Piston Compressor Going Bad? 3 Signs That You Should Never Ignore
If you own your own business, you know that any amount of down time costs money - a lot of it. Once you add the cost for repairs to the cost of lost productivity, you could stand to lose a small fortune because of one faulty compressor. What's more, what might have been a simple, inexpensive repair can turn into a major, costly repair if you ignore what your equipment is trying to tell you. And, if one of your piston compressors goes out violently, it could injure someone on your production floor. Therefore, it's imperative that you pay attention to your equipment and fix your compressors at the first sign of trouble. Following are three signs you should never ignore.
Any Kind of Noise
You should never ignore any type of new noise that your equipment is making. If you hear a clanking noise in the area of your piston compressors, it may be a sign that the piston is hitting the valve plate, which can result in major failure. Rattling noises often indicate that one of the components of your compressor is loose and needs to be tightened. Other noises, such as whining, may indicate that there isn't enough oil in the piston, which can lead to complete failure of the compressor.
Shaking and Vibration
Any changes in the movement of your equipment might mean that something has come loose. If your compressor is vibrating or shaking, it might need to be tightened or remounted. If there is excessive play in any of the components of your equipment, your equipment may sustain more damage if you ignore it than if you stop production and fix the issue right away.
Temperature Changes
If you start to notice an excessive amount of heat being discharged from your compressor, it may be short cycling. You see, a short cycling compressor causes the same gases to be heated over and over again, resulting in higher-than-normal temperatures. Not only can this cause contaminants to form on the valve plate, it can cause the oil inside the compressor to turn to sludge. None of these secondary issues are good for your compressor, and they will result in higher repair bills.
Although they are relatively easy to maintain and break down rarely, there are a few things that can go wrong with your piston compressor. If you pay attention to the operation of your compressor and call for a repairman at the first sign of trouble, you can avoid costly repairs and down time.
For more information, contact Mac-Air Compressor Ltd. or a similar company.
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