Compressor not reaching maximum pressure Question: My compressor does not reach maximum pressure. How can I troubleshoot and what are the steps? Answer: First determine if there are any leaks coming from the compressor tank and/or pipe fittings attached to the tank. The best way to do this would be to fill the tank with as much compressed air as the pump will allow and shut the unit off. The next step would be to use some soapy water solution, in some type of spray bottle, and spray it on all tank welds and pipe fittings to see if there are any air leaks. If there are weld leaks, the tank will need to be replaced. If there are pipe fitting leaks, they will need to be tightened and/or removed and new pipe tape applied to all threads. The next step would be to check the tubing going from the pump to tank, as well as the check valve (located where copper tube meets the tank) and pressure switch connectors, to see if they are properly tightened/connected. After correcting any of the above problems, run the compressor to see if this fixes the problem. If no type of air leaks are detected from the above process, the problem could be a bad gauge or pressure switch. Replace the tank gauge first to see if this fixes the problem. If that does not fix the problem, replace the pressure switch and run the compressor to see if it will reach maximum pressure. If this does not fix the problem, the pump would need to be inspected. Check the intake filter first to make sure that it is clean. The next step would be to spray the soapy water solution to the outside of the pump while the unit is running to see if there are any gasket seal leaks. If none exist, the next step would be to check the pump head bolts to make sure that they are properly torqued/tightened. The next step would be to tear the pump down and inspect the internal parts such as the piston rings, cylinder and valves for excessive wear. If any of these parts are worn out, replace them and run the compressor to see if this fixes the problem.

Item ID: 234 Last Reviewed: 12/14/2008 05:22 PM Product: Air Compressors Sub Product: ALL ITEMS   Was this helpful? Yes Somewhat No E-mail Print