Keep Your Compressor Up and Running This Summer With Service and Maintenance
Summer is here and with this time of year comes the Australian heat. During the peak of Australian summer in January, some areas reach up to 50°C. As peak summer heat is considerably dangerous for the human body, the same goes for air compressors.
If high ambient heat is not managed properly, there can be severe repercussions to the air compressor. This could lead to high production loss and downtime. Your air compressor also becomes less efficient and results in high power cost.
Here are essential tips from our service technician experts to maintain the compressed air system in the summer season
The most important activity which is recommended during any season is the daily inspection of your compressors. This inspection can include but is not limited too, checking the condition and cleanliness of the air filter, checking the oil level, checking the condition and cleanliness of the oil cooller and aftercooler, checking for any leakage and any abnormal noises. Inspection is then followed by the close monitoring of the compressor parameters via the Elektronikon controller.
SMARTLink provides remote viewing of parameters from the Elektronikon and can help you understand the performance of your compressor and even highlight potentital faults so that you can take necessary preventive action.
- Check Ventilation - Proper ventilation of the air compressor room is important. As it routes hot air out of the compressor room using ducts and vents.
- Clean Cooler - Blocked or clogged coolers can cause an air compressor to overheat on hot summer days. To prevent this, ensure coolers are thoroughly cleaned before peak summer temperatures begin.
- Adjust Water Cooling Systems - With water-cooled compressors, adjust the temperature and flow of water entering the compressor. This will ensure the compressor is cool enough for summer conditions.
- Check Air and Oil Filters - Dirty filters lead to pressure drops, but clean filters will reduce energy consumption. Make sure to clean or replace compressor air and oil filters.
- Check Compressor Oil - High ambient heat can decrease oil life expectancy. The use of genuine oil & oil filters as well as following the recommended oil change intervals will ensure that your compressor runs cool and reliable.
- Check Drains - Higher humidity in the summer can cause more condensate to be produced which means more condensate will be expelled by the drains. Be sure the drains are in perfect working order so they can handle the extra flows.
What Causes Your Compressor to Overheat?
1. Using Non-Genuine Service Parts
One of the main reasons for a compressor to overheat is the use of non-genuine parts.
2. Lack of Maintenance
If your compressor does not get regular maintenance, it may overheat. This can happen because of dirty or clogged filters, coolers, or damaged parts.
3. Age of Compressor
An older compressor, or a compressor that undergoes extreme use, is more likely to experience overheating.
4. Inadequate Ventilation
The compressor system must be able to cool itself down, if there isn't proper ventilation available in the compressor room, overheating could be a result.
5. High Ambient Room Temperature
Summer months make ambient conditions hot. The warmer the weather is outside, the more likely your compressor room will be warmer. If the compressor room becomes too hot, so does your compressor.
How to Deal with Compressor Overheating?
Prevention is the key! Instead of focusing on cooling down an already overheated compressor, it is ideal to find ways to prevent the compressor from overheating.
Here are four key ways to achieve this:
- Choose Genuine Parts - Think of the human body and our vital organs. When our organs are in good shape, we are fit and healthy. However, if one organ fails, our life may be in risk. Each compressor component is vital for its overall performance. It will give you the reliability, long lifetime and energy efficiency you expect. Original parts may seem pricey, but in the long run, they provide a cost efficient solution. That's why every part and lubricant is expertly designed, manufactured and tested according to the most stringent standards. Learn the difference between genuine and non-genuine spare parts.
- Improve Internal and External Ventilation - Check on your compressor's internal coolers and ensure they are clean. Ensure any ducting is sized appropriately to your compressor. You should also ensure that the compressor room is sufficiently ventilated. If it is not, look into relocating your compressor into a space that is more suitable.
- Inspect Oil and Lubrication Levels - It is essential to check the lubrication and oil levels in your compressor often. Additionally, if the oil is thin or appears watery, the heat level could already be too high.
- Routine Maintenance - The simplest action to take in preventing overheating is to have routine maintenance performed on your compressor. The types of routine maintenance are preventive maintenance and fixed price maintenance.
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