Air Compressor Maintenance tips

Air compressor owners often forget that prevention is better than cure.. Maintaining your air compressor can save you both time and money along the road. By performing the following checks regularly, you are saving yourself a world of pain in the future.

Our Service & Maintenance guide runs through the basics keeping your facility's compressed air system running smoothly.

We would highlight these topics:

Establishing a Standard Maintenance Schedule
The Value of Preventive Maintenance
Parts and Fluids
Air Compressor Troubleshooting Guide
Compressors Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1.Establishing a Standard Maintenance Schedule

Once your compressor system has been successfully installed at your facility, it’s important to establish a plan for the equipment’s standard maintenance and servicing. Typically, compressor systems should be serviced once a year, but make sure that you’re closely following the maintenance guidelines laid out by your system’s manufacturer. Keep in mind that this is a necessary — and easy — step in extending your equipment’s life span. Your compressor equipment won’t run well without regular upkeep!

Examples Of Routine Maintenance Include:

Changing your compressor’s oil (typically needed every six months)
Removing and installing filters and oil-water separators
Replacing a worn compressor belts
Checking air & oilfilters, vents, belts and bearings for dirt and grime buildup
Reapplying lubricant to all applicable parts of compressor
Managing condensation (ongoing)
Removing contamination in piping
Investigating pressure loss in piping system (as needed)
Inspecting and cleaning the intake valve

The Value of Preventive Maintenance

Standard maintenance schedules ensure that your compressor receives the minimum amount of maintenance necessary to keep it functioning well. Preventive maintenance, on the other hand, not only assists in lengthening the life of your machine, but also increases your equipment’s efficiency. By following a preventive maintenance plan, you can catch and eliminate issues before they get bigger — avoiding costly repairs and downtime down the road. You can also be confident that your compressor is operating at a level that’s as close to peak efficiency as possible. While, in most cases, members of your in-house maintenance team are likely knowledgeable enough to perform the preventive maintenance tasks themselves, there are a variety of tasks that should be performed by a compressed air professional.

Examples include:

Motor replacements
Repairing mechanical breakdowns
Relocation of particularly large, heavy machines
System safety shutdown inspections
Any compressor maintenance-specific tasks for which your staff isn’t trained

It’s important that the staff members working on your compressor system be trained in both machine operation and the broader principles of how air compressors work.

Parts and Fluids

An essential aspect of servicing your compressor is relying on genuine parts and fluids, or parts and fluids that have been constructed and/or supplied by the original manufacturer. Genuine parts and fluids provide guaranteed performance and ensure that your compressor system will be operating at optimal performance levels at all times. Genuine parts and fluids are the only ones that are truly designed for your specific compressor or vacuum pump — so you can rest assured that they’ll keep your system’s integrity intact.

Examples of such parts and fluids include:

Piping
Filters
Oil-water separators
Line filters
Compressor oils, lubricants and fluids
Service kits

Air Compressor Frequently Asked Questions

How regularly will my air compressor need servicing?

These are variables that change from one user to the next. Your work will require you to run the air compressor a certain number of hours in a day. We can’t tell what that amount is. With periodic usage in a day an annual service will be enough to cover you. But if your air compressors are running continuously through the day that it’s likely that you will need something like a quarterly service.

What is the best oil to use in an air compressor?

So to get the best performance and reliability, choose a one-of-a-kind lubricant as well. Our range includes synthetic air compressor oils, mineral based oil and NSF certified Food grade oil. Explore our oil range or contact your Atlas Copco representative today.

What are the Benefits of Genuine Oil in Compressors?

The use of genuine oil can help reduce the risk of breakdown to your compressed air system. The benefits of using genuine compressor oil includes maximum uptime, performance and lifetime. Here at Atlas Copco we have a range of genuine compressor oils designed for your specific needs. Our unique mix of compressor oils will prevent corrosion, contamination and premature wear to your compressor. What does Our oils contain anit-oxidation and anti-foaming to ensure maximum protection. To find out more about our one-of-a-kind lubricant speak to us today on 01202922391 and discover even more benefits.

How often does the oil in my air compressor need to be changed?

This applies only to Atlas Copco oil-injected type compressors. We recommend that you change the oil every 3 months at minimum. For some compressors like rotary screw compressors we’d recommend changing oil every 4000-8000 hours of use. This is subject to the recommendation listed in the documentation that comes with the machine.

How do I make sure my compressed air is free from contaminants?

The most common contaminant comes in liquid form - a combination of condensate and oil. Water and oil can carry bacteria and dirt. You’re going to need an air drying and filtration system attached to the air compressor. When you set up an Energy Audit via our Airscan program with Atlas Copco experts, we can guide you on what type of correction you will need.