Troubleshooting Your Gardner Denver Air Compressors in GA

Compressor problems can quickly result in hours (if not days) of production downtime and a loss of thousands of dollars per hour. Today we’re discussing the most common problems with Gardner Denver air compressors in GA and their solutions.

The compressor will not start. You press the start button but nothing happens. When this occurs, it’s either an electrical problem or the compressor has tripped on a safety device. To troubleshoot:

• Check supply power;
• Check for errors on display;
• Check emergency stop is out;
• Check and reset the overload relay;
• If it’s a new installation, check the phase sequence.

Compressor shuts down on high-temperature. If your Gardner Denver air compressor in GA trips on over temperature, it could be any of the following:

• Ambient temperature too high or not enough ventilation;
• Oil level is too low;
• Wrong type of oil;
• Dirty oil cooler;
• Thermostatic valve is not working;
• Dirt or obstruction in the oil lines.

Compressor runs but will not load. A screw compressor can run loaded (pumping air) or unloaded (idle). The inlet/loading valve opens and closes according to air demand. The inlet valve is controlled by a solenoid valve that supplies control air to the inlet/loading valve. To troubleshoot:

• Check electrical power to solenoid valve;
• Check solenoid valve coil and solenoid valve operation;
• Check to work on inlet/loading valve.

Low capacity/not enough pressure. First, check that there isn’t a very high air demand or an air leak somewhere. If the capacity of your Gardner Denver air compressor in GA is really too low, check the following:

• Does the inlet valve fully open;
• Check differential pressure over oil separator – replace separator when necessary;
• Check if the inlet filter is clean;
• Check and replace compressed air filters (if installed).

Safety valve blows/too high pressure. The compressor does not unload. Check if the pressure switch is correctly set and working. Check inlet valve and loading solenoid for good operation. If the safety valve is located before the oil separator, check the differential pressure of oil separator.

There is oil in the compressed air. Oil in compressed air can have various causes:

• Oil separator is old or saturated;
• Scavenge line plugged;
• Too high running temperature;
• Too high oil level;
• The wrong type of oil used;
• Minimum pressure valve not working.

There is water in the compressed air. Water is a natural byproduct of air compression. There will always be water in the compressed air unless we remove it. Check the condensate trap for good operation. There should be water coming out every few minutes. If you open up the manual drain, there should only a little water be coming out. If you have a compressed air dryer, check the dewpoint.

Overload relay trips on your Gardner Denver air compressor in GA. Check the current draw with a current clamp meter. If the motor draws excessive current:

• Try to turn the compressor by hand – it should turn around smoothly, without any issues;
• Check the isolation of the motor windings;
• Check the voltage when the compressor is running – if the voltage drops significantly when the compressor runs, you have a bad connection somewhere so check all relays, fuses and electrical connections;
• Check if all phases are present.

If the dc motors and controls it’s normal current, but still trips on overload, replace the overload relay with a new one as they are known to sometimes become too sensitive when they get old.

Compressor problems? Let’s troubleshoot your air compressor together! We are your experts on Gardner Denver air compressors in GA and are happy to help you make the right choice for your application. And in addition to our products, we proudly offer engineering services, repairs, and replacement parts.

Compressor problems can quickly result in hours (if not days) of production downtime and a loss of thousands of dollars per hour. Today we’re discussing the most common problems with Gardner Denver air compressors in GA and their solutions. The compressor will not start. You press the start button but nothing happens. When this occurs,…