| Air compressor help?

Air compressor help?

L. William H asked:


I just bought a 4.5 hp air compressor. It starts up fine and builds to 155 psi like it should but after the pressure drops and it tries to kick back on it wont it just turns over slow and pops the breaker. I am running it off of a 6200 watt generater with 9000 watts max (surge watts) is this caused by too small of wiring or is the generater not big enough. The compressor is a Kobalt 4.5hp 80 gallon design please help
the amps on the compressor is 20 max(start up) and the generator handles 30 amps I am running a 12 gauge cord from the generator to my cicuit breaker panel and the same to my compressor the cord from the generator to the box is probably 12 feet to 15 feet total and then maybe 4 feet to the compressor from the cb box

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Comments

5 Responses to “Air compressor help?”

  1. brianwv64 on April 23rd, 2009 1:42 am

    how heavy is the wire and how long is it, running from the compressor to the generator? That could be the problem
    Youy might try a 10 guage cord. Also after the compressor fill up, unplug it andlet about half the pressure off the tank, then plug it in and see if it will start. If your going to run it off the generator all the tim, you may need to get a capacitor, like you use on hard to start AC condensing units, They are only about $25.00.

  2. Ridgerunner on April 23rd, 2009 2:26 pm

    Brine has good answer

  3. Sonny on April 23rd, 2009 10:53 pm

    It sounds like the air compressor start surge is greater than the generator can handle on short notice. Have you tried the compressor on a circuit in a building?

  4. benthr on April 26th, 2009 4:20 am

    12 gage wire isn’t really big enough, unless it solid strand wire, which if your using a cord its not. should be at least 10 gage if its a cord, you could always buy the length of romax you need and put plugs on the ends. if that don’t work probably need bigger generator or more permanent power supply

  5. renpen on April 26th, 2009 9:50 am

    When the compressor reaches 155 psi and shuts off it should bleed the air from the compressor. Might check that.