I've been putting together a air system in my shop. I got the pump motor and the switch. I started my pump and its filling about a 300gal tank. I got a wicked deal on the tank. $75. Only reason I got that size. The pump is a 2hp connected to a 1.5 elec. motor. I fired it upto test the pump and tank. I sat there letting it run 10-15 min. No pressure build up. The gauge isnt building. Unless my gauge is broken I didnt even start building a few PSI.

Advice?

Thank you for your time and support.
James

PS This photo was taken durning the build. It now has a copper tube feeding to the tank.

Do you have air coming out of the compressor> Do you know it works. Drain valve open on tank?

it is taking and pushing air. The drain valve has a new plug. I used soap water on all the joints and plugs.

Is it because its such a large tank so it takes a long time to show?

Maybe I should get a more sensitive gauge?

I have a 350cfm pump with a ten horse for s 75 gallon tank.
Takes about ten minutes to fill.
Might take an hour to fill with your setup.

I bet that pump and small motor is less than 10cfm. The tank itself is 40 cf. Assuming 125psi at full that is 378cf or as was stated 45min to an hr.

Apologies James, I do not mean to insult your intelligence or anything I just want to make certain all the bases are covered.

First thing is check to see the motor is turning counter clockwise. It looks like you have a "two cylinder" and not a "2 stage" compressor so it should work in either direction but if I am wrong and it is a "2 stage" they usually do not run well backwards. Anyway, the definitive way to test the compressor (notice I did not say the "lazy" way, we'll get to that in a moment) is to attach your pressure gauge straight to the output on the compressor and turn it over a few times by hand to see what pressure you can make. The lazy way is to just take the gauge out and feel over the hole with your thumb.

My SWAG is that the reed valves in the compressor have some corrosion on them which prevents the valves from sealing. Actually, if I had to guess which one it was I'd say it was the intake reed on the right hand side compressor cylinder. Those pancake things on the backside should be filters, take those covers off and while it is running spray some WD40 or other oil in the intakes. You can also hold your palm over the intakes to see if they are both producing the same vacuum.

The only other item not mentioned is if this is a new setup and you have the pipes all run you can have a leaky connection in the piping somewhere so make sure you shut off and isolate everything from the tank.

Do you have a model number of your compressor? I could try finding a diagram for you.

Good luck!

Mark

quote:

350cfm pump with a ten horse for s 75 gallon tank

That's hooking. I thought 24cfm from 7.5HP was hot.

quote:

Originally posted by James Kain:


PS This photo was taken durning the build. It now has a copper tube feeding to the tank.

Reading can be hard for me, especially when I am trying to sound like a know it all.

What happens if you unhook the copper pipe and hold your thumb over the compressor, does it blow your thumb off the fitting (it should) or can you keep the pressure in with your thumb?

Sorry Ramrod
32cfm. Model is Quincy 350.

quote:

Sorry Ramrod32cfm. Model is Quincy 350.

I figured it was probably a decimal slip. I only do that 5 or 6 times a day it seems.

uploading some photos bear with me

2HP pump

The motor runs off 120V

Hit dose have pleanty of pressure, everything seems to be correct. I went back to the website wher I got it. The link is above. Its only 6CFM! Well I'm on a tight budget... I got what I could afford.

I think I'm going to need a smaller gauge then what I have currently on it.

I will connect the gauge straight to the pump tomorrow to see what I can do.

Bet it will take 1-1.5 hrs to fully fill that tank.

Hope it works for you

Thank you for your help everyone!! I've been on some of the other machinest pages and they could be really, um, unhelpful...





Neibor asked me to build him a new carrage for his little cannon.

I think your rig might be a little under powered for the size of the air tank. As long as it'll fill it up eventually and you're able to do what you need without a constant air supply you should be ok though as long as you plan accordingly.

Do you have a check valve between the pump and tank?

The use of a oversized air tank with a small compressor is a way of getting bigger compressor performance, in the short run.

Dave

I had the same problem an it was a worn "washer" that sealed the air an allowed the piston to push the air into the tank..I bought the sealer from Sears and it fixed my problem that was the same as you describe.

James- One thing I didn't see was a pressure switch!

Man don't blow yourself up!

An air tank letting go is friggen nasty!


.

I do have one. It's not connected yet. I'm trying to figure out why I'm not building ANY pressure. I'm going to have to slowly check each fitting. I have a few custom/modified fittings. I have several ideas where I MSI have a leak. But no bubbles from them. I wonder if that's because all the air being moved to cool the punp and motor.
Thanks for your help everyone!
As I said before I got a really good deal on the tank. Only reason I got one that large.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I had the same problem an it was a worn "washer" that sealed the air an allowed the piston to push the air into the tank..I bought the sealer from Sears and it fixed my problem that was the same as you describe.

I have pressure coming out but it builds zero in the tank. I think it maybe one of my modified fittings.

Gegt a windex or other spray bottle, fill it with water and 2 tablespoons of dish soap and spray all your connections down while it is running and see where it is bubbling.

quote:

I do have one. It's not connected yet

Gotcha.


.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark:
Gegt a windex or other spray bottle, fill it with water and 2 tablespoons of dish soap and spray all your connections down while it is running and see where it is bubbling.

Yes, I thought I said I did that. Maybe I didn't. But I was wondering if the wind being generated by the pump and motor could be keeping me from seeing it. Also there is an issue with not seeing the hole cap in the middle. Well I do need to flip the rank around now anyways. But to the right of the photo is a huge pile of just stuff that's been moved or hasn't found a home yet.
I will keep you posted. Not feeling well today and I put my back out Labor Day and still haven't recovered yet. So moving some things have to be postponed.

James hope you feel better soon!


When you feel like tinkering with it again:


You should be able to unscrew the brass adapter fitting coming from your copper line, and the galvanized female reducer your pressure gauge is screwed into and attach them together and turn your compressor over just by hand and be able to see how much pressure registers on your gauge. You should also feel resistance in the compressor as the pressure builds.

The other thing I will mention is it looks like your belt is a little loose but I'd check to make sure the compressor builds pressure before I put much effort into tightening it.

Ifound that the leak is coming from the link from the copper to galvanized adapter. Wow dose it ever leak. I pulled it apart and had to make a new ring on the inside. Bent the hell out of the second one too. The current one I changed the angle to 20* on the lathe. Hopefully the softer angle works. If not I may just soldering the link .

quote:

James hope you feel better soon!


When you feel like tinkering with it again:


You should be able to unscrew the brass adapter fitting coming from your copper line, and the galvanized female reducer your pressure gauge is screwed into and attach them together and turn your compressor over just by hand and be able to see how much pressure registers on your gauge. You should also feel resistance in the compressor as the pressure builds.

The other thing I will mention is it looks like your belt is a little loose but I'd check to make sure the compressor builds pressure before I put much effort into tightening it.

Just a word of caution, copper lines in vibrating equipment will work harden and break. FWIW

ok, So... I guess I can look up another way to connect it.
Thank you for the reminder.

Most I've seen is with steel pipe.

quote:

Originally posted by James Kain:
Ifound that the leak is coming from the link from the copper to galvanized adapter. Wow dose it ever leak. I pulled it apart and had to make a new ring on the inside. Bent the hell out of the second one too. The current one I changed the angle to 20* on the lathe. Hopefully the softer angle works. If not I may just soldering the link .

Well, since you brought it up-

In general, I am not a fan or teflon tape. It has an advantage of being faster and less messy than either a pipe thread compound or TFE paste but IMHO it does not seal as reliably, and especially if the connection is disturbed by loosening and retightening it cannot adjust like a paste compound can.

Permatex #2 gasket sealer is also a good choice for sealing fittings, just don't get it on your hands as it seems you have to wear it off over the course of a couple days.

Not using Teflon tape was a great but gooy mess. Thank you for that advice. I have been busy so I haven't had a chance to reply.

Now I have been all over that damn tank and haven't found a leak yet. I think I will have to clean my shop up to pull it off the wall, jack it up, and clean it. Then I will have to check it over for leaks. UGH.....

quote:

Just a word of caution, copper lines in vibrating equipment will work harden and break. FWIW

Definitely a good warning to heed. Copper will crack if its allowed to vibrate!

go with a smaller sheave on the motor, you guys are funny sometimes, I've worked on compressors all my life, funny how you start separating truth from good story tellin.

go to tractor supply and pick up a jic hose and connectors, u need a half inch check valve, ur compressor is a single stage should turn ccw as viewed from the pic, need a pressure releif valve, adjust for cutout and cut in and please make a belt guard, good to put a prv on the compressor and on the tank, be sure and put a water drain on bottom of tank, trust me a bigger tank is not better, if you ever see a compressor that has two tanks side by side that looks like you could dolly it around those keep up quite well with die grinders, a little anti freeze in the tank will inhibit rust good luck please post a pic of the cannon when ur done.

I think we are trying to "make a racehorse out of a jackass" This thing will use more electricity than a larger motor..Time over flow calculation...

Yeah, I have been looking for a different air tank. Something about 1/4 the size of this one. The only issue is my budget. Thats why I didnt get a larger pump and motor.

Times you dont do the research and think things though, then come out the other side looking like a mule....

What do you guys think of this tank?

Air Tank

But I am on a tight budget. So this is a little high for my blood.

Other recomendations?

What max size tank could I use with my pump? The pump runs 6CFM

Sears sells a 26 gallon compressor ready to go for 299$ works well for a small shop, I have one...