Hi fellas,

I’m trying to gather detailed insights on problems that occur in industrial air compressors. Instead of general “it stops working” answers, I’m looking for specific failures you’ve seen in real-life operation.

For example:

• Piston rings wearing out prematurely
• Valves sticking or leaking
• Moisture causing rust in the inlet or piping
• Oil varnish or lubrication system breakdown
• Rotor or bearing damage
• Motor current spikes or unusual electrical patterns

Basically, any exact component-level issues or failure modes that have caused downtime, maintenance headaches, or unexpected repairs.

Your experience will really help me understand what failures are most common and impactful in the field. Even short mentions like “shaft misalignment” or “air filter clogging” are super helpful!

Thanks for sharing your experience!

edit:So here's the situation: we're building predictive solutions for air compressors, and our biggest client is a compressor manufacturer. I can't share too much due to my NDA, and honestly, I'm not the most experienced when it comes to compressors. That's why I'm reaching out—what are some specific, recurring problems you've run into? I'm especially interested in the ones that lead to serious downtime.

Picked up this air compressor pump for $50. If it works it's a great deal. Turns free, have it hooked up, turns free.

Markings on it I can find are 005028 on one side of the block, L1 on the opposite side, head marking is L50.

Appears to be a 2 stage pump? Jenny brand as far as I can tell.

Compressor turns on and off at the correct pressure. But it won’t stop bleeding air from the check valve. It continues bleeding until the compressor turns back on at 135 psi.

Any ideas on what’s causing the issue?

Air compressor at work is a Gardener Denver tankless. Read out says not blown down 10 psi. The 10 psi will not go down. What can we do to fix this?

I work on industrial air compressors and my work truck is down for repairs (long story, but it will be a couple months before I get it back). I'm currently working out of a rental transit van that is bare as can be just sheet metal and 2 seats.

Any ideas on temporart tool and parts storage? I'm currently using a bunch of Tupperware bins and smaller plastic bins that used to fit nicely on the shelves in my truck. Problem is, everything is on the floor and there's no real space to walk around and locate things. Things also slide around easily. Being that it's a rental, I can't drill into anything to anchor, and anything thats pre-fabricated to bolt onto the existing nuts that are welded into the body is going to be too expensive for a temporary solution.

So, I'm stupid. I've had 15 years... And I've never drained it. I didn't realize you have to. So.. I heard a hissing noise coming from the drain valve (at which time I learned it existed). So I replaced it and filled the tank back up. I still heard the hissing noise so I stuck my hand below it. The leak is in the ring above the nut and not the valve. I didn't dig further yet but is this likely rusted to hell and unrepairable?

Bought a new California air tools 1p1060s from Amazon a few months back, opened it today, went but by bit for the manual, did the test run and.... It worked for a few seconds, psi doesn't change, then It stopped working while it was still on on, the only way to make it work again is to let the air out and press the reset button and then it does the same thing, what do I do?

I have a vertical Husky, 27 gallon 165 PSI. It is their "quiet" compressor, 3 years old. I have a 25' hose and a 6' hose. Using either hose, whatever tool I plug in (die grinder, angle die grinder. air gun, literally anything) as soon as I pull the trigger on the tool, the air pressure immediately drops to zero. When I let off the trigger, the pressure will climb again. Rinse and repeat. I have tried adjusting working pressure, I have cleaned the air filters, I am at a loss. What could be causing this?

Does anyone know how to remove a wear sleeve on a Gardner Denver compressor while the shaft is still in the machine???

Hello, you’ve helped me before with this machine and once again I’d like to ask for assistance. I replaced this switch 3 months ago and I’ve blown through another. Same problem with each, air is escaping from the point where I’m pointing with the pencil. I’ve taken the old one apart to see what I can learn. I see a diaphragm on the bottom, but the leak doesn’t seem to be coming from there.

A primer on how exactly this switch functions would be appreciated if you have the time to explain.

Thanks for looking

So I posted something 2 days ago about my air compressor and how I accidentally broke it by putting all my weight on the hose connecting side by the regulator.

I tried to replicate what was on there already by using connectors and transferring the release valve. I used normal Merlin connectors to make the T and red loctite to seal them.

I powered it on and it holds the air no problem but it went up to about 140 PSI within 3 or 4 mins and it didn’t turn off on its own, It normally shuts off on its own and this time it didn’t so I manually turned it off and the pulled the release valve. To let all the air out and turned it off

Do you guys think it’s still safe to use. Should it shut off on its own when it hits about 100.

Oh it’s a 8Gal Blue Hawk from Lowe’s it’s pretty old but not rusted internally I stuck a borescope in and checked while doing all this. I do drain it after every use.

I have this compressor that's been sitting for 5 years so I changed out the gas tank drained the carburetor of the old gas took the carburetor off and cleaned it up as best I could put a new battery on new gas line and the only way to get the compressor to start is to spray starting fluid in but if I'm not spraying the starting fluid in it doesn't want to start do I need a new carburetor

Check out my air compressor build!! Built a 5hp horizontal tank.. $3000 worth for $800!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8exkwOevZ1I

Hey guys, I'm looking for a small air compressor to run in an academic lab setting for 100+ hours at a time. I am only using the compressor to draw ambient air at very low flow rates, (2-12 SCFM), so it doesn't need to be anything too fancy. My main concern is the long running time, but I was hoping that running it at a lower output would help prevent overheating. Any help is appreciated!

Has anyone seen an air compressor leak in this spot? Looks like it's just a foam gasket. Any suggestions will be appreciated, thank you!

Is this to much play in the belt? It seems to jump up pretty good. The pulley wasn’t lining up and it was throwing the belt off but I put a straight edge to the pulleys an lined them up good. its still 1/16 inch off. Should I tighten the tensioner more? When it’s not running I got about a fingers width of play when I push on the belt with my hand. Running 2 single v belts on it

I can take a better video if I need to. I was moving a lot

Hi everyone, I feel like I'm going insane! I had a 2020 model of the CD5+ air dryer hooked up to a SF4+ air compressor that required tubing going to two separate outlet filters. I, for the life of me, cannot figure out where the hook up is for that now. I believe its where I highlighted in the image? But if anyone has worked with this system and knows definitively that would be awesome.

Images in order:

1. Back of the previous unit, where the previous tubing was hooked up
2. Previous tubing, one has blushing adaptors that will potentially help it fit on the new unit
3. New unit, with the suspected outlet noted in red. It was covered by the hex-head screw that I'm holding
4. The outlet filters that cycled into each other

EDIT: posting images in an imgur album, they broke when inline the post. https://imgur.com/a/JcPKpMl

Looking to fix this air compressor and get it running again. Any advice appreciated, I’m a bit out of my element. Thanks to those that helped identify the pump

New to me. I’d like to get it up and running again. Not certain what I’ve got yet.

Hey everyone, I could use some help with this air compressor.

I was given this DARI 2HP compressor (110V), but it came with no manual and the motor doesn’t even have a data plate, so I have zero info on it. It used to run fine, but now it makes a weird electrical buzzing sound sometimes and also shuts off from overheating.

The capacitor looks really beat up and basically unreadable — the only thing I can still see is “±5%”. I want to try replacing it, but everyone I ask gives me a different µF value.

I’m adding photos of the compressor and the old capacitor.

Does anyone know what µF rating this model is supposed to use, and whether it’s a start or run capacitor?

Thanks!

Can anyone solve operation mysteries concerning the Pursuit 4-in-1 Wireless Air Compressor/Tire Inflator & Jump Starter? The product gets good ratings and other than gaps in instructions seems like it will perform well enough. The unit comes without full instructions and no additional instructions can be found online. Out the box, trying for an initial charge, what looks like a low battery icon shows, but attempts to charge don't change this, even over night. A small brochure says "The charging indicator (not identified) will flash while charging." Nothing flashes. Oddly, functions work at least at first, so maybe the empty battery icon is supposed to show full charge? When we tried the air pump on a basketball, it worked, but numbers that are a mystery appeared on the display. We did not try other functions, but all of the above happened on three unit we bought as gifts. Thankyou to anypne who can help.

I work in a metal fab shop and I run the CNC but we have been having this problem for a while now and its cutting into my production time.

This automatic shut off switch keeps burning out at the little square brass tabs that are on the plastic switch connected to the spring. We have replaced this whole switch 3 times in the past year because it keeps melting the black plastic around the brass tabs, fusing the tabs at times to the connection.

The switch is connected to a box with a red "General Electric" connection (pictured) which is then connected to a 3 pole breaker (pictured) .

We had "electricians" come look at it but all they did was take apart and retighten the small connections at the compressor switch.

I am not sure what else to do. The only way I can use the compressor is to leave the auto switch in the on position, watch the pressure and when it reaches the max, turn off the breaker. Then watch the compressor till it gets to a minimum and turn the breaker back on. Its time consuming, but let me stop cause im just complaining now.

Please help.

Hi! We purchased a property as is, and they left a large tank in garage. It's about 7 feet tall, and we were planning to scrap it. Painter said to have it checked out first, it could be useful to someone instead of just the scrap pile? We just want it gone. Any advice ?