Rusty growth already. Get some Sterling cool in there.
2 Likes
I thought BrownFox got you talked into a picture…like a profile PICTURE???
Well to set the record straight I am grumpy about once a year. And as far as my picture on here, trust me nobody wants to have to look at that!
Maybe I will try and think up something
4 Likes
How long is that once? I’m only a PITA once a year myself but my wife says it lasts 362 days 
4 Likes
I had a stroke 25 years ago and that took me from hot head to lots of patience. Just don’t get worked up over much anymore
4 Likes
I can tell you from first hand experience with IR compressors, I will never buy another one. We only use air for our tire machine, the jacks on our drive on lift, and very very few air tools.
I bought one for my automotive shop when I first opened. In the first month the motor shot sparks 60 feet across the shop. They came out under warranty to check it out, of course motor was dead. No motors anywhere and no ETA on return to stock. Ended up getting the next size up at no charge, which was awesome, so I thought.
Fast Forward 1.5 years, came into a shop full of smoke where the switch failed on the unit, causing it to run for unknown amount of time with the overpressure valve open. Replaced it with a unit from ACE Hardware since I needed it ASAP. 6 months later the larger motor had a failure of some sort. Took it to a local shop to be repaired. To top it all off, recently the capacitor decided it was done with life.
To sum it all up, overall cost of ownership for IR is very high. The unit is loud, so loud that I built an intake muffler for it. When I purchased a compressor for our plasma table I went with the Home Depot unit. I will never trust an IR again.
3 Likes
I’m not clear the purpose of your rant on Ingersoll Rand compressors here within my thread on the installation of my CFP system. My experience is just the opposite. This thread is to document an install. You don’t trust IR based on your single experience - OK. It would have been more appropriate to start a separate thread.
And the IR compressor I have detailed above is the Home Depot unit, and is very quiet. I can stand 5 feet away and have a conversation with someone.
I’m not a IR fanboy, but the company clearly manufactures quality products, for the most part, over the past 140 years. This one above is in the $1,000 range, so I have realistic expectations. I added the motor starter specifically to address issues that I have seen online with the load going through the pressure switch. Time will tell on this particular unit. I could definitely have improved upon quality by spending 3-4 times more, but this is just a hobby for me.
3 Likes
I agree with you. We have a large SSR 150 screw machine with over 50000 hrs on it. I would buy another in a heartbeat. Now there service has turned into a bit of a problem. The fact that they closed all the local locations here in Tennessee. They now work out of Nashville or come out of Atlanta. So when they show up they never have the parts which require another service call.
Thats my only complaint.
2 Likes
If you are not relying on it for production is isn’t a huge deal. My hopes was just just make you aware of the flaws that they do have beyond what you have addressed.
That being said, the Husky one we purchased to run our plasma caught the motor on fire with 4 hours of runtime. Doesn’t look like many are as reliable as they once we’re.
I think you can say that on just about everything unless you are willing to pay. And even paying top dollar does not guarantee reliability either.
2 Likes
Hello excuse me but a compressor pressure switch is pretty much a consumable, it’s a cheap part that can be swapped out in minutes. I am surprised by the amount of effort that you put in, trying not to burn the switch.
3 Likes
What he did is a common practice. A "starter box"keeps the points in a pressure switch from burning up. Most all large compressors use them. The manufacturer has gotten cheap and won’t put them on medium size compressors. To me it seems it is better for the motor and everything to have a clean connection it should make everything last longer? I have a 30 year old compressor that the points still look near new. This machine has seen a lot of use during that time.
Down time is money. You can get starter switch fairly cheap also.
3 Likes
Large industrial three phase compressors are one thing, but here we are talking about a small single-stage garage compressor. Why would it be better for the motor, in what sense?
I ask because I am interested in modifying my pressure switch (or whatever mechanism I might require) to have the ability to “manually call” for a “refill”. Let me explain:
My 5HP, 60gal Harbor Freight compressor (with Made in Italy pump) starts the motor when it reaches about 120PSI and stops it at about 165PSI. Often, especially when I am cutting with a lot of amps, I like to prevent the compressor to kick in while the Plasma is on. I never had any issue but I like to have things run one at a time. If the compressor is at 130PSI, I know it will kick-in soon, so before I cut I open the drain valve, let enough air go out, and close it when it starts again, when it reaches 165PSI and stops I then start my cut with the Plasma.
I would like to be able to manually start the compressor even if it’s at 130, 140 PSI. Would a starter box allow me to do that?
My compressor isn’t a 3 phase compressor it came factory with a start box. Without one all the current for the motor goes through the points of the pressure switch. They will arc as they make and break contact. They begin to burn my way of thinking they will also begin to lose the ability to transfer the current. This will hinder the motor getting the power it needs. The starter box has a heavy duty contractor switch that can do this job better. They will wear out too. I have had to replace mine before but because of the coil going bad.
A start box won’t achieve what you want it to do. You can buy a pressure switch with a arm on it that will allow you to engage the points manually. My guess is this is your best option.
Unless you are having power issues I wouldn’t worry about both running at them at same time . The smaller plasma cutters will only pull 20 to 30 amps give or take depending on the amps you are cutting. Have you had issues with the breakers tripping?
1 Like
As I said I haven’t had any issue but I prefer to run one at a time also for situational awareness - a loud compressor (that happens to be next my plasma) does not allow me to hear how the cut is going. Many times a bad nozzle can be “heard” before it becomes visually evident. Also I like to speak to my son while I’m cutting and I really to not want to have the compressor running.
About the arcing of the contacts, of course but as I said before the pressure switch is a cheap wear item. Maybe in the future solid state switches with zero cross detection will be the norm on compressors like they are used inside “inverter” welders and plasma cutters
1 Like
Most motor starters, including the one I installed, have overload protection. If the pump jams , or there is a large current draw, the starter relay will open protecting the motor.
An Ingersoll Rand replacement pressure switch matching the one on my compressor is $140, which is ~15% the cost of the compressor.
The only Con I can think of is I spent additional money to add the magnetic starter, but over time I think it’s money well spent.
1 Like
You could consider adding a 60 or 80 gallon storage tank, similar to what ToolBoy did. It will still kick in at the same pressure but will give you nearly double the cutting time before that happens.
1 Like
Of course but my use case would be 99% covered by a simple manual control. I am actually pretty surprised it’s not a common thing to do. I have seen pressure switches “with a arm” like user @Phillipw says, but it seems to me the arm is just an alternative to a switch that is pressed and rotated, maybe I am not using the right words. I am also pretty sure one can be hacked to do what I want. Generic pressure switches are 15-30 dollars
1 Like