DIYbanter - View Single Post

On 5 Feb 2006 02:42:38 -0800, wrote:

The compressor is made by 'Valley', buts its just a cheap, rebadged
generic compressor made in China..

Its an upright, 3hp, single piston type with a very similar 'engine' to
my old Oil Free 24L version (again, a cheap, rebadged import).

I think that I will drain the old oil out and put in some new stuff...
I found in the (limited) instructions that it suggest N32 oil in the
winter and N68 in the summer.. I guess this "ISO" number.

Yes - sounds like regular SAE20 - ISO68 non-detergent petroleum
based will do just fine. It isn't one of the fancy types. And if you
don't operate it regularly in sub-freezing cold areas, you don't need
to worry about putting ISO32 "winter oil" in.

One questions about oil changes is, how do I get all of the old oil
out? Obviously I heat it up, open the drain plug and tip it out, but do
I have to get EVERY drop out? Does it matter if there is still a little
bit left over?

Do not worry about that - I mentioned it on the off chance this unit
was something exotic bought as surplus that used an exotic oil.

When you do the first oil change (after you wipe up the mess as the
oil flows down the side of the unit...) is the time to add a pipe
nipple and any elbows needed to get the oil drain to a convenient spot
for the catch bucket. Make future oil changes neater.

But if you put a ball valve in the oil drain line, be sure to put
the pipe plug back in the end, too - there are gremlins that turn
valve handles. (2-year olds, cats, piles of junk falling over...)

I think I know where I can get the right oil in the UK, so am going to
change whats in there, just in case.

It's like a car engine - they want you to run it for an hour
unloaded (with the air output line unplugged, no pressure in the tank)
for ring seating, then you change the oil after 5 to 10 hours to get
rid of the initial manufacturing sporge in the compressor crankcase,
then every 50 hours.

Do you have an hourmeter wired across the motor yet? Cheap way to
remind yourself to change the compressor oil once in a while.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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