I'm sure this has been done to death but my 20 gallon horizontal, cast
iron, belt drive compressor just quit. No burnt smell. Power is getting
to it. Not a click or or a growl. Just dead. Would a dead start
capacitor do this? 115 volt single phase.
Cap says 400-480mfd 110volt. How to check cap? Dont want to buy new
motor.
Thanks

Sounds like the cap went, can you turn the motor by hand? Is it free
spinning? How bout the comp motor can you spin that as well?

If all this works then I would replace the cap. I just happened to be
looking at motors yesterday and the one for my IR is 144.00

Searcher

Don't overlook the possibility of a reset button on the motor. One I had
was painted over green. When it stopped, I assumed (there's that word)
that it was the pressure switch, so I bought one of those ($50) and
adapted it (several hours, trips to hardware store). When it still
didn't run, I found a red button under the green paint in the motor
endframe, gave it a push. That was all it needed.
- -
Rex B

Shopdog wrote:
Sounds like the cap went, can you turn the motor by hand? Is it free
spinning? How bout the comp motor can you spin that as well?

If all this works then I would replace the cap. I just happened to be
looking at motors yesterday and the one for my IR is 144.00

Searcher

Hey, I forgot about that little button. Yeah try that first, plus just for
giggles make sure you have power to the outlet. Your switch could also be
bad, I have had to replace that on mine but the symptoms were different. It
would run and pressurize the tank but when it shut off it would not release
as normal.

Searcher

I stuck another slightly smaller cap on there and still nothing. I don't
know how to test caps. The online sites that explain testing kinda stump
me.
Motor turns freely, Comp turns freely. I took belt off. Nothing. I won't
buy a new motor for this even at 75 dollar HF prices. Maybe a washing
machine motor. Another scrounge -a-thon.
Thanks

On Tue, 16 May 2006 13:12:20 -0700, daniel peterman wrote:
I stuck another slightly smaller cap on there and still nothing. I don't
know how to test caps. The online sites that explain testing kinda stump
me.
Motor turns freely, Comp turns freely. I took belt off. Nothing. I won't
buy a new motor for this even at 75 dollar HF prices. Maybe a washing
machine motor. Another scrounge -a-thon.
Thanks


If it makes no humming noises at start, if it does nothing, it is not
a capacitor issue. Just trace where electricity goes with a
multimeter.

i

On Tue, 16 May 2006 20:42:28 GMT, Ignoramus19822
wrote:

On Tue, 16 May 2006 13:12:20 -0700, daniel peterman wrote:
I stuck another slightly smaller cap on there and still nothing. I don't
know how to test caps. The online sites that explain testing kinda stump
me.
Motor turns freely, Comp turns freely. I took belt off. Nothing. I won't
buy a new motor for this even at 75 dollar HF prices. Maybe a washing
machine motor. Another scrounge -a-thon.
Thanks


If it makes no humming noises at start, if it does nothing, it is not
a capacitor issue. Just trace where electricity goes with a
multimeter.

And be careful to check what voltage you are looking at - this is
one of those times where a Wiggy or test lamp will lie to you if you
aren't asking it the right question.

If it's a 240V motor and a component goes open (like one of the
contacts in the pressure switch or motor contactor) you could see 120V
from the feed on each end, yet that one open component keeps it from
going.

Or the breaker is half-tripped and it looks fine when you check it
and get 120V to ground on both sides - because the 120V is going all
the way around the circuit and showing up on the other breaker pole.
If you check for 240V across the 2-pole breaker, you get nothing.

And if you get a breaker that is half-tripping like that, change it
out with a new one. The handle tie or internal common trip mechanism
is supposed to prevent that from happening.

A half trip breaker or a single-phase situation from switching only
one side of the motor feed power (found on swimming pool pumps a lot -
Never let your Pool Man play with the Electricity) can easily get
induhviduals killed if they start poking around inside the equipment
without properly killing the source power, and checking to make sure
it's really dead.

And you don't want a friend or loved one to be that person.

-- 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
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

On Wed, 17 May 2006 12:44:36 -0700, daniel peterman wrote:
All contact seem to be fine. Outlet is hot 115 volts. No humming, no
sparking, no nothing. Overload reset has been reset at least by pushing
on it. I suppose it could be bad. I'll bypass it and see what happens
(no load of course).
Thanks for the input. I'm just gonna keep the pump and the belt and
pulleys and scrap it. The tank has a pinhole anyway.


If this is a cheap old compressor, I would scrap the entire thing,
with the possible exception of wheels. Offer it free, known broken, on
freecycle or craigslist, make it someone else's problem in one day.

i

Normally I would tss it after careful scavenging but gave it one last
chance.
I did what I should have done all along and picked up my favorite tool.
THE HAMMER. Started tapping around on the motor with it plugged in.
Nothing.
Then I lightly hit the red reset button and sure enough it runs. I guess
pushing that button wasn't enough but a hammer persuaded it. Works fine
now and a small hammer is gonna be right there beside it at all times.

On Thu, 18 May 2006 08:11:31 -0700, daniel peterman wrote:
Normally I would tss it after careful scavenging but gave it one last
chance.
I did what I should have done all along and picked up my favorite tool.
THE HAMMER. Started tapping around on the motor with it plugged in.
Nothing.
Then I lightly hit the red reset button and sure enough it runs. I guess
pushing that button wasn't enough but a hammer persuaded it. Works fine
now and a small hammer is gonna be right there beside it at all times.


It still leaks through holes in the tank, though, right?

i

The holes are more like hairline cracks. Barely visible. I know this is
a bit unsafe but I set the pressure to only rise to about 60 psi. I
solderedup the cracks with silver solder. I just need it to get me thru
this spraypainting job then it gets the craigslist treatment.

On Thu, 18 May 2006 20:10:57 -0700, (daniel
peterman) wrote:

The holes are more like hairline cracks. Barely visible. I know this is
a bit unsafe but I set the pressure to only rise to about 60 psi. I
solderedup the cracks with silver solder. I just need it to get me thru
this spraypainting job then it gets the craigslist treatment.

A BIT Unsafe? Are you eff-ing NUTS? Do you have your last will and
testament all written and notarized?

Even at 60 PSI, if that tank comes apart at the wrong moment anyone
close to it can end up dead or seriously mangled.

Before pressurizing a tank with known structural problems, I'd go
buy one of the "portable air tanks" for $15 or so, add a tee on the
hose for the air In and Out, and you have a usable air receiver. Be
sure to turn the tank over and drain out the water daily.

Then after you finish the paint job you deliberately destroy the bad
receiver on the compressor (slicing one end shell off with a Sawzall
or a big torch-cut hole should be plenty) and you can sell off the
motor and compressor as replacement parts.

Keep the portable air tank - they are handy for refilling and
getting a leaking car tire off the ground /just/ long enough to drive
to the closest tire shop. No tow truck, jacking or lug wrench needed.

-- 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
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

I have a portable tank and always run the spray gun off that secondary
reciever. As for the hazard of standing near the other tank I never do
that and I never have anyone at my house that could be in the line of
fire. I'm always at the end of a 75' air hose. Good cautionary advice
from all ya'all.