Choosing The Right Heavy Construction Equipment

If you regularly use an air compressor at your construction company's worksite, you may notice that it no longer has pressure high enough to run your impact tools or fully inflate your heavy duty equipment's tires. If so, use the following three-step guide to troubleshooting the issue with your air compressor's pressure level.

Step 1:  Check the Hose for a Leak

When your air compressor loses pressure and is not blowing out enough air, the issue may not be with the compressor itself. The first thing you should check is the hose. If there are any holes making air leak out, the pressure will decrease significantly before it reaches the nozzle.

To check for leaks, lay the hose in a tub of water. Turn on the air compressor, and look for air bubbling up from the hose. If you see air bubbles, replace the hose.

If replacing the hose does not fix the issue or you do not see any air leaks, go on to the next step.

Step 2:  Examine the Valve Connection

After ruling out the hose as the problem, the next thing to check is the connection between the pressure valve and the tank. It the valve has become loose, it may be releasing air around the base.

To check the connection, place you hand around the base of the valve, and turn the compressor on to see if you feel air blowing. If so, rotate the connection clockwise until you meet resistance to tighten the valve. 

If you no longer feel air leaking but still have issues with the compressor's pressure, go on to the next step.

Step 3:  Inspect the Tank for Moisture

If you are still having issues with the compressor's pressure after finding and fixing air leaks, moisture inside of the tank may be causing the issue. Normally, the compressor filters out moisture from the air through the intake valve and directs it to the water pan.

If the inside of the tank has a lot of condensation, the air becomes moist and does not expand enough to give you adequate pressure. You can check the moisture content of the tank by pointing the nozzle towards a hard, dry surface and releasing the air.

If the surface becomes wet, there is water in the tank. If this is the case, you may need to have a professional clean out the tank and repair the intake valve.

After going through the above guide, you may not be able to determine the issue with your air compressor. If so, contact the air compressor company from which you purchased the equipment to seek further guidance on troubleshooting the unit to find out whether it can be repaired or needs to be replaced. Visit a site like http://www.compressedair-systems.com for more help.