Team 4284 here, completely new to pnuematics, and we’re having trouble setting up with the pressure relief valve. We looked for directions on how to configure the valve, but can’t seem to do it properly, or maybe our whole setup is wrong. We don’t exactly get how the valve works either, because it doesn’t look like it would hold 125 psi in, with the hole directly out on the top of it.
We have the compressor hooked to a battery, with tubing directly to the valve in a t union, then out to another t union to the tanks and the gauge.
Here’s a picture of the whole setup https://goo.gl/pSeua3
And here’s a closeup of the valve itself https://goo.gl/aofa2Q
Very willing to answer any question if you need any more information to help us. Thanks!
Short across the pressure switch terminals (so the compressor keeps running past the 115-120psi limit of the pressure switch).
Run the compressor (it’ll run the pressure up past 130psi)
Loosen the nut just under the top of the relief valve. It’s the middle nut. (that locks the setting in place)
Turn the top of the relief valve until the pressure gauge starts dropping. If one direction doesn’t have any effect, turn it the other way.
*]Once the pressure drops to 125 psi, turn everything off and retighten the lock nut.
The valve has a spring inside it that usually keeps it closed until the pressure increase over 125psi, when the valve starts slowly opening to release (relieve) the pressure. In a properly configured and programmed system, the relief valve never needs to release air.
Since you’re currently running without control system and manually turning on the pump, you’ll probably get to its limit at some point and it should start releasing air.
If it doesn’t release air at 125 psi, you need to adjust it. You do that by screwing and unscrewing the cap on the top with the hole in it. Use an open end wrench to hold the nut hex just above the pipe threads. Then use a second wrench to unscrew the cap until it releases at around 125psi. When you get it set right, tighten the jam nut just under the cap to lock it in place.
FWIW, about 10% of pneumatic systems I see have an improperly set relief valve because someone didn’t realize the cap is for setting pressure and used a wrench on it to tighten the whole assembly to the fitting.