Compressor Temperature

by Wayne Hamlin
(Bonaire, Ga.)

My two stage IR compressor seems very hot after running for extended periods. I know that compressing the air makes it hotter. I just don't know how hot, is too hot?

My old compressor was an oil free unit that got pretty hot also, but I expected the two stage unit to run cooler.

How hot, is to hot?

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Bill answers...

Wayne, good question, and I guess without a whole lot more information, we might as well be asking how long is a piece of string? Not enough data.

I can tell you that there's a whole industry growing around reclaiming heat generated by compressors and using that energy saving somewhere else in the plant.

It's not unusual for a compressor head to get too hot to touch comfortably.

In terms of your unit, get a thermometer of some sort on the head so you have some objective numbers as opposed to "it's too hot" and then open the compressor manual and see what it says about compressor head temperature.

If you have no manual, certainly you know the brand, and that company probably has a website full of information about that specific product.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

Have a good one...

Bill