Relieving / Non-Relieving Questions

by Michael Meisman
(Largo Florida)

I have several regulators in my shop. I have some that bleed off the air if you lower the downside pressure. I have some that DO NOT bleed off the pressure if you do the same.

I know that this happens because of 2 things. 1 the gauge on the one that bleeds off the air goes down to the new pressure. 2 the sound of bleeding air is also a dead give away.

On the ones that do not bleed off the air after adjusting require me to pull the trigger on whatever I have on that hose for the gauge to register a change.

Is it proper for me to assume that the ones that bleed off the air are the RELIEVING style and the latter one is NON-RELIEVING?

Also I have an IR SSR UP6-10 with a bad control regulator (the one that turns the compressor on and off due to tank pressure). I want to replace it with one that has a digital controller. IR is positively NO help. can you point me in a right direction so I can get the right part for my compressor?

Thank you

Michael Meisman
MeismanM@hotmail.com
MichaelM@jormac.com

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Bill says...

Regulators that vent the downstream air pressure back up through the regulator are Relieving regulators. They are the most common type.

It's my experience that it's not the regulator that turns the compressor on and off, but the pressure switch.

Depending on the size and complexity of the compressor, the pressure switch can take a number of forms.

Look for an electrical controls company in the area, and as if they can provide you with a digital pressure readout device. Just using that string "digital pressure readout" should provide sources.

You don't necessarily have to change the pressure switch to get a digital pressure readout, you can just tap into the line, depending on what it is you want to do overall.

Cheers,

Bill