What air compressors daily checks should I be doing?
Your air compressor usually works away happily at the back of the building without complaining too much. It is normally forgotten about until suddenly it stops and your whole production line grinds to a halt and panic sets in. Does this sound familiar?
Like with all mechanical machinery your air compressor does need a little looking after to keep it in tip top condition. Manufacturers have worked very hard to make air compressors reliable and to require a minimum of maintenance but they still need to be looked at now and again. We recommend that all air compressors are checked over once a day to help prevent things going wrong and to spot possible future problems, preventing them from becoming a potential major issue in the future. Our recommended daily checks only take a few minutes to complete. Surely this is time well spent if it can prevent expensive breakdowns in the future?
A few simple daily checks carried out regularly on your compressor will help prevent these unplanned stoppages.
Recommended air compressor daily checks
With the compressor turned off and isolated
Oil – Check compressor oil level is correct – there is usually a sight glass that is easily accessible to see how much oil there is in the compressor
Cooling – Check cooling air flow is clear and the radiator is clean especially in the summer months – have plants grown up outside which are blocking the plant room ventilation? Has someone placed a box in front of the louvres?
Freezing – Check the compressor is not allowed to freeze overnight during the winter – Ambient heating fitted into the plant room will keep the temperature of the compressor just above freezing no matter how cold the weather, preventing expensive breakdowns and compressor damage
Air Receiver – Check condensate is drained regularly from the receiver – This can be automated by use of timed or zero loss valves. Make sure you are treating the condensate correctly not just pouring it onto the ground. Look here for more information on condensate management and treatment
Filters – Check condensate is drained from filters – This is usually automated with zero loss valves integral to the filter body. Make sure you are treating the condensate correctly not just pouring it onto the ground. Look here for more information on condensate management
Dryers – Check condensate is drained from dryers – This is usually automated by use of timed valves built into the dryer. Make sure you are treating the condensate correctly not just pouring it onto the ground. Look here for more information on condensate management
Belt tension – check the belts (if fitted) look ok and are correctly tensioned
Guards – Check all guards are in place and correctly fitting
Overall Visual Check – Is there any external signs of damage to the compressor? Check there isn’t any oil or water on the floor, check nothing looks different to normal
With the compressor running
Running check – Check the compressor is running correctly and not making unusual noises
Pressure switch operation – check the compressor is cutting out when the operating pressure is reached
For more information on these checks take a look at our short video air compressor daily checks
With these simple checks carried out on a regular basis you can be more confident your compressor will keep on running efficiently and reliably and will help prevent expensive un-planned stoppages. If you need any further information on any of this or any other issues you may have with your air compressor just hit contact us