Air compressor problems

[Donny Lawson]

Since my recent fire I have been trying to salvage some tools and my air compressor is one of them. It's a 20gal. Air Pro from HD with a belt drive and has been a great compressor but since the fire I turned it on the other day and it wanted to keep running. I noticed the regulator guage isn't working but the pressure guage is and it usually shuts off at around 120-125(or somewhere around there). I ended up cutting it off myself at 140. What could be the problem? It reads on the side of the tank that the max pressure should be 125 and I really don't want to blow it up. Other than not cutting off it runs like it always has.
Donny

[Bill Huber]

I would say it is the pressure cut off switch.

This has noting to do with the gauges on it.

If you trace the wires from the plug to the motor and there should be a pressure switch in that line some place, that would be your problem.

[Myk Rian]

It would look similar to this.
http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/16152_lg.jpg

[Mickey Elam]

I would encourage great caution in reusing an air compressor that has been through a fire. I would have concerns about the integrity of the pressure tank after exposure to heat. Specifically, could the elevated temperatures experienced during a fire have annealed the tank material sufficiently to allow it to burst while under pressure. If such annealing has occurred, keeping the tank under pressure could create a "creeping" failure mode wherein the skin of the tank progressively stretches until catastrophic failure occurs; trust me, you don't want to be in the vicinity if that happens, nor do you want it to happen in your house or shop.

[Bill Leonard]

I concur with Mr. Elam's comments. I would not want a 20gal timebomb in my shop. I recommend issuing the compressor to the local landfill and replace it.

[Curt Harms]

I would encourage great caution in reusing an air compressor that has been through a fire. I would have concerns about the integrity of the pressure tank after exposure to heat. Specifically, could the elevated temperatures experienced during a fire have annealed the tank material sufficiently to allow it to burst while under pressure. If such annealing has occurred, keeping the tank under pressure could create a "creeping" failure mode wherein the skin of the tank progressively stretches until catastrophic failure occurs; trust me, you don't want to be in the vicinity if that happens, nor do you want it to happen in your house or shop.

Excellent point. There may be a way to get the tank tested but it'd probably cost as much or more than replacing it.

[Mike Cutler]

Donny

The most likely problem is that the fire heated some of the pressure regulator's internal soft components, O-rings and gaskets, and is now not sensing downstream pressure.
If you plan on keeping the compressor, you're most likely going to have to replace all of the soft components to have it working properly.

[Bill Huber]

The regulator has nothing to do with the pressure cut off switch, you can take the regulator off and not even have one and the cut off should still work.

I think if the fire was so bad that it hurt the tank that the rest of the unit would be unusable. If the tank was hurt it is still not a big deal, the worst that could happen is it split, we are only talking about a little pressure here we are not talking about thousands of lbs.

[kelly logan]

Personal choice to keep it or take a chance that the tank did not lose it structural integrity. Fire insurance is a must if you have any call your agent