compressor will run cooler and last longer at 120psi.
I've got all My compressors set at 120psi and never lacked for air.

Steve A W

Got your font set at 120, too.

New River Rat
I always post with a bigger font so people with eyes like Mine can read it easier. :shock:

Steve A W

 

[lovedr79]

do you have any open "slots" in your panel box at the house? for my garage i had 2 slots, so i ran a double pole 70a with 2 gauge to my garage and installed another panel box in my garage.

 

[Y_J]

do you have any open "slots" in your panel box at the house? for my garage i had 2 slots, so i ran a double pole 70a with 2 gauge to my garage and installed another panel box in my garage.

There is only one slot left in the panel that's in the house. That will work for putting the 110v in the garage but not enough for a double pole. I'll have to go through it and see what is there that I can eliminate to make enough for a double pole. Or maybe I can try to run another 2 gauge from one of the other two 220v double poles to the garage to power another box. There are currently only 3 things here that run off of 220v. The hot water heater, the cloths dryer, and the window air conditioner/heater. The Cloths Dryer is the least used so maybe I could pull from that one? What do you think? I'm not an electrician so I don't know all the ins and outs of it all but can usually get buy on it as long as I remember to turn the power off before I mess with it.