Repairing dead compressor help

[bikeboy]

Hope to get some advice from the lectrickery-whizzes here. My compressor has shat itself, tripping the safety switch. By the time I figured out what it was, the shed stank of burnt electrics (I was inside the house at the time). The motor was real hot, but had not been running. The housing on top that contains a couple of (what I think are) capacitors was melted. I've noticed over the last couple of days that it would be sluggish to kick-in, but once running was fine. The motor still spins freely, as does the compressor pulley, but these two components still stink:

Am I right in thinking these are capacitors of some type? Is their purpose to provide the motor with a high voltage kick in the pants to get it moving? Are the numbers indicative of anything (and why are the different??). Not sure if it matters, but we're on 240 volts AC over here.


Any help welcome. I'm hoping if I replace these I'll be good to go. You don't realise how much you depend on these things until they ain't there


cheers guys
ian

 

[bikeboy]

Hi,

They are indeed capacitors and if the smell, they are stuffed and will need to be replaced, but A faulty motor (ie; siezed) could have caused them to burn out.

thanks rev. That makes sense. I'm hoping the motor is OK. It's not seized, but other than that I don't know what went wrong. Is it odd that the pair would go out together??

cheers
ian

 

[frogman]

What's the make, model of it?

 

[bikeboy]

What's the make, model of it?

It's just a generic cheapo model. I've taken the capacitors in to have them checked and they're OK. That means the motor has shat itself :'(


Just what I need.

 

[crazypj]

The centrifugal switch probably stuck at startup.
Check it's working (or at least all the parts are still connected by taking off motor end cover.)
how did you have caps tested?

 

[bikeboy]

The centrifugal switch probably stuck at startup.
Check it's working (or at least all the parts are still connected by taking off motor end cover.)
how did you have caps tested?

Yeah, we think that's what happened. I took them in to a motor rewind shop here, hoping to get replacements. He tested them, and said they were good. The prognosis is now that the windings have melted. The cooling fan on the rear end of the armature had melted down due to the heat, and the tray that holds the caps on top of the motor has melted as well. Gonna cost about $450 for a new motor :'(


thanks guys
ian

 

[Garage_guy_chris]

if its a good compressor like a belt driven piston pump with separate motor, and everything else is in good shape id look around for a good motor, try craigslist, you might be able to find a compressor with a blown up pump you can get cheap. Or just keep your eye open for a motor. Call some compressor, servicing places, they often have good deals on used compressors and motors and what not. But if its a cheapo, diaphragm, motor/pump in one unit, i would sell it for parts and look for a better proper compressor, like mentioned above with separate motor and pump,

I feel your pain, during the summer right in the middle of painting my bike my POS found in the trash parted together compressor did the same thing and toasted the motor, i got lucky and found a used motor for about $100 locally, been good ever since

 

[bikeboy]

if its a good compressor like a belt driven piston pump with separate motor, and everything else is in good shape id look around for a good motor, try craigslist, you might be able to find a compressor with a blown up pump you can get cheap. Or just keep your eye open for a motor. Call some compressor, servicing places, they often have good deals on used compressors and motors and what not. But if its a cheapo, diaphragm, motor/pump in one unit, i would sell it for parts and look for a better proper compressor, like mentioned above with separate motor and pump,

Yeah, that's the plan. I'll pick up another 3HP motor and hook it up. The compressor is a belt drive twin cylinder model, and is in good nick. The motor will be about a quarter the price of a replacement comp. and I should get a few more years out of it.

I feel your pain, during the summer right in the middle of painting my bike my POS found in the trash parted together compressor did the same thing and toasted the motor, i got lucky and found a used motor for about $100 locally, been good ever since

Yeah. I shouldn't complain too much I guess. I did manage to finish painting all my stuff:

I was only bead blasting some old parts ready for more paint.


cheers, and thanks for all the suggestions guys
ian