Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

Thanks

Marv

I dont read email - reply by newsgroup

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

Get a 20 amp switch and you'll be fine

wrote in message
...
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

Thanks

Marv

I dont read email - reply by newsgroup

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

On Sep 5, 10:30 pm, wrote:
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

How about some bungy cord?

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

wrote in message
...
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

You can get a switch rated for a half horse motor, which should be easy
enough.
Or you can use anything, and replace it when it fails.

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

wrote in message
...
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

Your air compressor doesn't have an on-off switch mounted on it? Every
portable I have ever used has had one. For what you are describing, I would
go to a real electrical supply, and get a commercial-rated machine switch,
the kind with the green and red buttons, and put that upstream from a 20A
outlet. Yeah, a typical light switch would probably work under light-duty
use, but the real thing is a lot safer, and usable for other stuff like
table saws if you or the next owner want to run one of those. And it Looks
Cool.

aem sends...

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

On Wed, 05 Sep 2007 19:51:19 -0700, Terry
wrote:

On Sep 5, 10:30 pm, wrote:
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

How about some bungy cord?

How about a staple farther from the outlet, so there is enough slack
to unplug it?

Not that there is anything wrong with a 20 amp switch.

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

wrote in message
...
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep
it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench
but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out.
snip
My question is whether a standard light switch will handle the
motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in
the
way.

Absolutely. I've been runnin my large air compresser that way for
years, as well as my drill press, bench grinder, bench sander, and
other outlets that I use for such things as table saws.

I do it for safety reasons so if someone trys to turn on a tool, it
won't come on because the switch if off and is hidden under the
bench.

Bob-tx

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 03:21:14 GMT, "aemeijers"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

Your air compressor doesn't have an on-off switch mounted on it? Every
portable I have ever used has had one. For what you are describing, I would
go to a real electrical supply, and get a commercial-rated machine switch,
the kind with the green and red buttons, and put that upstream from a 20A
outlet. Yeah, a typical light switch would probably work under light-duty
use, but the real thing is a lot safer, and usable for other stuff like
table saws if you or the next owner want to run one of those. And it Looks
Cool.

aem sends...


No switch on the compressor except the pressure switch. It's an old
compressor, not one of these oilless things that die in a few years.
I replaced the tank once, but the rest of it lasts forever. I also
keep the compressor under a bench so it's not the easiest to get to.
Thats why I rarely move it. I have 300 feet of hose so I can get to
almost any tire anywhere in my yard. Air tools dont work as well when
I use that much hose though.

I like the idea of a pilot light, and will use a 20A switch. If I
leave it plugged in, it refills several times a day. I guess they all
leak a little. That just wastes power, so i want it shut off when I
am not using it.

Thanks to all

Marv

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 08:06:14 -0400, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN"
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote:

wrote:
I like the idea of a pilot light, and will use a 20A switch. If I
leave it plugged in, it refills several times a day. I guess they all
leak a little. That just wastes power, so i want it shut off when I
am not using it.


The tank heats up with compression. Then pressure drops as the tank cools down
over a period of time. That, combined with leaking valves, probably accounts
for your restarts.

One other good reason not to leave a compressor on all the time: if any
pressure component fails, the compressor will turn on and pump its brains out
trying to restore the pressure. If you're away for the weekend at the time,
it'll run until it runs out of oil or overheats. Not good.

And in winter when it's really cold, it may not start from super thick
oil, and it will trip the breaker.

The hose couplers all seem to leak a tad bit too.

Marv

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

wrote:
On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 03:21:14 GMT, "aemeijers"
wrote:


wrote in message
...
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage.
snip
I like the idea of a pilot light, and will use a 20A switch. If I
leave it plugged in, it refills several times a day. I guess they all
leak a little. That just wastes power, so i want it shut off when I
am not using it.

Thanks to all

Marv

This either is or is very similiar to the model I use for my compressor
except mine is rated at 20A.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=110164899082

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

on 9/5/2007 10:30 PM said the following:
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

Thanks

Marv

I dont read email - reply by newsgroup


I have a switch on my compressor to turn it on and off.
Why is the wire falling behind the bench? Is the plug loose in the outlet?
How about a power strip to expand the number of outlets? It has a on-off
switch.
http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thu...ower_strip.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/2337vx





--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

On Sep 6, 12:30 am, wrote:
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that, I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in the
way.

Thanks

Marv

I dont read email - reply by newsgroup

A twenty amp switch; probably one with something of snap action?
Don't think those mercury switches are around much now?
But for simpler solution to avoid rewiring.
Some people loosen the middle screw of the 'switch plate' (well maybe
one should say 'duplex plate'?) and loop a tie wrap around behind the
plate to hold the cord/plug loosely near the outlet but not fall
down.
There are varieties and different length and sizes of tie wraps; cheap
ones can be quickly cut and replaced if ever needed. Others are
designed to be disengaged and reused.
Alternative? Stick a switch on the compressor itself and leave it
plugged in? Could be more convenient if using compressor some distance
away on an extension cord?

Using a light switch on an air compressor
 

Switches may be rated for different loads. Look at the amp rating
on the switch. Most compressors have a shut off switch built into
the pressure switch.

here is an example from Leviton:
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/xxlcfbuibeCSrdSrchResults.jsp?cg=&kw=switch&ds=0&d r=20&st=kw&cpg=0
scroll towards the bottom of the page. Some are rated for 15,
some for 20.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




wrote in message
...
I have an air compressor and it's portable but I pretty much keep
it
in the same place in the garage. The outlet is on top of my
bench but
the cord always falls down behind the bench and is a royal pain
to
fish it out. I have considered clamping it with a romex staple
to the
wall or something like that, but then I cant move it without
removing
the staple or some sort of screw clamp. Rather than doing that,
I
thought about installing a double box with an outlet and a
switch to
turn off that outlet. That way it will remain plugged in unless
I
move it, and all I need to do is flip the switch on or off. My
question is whether a standard light switch will handle the
motor
load. It's a 1/2 HP motor on a 20A circuit. I did also
consider
adding another breaker and just turning on and off the breaker
but
that box is not the easiest to get to since there are shelves in
the
way.

Thanks

Marv

I dont read email - reply by newsgroup

Using a light switch on an air compressor