Help with 'valves'?

[gerrymoore]

Hi all.....I've bought a compressor off EBAY couple of weeks ago and it arrived here in Spain yesterday.

I haven't started it up yet as I would like to know what the two valves are on the tank....and if they are OK! It is petrol powered and there is no connection other than the belt drive between the pump and the engine so I am presuming this is some sort of blow off valve and the thin upright one is a safety valve for the tank??

I would query the 'new' looking bolt and locknut at the end of the valve...just doesn't look original??



It has a Honda 5.5hp motor and a chinook K18 pump with 110 litre tank.

I have a brand new plasma cutter that I haven't been able to use yet due to lack of compressor....even now I still haven't got any air hose so Monday it's off to search for some......can't wait!!

Any advice welcome on this...cheers Gerry Moore

 

[^neo^]

A picture may help!

 

[gerrymoore]

Sorry...the link doesn't seem to work...anyone help me on how to show a photo...I've added a link to my picasa web site but it doesn't seem to connect??

 

[shenion]

Here the instructions on uploading photos.

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks...I think I've done it now...only been messing with computers for 25 years :-((

 

[rtbcomp]

That bolt & nut looks like it adujusts the blow-off pressure, the bent bit of plastic pipes seals the port that would go to a pressure switch.

 

[^neo^]

not a homemade outlet pressure adjuster is it? Either that or was there a gauge on there before?

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks for the help...as soon as my neighbour gives me a lift with it off the trailer I'll start it up!!

I presume the motor will just carry on regardless and the excess air pressure will hiss away out of the tank through the valve?

 

[eil]

Yes thats right when it gets to the set pressure it exhausts through the honeycombed bit thats on the left of the adjustment, the long thin one on the tank is your safety blow off as you rightly thought

 

[eil]

If you're a bit apprehensive in starting it up you can loosen the adjusting bolt off a bit so it unloads sooner and then slowly adjust it back in to what pressure you want to run it at.

 

[^neo^]

make sure it has oil in the pump too!

 

[eil]

Looking at it again i see what thieve done, the bit with the plastic pipe bent over, on mine there is a little bleed valve which you can open to unload the pipe between pump and valve, but on yours there is a T-piece to which you can open. So open the ball valve start it up close valve and it then pumps through the genie into the receiver and your away.

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks for all the help. Soon as it's on the ground and level I will check all the oil levels - motor and pump - and start her up! Fingers x'd all's OK..I'll report back on my progress. My eventual aim is to make a cnc plasma cutter from scratch so quite a project to look forward to.

Now that I can upload a photo I may post a picture on the projects forum of a mini excavator I built many years ago...that makes the CNC project seem easy!!!

 

[gerrymoore]

OK..got it off the trailer..checked all lubricants..fine.

Motor started first pull and is only running at 'tickover' speed - around 1400 rpm.

Pressure built up reasonably quickly and I stopped the honda at 80psi. Couple of hours later it's still at 80psi ........ so no leaks then :-))

Only problem I have now is it's just too loud. The 'silencer' isn't and it's not 'cos it's worn or damaged it's just not a silencer. I'm going to have to make one or adapt some sort of bike silencer otherwise my neighbours won't be too happy...or the people staying in our holiday apartment below :-))

Anyone ever had this problem with a stationary engine and cured it??