What can anyone tell me about this?

[boydy1989]

ive just picked it up on ebay.

Motor says this on it.

Compressor says this on it:

It runs a treat, and is lovely and quiet. This vale appears to be jammed open though:

But, unless im much mistaken, is this a water trap included with it?

I also need to know what the alternative oil i need, i can't find 'Essolube HD 20' any more...

Any suggestions as to what its worth? Oh, it came with a nice long length of hose too.

 

[Wedg1e]

It's an air compressor

Single-phase, 220-240V, 1.5hp motor spinning at 2800rpm, takes 8.6A (so will run from a 3-pin plug).

That valve looks like a pressure regulator to me - it should still move though.

Yes, it looks like a moisture trap.

 

[boydy1989]

id figured it should be fine from a 13 amp plug, and it does indeed run nicely on one.

The valve you mentioned, is currently open. I tried to most it, but 'unscrewing' (opening?) the t piece at the top seems to unscrew a part of the top.

Tomorrows job is to take it apart and look in daylight, weather permitting.

i also need to replace the riser that comes out of the tank, with the water trap on it as it has been bent at some point and won't tighten. I hope i can buy that piece standard?

 

[Wedg1e]

Just looks like a length of steel pipe threaded at each end, nothing too complicated. I think true airline pipe is a bit special though...?

 

[boydy1989]

dont know... im new to this air compressing stuff really, only really read the basics.
thanks for the info, ill be keen to see if anyone else knows ought about it!

Only paid peanuts for it too...

 

[rtbcomp]

That little regulator won't shut off completely, you'll need to fit a tap on the outlet or remove it and fit a stopped end to the connection it was screwed into.

Maybe SA30 compressor oil will be OK?

 

[tigler]

HPC is a good make, with good maintenance it should go on forever !

 

[boydy1989]

HPC is a good make, with good maintenance it should go on forever !

thats what i was hoping to hear!!

Other than an oil change and a clean, (filters etc) is there anything else i should be doing to maintain it?

 

[tigler]

Not really, apart from keeping the cylinder and motor fins free of dust. These older machines are really good, you have a good buy there. Use Morris compressor oil, they do a 20 grade.
Just noticed the motor is internally ventilated so blow that out occasionally.

Avoid using it in a dusty environment or where there is paint mist in the air, this is a particular compressor killer.

 

[boydy1989]

i shall bear these in mind. Its come with a long enough hose to be able to place it a fair way away from the tools being used anyway, which is nice.

£36 i paid for it, all in

 

[tigler]

Actually, I'd spotted it on ebay too, I would have had it but it was too far away !!

 

[boydy1989]

OK got the hole plugged where that little reg was now... by the looks of it the compressor does not switch off when it gets to pressure, the relief valve just opens more. How cheap/easy to fit are pressure switches? To switch the motor off once its up to pressure.

with the hole plugged it filled the tanks in a minute or two as well, nice and quick!

 

[rtbcomp]

Can you take the cover off the switch? There will most likely be an adjustment screw inside.

Any chance of a picture of the switch?

 

[boydy1989]

it doesn't seem to have one... the power cable goes straight into the back of the motor, with a different cable running to the can on top (capacitor?)

can't find a switch anywhere else.

 

[rtbcomp]

That's why it doesn't stop then!

Switches are easy enough to get, Machine Mart and a host of Ebay sellers do them of varying quality! You'll need one with a relief valve fitted which has to plumbed into the pipe that goes from the pump unit to the tank (the delivery pipe).

The switch itself screws into the tank, perhaps the hole vacated by the regulator may do the job.

I've put some pics in my album which may help

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/album.php?albumid=900

 

[boydy1989]

ta, some good diagrams an piccies there. Ive had a look on the bay too, will also go and have a chat with the local pressure place.

Surely it won't do any harm to run it without a switch though, the relief valve will just open wasting electricity?

I think getting to the delivery pipe may be a hassle, to fit the deloader valve.

What is the canister in between the V of the pump?

Also, what do you rekon is the working pressure of this system? The tanks seem to have no max pressure markings on them any more, and the pump was still pumping happily up past 125PSI when i pulled the plug.

 

[rtbcomp]

Apart from wasting electricity you could overheat the pump and motor. IIRC the duty cycle for an air compressor is 50% over 30 mins (15 on, 15 off) although I run mine for stints of over an hour continuously without any apparent problems.

The biggest problem could arise if you stop for a break and restsrt with pressure in the tank, the motor may stall. That said, those tanks are so small you could just empty them.

Not sure about the cannister. could just be a manifold. Is that a union in the end of it? if so you may be able to fit the unloading pipe into that.

 

[boydy1989]

ill have a look into it tomorrow if i can, and ill get some pics of the other assorted pipework.

There appears to be two loops of oil pipe between the pump and the fan, im guesing its an oil cooling loop. Surely this compressor will be splash lubed though, rather than pumped oil?

 

[rtbcomp]

Could be pumped, one of mine is. May be worth trying to find out for sure as the pump may need to be primed if you change the oil.

 

[eil]

I would say that its a two stage compressor, I cant see the pipe for the centrifugal unloader on your pics,it does look as if this has been snipped off. If you go to the albums and have a look at Wyn`s T30 pics you will notice some similarities.