Some time back at an auction I picked up an older air compressor. Below the compressor on the tank mount is a tag with Brunner Mdl. HO25 209. The actual compressor tag shows Quincy Mdl.212 28, Size 2 1/2 x 2 1/2. The motor is a A.O. Smith Century AC Motor, 22 amp, 5 HP at 3450 rpm, 220 V single phase.
The old guy selling, (that's a relative term since he was likely only a very few years older than me) had it hooked to a generator to show it ran and made air.
Today I ran power to it and with the discharge valve open it started and started making air. I shut it down at 100 psi and checked for leaks. Bled some air off and it wouldn't restart. Tripped a 30 amp breaker. So I bled the tank to zero, same thing. One last effort, turned the power on and helped the motor by turning the big pulley, it then picked up speed and ran fine till I shut it down.
Confession, power is supplied by 10' of 12 ga romex from the breaker box. I know 12 ga. is too small, however it's the same circuit I've had my old Sears 5 hp. compressor on for the past 35 years, no issues.
I've got a couple SPP6 ac capacitors. No specs on the capacitors but the packaging shows good up to 10 hp motors on ac units. r Any possibility one or both capacitors might help start the motor? Anyone have thoughs on what all might be going on. I really think the gentleman at the auction may have been running the compressor without letting it pump up much air, just demonstrating that it ran.
RonR
added in edit; little Bro just offered some 10 ga or 8 ga wire. Free, so there's one more thing to try.
