compressor questions

[rtinniste]

Picked up a new compressor for the garage over the weekend to finally be able to run my blast cabinet.
Ended up scoring it at habitat for humanity for $250, ciason 80 gallon, 5hp, 22 cfm, two stage pump, single phase, 175psi, with auto shut off. Called ciasons with the serial number it was built in 2004 and its a $3000 compressor.

Only down side is the building didn't have 220 so its untested so I took the gamble.

But I don't know anything when it comes to compressors all I know is its more then enough to run anything in my garage so a couple really stupid questions.

*Being that its built in 04, came from so cal, has no visible dents cracks etc and some minor rust from what i can tell, should I be worried this damn thing is going to explode?
Seeing this has scared the hell out of me http://www.mytractorforum.com/46-saf...ilure.html

*Then off the pump what is the item circled in red I tried googling it but cant come up with anything. Air bleed for the piston when the its in the down stroke? Crank case vent?



I need to add another breaker to my box and run the conduit to the other side of my garage, plumb the garage with copper line and water traps, add a ball valve for the water drain, and change the oil, check the pressure relief.

[_Ogre]

$250??? you got a smoking deal on that compressor

unless it was terribly abused i wouldn't worry about exploding the tank, 2004 is new in my book

it is probably a case vent, at first i thought that was a diy cobble job
if you look on the caisons site they have that vent installed on some from the factory

[BIGglaSS]

It's an unloader valve that is not hooked up. It allows the motor to start up the pump without back pressure. When the pump gets up to speed, centrifugal force closes the valve.

[_Ogre]

unloader valve is in the head or line to the tank to relieve pressure on the pistons
that tube is off the case, should be no pressure in the case except for ring blow-by

[rtinniste]

Originally Posted by BIGglaSS

It's an unloader valve that is not hooked up. It allows the motor to start up the pump without back pressure. When the pump gets up to speed, centrifugal force closes the valve.

Bingo! except there is no tube needed everything is there heres what i got back from Ciasons, amazing customer support over there btw

Thank you for your patience. I finally got a confirmation from my manager that the part you circled in red is indeed an old style air breather and head pressure unloading device.
We still use the pump so all parts are available, fyi.

Please let us know if you have any more questions regarding your Ciasons air compressor. Enjoy!!

Best,

Joanna
Ciasons
714-259-0838


Learned alot about compressors over these past 2 days.

[BIGglaSS]

It is in fact a centrifugal unloader. On the other side of that cover, there are fly weights on the end of the crank shaft. As the crank builds speed, the fly weights close a ball/spring valve. Until the valve is closed, air is exhausted out the nipple in the front. The top of that should be piped to a tee on the high pressure exhaust. If it has a crank case vent, it will be piped to a tee on the air filter intake.

Off hand, I don't recognize this pump. But it looks similar to the old Kellogg's.

There are other types of unloaders that can be used to keep the motor running and the pump turning. Such as gas compressors, or even electric ones. This helps save to motor from constant start/stop cycles.

BTW, that is an excellent purchase! The motor alone is worth more than you paid. Those pumps are so simple, and can easily be rebuilt. And, QUIET!

[rtinniste]

Also for what its worth oil changes are a pain. But the drain bolt is 3/8 npt so i added a 3" brass extension with a brass cap works perfect, you can stick a 2 liter bottle on it come back 15 minutes later put the cap back on and fill it up.

Also had to pull the oil sight glass and clean the gunk out then used some gasket maker and bolted it back up.

and put a ball valve for the water drain

I need to go pick up oil today, a nema 6-50 plug, and a 3/4 npt plug. So I can fire the compressor up make sure the auto shut off works and the pressure relief works. Then I can finally run the electrical and run my copper airlines

Then next refinish my sandblast cabinet pull the nasty silica and replace with glass bead

[BIGglaSS]

Originally Posted by rtinniste

Also for what its worth oil changes are a pain. But the drain bolt is 3/8 npt so i added a 3" brass extension with a brass cap works perfect, you can stick a 2 liter bottle on it come back 15 minutes later put the cap back on and fill it up.

and put a ball valve for the water drain

Two good upgrades! In fact, if you add a 6" pipe before the ball valve, it keeps most of the water out of the tank, and in the pipe.

[rtinniste]

Originally Posted by BIGglaSS

It's an unloader valve that is not hooked up. It allows the motor to start up the pump without back pressure. When the pump gets up to speed, centrifugal force closes the valve.

Originally Posted by BIGglaSS

Two good upgrades! In fact, if you add a 6" pipe before the ball valve, it keeps most of the water out of the tank, and in the pipe.

I agree anything to make maintenance less of a choir happy machine makes for a happy life.

The ball valve actually was a kit 1/4 npt street elbow stainless braided line about 8" long with a ball valve on the end. It was cheaper then buying all the brass parts and home depot or lowes didn't have any 1/4 npt or 3/8 npt over 3" annoyingly.

And compressor oil they don't stock synthetic 30w either

[ray_mcavoy]

Originally Posted by BIGglaSS

It is in fact a centrifugal unloader. On the other side of that cover, there are fly weights on the end of the crank shaft. As the crank builds speed, the fly weights close a ball/spring valve. Until the valve is closed, air is exhausted out the nipple in the front. The top of that should be piped to a tee on the high pressure exhaust. If it has a crank case vent, it will be piped to a tee on the air filter intake.

Off hand, I don't recognize this pump. But it looks similar to the old Kellogg's.

I agree ... centrifugal unloader. And yes, the pump does look similar to the one on my old 1956 Kellogg American compressor.

[aj6502]

Originally Posted by rtinniste

And compressor oil they don't stock synthetic 30w either

Synthetic 10W-30 will work well in that compressor. We use Kendall 10w30 in all of the recips we service. Quinsyn is the oem oil for Quincy compressors and it is 10w30. Hope that helps. Clean oil is the key to long life. Plenty of air storage and rest between cycles too.

[ERASER5]

I'll not argue weather or not that pipe is and un-loader, maybe it unloads something else but the HEAD un-loader is clearly seen and hooked up. The small tube leaving the pressure control switch and T-ed into the large copper pipe from the compressor to the tank. Inside the controller is a long needle shrader valve that is opened during cut off. The pressure in the head and that large copper tube is bled off (the hiss you hear after shutoff). The shrader is closed on start up and there is no head pressure for easy start. That big tube and T and screwed into a check valve recessed into the tank. Standard compressor setup.