How To Fix An Air Compressor? (Complete Guidelines)

A superintendence for fixing an air compressor

To eschew an explosion, proper maintenance and repair of the air compressor are a requisite. You have to know how to fix an air compressor that runs by three essential functions. The compressor needs the power to run, maintain pressure, and control the flow of the compressed air.

As an appliance, maintenance and repair is mandatory. Let’s discuss how to fix air compressor.

DIY Repair:

These DIY’s are some repairs that you can do by yourself without any mechanic. Those are mainly three in number. And most of the compressor’s malfunctions will eventually follow one of those three categories.

There are some air compressors with high pressure that are likely to rupture if the tank is anyhow damaged. Let the complicated damages be sorted out by the mechanics.

As I said before, the air must keep going through the compressor. And this is one of the most common malfunctions. Luckily it is not that hard to fix. So, let’s sort it out.

Can you notice a plastic cover on the top of the compressor? Use a screwdriver to pull out the screw as you have to take off the cover. After lifting the lid off, you can see two more screws underneath, exactly on the pressure-maintaining valve.

The top screw will turn the air compressor off, whereas the bottom one will turn it on.

Restart the compressor once & then examine the setting of the compressor. You may also need to adjust the pressure of the machine with the upper screw.

While having low pressure & wanting to increase it, tight the screw. On the other hand, to decrease the pressure, lose the screw once the compressor starts or kicks on, notice the pressure by engaging the pressure-release valve.

The lower screw will assist you to adjust the setting. When you get the correct pressure, then you are out of this malfunction. Finish the fixing by setting the cover with the screws.

Restoring Power:

Without any apparent cause, compressors don’t face any severe problems. So, start with the most basic checking. Ensure the correct plug is on. If you still failed, reset the machine. It is usually placed on the side of the motor or near your power cord. If you can see a round-shaped button that is red or black in color, hit it. The button will cause the circuit breaker to reset.

If you are still out of power, check the condition of the cord. Or else put the plug on another socket. Use a tripped circuit breaker for the plug. Once again, back-on after flipping the switch off.

Or you may check the outlet by running any other device to ensure that your breaker isn’t malfunctioning. Or try removing the extension cord between your air compressor and plug.

After all these things, if you still fail to restore power, you need a professional mechanic.

Restoring Power:

When it comes to how to fix air compressor, leakages are the most probable problem that users face. Unplug all the plugged tools & hoses then start your compressor. Make a soapy water solution, mix it well, and spray the solution around all the fittings. Wait for the bubbles to form. If you are not getting any bubbles then you are lucky & you don’t have a leak. In case you see any bubble formation, then there is a leak.

Turn off the compressor and then release the pressure. You have leakage where the bubbles were forming, so you need to remove those fittings and use Teflon plumber tape on the spot of the leakage. Then you are done with the leakage problem. Put the parts back together on and tighten them right. Let the compressor charge. To know whether there is any other leakage do the soapy water test once again and wait for bubbles.

Unloading Valve:

The compressor will get stall even after starting due to unloader valve. The best solution will be changing the whole assembly of the entire switch.

Replacement:

Some problems require replacing the compressor tank. Sometimes changing some parts might do the job. You can determine the need for change when-

Let’s watch video how to fix air compressor

There is a knock during loading. The solution would be the replacement of the rod and piston assembly.
If you found milky oil on the oil container, well, the solution here is proper servicing like a replacement of the air cleaner for every forty-five days, changing oil, etc. Along with the regular primary servicing, ensure an air-intake process with pipe to release the humidity inside the compressor.
If your compressor is consuming excess oil. It can be for a few reasons like oil leakage, scored cylinder, compressed tilted, inappropriate oil viscosity, etc. You could try changing the air filter & gasket rings along with maintaining the oil viscosity.
If the machine vibrates, you need to align the flywheel and pulley.
Excessive belt-wear. The problem occurs due to the non-alignment of the pulley & flywheel. Realign them & fix the tension of the belts.
If fuses are blown. Occasionally blowing a fuse is normal, but if it is happening frequently, then there is a problem you need to fix. Check the fuse’s size & rated ampere.

Sudden Shutdown:

I faced this problem not long ago. My compressor used to shut off after running for a while. After going through the basics and finding nothing, I finally found the reason behind it. Your tank has a PSI capability, and if your machine reaches that level, the container will eventually become full and shut down itself.

Changing Parts:

The problems mentioned above are quite easy to fix even for them who don’t know much about fixing an air compressor. Some rough users may face more complicated problems that require changing the parts of the compressor, such as, gauge, solenoid, valve, or maybe tubing. Check the models and quality of them before buying.

Finally:

The article how to fix an air compressor? will eventually help you with the necessary information for a quick fix. Some problems indeed need a technician even if you can identify the problem. If you are not confident of what you are doing, it is better to call a mechanic as you might exacerbate the problem while trying to fix it.