TN-Steve
Contributor
Our backup/mobile compressor is a Davey, that until very recently would pump up to 4300 PSI when needed, and would fill 3500 psi without even breathing hard. Now it can barely hit 2800. Here's what happened, what I've done to try and fix it, and a request for help.
It went off site to support a camp, and the "operator" wasn't properly trained. Apparently he let it run for over an hour with the compressor engaged with no outlet. Never filled a tank with it, just let it run.
When it came back, I was doing my maint / performance checks and realized that it was down 1500 PSI output, barely able to creep to 2800 psi. I've checked the blowoff valves, the final stage safety regulator, the bleed valves and can't find anything out of the ordinary.
Now understand, this compressor has only 175 hours according to the hobbs meter, and has been through several hands before it got to us. It has belonged to a State Police dive team, and then another scuba center had it. It's not in quite the original config (ie, the receiver tank is no longer in place), but it puts out beautiful grade E (and almost OCA Grade) in the past for me.
It's just about impossible to hear an air leak with the engine and compressor running, but running my hands along all the hoses and fittings I can reach didn't disclose anything out of the ordinary. The readings on the first 3 stages are right on the marks where they always are, but the 4th stage output just won't go above 2800.
My suspicion now is that maybe the valves on the 4th stage head got damaged, or that there is a carbon buildup on them, but understand, my indepth technical knowledge of compressor troubleshooting and operations is pretty damn slim at best.
Any advice, guidance, suggestions, theories and/or ideas will be greatly appreciated. He (the boss / shop owner) is on me to get this running correctly again, and some plans we have for rebuilding our existing fill ops are going to be impacted if I don't have a reliable spare compressor that I can use while we rebuild.
As always, SB rocks when it comes to people who know what they are talking about.
Thanks,
Steve
It went off site to support a camp, and the "operator" wasn't properly trained. Apparently he let it run for over an hour with the compressor engaged with no outlet. Never filled a tank with it, just let it run.
When it came back, I was doing my maint / performance checks and realized that it was down 1500 PSI output, barely able to creep to 2800 psi. I've checked the blowoff valves, the final stage safety regulator, the bleed valves and can't find anything out of the ordinary.
Now understand, this compressor has only 175 hours according to the hobbs meter, and has been through several hands before it got to us. It has belonged to a State Police dive team, and then another scuba center had it. It's not in quite the original config (ie, the receiver tank is no longer in place), but it puts out beautiful grade E (and almost OCA Grade) in the past for me.
It's just about impossible to hear an air leak with the engine and compressor running, but running my hands along all the hoses and fittings I can reach didn't disclose anything out of the ordinary. The readings on the first 3 stages are right on the marks where they always are, but the 4th stage output just won't go above 2800.
My suspicion now is that maybe the valves on the 4th stage head got damaged, or that there is a carbon buildup on them, but understand, my indepth technical knowledge of compressor troubleshooting and operations is pretty damn slim at best.
Any advice, guidance, suggestions, theories and/or ideas will be greatly appreciated. He (the boss / shop owner) is on me to get this running correctly again, and some plans we have for rebuilding our existing fill ops are going to be impacted if I don't have a reliable spare compressor that I can use while we rebuild.
As always, SB rocks when it comes to people who know what they are talking about.
Thanks,
Steve
