Porter cable pancake short cycle?
Boss bought standard Porter cable pancake available currently at any box store. Don’t know specs/size/model, nothing fancy walk in to Depot and it’ll be the one you can buy.
What we don’t get about it is it is consistently cycling. It’s so annoying that on our current tranquil outdoor country setting job we run enough extra hose to leave the compressor closed off down in the basement all day.
I’ve got what I think to be the same version but picked up a couple years ago and has been completely trouble free. This one is a real POS. Seems like every minute BBRRRRRRRRUP–PPPISSSHHHH. There doesn’t appear to be any pressure loss before it does it and it doesn’t run a full cycle like when it hit’s it’s limit switch. Just sitting idle with no tools attached, every couple of minutes and when trying to shout measurements it gives this 10sec. cycle. I keep telling him to take it back and get something else.
Anybody have the same problem or is it some new feature?
Replies
Most pressure switches have two adjustments; one for on/off pressures, and one for the differential between the two pressures.
Your differential must be set very small, i.e. five PSI or less. This is magnified by the fact that the compressor has such a small tank. If a single shot from a nailer is enough to drop the tank pressure by five PSI, then it will cycle with every shot.
Scott.
Edited 6/28/2009 3:47 pm by Scott
That's not it because when there is a pressure drop reaching the low limit it does a full 30sec. cycle as it should. It drives an expected about of nails and cycles. The problem is it will sit idle with no pressure change and do quick 10sec. short cycles. and those short cycles don't change the pressure rating either. The differential also has to be more reasonable or rather less sensitive than just would be caused by thermal expansion/contraction. I haven't got use to the on switch position, so in the dark I can feel the drain plug and pull it for a sec., if it kicks on it's on and plugged in, it doesn't than I flip the switch, pull drain again to make sure it's on. This loss of air has to be far more than any cooling/heating that would trip the differential.
Is is possible that it's trying to start, overheating in the effort, tripping the overtemp in the motor, then cooling down and repeating the cycle? And, when you run it down to the lower limit the pressure's low enough for it to start OK?
Still not buying it. Let me re-phrase the "problem"As a working compressor like the earlier model I own, it runs perfectly normal. Plug in, switch on, assume tank is a little low, compressor does continuous full cycle reaching 150psi. stops. Use compressor set to say 80psi. line pressure, run how ever many nails until low differential is met. Say tank pressure of 100psi. triggers and it cycles back up to the full 150psi. just fine. However when your not using any tools and there is no change on the dials the compressor will just kick on for a quick spurt every couple of minutes on it's own. When it does this there still is no change in the reading.The guesses I have on it are; A faulty pressure switch, electrical short, or some sort of built in self maintenance or system test.
I'm just pointing out that the cycle -- 10 seconds on, several minutes off -- is exactly what you see when the motor is overloading on start.
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
(Have you tried the unit directly plugged into the wall, without any extension cords?)
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
Yes to being plugged in directly. Since leaving it in the basement it's been plugged right into the panel. I understand the motor overload idea, but it doesn't exhibit any pressure loss before doing these short cycles to even call for a demand from the motor. It also doesn't have any trouble starting the motor when there is a legitimate demand for pressure. In other words when you'd expect it to think it's over heating like when it's under heavy demand and rapid nailing it has no trouble starting and continuing to run if need be.
Hmmmm....I'm stumped. That sounds plain wierd. It shouldn't be cylcing on at all if it's still sitting at 150 psi, no matter how long it sits.Scott.
I suppose it could be some sort of malfunction in the pressure relief system used in starting, with that system leaking down and somehow taking the pressure switch with it. But I've never dissected one of those systems to know exactly how they're plumbed.
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
nc,
That compressor doesn't have the brains for any self-maintnance or system test. If its behaving badly it is defective. TAKE IT BACK AND GET ANOTHER ONE.
Jim x 3
Just a guess but it might be the check valve- it's located right on the tank at the end of the hose coming from the compressor. PC recommends a break in (15 mins iirc) for a new compressor.....running the compressor with the drain open and then closing the valve. Supposed to help seat the check valve. Could try that. If it doesn't work it could be some gunk got in the valve and it won't close fully ....... the air bleeds back from the tank to the compressor.
"There can be no doubt that Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the abject worship of the state…Socialism is in its essence an attack not only on British enterprise, but upon the right of ordinary men and women to breathe freely without having a harsh, clammy, clumsy tyrannical hand clasped across their mouth and nostrils" -Winston Churchill
Edited 7/1/2009 11:51 am by jc21
Give it try as other suggestions don't seem to add up. If tank bleeds to compressor the same amount of air would be there, not affecting gauges down line. Than it might run such a short cycle burst because it actually is all ready at rated psi.
Don't know how long you've the compressor but fwiw, PC has a 90 day money back guarantee in case it continues to do the same. Company I worked for last year had a couple of them ......... what you're experiencing isn't normal.
"There can be no doubt that Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the abject worship of the state…Socialism is in its essence an attack not only on British enterprise, but upon the right of ordinary men and women to breathe freely without having a harsh, clammy, clumsy tyrannical hand clasped across their mouth and nostrils" -Winston Churchill
Are you really running it up to a 150psi? I'm surprised more than that compressor isn't short cycling. Crank it down to 120, if that doesn't work, look for the slow leak, or take it back.http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after"
No you're right. Didn't have it in front of me looking at again it maxes at 120 and I know we've been running framing and finish nailers back and forth from 85-95.
Any luck with it?
"There can be no doubt that Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the abject worship of the state…Socialism is in its essence an attack not only on British enterprise, but upon the right of ordinary men and women to breathe freely without having a harsh, clammy, clumsy tyrannical hand clasped across their mouth and nostrils" -Winston Churchill
sound like i have the same PC unit you have which i bought at HD. i have not had the same issue with the one i have it sits for a long time and does not cycle much at all unless i am using it. is it possible you have leak some where?
Find it hard to believe it's a leak because even if it was leaking it would drain down to cut in point and full cycle back to cut out point. Plus gauges don't seem to change, no apparent leak exist and to monitor any more would be like watching a pot of water boil.
Take it back. Thats the easiest . Latter it will be your long term problem.