Snap-on 100L compressor trips out breakers.

by Phil
(UK)

My compressor just trips out breakers as soon as i switch it on, i have changed capacitor but still remains dead. Could it be the motor, or the main switch?





Bill answers...

Hi Phil. Nice to hear from you.

Your compressor is popping the breaker as something in it, or in the circuit, is pulling more amps than the breaker can handle. That it's popping is a good thing, as it's preventing a bigger problem in your house or shop electrical system.

If you have eliminated a ground fault or short in the power cord, then the next thing to look at in the compressor electrical circuit is the pressure switch.

It reacts to pressure in the compressor system, turning the power on when the pressure falls to the cut-in point, and turning the power to the compressor motor back off again when pressure in the system reaches the cut-out high pressure setting.

It's my guess that this may be your problem. It may have failed and in the process created a short.

Since it's a lower cost fix to change the pressure switch than the motor, may I suggest you do that? Worst case scenario of changing the pressure switch doesn't solve the problem is that you'll then have a spare on the shelf.

Be careful. You guys run 220 VAC rather than the 120 VAC used in North America. 120 VAC can damage you too, but with 220 VAC, a mistake is almost always terminal.

Hope this helps. Let us know the resolution, would you?

Cheers,

Bill




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Snap-on 100L compressor trips out breakers.

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Jul 04, 2009
 snapon compressor
by: Anonymous

Hi Bill no problem thanks for your help


Regards Phil

______________

Phil...send in another submission, with a photo, and see if anyone else can help. A picture would sure be useful.

Cheers,

Bill
Jul 04, 2009
 Snapon compressor
by: Phil

Hi Bill tried new switch,& it still trips out. The motor appears to turn over freely between its compression strokes.Is it possible to wire in the capacitor wrong,i assume they are non polarised due to no negative or positive markings (ground or hot).

The original capacitor is showing signs of over heating & the case has melted.Rightly or wrongly today i hard wired it straight to a 20amp mcb in the consumer unit/fuse board but it tripped that too. Is it possible to send you some pictures of how it is wired.

Regards Phil

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Phil, when I remove a part I document (photos and tags) what wire went where, and install the new wiring exactly as the old.

I couldn't look at your wiring now and tell you if it was correct since I didn't see it before the unit was removed. Sorry.

Might be time to consider the shop?

If you are tripping breakers you've got a short somewhere, and if it's not the pressure switch, and assuming that the power supply is clean, then it's got to be the capacitor or the motor, doesn't it?

Bill

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