Milky Oil

by Mark
(San Diego, Ca)

My compressor is from grainger, it's a 5hp, 17cfm 175psi 80gal splash lubricated. The compressor was just rebuilt a couple months ago and works well.

The only problem I have is that after only a couple days the oil starts to turn chocolate milky light brown. I use napa compressor oil, it seems to take about 1.5qts to mid sight glass.

I don't know the condition of the oil prior to rebuild, because I was not in charge of maintenance on it till it spun a rod and I rebuilt it. The liquid seperator is a wilkerson wsa-06-fm0, and appears to be working fine.

There also seems to be more water than usual coming out the spray gun. Also I live within a 1/4 mile to the pacific ocean.

Thanks,

Mark

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Bill says...

My thought is that you are getting migration of water from the compressed air into the oil.

The more air coming out the spray gun is always a function of how long the compressor runs, the ambient temperature, and the relative humidity of the air.

It is usual to get more water in compressed air in the hot, humid, summer months, than in the winter when the relative humidity is much lower.

If water out the spray gun is a problem, put a water filter at the end of the hose, and then run another shorter hose after the filter to the gun.

Cheers,

Bill