Compressor question

[Papa Jim]

I gave my 10 yr old Makita MAC2400 a pretty good workout yesterday blowing out the filters on my dust collector and shop vac. Today when I went to use it it blew water out the hose. I shut it off, drained the tank, and tried it again.  Some water, but not as much. I left it on while I was in the shop, and it was cycling about every 15 min, which was something new.   I changed the oil about every 3 yrs, but did not drain the tanks as regularly as I should have, so I guess I'm just getting what I deserve. Any suggestion beyond,"kick it to the curb, and treat the new one better"?

























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[sweensdv2]

The first thing I would check is the drain valve to make sure it's closing 100%. Could be a little rust chip is caught someplace in the valve.

[JGrout]

if it is cycling more than it used to you have a leak 

Check the relief valve and the outlet areas. 

or the tank valve it may be leaking too.

It takes way more than cycling to kill a compressor. 

Way more.

Joe

[alnandy]

Had a similar problem; let water build up for too long. Cleared out the water and leaks started showing up all over the system. My guess is the water screwed up the air tight connections. I plan to redo all the connections.

[bennybmn]

I'm guessing water made a little rust and that tiny bit caused either the tank check valve or the drain. If you need to replace the drain, spring for a ball valve type, so much better! I used to work for a company that makes compressors for dental offices. We had tanks coated inside and out. But the places that are hardest to coat, and most likely to be chipped is threaded fittings... Right where those valves are. So not only are they most prone to having problems from rust, they probably exposed bare steel TO rust in the first place!

[Dodis]

I'd go around with soapy water and check all connections first to make sure that is not the problem. Then start around all the seams on the tank looking for leaks.

If it is just the connections, should be an easy fix.

If it is the tank and you want to keep the compressor, good idea to start searching craigslist for good tanks with bad compressors. That's where I found mine. I did ask once at Harbor Freight if I could order a tank as a replacement part, but corporate won't sell the tank, just all the other pieces. The store manager did offer to sell me a returned compressor with a bad motor when they got one in, but I found one on CL before then. And a new tank I found will cost as much as a new compressor, if not more.

I just finished getting my old Rand-4000 compressor working again. Had it since the late 80's and the compressor and motor are in great shape. The tank finally started leaking last year. And back when I searched for a manual online, all I could find was the recall notices for leaking tanks... Instead of turning it in, I started searching craigslist before mine started leaking and found a fairly new tank that someone's compressor had gone out on, $50. Mounted my compressor and now it's back in business.

Mike "Dodis"

[Papa Jim]

Turned out to be a false alarm! I cleaned it up, replaced the air filter, disconnected the air hose, pumped it up to 125 psi and turned it off. He was still holding the same pressure four days later, so the problem is in either the hose or the air gun. Oil change next. By the way, for owners of this compressor, a Briggs and Stratton Model 797819 air filter (for $7) may be substituted for the $20 Mikita model.

Papa Jim

[shioiod]

You should pay much attention on the dental compressor. Because it may cause problem to your dental practice.

[bennybmn]

Good call removing the hose first! A good ball valve on the outlet of the regulator is a good way to see how a tank is holding up.