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Effective Compressor Maintenance September 2004
C o m p a c t E q u i p m e n t
compactequip.com
Portable compressors are the power
plants of any construction site.
The best way to ensure your power
plants continuing performance and
reliability is a regular maintenance rou-
tine. The key is to plan preventive
maintenance in advance to avoid unex-
pected and expensive downtime. Dont
treat service as a once-a-year require-
ment. Make it a daily habit to check the
engine oil, coolant and fuel levels in
addition to checking air intake contam-
ination alarms and the fuel water sepa-
rator. Use the checklist below and rec-
ommended intervals to give your com-
pressors regular check-ups.
Compressors can be divided into
seven sub-assemblies: pump or airend,
drivetrain, engine, chassis, lubri-
cants/fluids, filters and radiator.
These sub-assemblies must be checked
and maintained on a regular basis.
In addition, the benefits of using
genuine filters and maintenance parts,
and replacing them when needed
should not be underestimated.
Any contaminants not trapped in the
filters will eventually damage the
machinery. Using proper filtration and
quality fluids is more cost effective
than repairing damaged equipment
later. Keep the following checklist as a
guide for routine maintenance.
Maintenance Checklist
1. Pump or Airend
This is the units
compression mechanism. While there are
several methods, most portable units in
todays market use a rotary screw airend.
Rotary Screw Airend
It compresses air
internally using two helical lobe rotors
inside a housing.
A. Check for mechanical seal leakage.
B. Check for inlet valve wear.
C. Check for excessive bearing play.
D. Recommended rebuild: 50,000 to
100,000 hours.
2. Drivetrain
This mechanically
connects the airend to the engine, allow-
ing the engine to drive the airend.
Direct Drive
(without permanent align-
ment components) This is where the
engine and motor are directly connected.
A. Verify that the
direct drive system
is perfectly aligned.
B. Check frame and
mounting block for
settling, which
may cause misalign-
ment and coupling
damage.
Direct Drive
(with per-
manent alignment com-
ponents) This is
where the engine and
motor are directly con-
nected with a mainte-
nance-free coupling for
zero-loss transmission
efficiency. This relatively
new concept is avail-
able only from some
manufacturers.
A. You only need to
check the coupling
annually.
Gear Drive
This is a system of gears
used to connect the airend and engine.
A. Check spray bar for excessive contami-
nants and plugged orifices.
B. Check for wear and backlash (exces-
sive play between the gears).
C. Ensure proper lubrication.
V-Belts Drive
A system of belts and
pulleys that connect the airend and motor.
Its only occasionally found in portable units.
A. Check V-belt tension.
Note: V-belts
should be taut (but not over tightened)
with very little slack or play.
B. Check wear on v-belt/pulley.
3. Engine
Like the ones found in most
automobiles, the internal combustion
engine provides the energy to turn the
airend that compresses the air.
A. Check engine lubricant level.
Recommended engine lubricant
change interval: 500 hours.
B. Check air intake filter contamination
alarm.
C. Clean and replace air intake filter
regularly. Recommended engine lubri-
cant filter change interval: 500 hours.
D. Adjust valve clearance.
E. Check and adjust engine fan belt
tension.
F.
Inspect the fuel injectors.
4. Chassis
This is the frame and
housing for compressor components. It
also includes canopy, tow bar, tires,
bumpers and a solid steel flooring from
some manufacturers.
A. Check tire pressure and inspect for
excessive tread wear.
B. Tighten wheel bolts if necessary.
C. Grease coupling head, joints and tow bar.
5. Lubricants
Lubricants in the
airend cool, seal, lubricate and remove
contaminants.
A. Use proper grade (see manufacturers
manual).
B. Drain existing lubricant before refilling.
C. Draw lubricant samples at regular
intervals to determine maximum
lubricant life.
D. Use synthetic lubricant for maximum
service life.
6. Compressor Filters
Compressor Air Filter
Generally locat-
ed prior to the airend inlet valve, the air fil-
ter removes bulk contaminants from the
air entering the airend. Any contaminants
not trapped in the filter will eventually
damage machinery and equipment.
A. Use proper micron rating as specified
by OEM.
B. Check pressure differential and, if
necessary, carefully clean according to
manufacturers recommendations.
CE Talking Shop
Effective Compressor Maintenance
Keep Your Portable Power Plants Performing with Reliability and Regular Maintenance
By Chance Chartters
Compressor maintenance can be divided into seven sub-assemblies:
pump or airend, drivetrain, engine, chassis, lubricants/fluids, filters
and radiator. C. Check for worn/damaged seals.
D. Check structural integrity.
E. Recommended air filter change interval:
500 hours.
Compressor Lubricant Filter and
Lubricant Separator
The compressor
lubricant filter removes particulates
from the lubricant circulated in the airend.
The lubricant separator removes lubricant
from the air before it is discharged.
A. Check the lubricant level and change
regularly. Recommended lubricant
change interval: 1,000 hours.
B. Replace compressor lubricant filter.
Recommended compressor lubricant
filter change interval: 1,000 hours.
C. Change the lubricant separator
cartridge in the lubricant separator.
Recommended lubricant separator
cartridge change interval: two years or 1,000
hours.
D. Clean the lubricant cooler.
E. Use only genuine replacement parts.
F. Caution: Do not change filters or check
fluids while the compressor is running.
Spraying fluids such as oil can cause
burns or serious injury.
7. Radiator
This provides the cooling
for the engine and in some cases will
provide compressor fluid cooling.
A. Check the engine coolant level.
B. Check for visible contamination and
clean regularly.
C. Check the anti-freeze protection and
change coolant if necessary.
D. Inspect hoses and hose clamps for
wear.
8. Other Components
A. Check the batterys electrolyte and pole
connections.
B. Check the lifting frame.
C. Check hoses for wear and tightness.
D. Check all accessible screw connections,
pipelines and clamps for wear and
tightness.
E. Grease the canopy hinges.
F. Ensure that pressure and temperature
gauges are working.
Once service is complete, double
check that all protective guards and
cover panels have been properly re-
installed and that all tools have been
removed from the compressor unit.
Routine maintenance also helps ensure
the compressors safe operation on site
as well. Never compromise operator
safety by delaying required mainte-
nance. In addition, advise users on the
proper safety gear for the intended
application. Provide a mini-instruction
course and safety pamphlet on safe
compressor operation. Review all pre-
cautions with regular users as well.
Chance Chartters is an applications
engineer for Kaeser Compressors Inc.,
Fredericksburg, Va.
2
C o m p a c t E q u i p m e n t
September 2004
compactequip.com
Inspect the compressor lubricant filter and
change regularly.