broken ridgid compresser

my ridgid compresser pops the motor overload button and wont build preassure it has little amount of hours on it why is this happenning?

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Bill says...

The motor overload button is often a thermal overload, meaning that your motor is overheating.

If that is the case with your Rigid compressor, then the motor is seeing a greater load than it should, is heating up as a result, and is popping off on thermal overload rather than allowing the heat to damage the motor.

You don't give me a whole lot of info to help you figure out what is going on.

How long does the compressor run from a cold start before the overload kicks off? During this period, do you have any compressed air pressure rising in the tank? Any unusual conditions about where the compressor is being stored or started? Any unusual noise when the compressor is trying to run?

A bit more information will help you and me try to figure out what is happening with your air compressor.

Cheers,

Bill




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broken ridgid compresser

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Jan 11, 2011
 to bill
by: Anonymous

thanks bill i will try your suggestions and fo rward the results. dave
Jan 05, 2011
 reply to bills answer
by: Anonymous

my ridgid compresser pumps air to around 15lbs before it cuts out and the thermal breaker pops it has about 50hrs on it and has always been stored inside.i have no problems until last week .the breaker can be pushed back and it will start then pump for a few seconds and pop.thanks bill

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If you don't let it cool down, then pushing in the button and trying to restart it won't, normally, do anything. The button will just pop out again.

Any change in the number of electrical devices you have pulling power from the same circuit as the air compressor? An under-voltage powered motor, which can happen if other items are siphoning off power, runs hot. That might be it.

Can you disconnect the motor from the pump and run it again to see what happens? In the event the motor goes off on thermal overload again when it's decoupled, then for sure, it's to do with the motor.

How many capacitors does your motor have? If the run capacitor, assuming you have one, is failing, your motor will run hot.

If you decouple and the motor starts and runs fine, it might indicate a pump problem, or that might only mask the fact that the motor is failing, and if runs fine with no load.

It were me with this problem, I'd take the compressor into an electric motor shop and ask them to load test the motor and capacitor(s).

Cheers,

Bill

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