Well... Almost broke! Scary!!!

[mbkerk]

I started my air compressor today. It is in an unheated loft in my garage. I turn it on with a circuit breaker.

I had hooked an air hose up to a portable 8 gallon tank I have, so I could haul the air to where I needed it.

I had been cleaning up snow and ice from the driveway and the deck, and I went out to finish that up, and a few minutes later I returned to the garage and looked at the guage on the wall to see where I was at for pressure and it said 195! It is supposed to shut off at 125! My portable tank has no pressure relief valve, and I don't understand why the compressors relief had not activated.

I got it shut down quick, and opened a drain valve I have on the pipe that comes down from the loft.

I will be investigating the reason why it didn't shut down, I think I'll buy a new pressure switch, and see what the relief is set for, and maybe replace it too!

I have heard of compressor tanks blowing up, glad mine wasn't one of them!

[LPBOLENS]

From personal experience, I know that pressure switches can temporarily fail due to ice blockage in the line to the switch. It doesn't take much. I use a heat tape covered with insulation around the base of mine in an unheated shed to prevent eactly the same problem. My tank did have a pressure relief, and I was not in the area when it let go, but I certainly heard it!!!!!!!

[sixchows]

Yeah! Thank God it didn't! Look everything over for any signs of damage.

[mbkerk]

From personal experience, I know that pressure switches can temporarily fail due to ice blockage in the line to the switch.

That might be the case. I did re-start it and stood and watched it, and it did quit when it was supposed to. I noticed a few days ago, that the unloader valve did not spit when it shut down. Maybe icing is the problem. I'll sure be keeping a close eye on it!

[jodyand]

Also find out what the pressure rating on the portable tank is. If you got it to the max may want to trash it because of the stress on the welds.

[USN_ED]

From personal experience, I know that pressure switches can temporarily fail due to ice blockage in the line to the switch. It doesn't take much. I use a heat tape covered with insulation around the base of mine in an unheated shed to prevent eactly the same problem. My tank did have a pressure relief, and I was not in the area when it let go, but I certainly heard it!!!!!!!

Ya know, even though I've know about the possible icing problem with a compressor in an un-heated area, I hadn't given it a thought when it came to my own compressor in my un-heated garage. THANKS for turning on the "Light Buld". I'm going to put a heat-tape on my compressor line and switch tomorrow. Thanks again for jarring my "brain fart" riddled mind.

[Mark / Ohio]

Thanks for posting that. I've never had that problem so far in the unheated shed after 20 years. Don't use it much during below freezing with no heat out there. But I will think twice about starting it and walking away until it gets warmed up. Mines and oiless direct drive so it warms up quick but produces a lot of water as result to.

[aguysmiley]

I've never thought of that either. My compressor is in the unheated side of my garage. (So much nicer with it on the other side of an insulated wall.) Looks like I'll be buying some heat tape too. Thanks for sharing that.