The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Not burning up your compressor

What tricks have you guys come up with to remind you to turn off your compressor when you leave the shop. I might be away for a week or two depending on what's going on at the office, horses or kids, and will no doubt burn it up not to mention wasting electricity. One thought is to tap into one side of the 220 and wire to a bright RED light that I can't miss.

Allen, I put a note on my door and light switch. About a year ago I left my compressor on an when we came home it had been running for probably a full day. The air line going to the automatic switch had come loose. I was lucky. The compressor is OK. Lesson learned the hard way.

I just got into the habit of turning off the compressor when I close up the shop at night. I guess It is just a habit I felt that I needed to get into. There is always a possibility of a hose breaking or something going wrong if you aren't there.
I have done it so long that it is just automatic.
Jim

I am also like J M.
The shop is 65 yards from the house and I only pump it up when needed.
Then when the air tools get put away, the compressor gets shut down.
It's a habit, along with other things I do.

Don

I never shut mine off. I like having air on demand, not having to wait for an 80 gal tank to fill. I do have a 'master' ball valve on the outlet so that I'm not pressurizing the whole system when not in use.

Like Tiny, I have a shut-off at the tank (solid brass-ball shut-off valve).

If I remember to shut it off, I have no worries about it running needlessly (it took me about 5 years to get into the habit of shutting it off). This gives almost instant pressure when I open up the shutoff.

Like others, it is a habit to turn the power off and close the ball valve once I'm done with air. I usually clean up and put tools away or at least in one spot so I'm often in the shop 15 minutes or more after I'm done with air.

A comment on the LED idea. If you have 2 hots and a ground for your 240V, you would have to run a neutral for 120V and that could be PIA. Maybe they make 240V LED's, I don't know.

There are threads on the Garage Journal where guys are trying to do similar things, 1 recent one was where he wanted to be able to disable his compressor when he turned off the shop lights.

I can try and find some of those threads if you'd like.

I'd fix the leaks and have a supply line shut off valve.

IIRC that's a pretty standard thing... being able to isolate the receiver from the manifold for repair.

A simple plug in option might be a timer that only allows the circuit to energize during working hours.

I am at my shop 7 days a week most of the day. I learned my first round of knowledge from my Dad about air compressors. He was a plant manager in a furniture company. As a kid I would go there and in the shop the hissing was amazing. I was probably 8 when I asked him why is it leaking. He said they just leak, nothing you can do about it.

He was wrong! I use soap/water bottle to check for leaks about every 6 months or so. Everything is lead hard lines but there is 4 self retracting 50 ft hose reels. If I hear something, I fix it right away. I have about 150 feet of hard lines, 4 water traps, several pressure adjust valves, shut-offs everywhere. Both compressors are on individual circuits. I haven't shut the air off since I built the system in 1994 except for maintenance. Risk management techniques would ask what is the worst that can happen if a hose broke, a compressor refused to shut off, a tank blew, etc. Certain things listed there wont matter if you are there or not, others will. Mitigate risk, live with the consequences. We arent too far away technology wise where we can get a phone call by the system if there is a problem.

Allen, tie a string around your finger. Its there because you need to turn off your compressor before leaving! Or give your wife a hammer.

Keep an eye on them

Inspect the vessel once a year, more often in high humidity areas.

Auto burp on the bottom

Don't leave it charged if not needed.

...video...

Thanks for sharing that video. People forget how much energy is behind 100 psi.

That tough ole dude was NOT going down, even after getting cut all to pieces!
I am off now to go shut off my giant pipe bomb.
Carl

Wow, something new to worry about.

In the summer I drain my tank 2x a day if using the sandblaster.

Anyone ever take their receiver to get hydro-tested? Cost?

I have to get O2 and acetylene tanks tested every 10 years... not sure what the interval is for receivers.

Can be easily done using the correctly rated contactor. Use the shop lighting circuit to trigger the contactor to energise the compressor.




We are there already.

http://www.diycontrols.com/p-6195-agm-gsm-cellular-remote-alarm-module-rm200gsxmusb.aspx

This is a cellular monitoring system that i am sure many could adapt to use with more than a few things around the house.

I am researching a system for work that will let me know if there is an issue with our cooling tower and process water loop. We will also use it to monitor the 480 service to our test benches. The benches send out fault text messages but if the whole machine goes down with a power outage we are not currently notified of that.

Ted...tell us more about the using a contactor to energize the compressor...can you add a link or p/n. I'm gonna leave the text message to the kids....next generation.

You would need a 2 pole 30 or 40 amp contractor with a 120 volt coil depending on the breaker size feeding your compressor. Basically you would run a line from your shop lights to the coil to turn the contractor on and off. It could be mounted close to the compressor or the panel. You would just run the feed through the contractor to make and break the circuit. Its a good idea other then II'm sure it would make you jump when you turn the lights on and the beast in the corner starts up. If you need a schematic I could sketch something up.
Her is a link to a contactor
http://www.kentstore.com/c25dnf240.aspx

Mark

I like it Mark and Ted! So to be clear...are these the steps..
1) Get a small junction box to mount the contactor in
2) mount it/Contactor between the Compressor and Main panel (220 feed)
3)Run 220 from fuse panel to contactor IN (same amperage as compressor fuse)and OUT to compressor
4) Run 12/2 wire that is energized by shop light switch to contactor coil. Just "t" into that line...if it's hot, the compressor coil is energized, and if compressor fuse is on, compressor is on.

If I get surprised by the compressor, I can just flip the fuse (don't have a switch on my compressor) if not using the compressor that day.

Hello Allen;
Yes that pretty much sums it up. A couple of things to be sure is;
1) Make sure the box you mount it in is adequate size to house your contractor, possibly 8"x8"x6"
2) Make sure the pressure switch is kept in the circuit
3) Be sure to bond or ground the box and maintain the bond to the compressor.
Some compressors will have a magnetic starter on them but will more then likely have a 240 volt coil. Be sure if you buy a contractor that it has a 110-120 volt coil and the current rating is sufficient. Also check the horse power rating on the contractor to be sure it will handle the compressor. There are lighting contractors that will not handle the surge of the motor.
Here is a crude sketch of what we are discussing, http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/52_Ton/media/IMG_1785.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Mark

Another option would be to use a 24VAC transformer and the contactor for a heat pump/HVAC compressor, etc. Just wire the 110V side of the step-down transformer to the light switch.
Jerry

Roger that Mark.

Jerry, what would be the advantage?....if I just happened to have one of those around from an old AC compressor?

24VAC is nothing special other than you probably have the parts already (most HVAC controls are 24VAC).. I can't say its less of a shock hazard and as properly installed 110V circuit is just as safe as a 24VAC one.

If you already have a mag start you could simply run your shop lights off the mag start on/off switch. Same thing thing.

You know, I have been an electronics tech all my life and STILL I call the electrician when it comes to my shop. Thats because my shop is a sanctuary and I want the professionals who are up on the latest knowledge to mess with my electricals. The cost for what you want is probably $100 in labor and you know it was done right.

Just me.

By all means pay a pro if you cannot do the work.. better than putting 220V across your heart.

But the solution is a valid one. If your mag start on/off switch power is also controlled by the light switch, you turn off the lights, you also deactivate the solenoid control circuit so even if the pressure switch closes it will not energize the compressor motor circuit (the motor circuit will still be hot, just no control signals).

Some conduit, some wire, and wire nuts.