Location of thermal shut down sensor?
Have a Sears Model 919.167160 2 HP 15 Gal. Pumps up to sixty pounds pressure and cuts out. Have changed the regulator does the same. Cuts out at sixty lbs waits a few seconds and starts again. Continues to cycle and shut off. Has been suggested thermal cut out may need replacement or adjustment. Thx Skooch.
Bill answers...
Hey Skootch. Nice to hear from you. Thanks for writing in.
On a typical compressor, the thermal overload sensor is located on the motor, though it might be wired to a surface switch on the shroud.
The thermal overload sensor is there to prevent your electric motor from overheating and, possibly, causing a fire, in the event that the motor shaft stalls or is overloaded and the motor continues to try and rotate it. This generates the heat.
You mentioned that you changed the regulator. The regulator's purpose on a typical DIY type compressor is to allow you to set the pressure you want the downstream application to see. It really hasn't anything to do with the pressure in the tank, except to lower the pressure as the compressed air flows from the tank to your air tool.
What I think you have a problem with is your pressure switch. It's designed to turn on the motor when the pressure in your tank reaches the low pressure cut-in, and shut the motor off when the pressure reaches the high set point, often in the 150 PSI range for a DIY compressor.
Your compressor cuts out at 60 PSI which is not a normal high pressure set point.
You might consider changing your pressure switch next.
Cheers,
Bill
