Are you questioning the effectiveness of a 10gal portable tank?
-
Scam Alert. Members are reminded to NOT send money to buy anything. Don't buy things remote and have it shipped - go get it yourself, pay in person, and take your equipment with you. Scammers have burned people on this forum. Urgency, secrecy, excuses, selling for friend, newish members, FUD, are RED FLAGS. A video conference call is not adequate assurance. Face to face interactions are required. Please report suspicions to the forum admins. Stay Safe - anyone can get scammed.
Compressor Question
- Thread starter YYCHM
- Start date
Are you questioning the effectiveness of a 10gal portable tank?
Ok, I wasn't expecting this phenomenon....
I picked up one of these today. https://www.princessauto.com/en/5-gallon-portable-air-tank/product/PA0008474868
The 10 gal is just way to big for me to store.
Went to fill the 5 gal and it filled until the pressure reached approx 75 PSI and then just stopped. The compressor kicks in at 70 PSI and out at 100 PSI. So I disconnected and bled down to 70 PSI and let the compressor come back up to 100 PSI, reconnected and that pushed a little more in but not much. Same thing the pressure equalizes and the compressor won't kick in to fill it. Did this another 3 or 4 times and gave up when it reached 85 PSI.
So, I don't think this is going to work for me
I picked up one of these today. https://www.princessauto.com/en/5-gallon-portable-air-tank/product/PA0008474868
The 10 gal is just way to big for me to store.
Went to fill the 5 gal and it filled until the pressure reached approx 75 PSI and then just stopped. The compressor kicks in at 70 PSI and out at 100 PSI. So I disconnected and bled down to 70 PSI and let the compressor come back up to 100 PSI, reconnected and that pushed a little more in but not much. Same thing the pressure equalizes and the compressor won't kick in to fill it. Did this another 3 or 4 times and gave up when it reached 85 PSI.
So, I don't think this is going to work for me
Last edited:
The compressor has a pressure regulator on it, with a gauge off the tank and a gauge on the regulator outlet side. Is this normal? I have the regulator wide open and usually the tank pressure bleeds off pressure at the same rate as the regulator outlet. If I bleed off the pressure to 70 PSI the compressor kicks in until both read 100 PSI and then shuts off.
With the tank connected the compressor runs until approx 75 PSI is attained by the tank gauge and the regulator outlet gauge and since that's above 70 PSI the compressor doesn't kick in. I'll have to recheck but I think the compressor tank gauge was still reading 100 PSI???
Tom Kitta
Ultra Member
Small compressors have two gages - one for the pressure in the tank and one for the pressure in connected appliance. Lets call these
X - tank pressure
Y - appliance pressure
Now ignore Y. It is just for appliance.
X should read on most small compressors around 100 and cuts out. Cuts in at around 70 as you said. If its any different then either:
a) X is faulty - replace it for like $5
b) your pressure regulator (thing that cuts in / cuts out) is faulty - I seen these on sale at PA for at most $30
c) your compressor head / motor are faulty and they cannot build pressure before thermal kicks in (unlikely) - get a new compressor
d) there is a leak in the tank / connectors etc. that causes c) - fix leak, if tank is toast get new compressor
X - tank pressure
Y - appliance pressure
Now ignore Y. It is just for appliance.
X should read on most small compressors around 100 and cuts out. Cuts in at around 70 as you said. If its any different then either:
a) X is faulty - replace it for like $5
b) your pressure regulator (thing that cuts in / cuts out) is faulty - I seen these on sale at PA for at most $30
c) your compressor head / motor are faulty and they cannot build pressure before thermal kicks in (unlikely) - get a new compressor
d) there is a leak in the tank / connectors etc. that causes c) - fix leak, if tank is toast get new compressor
Craig - can you throw that tank you bought on a different compressor to help in your diagnosis? That is a heck of a deal at PA. I've used lots of those portable tanks in my life with no issue.
Not readily, but I don't think the portable tank is the issue here. I need to get a new locking air chuck tomorrow the one I have leaks and I think I'll ditch the pressure regulator as it's not something I use and it appears to be confusing the situation. Once I have the compressor tank and portable tank connected as a single unit I want to see if the compressor will inflate everything to 100 PSI in one go.
I'm getting awfully tempted to swap in that 90-120 PSI pressure switch here......
Last edited:
Looks like removing the pressure regulator is a no-go without removing the compressor proper. The manifold must have been screwed onto the tank before the compressor head was installed during assembly. With a good locking air chuck I was able to get the combined 7 gal (2 gal compressor, 5 gal tank) pressured up to 100 PSI in approx 10 minutes starting from 50 PSI.
Tom, any idea what size this one is?
Max PSI, tank size, flow rate, HP....
Johnwa
Ultra Member
I have a compressor exactly like @Tom O . I believe it is 10 US gallons. It has a 1hp motor. It’s reasonably fast to pressure up but like Tom’s it’s past it’s best before date.
IIRC it cuts out at 125psi and in close to 100.
I had a portable compressor that cut out at 100 and in at 75. It was absolutely useless for air nailers. My brad nailer works well at about 90psi. A 100-125psi range is much better In that regard.
IIRC it cuts out at 125psi and in close to 100.
I had a portable compressor that cut out at 100 and in at 75. It was absolutely useless for air nailers. My brad nailer works well at about 90psi. A 100-125psi range is much better In that regard.
historicalarms
Ultra Member
Craig I believe your satellite tank just has a faulty gauge (or the compressor does) , they just read different values...no way two tanks hooked in series with no regulator between them can not equalize at the same pressure.
I purchased the 10gal version and I was able to get mine up to 120psi, my chuck leaks a bit when just not in the right place so it was a bit finiky when filling but my compressor is cutting out around 120 and cutting in around 100 and I found as well that if it cuts out and the tank is over 100 it won't fill once its equalized but if you have a good connection and the compressor is running it will take it up to 120. For me I just want a tank in the basement for quick blow jobs, I was hoping I could disconnect the air chuck on the tank but it looks like it is one piece so I will either have to find a blow gun that will hook up to a regular chuck or replace the hose and all with regular blow gun.
Tom, any idea what it would take to get this running? I have a 3/4 HP motor I could mount on it. I discussed an idea with SWMBO with regard to parking it in our garden shed and running a long air hose out to reach our vehicles. My ideas wasn't shot down
A 10 gal at 120 PSI would be able to fill a 20 gal tire at 35 PSI.