dave wrote:
Wild_Bill wrote:
You've certainly got your money's worth out of the compressor in the
time you've owned it.
not quite yet...

The cost of the thermal protector is small
compared to a new motor, or new compressor.
well, yeah, bill, but I'm still shopping. the deal is, though: in the
entire 34 or 35 years i've owned it, I don't recall *EVER* pressing
the thermal reset button. and now, all of a sudden, right after I
finish the days spraying, whamo! it kraps out. compressor was indoors,
in the shade, same ventilation as usual, same cords and breaker,
ambient air temp same as usual, everything 'as usual' (except the
"failed open" that is).

I have the thermal protector 'jumped' now, I soldered a heavy wire
across the klixon termnals (though couldn't say for sure why I didn't
just REMOVE the thing entirely, and REPLACE it with the wire)

iggy suggested opening the TP up, noticed online good blowup drawings
of ones JUST like mine, by klixon, with a thin bimetallic disc inside,
and, apparently, a -tiny- epoxied center stud piercing the disc. also
some tiny contacts (which I like to clean and sand, on contactors and
stuff). I assume the tiny dark-red epoxied center stud is for the
'initial factory adjustment', so, not having the right stuff to
'readjust' it during a reassembly, I opted not to dismantle it (though
still might). seems to be running and starting OK, with the jumper
wire "for the moment anyway". I'm rewiring it today, the SO cords from
motor to pressure switch, and pressure switch to plug. also putting
heavier gauge from cord outlet end to the wall breaker (cord from wall
was always 'a bit warm' when I coiled it up at end of day).

thanks again and giant salute to royj our "capacitor size and source
suggestor and thermal suggestor fault KING", and to *all* you other
guys, and to you too stormin' - I'm still shopping for a better price
on the 'correct' klixon-thing for my application, but I might YET take
you up on the frige-overload protector thing :-)

The TP is what saves the motor when it gets hot, or the motor is
heating due to the voltage drop from an inadequate extension cord, or
too heavy of a load.
If your motor hadn't had the TP, it might've just burned the windings
the last time you used the compressor.

Fuses and circuit breakers aren't sensitive to the temperature of the
motor, so they can't replace the TP.
The cost of a new TP is the best insurance you can buy to protect the
motor from damage due to overheating in the future.

With a new capacitor and TP, and a little cleaning of the internal
parts and some oil for the bearings,
yeah. bearings sounded "a bit dry" when I first plugged it back in,
with the belt OFF, especially when it coasted to a stop...saw the
numbers on the side of the bearings, and ALSO "could have" measured
them w/my dial caliper, but *didn't* for unknown reasons...

so just call me the "open your compressor motor's endbell cover every
other day for some damn reason or another" guy

thanks again to ALL :-)
you're not likely to have any other
problems with that motor for quite a while.

now if I can figure out a way to get grease into sealed both sides
motor bearings withOUT ruining their seals...
Sealed or shielded, the former has rubber seals and the latter metal
shields. Both are easy to remove with care and a very small screwdriver
if nothing better. IIRC the sealed ones require more care as one
surface, normally the inner diameter is the rubbing surface, so prise
them out from the outer diameter of the seal. They snap back in easily
in my experience. If you look in a bearing catalogue there is a
differentiation between seals designed for an outer rotating or inner
rotating race, for motors the inner rotates which is the common case.