Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Compressor motor - dropped, cuts-out

A

Andrew D

Jan 1, 1970
0
Removalists dropped my compressor upside down and now, suprisingly, it
doesn't work.

One of the capacitor cases atop the motor was broken but the internals
"look" okay. I re-assembled it with some glue and tape and fired it up.
The motor ran for ten seconds or so before cutting out. Pressing the
restart button caused the motor to restart but only for a few seconds.

I pulled the restart switch out, because it looked like it had taken a
knock and may have been twisted but it seems to move okay so I put it
back.

I removed the compressor belt to take any air-load off the motor and the
problem remained - the motor ran for ten seconds or so, quietly, then cut
out.

Is the broken capacitor case likely to indicate a cause or is it more
likely to be internal?

Suggestions welcome.
 
A

Andrew D

Jan 1, 1970
0
Make an insurance claim on the removal company.

Unfortunately, stuff was only insured for major loss (fire, theft, traffic
accident...) not for mishandling - our choice.
However, if you must have a go - 10 seconds sounds like a
thermal switch tripping rather than the motor start. Is the
motor turning freely by hand?

Hmmm, I guess it depends on how you define "freely" :) It turns with a
little resistance and will turn a few times (estimate five or so) with a
good spin by hand.

I wouldn't have thought the impact was enough to cause any serious
internal damage (the plastic housing covering the capacitor is cracked but
the capacitor itself is intact). Maybe I'll take a peek inside and see if
there's anything obvious.

The decision now is whether it's worth fixing or, given the cost of
domestic compressors these days, whether I should just replace it (it's
over 20 years old but was a sturdy, Ingersoll-Rand machine).

Ta.
 
J

JohnR66

Jan 1, 1970
0
Andrew D said:
Unfortunately, stuff was only insured for major loss (fire, theft, traffic
accident...) not for mishandling - our choice.


Hmmm, I guess it depends on how you define "freely" :) It turns with a
little resistance and will turn a few times (estimate five or so) with a
good spin by hand.

I wouldn't have thought the impact was enough to cause any serious
internal damage (the plastic housing covering the capacitor is cracked but
the capacitor itself is intact). Maybe I'll take a peek inside and see if
there's anything obvious.

The decision now is whether it's worth fixing or, given the cost of
domestic compressors these days, whether I should just replace it (it's
over 20 years old but was a sturdy, Ingersoll-Rand machine).

Ta.

Could be the capacitor got damaged, perhaps not visibly, and developed an
internal short. Check it with an ohm meter. reading should start low and go
very high quickly if good.
John
 
Top