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Home » Compressed Air 101 » Compressor types: different ways to compress air » Portable air compressor » Portable air compressor parts and maintenance

Portable air compressor parts and maintenance

Keep your portable air compressor in strong and reliable, with the right maintenance and portable air compressor parts.

How to prevent unexpected breakdowns?

Just like any compressor, a portable air compressor needs maintenance every now and then. Check the manual of your compressor how often it needs maintenance.

Often it’s after a certain number of running hours, or once per year, whichever comes first (just like with your car).

With most portable compressors, there are several different things that need to be done after a certain number of running hours. Usually this is after every 250, 500 and 1000 running hours.

For example: changing oil and oil filters, check valves for good operation, replace belt, and so on.

Here is a typical maintenance schedule for a portable air compressor:

 DailyAfter 50 hours of first operation.Every 500 hoursEvery 1000 hours or yearly
     
Oil level engineCheck   
Oil level compressorCheck   
Coolant levelCheck   
Coolant liquid  analyzeAnalyze
Dustpan of air compressor filterEmpty   
Remove water from fuel filterRemove   
Vaccuum indicator air intakeCheck   
Battery acid level and battery poles checkCheckCheck
Tire pressure checkcheckCheck
Leakages in air, oil or fuel system checkcheckcheck
Coolers ( engine, compressor oil and air)  CleanClean
Min and max rpm engine checkcheckCheck
Torque wheel nuts checkcheckCheck
Brake system Check/adjustCheck/adjustCheck/adjust
Safety valve (air receiver)   Test
Door hinges  greaseGrease
Towbar and system  greasegrease
Safety switches   grease
Oil separator  Check pressure dropReplace separator
Tension of V-belts  AdjustAdjust
Fuel tank  CleanClean
Oil compressor   Change
Oil filter compressor   Change
Air intake filter   Change
Safety cartridge air intake filter (if installed)   Change
Oil engine  ChangeChange
Oil filter engine  ChangeChange
Fuel filter   Change
Fuel pre-filter  ChangeChange
Intake and exhaust valves engine   Adjust
Compressed air after filters (if installed)   Change
     

 

The schedule needs to be adjusted according to your situation.

For example, if you use the compressor in a very dusty environment, you need to change the air filters more often.

Generally, the oil separator (the part that separates the oil from the compressed air, before it leaves the compressor) needs to be replaced when the pressure drop becomes more than 0.8 bar.

I recommend you change the oil separator in time.

If you don’t change it in time, not only will de output of the compressor become much lower than normal, there is a chance that the separator might rupture.

Believe me, you don’t want this to happen!

I have seen it several times. Since there is nothing there to keep the oil inside the compressor anymore, it will spit out almost every drop of oil that’s inside..

Most things you can do yourself. Some things are a little more challenging or require special tools. Like checking the engine vales and adjusting the drive belt pressure (a special tool is usually needed).

Compressed Air 101 Topics
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    • The Reciprocating air compressor
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      • Portable air compressor operation
      • Best Portable air compressor
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    • Clean compressed air
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