When purchasing an industrial air compressor, everyone would want to enjoy using it for a significant period of time possible. Perhaps without having to spend much on avoidable repairs and replacement. And there’s no doubt this is what you’d want too, right? Well, the best and surest way to ensure this is by taking good care of your machine. The following are some of the most useful care tips that you need to implement. Please read on.
Use the Owner’s Manual
Every machine normally comes with a user manual, and so does your air compressor. The manual is meant to ensure that you enjoy the services of the machine as much as possible. It always comes in handy when you need some clarification of something you’re not sure about. It helps you avoid problems by giving you the Do’s, Don’ts, and guidelines on how to safely and effectively operate your compressor. You could search and download the manual online in case you’ve lost it or didn’t see it when you bought the machine.
Keep All Fasteners Tightened
All air compressors vibrate when running regardless of the type. However, the reciprocating compressors tend to vibrate more vigorously as compared to the rotary compressors. These vibrations could make the fasteners to become loose and this can be dangerous. Therefore, make sure that you regularly check nuts, bolts, and all the fasteners and tighten them if they’ve loosened. You can consider purchasing Air Compressor Industrial from a reputable supplier to minimize chances of somehow weaker compressors that could cost you problems.
Ensure the Intake Valves Are Clean
Clean intake vents are essential for effective operation of your air compressor. However, dust particles and other related elements could get stuck into the vents as the compressor is being run. This will affect the efficiency of your machine. Therefore, you need to constantly clean the intake valves more so if you’re operating on tools that produce dusty elements or in an environment with a lot of air-bond particles. You can resolve to be cleaning the valves at least three times a year.
Always Check the Hoses
Hoses are one of the most vulnerable parts in an air compressor. They have to be strong and tight for proper transfer of compressed air between the machine and some desired endpoint. Due to the huge responsibility the hoses have to bear, they could show strain after some time of usage. Moving the hoses around could result in bends and folds. Inconsistencies in pressure can also force the hoses to stretch and contract extensively which affects its performance. Therefore, ensure to check the hoses regularly to prevent your machine from lagging due to worn hoses.
Change the Air Filter
Dust and other impurities could easily degrade the performance of pneumatic tools in your compressor hence dragging the machine if the air filter is absent. The filter is responsible for trapping different forms of junk to let pure air into the compressor. The purity of air is very crucial in applications involving drying tools and pneumatic painting. Therefore, you need to constantly check the air filter and replace it when it starts becoming less and less capable to operate efficiently.
Drain Condensate from the Tanks
Moisture is an unavoidable by-product of compressed air which tends to accumulate inside the compressor as a condensate. In applications where water damage could be incurred at the endpoint, this moisture could be disastrous. Such applications like the paint coat at an auto-assembly plant and pneumatic paint applications could be degraded by the presence of moisture. Luckily, compressors normally come with a moisture tank to suck the condensate to let dry air out. But these tanks eventually fill up and water could get to other parts of the machine causing more disadvantages to the system. So, ensure to regularly drain the tank for the safety of your machine.
Clean the Heat Exchangers Regularly
Heat exchangers serve to reduce the operating temperatures of your compressor and more so the air temperature. Often times, the cooling water can result to scale formation in your heat exchanger and can make it clog. This, in turn, reduces its heat transfer capability. Regular descaling and cleaning are very necessary to reduce the operating temperatures and at the same time extending the machine’s life expectancy.
Clean the Compressor Fuel Tank
Maintenance is very essential when it comes to taking care of your machine. If you’re operating a fuel-powered compressor, fuel particulates could accumulate inside the tank over time. This accumulation is bound to become toxic and this means bad news to your machine. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to ensure that you clean the fuel tank at least once a year. This shouldn’t be difficult even for a DIY enthusiast with the right tools and equipment. You’ll need to drain the tank of lingering gas then proceed to wet-dry vacuum it on the inside.
Inspect the Air Compressor Safety and Shutoff System
Almost all compressors come with built-in safety shutoff features which activate to shut off and protect the compressor should the machine exceed its operating limits. Therefore, if the safety shutdown system is properly functioning, you’ll not have to worry about your safety and that of the machine in case of too high pressure, high temperatures, low oil pressure, or very high current. But there’s no assurance that the safety system will remain functional throughout its lifetime. You need to perform a safety check on a regular basis to be assured of the safety of your equipment. Also check to see if all the other safety devices are properly functioning.
Change the Air/Oil Separator
Your compressor needs to stay lubricated for it to operate efficiently. Oil-lubricated compressors operate internally with oil mist by dispersing oil inside the machine together with the air. This oil, however, needs to be separated with an oil separator just before the air exits the compressor. If the oil separator ceases to work, the air can get oil-corrupted and this could be disastrous, especially on some pneumatic functions. Therefore, if you’re owning an oil-lubricated air compressor, ensure to change the separator after it’s been in use for about 2000 hours. This way, the compressed air will remain free of oil.
Conclusion
An air compressor contains several parts that need to be properly maintained to allow the machine to function efficiently and for a significant period of time. Without the necessary strategies to take care of this machine, you can hardly achieve such objectives. These tips are enough to enable you to get the most out of your industrial compressor. They’re also essential for you if your lifestyle allows you to install the machine as a homeowner.
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