Air compressor "safety shutdown" system?

Create a Post
A

ahohen1

BFL
Joined
Nov 26, 2006
Posts
485
I opened this morning and turned on my air compressor. It usually shuts down automatically when the air builds up to a certain pressure (I have a large compressor and the pressure builds up to 180 lbs.). This morning it did not shut down and i realized it was running a very long time after about 20 minutes. I hurried up and shut it down (the tank and motor were getting very very hot). I then opened a little box and cleaned the "contact" points, waited about an hour and turned the compressor back on. Everything now works just fine just as it did in the past. My question is, does anyone know of a "safety shutdown" system available for a compressor? If i would have started the compressor and left the shop for about an hour, the compressor would have greatly overheated and may have caused a fire. I have, but rarely, left the shop and forgot to turn it off and drain the tank.

Has this ever happened to any of you?

Thanks for any help.
 
Here is a link to a replacement 100-200 psi switch from grainger.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2DC09

I suppose you could put two in-series with each other to provide a fail safe backup, but the points on the one with the higher kickout pressure would probably wind up sticking as it would always be engaged. Would not really recommend that. Probably would replace the one you currently have just as a cautionary measure.
 
QuickDraw said:
Here is a link to a replacement 100-200 psi switch from grainger.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2DC09

I suppose you could put two in-series with each other to provide a fail safe backup, but the points on the one with the higher kickout pressure would probably wind up sticking as it would always be engaged. Would not really recommend that. Probably would replace the one you currently have just as a cautionary measure.
Click to expand...

Thanks QuicDraw. I purchased this compressor from Grainger in New Orleans. I looked in their catalog and saw the same as you are displaying. It is exactly the one that IS on my compressor. I will get one, BUT i still wish i could find a "safety shutdown" switch.
 
"If i would have started the compressor and left the shop for about an hour, the compressor would have greatly overheated and may have caused a fire". I think this is an understatement. I think it would have gotten uglier then this. I too have a very large compressor. Hopefully you drain the moisture out of it often. If not, it will rust out at the bottom and the tank will erode. Under too much pressure, this could lead to an explosion or a missile.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top