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Finally figured out why my compressor kept tripping the breaker
Took me three days to notice the unloader valve was stuck open. Replaced it for $12 at the local parts house and it's been running smooth since. Anybody else ever chase an easy fix for way too long?
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jade51713d agoMost Upvoted
Stuck unloader valve is a classic on older single stage compressors. Next time check the drain valve too, that's another cheap one that'll cause the same symptoms. Those pressure switches can be picky about the unloader holding pressure back. A little Teflon tape on the new unloader threads goes a long way.
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emma_flores13d ago
I read somewhere that some guys will swap out the whole unloader assembly instead of just the valve... like replacing the whole manifold on a Campbell Hausfeld because they couldn't find just the little brass piece. The Teflon tape trick works for sure, but I've also heard of people using pipe dope on those threads instead... just gotta be careful not to over-do it so it doesn't clog up the tiny hole inside. My buddy tried to reuse an old o-ring on his unloader once and it leaked for a week before he figured it out.
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wesley_jones11d agoProlific Poster
Right, whole manifold is way overkill for a tiny valve leak lol.
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