Essential Tips To Maintain Air Compressor During Summers

April 24, 2023 ♦

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Compressed air is a useful ingredient in many industries, useful in precise stamping, mixing, clamping, and cleaning functions. While you might have a strong maintenance program for all of your equipment, supporting the health of air compressors can get a little tricky, especially with the onset of the summers.

Compressed air systems can seriously bow down under pressure from overuse, rising humidity, and molecular expansion of objects due to flaring temperatures, and these effects multiply in the summers when the temperatures are already running high. Some common signs indicating that your compressor might be going out of whack – unusual noise, oozing liquid, unexpectedly high electricity bills, hot air discharge, and an overheated machine.

Competent air compressor suppliers are available to replace parts any time you need them to. However, we recommend taking the following measures ensuring the good health of the compressors and likewise, to improve overall machine performance:

Clear Intercoolers and Aftercoolers

Wipe off accumulated dust and debris from the coolers from time to time to keep them functioning to their optimum strength. The heat and humidity of summer months can lead to an excess of accumulated semi-moist debris on the compressor blades.

You will have an easy go at degreasing by –

Spraying a liquid degreaser
Using an acetone or kerosene solution for rinsing
Spraying methylated spirits to wash the blades clean of oil

Refill with Clean Oil

Excessively hot oils lead to highly damaging varnishes as it swishes through metal pipes. Accumulated over time, this can lead to pipeway blockages. Maintain cooler temperatures for the lubricant – preferably below 180° F, to prevent unexpected malfunctions. Keep the oil coolers clean, regularly monitored, and secure from water in conditions where the oil precipitates in extremely low or extremely high temperatures.

Also remember to use the right kind of lubricant. A primary reason for compressor failures is the usage of ‘Universal Oil’ which is thin in consistency and tends to lose its oleaginousness when subjected to fluctuating temperatures. Instead, opt for mineral and synthetic oils for your compressed air system and refill after checking these lubricants for suitable viscosity and cleanness.

Keep Reading: How To Select The Right Oil For Your Air Compressor

Wipe or Replace Old Filters

An old filter can downgrade the performance of your compressor by circulating in sooty air from the outside. In addition, dust-laden compressors can affect system performance and demand more energy – even in performing very basic functions. Replace old and rusty filters from a competitive air compressor supplier in order to avoid excess power bills, expensive maintenance, and undermining downtimes.

As a rule of thumb, it is important to inspect and replace / refurbish your old air compressor filters every summer or once every two years.

Monitor Drain Traps for Collected Dirt

Drain traps for oil and water discharge in air compressors sometimes have a need for manual draining of the air lines. Failing this, compressor ducts would be running the risk of accidental floods. This is why condensate residue inside duct lines should be thoroughly wiped off and systematically ejected.

There are several ways to decontaminate drain traps. You can de-clog flow channels manually by hand if the blockage is near to the surface. Debris jamming water flow can also be eliminated with a long drain brush or a drain cleaning wire that plumbing professionals also refer to as a ‘sink snake’.

Alternatively, you can use a vacuum to suction out stubborn waste from the middle or towards the end of the duct. The next-level cleaning technique is to use a drain gun that would exert compressed gas into the line to push out slime, dirt, and hard debris out of the flow channel.

Replace Rusty Parts

A single corroding part can turn your machine’s entire functionality upside down. Before the harsh summers begin in full swing, take stock of all the worn parts of your system and suitably refurbish, oil, or replace.

Some of the most commonly replaced compressor parts are – capacitor, contactor, air filters, fan motor or blower motors, and evaporator coils. Neglected, even the tiniest rusting pinhole of an air filter can lead to unchecked release of refrigerants in the air. Another point to note – not all handymen can spot such minute corrosion. You need to bring specialised air compressor technicians on board to detect and remedy such glitches.

Airy Compressor Room

Air compressors are massive heat generating machines which give off fumes and hot air that may saturate the room if not properly ventilated. We recommend Grille and air steam damper units to shut out foreign bodies from passing through air ducts and also drive out cold draughts in the process.

Air compressor service providers advantageously place eliminatory air ducts towards the lower side of one of the compressor walls. On the opposite wall, thermostatically-controlled ventilation fans could be placed right to the top to doubly ensure speedy circulation and changing of air.

Remember, an ounce of maintenance is worth a pound of repair costs! Ace your compressor maintenance game before summer swings in.

Vivek Bhatnagar

Business Owner at Zentech Systems and Solutions, providing innovative industrial solutions for compressed air services, cooling towers, vacuum pumps, and gas generators since 1998. Bringing efficiency to your production process!