Air compressor never shuts off

[Carl Owenby]

Our air compressor never shuts off. The control circuit works because the compressor will turn off when we unplug the pressure switch from the RC, but the air pressure never gets high enough to operate the pressure switch. We can maintain a top pressure out of the compressor of only 65-70 psi.

Any suggestions as to what might be wrong?

[Greg Needel]

how is your system setup because the pump should put out about 120psi and if it is only putting out 65-70 then that explains why the pressure switch isn;t working because it only activates when pressure is above 110 psi and re activates when pressure is less then 90psi My sugestion is to check the following:

the gauge should be off of one of the storage tanks not off the pump directly

check for leaks

check the location of the regulator and make sure it isn't restricting the flow before the tanks because you are alowed to store up to 120 psi in the tanks but only have 60 in the system

I guess my major recomendation is to just check your setup vs the one in the pneumatics guide and see if something is set up wrong

[Patrick Wang]

Make sure your regulator is plugged in right.

The Air flows only one way correctly.

There should be some indication on the regulator as to the way the air flows

[Gadget470]

check for leaks. If you didn't put teflon tape on all of the brass fittings, that could be part of the problem. The tape acts as a bit of a lubricant to make the fittings tighter without damage to the threads thus making a tighter seal.

If you aren't sure if your system is leaking, crank up the pressure to 60-70psi (which you say is your current max) and, with wet fingers, hover your fingers over each fitting closely. (Wet fingers make it easier to feel the air when it's a light leak).

A better way to do this is to take soapy water, stir it with your finger and wipe it around all the connections. If a connection starts to bubble, then there is a leak.

[Carl Owenby]

Thanks for the help. We found the primary regulator was improperly connected. We also found some minor leaks when we soap tested.