Since condenser coils are exposed to outdoor conditions, the build-up of dirt and pollutant deposits can happen very fast. Without regular cleaning, these particles become insulators which hinder the refrigerant from absorbing and removing heat from your home.
As a result, the compressor will have to work more and overheat after a while. Have you ever asked yourself how many years have you been using your air conditioning unit? High compression ratios are the result of either lower than normal suction pressures or higher than normal discharge pressures. Changes in suction pressure will affect the compression ratio more rapidly than changes in the discharge pressure. For this reason, it is important to keep the suction pressure at its highest possible value.
Causes of low suction pressure can include incorrect sizing of components, misadjusted or defective metering devices TXVs , loss of refrigerant charge, plugged driers or strainers, and excessive suction line pressure drop. Although not as sensitive to change as the suction pressure, the discharge pressure can still greatly affect the compression ratio.
Keeping the discharge pressure within normal operating conditions is still important. Causes of high discharge pressure can include dirty condensing coils, undersized discharge line, a blockage or recirculation of condenser air, erratic condenser fan operation, refrigerant overcharge, noncondensibles in the system, and an undersized condenser. Many larger refrigeration systems with electronic controllers will automatically monitor the temperature of the discharge line and will send out an alarm to alert the owner or service contractor of a potential problem.
Regardless of how the discharge line temperature is monitored, it should always be checked as part of any service to a refrigeration system. A technician should also check the discharge line temperature within 6 inches from the outlet of the compressor. You may edit your selections at any time.
You may personalize your experience at any time during your visit. While overheating is a relatively common issue that affects air compressors, the extreme heat experienced during summer can wreak even greater havoc on your compressed air system — or intensify already-existing issues. Getting to the core problem of what is causing your compressor to overheat may not be an easy task.
If the temperature exceeds degrees Fahrenheit in the discharge port, the heat could lead to imminent system failure. So how do you prevent an air compressor from overheating? Read through the next few sections of overheating compressor troubleshooting tips to learn how to cool down an overheated compressor. When an air compressor overheats, the problem is typically related to factors involving irregular suction or discharge pressure. Alternately, the problem could stem from insufficient ventilation, eroded oil or any given number of issues related to the wear and tear of machine parts.
One of the main problems that can cause an air compressor to overheat is a high compression ratio, which is typically caused by low suction pressure. The issues that contribute to low suction include the following:. If the metering devices are faulty, for instance, your ability to monitor the system with accuracy becomes compromised. To maintain a high value of suction pressure, it crucial to check for signs of these issues on a regular basis.
Air compressor overheating issues are often the result of excess discharge pressure, which typically stems from one or more of the following issues:. To keep discharge pressure levels under control, you should inspect the condensing parts periodically for signs of any problem issues. Even on larger systems with in-built discharge monitoring, issues can go undetected until the problem spreads to other parts of an air compressor.
If the air compressor is in a warm area, the machine is liable to have more difficulty adjusting the incoming air to desired levels of coolness.
For example, if the machine is in a room with poor ventilation, the heat within that room will affect the internal processes and result in warmer, less efficient air at the end-points of assorted pneumatic operations. The surrounding heat could also lead to the buildup of internal moisture and condensate, which can negatively impact other vital compressor functions.
Another concern closely related to the temperature that surrounds an air compressor is the amount of available ventilation. Can the machine sufficiently ventilate or are the vents blocked or cramped?
If the placement of the machine is such that the vents are faced directly against a wall, the air compressor should be turned or possibly moved to another area. By extension, if the room where the air compressor is lacks sufficient ventilation, the stuffiness and warmth of the interior air could rob the machine of needed coolness. As the components of an air compressor wear down with age, the machine as a whole is forced to work harder to complete its basic functions.
For example, if the interior process becomes clogged in vital areas, the air compressor must exert more energy just to get air from the compression chamber and off to the hoses that connect to assorted pneumatic tools.
To ensure that the interior components continue to operate efficiently without generating excess heat in the process, have the interior performance evaluated on a periodic basis. Of course, the amount of wear and tear that an air compressor endures is also liable to affect its ability to operate at desired temperatures on an ongoing basis. If the compressor is old and used every day, heating issues could be an inevitable factor in your continued operation of the machine and its various peripheral components.
What are temperatures like in your place of operation? As temperatures increase in various regions, conditions that were ideal for air compressors just twenty years ago could now require some adjustments. If climate trends have rendered summer months far hotter in your local area, the time has likely come to boost the air conditioning in the workspace that houses your compressed air system.
An issue that closely relates to clogged passages within a compressed air system is the problem of diminished oil quality. More specifically, when the oil gets old and hardens, interior parts are forced to move without sufficient lubrication. The surfaces of metal parts grind against one another and components endure strain as the machine is forced to work extra hard just to perform at its prior level. Old, hardened oil is a primary culprit in the cause of system heat. As parts wear down, you will typically need to replace the oil at more frequent intervals.
Alternately, heat could cause the oil to lose its viscosity and lead to further problems of this sort. A failing thermal valve can lead to heating issues with an air compressor.
It is always best to have a replacement thermal valve on hand in case the preexisting valve on your machine needs to be changed out at any point. This way, you avoid potential downtime that could otherwise result if a thermal valve fails and you have to wait for days or weeks for a new one to arrive.
If not, you may have found the source of the heating problem.
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