Air Compressor Care & Maintenance Guide
Changing Oil:
For oiled air compressors, changing the oil is as important and critical as changing the oil on your car.
How often you have to change the oil depends on the the air compressor machine that you have. Sometimes the recommendation is a time period such as every 2 months, and sometimes it depends on the rate of usage and hours of operation such as every 200 hours.
Changing the oil on an air compressor is not that hard. Learning how to do an oil change is easy if you never have, and it only takes a few minutes to get up to speed. The benefits of having an oiled air compressor saves you money and frustration in the end.
Every Use Checks:
- Most machines come with the recommendation of checking oil levels often, or with every use.
- Checking the valve safety for safe operation is recommended before each use.
Occasional Checks:
- Checking a compressor unit often for air and moisture leaks will help catch problems before they start costing time and money.
- Gas tanks can be cleaned from time to time to keep a gasoline compressor's performance up.
- Air hoses and power cords should be checked for kinks, wear or leaks.
- Extension cords should only be used for electric air compressors if you make them yourself out of thick, flexible, very well insulated wire. You should only attempt this if you have done it before, or if you have the help of someone who has.
- Standard extension cords just won't cut it, and using them could result in damage to the cord, the compressor, or an electrical fire. It's just not safe.
- These dangers and hazards are the reason why its always recommended to run longer air hose than power cord.