Brand new compressor won't start.

by Robert Yale
(Elmwood, ON, Canada)

I just bought a brand new "Farmhand" compressor from TSC in Walkerton, Ontario. It is made by Campbell Hausfeld. 5 hp dual stage with a 80 gallon tank. Electric motor is WAG made in Brazil. I just wired it up with a 30 amp/ 220 V breaker. I am getting power to the motor, but no humming, clicking or movement. Nothing ?! Motor and compressor turns over easily by hand. I wired it with 10/2... less than 18 ft from the breaker box just like a hot water heater. Two hots and ground. What's going on ?

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Bill says...

Yikes. That's no good.

OK, so you are getting power to the motor. That tells me that you have no pressure in the tank, or at least, the tank pressure is below cut in pressure level, and the pressure switch has tripped to send power to the motor.

That being the case, the motor should try to start. If the start capacitor was totally fried, that might account for nothing happening.

Other than that, maybe it's time to take it back, regardless?

Bill