Campbell Hausfeld and Craftsman Air Compressor Not Building Pressure
Air compressors work for a long period of time. Their use is quite prevalent in several different industries considering they’re applications are quite powerful and big. They come in different sizes and shapes depending on what the use is. As time passes by and your new air compressor isn’t new anymore, it starts acting weird. Whether it’s a Campbell Hausfeld or a Craftsman air compressor, your compressor would be running and running but would fail to build any pressure. Everything seems to be working perfectly but no pressure is being built up for minutes.
The first thing you should do it shut down your compressor if its running and not building any pressure as this dangerous. The compressor motor will potentially overheat and that can potentially cause an accident even though it has a thermal cut-off function. It has the power to damage the capacitors as well.
There are some major reasons why no pressure is being built:
- The intake valve is failing
- The compressor gasket is broken
- Worn out seals
- The pressure valve is failing
The intake filter is situated at the top of the pump. This valve is responsible for sucking in air. This valve is part of a component known as the valve plate which also has the pressure valve. If there is an issue with the intake valve, then this means the intake valve should be replaced. Firstly, remove the filter, switch on the compressor, and try to figure out the intake area. Chances are you will feel air coming out of this port. This means the intake valve is definitely failing and it’s time to replace it. As it’s part of the valve plate, chances are you might have to replace the whole plate which will also replace both the valves.
Moving on to the pressure valve, it’s important that you remember this is a bit trickier than checking the intake valve. This valve lets the compressed air flow from the head of the pump into the tank through the air channel. If the pressure valve is failing, the air will flow into the tank until the piston moves, so the air will flow into the piston from the intake valve alongside the air flowing from the tank into the piston. This creates an endless cycle and at a certain point, it won’t let the pressure build-up. To replace it, make sure the compressor is off and the tank is empty. Switch on the compressor and check if you’re able to stop air from coming out of the port. If you are, then this indicates that the pressure valve has definitely failed and needs to be repaired or entirely replaced.
Once you’ve replaced the valve plate or individual valves, make sure you also replace the gasket and pump seals as they both prevent air compression.
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