My compressor wont pump air in when it reaches 80-90 psi

Published Categorized as Air Compressor Won't Keep Running, Air Compressor Won't Restart, Campbell Hausfeld 7 Comments on My compressor wont pump air in when it reaches 80-90 psi

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by: yang

Hi I have a campbell hausfeld 125 psi max . 5hp, 26gallon.

Here’s what’s going on. please help.

1. my air compressor can pump air in but when it get full at 120 psi it shuts off, it did blow my fuse in the garage that was 20amp a couple of times so I changed it to a 30amp fuse, now it dont blow no more.

2. when I use the air and psi goes to 80psi or 90psi the motor kicks and try to pump air in the compressor but its struggles and seems to over heat or somethings and shut off with I belive with a clicking sound and then after a couple of seconds or a min it clicks again thinking there is a breaker built in or when it cools down, it try’s to pump again but it struggles and then shuts off again.

3. If I want to pump air in the tank at 120psi again, I would have to repeat to let go air and let it get to about 15psi and it will continue to pump air again in it.

I don’t know much about air compressor, but I was thinking it maybe the switch or something in the motor compressing air. please help thanks.

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Thanks for your questions.

If the normal cut out pressure of your compressor is 120 PSI, and when the pressure reaches that level, the breaker pops, I suspect that your pressure switch may be at fault.

I’m not sure that changing the breaker to 30 amp was a good idea. It wasn’t the breaker at fault, it was something on your compressor.

I also think it’s the pressure switch / unloader valve combination that’s part of your problem.

Your compressor struggles to start because it’s fighting to turn over against the pressure trapped over the piston in the compressor head. The unloader valve is designed to dump that pressure when the compressor reaches cut out pressure, but if the pressure switch isn’t working properly, the unloader valve possibly isn’t either.

Change your pressure switch. See if that solves all your problems (with your compressor, that is) and let us know the results if you would, along with a photo of your compressor and the pressure switch.


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My 6.5 horse iron horse air compressor stops building air at 80 pounds and sounds like it’s struggling to run. What do you think?

If it’s single stage, bad run capacitor. If it’s two stage, might be bad valves on the second stage.
Or both.

I agree that changing the breaker to a higher amperage without ascertaining whether the wiring will sustain the additional amperage is dangerous. I have a husky VT6315 and it’s doing something similar. It doesn’t have trouble starting, so it’s not the unloader. It starts to bog down around 90 psi. It’s top end is 135. No extension cords, 30 amp service, new capacitors. I was thinking it was motor issues, but now I am smelling burnt rubber and the belt is beginning to fray. It seems like it could be a 2 stage compressor and it’s having trouble switching from… Read more »

VT stands for vertical twin (cylinders). Not two stage.
You probably have bad valves or possibly the gasket is wonky.
Either way, you’re looking at a head/valve rebuild.
You probably want to disconnect it from the tank and make sure it turns smoothly with no bearing noise before you pull the head.

Good luck.

Problem is I can’t get parts for it anymore from what I can see. Not sure I want to order a replacement pump for it either, if it will develop the same problems. I have looked for a place to determine what other pumps I can replace it with beside the Husky/CM suggestion. I just hate to dump the whole thing when nothing wrong with motor, tanks, switch, etc.

Looks like there will be parts at Master Tool in a week or so….

great! thanks!