When you’re looking for commercial or industrial air compressor repair or service in the San Diego area, there’s a good chance you’re looking for something beyond the simple maintenance needed by the average homeowner with a pancake air compressor. You need to have certified technicians take on the task, preferably at your installation site, so that you’re not having to haul heavy air compressor equipment in for them to check. You may have advanced systems that require specific handling by trained technicians who understand the nuances of your system. Where do you find these kinds of individuals without having to deal with constant sales contacts or long delays for parts? Let’s look at how to get high-quality commercial air compressor service in San Diego.

When Should You Service Your Air Compressor?

Because there is such a wide range of commercial and industrial air compressors available on the market, there is also a range of service times. This includes how often and in what conditions your air compressor is operated. A homeowner with a small pancake air compressor for inflating tires may only need to service their air compressor once or twice a year. However, that same small air compressor would not keep up with the demands placed on an industrial air compressor.

To determine how often you should service your industrial air compressor, it’s important to start by looking in the manual that came with your equipment. It may include details about the environment in which your air compressor is being operated, with dusty or dirty conditions requiring more frequent service to ensure that the parts do not become worn as dust and debris builds up in the oil. Similarly, in marine conditions, you may find that you need to service your air compressor more frequently to avoid the potential issues that can be caused by the corrosive nature of water, especially saltwater. Environments with high levels of corrosive chemicals can fall into the same category due to the prevalence of corrosion. 

Is there anything you can do to reduce the frequency of service? To start, make sure that you have a commercial air compressor that can handle the job. An industrial air compressor that is too small for the job at hand will cycle constantly, causing the oil to become dirty faster and burn off due to the heat from constant cycling. By having an air compressor with sufficient capacity, you can ensure that it will be able to keep up with your workload. If you have environmental conditions, adding air filters and dryers before the air intake can help treat the air and lower the issues caused by it, as well as remove dust and debris from the intake, keeping the oil from getting dirty as quickly.

8 Common Air Compressor Issues

There are some common industrial air compressor issues that we see frequently in our line of work. These include:

1. Incorrectly-sized air compressor piping. Whether you use a branch or loop system, having the wrong size piping in your pneumatic system can cause serious problems, including not providing enough air for high-pressure tools, not providing consistent pressure for spraying tools or causing the industrial air compressor to short cycle frequently due to a too-large air compressor piping size. These issues can be solved by adapting the size of the piping to better match your air compressor or tools.
2. Short cycling. If your air compressor frequently turns off for a short period of time and then back on again for a short period of time, this is referred to as short cycling, and it’s very hard on your industrial air compressor equipment. It’s most often caused by pairing a high-volume pneumatic tool with a smaller air compressor system. As the tool draws large quantities of air from the piping system, it causes the air compressor to kick in to refill the system, then the commercial air compressor turns back off again once the piping is refilled.
3. Constant operation. If your air compressor runs continuously, it’s about as hard as short cycling your air compressor. If an industrial air compressor is in constant operation, there can be two causes. You could have a leak somewhere in your system, causing you to lose significant efficiency as the air needed to run your pneumatic tools leaves the system. It could also be that your needs have grown beyond the capability of your air compressor, causing it to run constantly to keep up with demand.
4. Lack of pressure. This could be a problem with either your air compressor being undersized for your needs, your piping being too large for your air compressor to keep up, your piping being too small to supply the pneumatic tool’s needs, or an issue with the air compressor itself, such as an old belt that is not delivering sufficient power, a leak in the air compressor system or similar issues. This can cause serious problems in your production and should be addressed immediately.
5. Won’t start. This can be caused by a wide range of issues, from a blown fuse or flipped breaker to voltage or power supply issues to motor problems to safety features built in by the manufacturer. If your team isn’t able to address the potential simple issues involved in the problem, it may require calling a professional company to help you solve the problem, typically involving a company experienced with and certified to work on advanced air compressor systems. However, before you make that call, check your manual to see if your compressor has a reset switch or button to try.
6. Oil in the water or air. If you’re getting oil in the water or air, there are a couple of sources it could come from. It could be that you have a bad seal somewhere in your pump, which is allowing the oil to migrate over. However, a more common cause is either your system is adding too much oil to your lines for your tools, or that your oil separator is not working correctly. In these situations, taking a look at your equipment may help troubleshoot the cause of the problem.
7. Excessive noise. An excessively noisy industrial air compressor can have several issues, most of which are related to the air compressor itself. You could have loose parts, such as a flywheel, belt, pulley or clamp. Worn or hardened gaskets are another potential source of noise in your air compressor, as is a dirty cylinder-head piston. Cracks in the equipment can cause excessive noise, and crankcase failure can also create serious issues. In any of these situations, the noise can lead to much more serious issues, so address this problem immediately.
8. Fast or excessive belt wear. This is typically caused by problems with belt tension. If the belt’s tension is too loose, it can cause the belt to move around in the pulley and flywheel, which in turn causes abrasions on the belt itself from the metal. If it is too tight, it can stretch, causing wear as the stretched surface passes over the surface of the pulley and gears. In either situation, it can cause the belt to wear quickly. Take a look at your manual to get a feel for how much play your belt should have to ensure proper tension. 

Advanced Air’s Difference

When you work with Advanced Air & Vacuum, you’re working with a team of dedicated professionals who have a solid understanding of pneumatic systems. Rather than the shop on the corner that handles everything and anything, our advanced knowledge of air and vacuum systems makes us the perfect fit for your San Diego area business’ industrial air compressor needs. Our team only works on these types of systems, so our attention to the small details of your air compressor means that we’ll catch difficult or easily-missed issues early on, giving you the optimum usable lifespan for your air compressor and connected pneumatic equipment.

Even better, we’ve got the paper to back up our claims of superior industrial air compressor service. Our EASA certification means that every time we look at your industrial air compressor motor, we’re always meeting or exceeding the best standards in the industry for electrical motor repair and service. Our AR100 certification means that our experienced technicians are well up to the tasks of handling, repairing or servicing your factory equipment, even the most high-level machinery on your line.

Advanced Air’s Services

At Advanced Air & Vacuum, we provide a wide range of additional services beyond commercial air compressor service. We also handle troubleshooting, installation and design, making it easier to ensure that you’re getting the best possible results from your industrial air compressor system. Our experienced technicians can handle rebuilding your electric motor, including motor re-wrapping to ensure the best possible performance. Our on-site storehouse of parts ensures that you’ll have a minimal wait before your equipment is repaired or serviced. But what about when you’re waiting on your work to be completed?

Because we understand that your company can’t stop working without consequences. we offer a wide range of rental services, including vacuum pumps and air compressors of all sizes and types. This ensures that you can get your line back in operation quickly and effectively, giving you a way to keep going even as we fix the problem. If you’re ready to get started with a quality industrial air compressor company, Advanced Air & Vacuum is ready to be of service. Please feel free to reach out today with any questions, for more details or to request a quote.