Problem with portable air tank

by Jeff Lombardo
(Middletown N.J.)

I have a Campbell Hausfeld portable 5 gal. air tank. The maximum PSI is 125lbs.

The problem is that the tank will not take any charge LESS than 125PSI.

That means that unless my compressor is set at 125 PSI,the tank will not let the air in! Unfortunately, my compressor only goes up to 120PSI, so I have been taking the tank to a service station to fill it up. Do you think the tank or inlet valve is defective or is this the way these tanks work...thank you.

Hey Jeff, nice to hear from you.

It seems to me that your inlet valve is defective.

A storage tank is an empty vessel until you fill it. That means that the air pressure in the tank when it's empty is one atmosphere, or about 14.7 PSI.

So, as soon as you hook an air line to the tank that has a supply pressure greater than 14.7 then air should start to flow into the air tank.

When the air pressure in your tank reaches your desired pressure (the gage should tell you this - check and make sure it's working) you stop filling your air tank.

If the pressure in the tank is greater than the discharge pressure of your compressor, then air cannot flow into the tank.

If your discharge pressure from your compressor is greater than the pressure that's inside the tank, then air should flow into the tank.

If it doesn't, something is stopping that from happening...and unless it's your gage telling you the tank is full when it's empty, then it has to be where your compressor hose connects to the portable air tank.

Cheers,

Bill