Air Compressor Timer

[damnyankee36]

I forgot to turn off the circuit breaker to my air compressor last night. Well, during the night it turned on, and at some point both connecting rods broke. Since it couldn't build pressure, it ran for who knows how long until I heard it running this morning.

Is there a method or system available to prevent an air compressor running uncontrolled for long periods? I thought of using a timer that could be set to run for, say, 30 minutes every time the compressor starts and resets when the compressor turns off. I think that would be long enough since I don't believe I would ever need to operate the compressor any longer, but if it were unattended, short enough to prevent an uncontrolled run time.

I've searched online, but haven't found anything that has a delay longer than 17 minutes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Larry

[brianthelion02]

Ouch,most compressors have a pressure switch that turns em off.

[jimfulco]

Wonder if an attic fan timer would work? My attic fan, ~1950 vintage, has a metal control box on the wall that lets you run it for up to an hour or two before it turns itself off automatically. It has an over-ride lever on the bottom so you can turn it on forever if you want to. I don't know what the horsepower rating is, but that type of timer might be what you need. www.mcmaster.com has a good selection of them. Search for timer switch.

[earl87gta]

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...70_22938_22938

[N2TRUX]

Get a sprinkler timer. It doesn't care what it turns off and on.

[Truckstr]

Originally Posted by damnyankee36

I forgot to turn off the circuit breaker to my air compressor last night. Well, during the night it turned on, and at some point both connecting rods broke. Since it couldn't build pressure, it ran for who knows how long until I heard it running this morning.

Is there a method or system available to prevent an air compressor running uncontrolled for long periods? I thought of using a timer that could be set to run for, say, 30 minutes every time the compressor starts and resets when the compressor turns off. I think that would be long enough since I don't believe I would ever need to operate the compressor any longer, but if it were unattended, short enough to prevent an uncontrolled run time.

I've searched online, but haven't found anything that has a delay longer than 17 minutes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Larry

I guess I have to ask why it couldn't build pressure. I mean, most air compressors have the auto on at some low pressure limit and back off at the upper end. So, if it came on automatically, why didn't it go back off? Did the pressure switch malfunction?

That said, instead of some timer, I'd put a working low and high pressure on and off switch on it - like the one from Northern Tool pictured above.

Me? I manually turn mine off. Yeah, I've forgotten before, but the upper end pressure cut-off worked like it should.

If the air compressor pump chucked its rods, are you just going to replace that or?

[Putter]

Originally Posted by Truckstr

I guess I have to ask why it couldn't build pressure.

Originally Posted by damnyankee36

I forgot to turn off the circuit breaker to my air compressor last night. Well, during the night it turned on, and at some point both connecting rods broke. Since it couldn't build pressure, it ran for who knows how long until I heard it running this morning.

I assume he does in fact have the pressure switch, but if both connecting rods broke (think truck motor....no connecting rods = no piston movement = no pressure build up) then there was no pressure to trip the pressure switch.

Why not wire an outlet to work from the light switch. That way, when you are in the shop with the light on, you have air. When you leave, the lights are off....and so is the compressor.

I wired an outlet like that in my new house, so when I leave the laundry, the outlet used for ironing goes dead with the light switch. No chance of leaving the iron HOT.

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by Putter

I assume he does in fact have the pressure switch, but if both connecting rods broke (think truck motor....no connecting rods = no piston movement = no pressure build up) then there was no pressure to trip the pressure switch.

Why not wire an outlet to work from the light switch. That way, when you are in the shop with the light on, you have air. When you leave, the lights are off....and so is the compressor.

I wired an outlet like that in my new house, so when I leave the laundry, the outlet used for ironing goes dead with the light switch. No chance of leaving the iron HOT.

I agree. I usually wire a contactor with a 110 volt coil (220 volt compressor) and connect it to the light circuit. Lights are on compressor has power. Lights off no power. In my last house I installed 3 way switches one in the house, and one in the garage to operate the compressor contactor. I had run under driveway air lines and had an air hose connector by the driveway.

[Truckstr]

Originally Posted by Putter

I assume he does in fact have the pressure switch, but if both connecting rods broke (think truck motor....no connecting rods = no piston movement = no pressure build up) then there was no pressure to trip the pressure switch.

Yeah, I understand that. But there has to be a reason for the rods to break. Overheating from running and running and running will do it. So, like I say, why did it not trip? Just a malfunctioning pressure switch? A timer would work, no doubt. But it would only be a back-up.

Why not wire an outlet to work from the light switch. That way, when you are in the shop with the light on, you have air. When you leave, the lights are off....and so is the compressor.

I wired an outlet like that in my new house, so when I leave the laundry, the outlet used for ironing goes dead with the light switch. No chance of leaving the iron HOT.

Good idea. Good back-up and protection. Ya just have to be sure of the switch rating. Otherwise you should use a relay. My air compressor runs on 220v. The normal light switch wouldn't work.

[Truckstr]

Originally Posted by Thealien

I agree. I usually wire a contactor with a 110 volt coil (220 volt compressor) and connect it to the light circuit. Lights are on compressor has power. Lights off no power. In my last house I installed 3 way switches one in the house, and one in the garage to operate the compressor contactor. I had run under driveway air lines and had an air hose connector by the driveway.

There ya go.