Air compressor Gee Whiz info

"Greg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just got my new Cambell Hausfeld 6.25HP Home Depot compressor going.
After
> the break in (don't forget to stick an empty jack in the air chuck to
release
> the air) I decided to do some checking to see what I really had.
> This says 6.25HP but we know that is a lie if it is 120v. The motor says
"SPL"
> in the HP field but the FLA says 15A so that makes it nominally about 1HP.
> I hooked up my clamp on amp meter setup and cranked it up. It starts out
around
> 12a and quickly builds to 14. <sumpin> as the pressure comes up. It is
quickly
> cruising around 14.8- 14.9 As it approaches 80PSI the amps is 15 and
around
> 100PSI it is 15.2 and then starts dropping off. At 150 where it makes the
> pressure switch it was back down to 13.9 or so. I assume this is the same
> phenomena as a vacuum speeding up and dropping current draw when you plug
the
> hose.
> The amp readings do explain why these things don't work on a 15a. I am
really
> curious how they get away with putting a NEMA 5-15 plug on this thing!
> It certainly should be a 5-20. It does recomend that this should be on a
> dedicated 20a circuit. I guess I am breaking out the Kliens.

No wonder my 15amp GFI in the garage trips all the time when I plug my 6.5hp
Craftsman compressor into it.
Usually I plug it into my 20amp garage door opener outlet in the ceiling and
it works fine.
Gotta get that GFI changed out.......

<Greg G.> wrote
> DAMHIKT.

What does this mean?

In article <[email protected]>,
Mark <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>Don wrote:
>> <Greg G.> wrote
>>
>>>DAMHIKT.
>>
>>
>> What does this mean?
>>
>
>
>
>Don't Ask Me How I know This


Don't Ask Me How I know *THAT* DAHMIKT, DAMIT!

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 03:54:18 GMT, "Don" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
><Greg G.> wrote
>> DAMHIKT.
>
>What does this mean?

It means "I learned this the hard way"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

Greg wrote:
As it approaches 80PSI the amps is 15 and around
> 100PSI it is 15.2 and then starts dropping off. At 150 where it makes the
> pressure switch it was back down to 13.9 or so. I assume this is the same
> phenomena as a vacuum speeding up and dropping current draw when you plug the
> hose.



Counter EMF. My guess is it's coming under a load that actually 'pushes
back' and restricts loading.

Another thing is we would need voltage readings to know more of what was
going on. If the Buss isn't pushing the needed voltage under load your
amperage will be higher.

Truth is I can't bring something into the house and plug it into it's
100 amp box and expect the same performance I get from the shops 200
ampere service.

In my shop the 15 amp plug may never approach 15 amps but in the house
it may not be able to run on a 15 amps because of the old
voltage-amp-watt thing.


So much for practical application verses theory. Hey, it all looks good.
On paper.


--

Mark

N.E. Ohio


Never argue with a fool, a bystander can't tell you apart. (S. Clemens,
A.K.A. Mark Twain)

When in doubt hit the throttle. It may not help but it sure ends the
suspense. (Gaz, r.moto)

Greg said:

>The amp readings do explain why these things don't work on a 15a. I am really
>curious how they get away with putting a NEMA 5-15 plug on this thing!
>It certainly should be a 5-20. It does recomend that this should be on a
>dedicated 20a circuit. I guess I am breaking out the Kliens.

And even when installing a 20 amp breaker, you may STILL kick it.
DAMHIKT. You should get a high magnetic trip breaker to serve 120v
motor loads, or be prepared to reset the damned thing at the most
inopportune times. I have a CH '6HP' model that runs on 120V, can't
be rewired for 240 (crap!), on a dedicated 20 amp circuit with 10
gauge wire about 20 feet from an 80 amp Square-D sub-panel wired #4.
Kicks the breaker on startup about 15% of the time, especially when
cold. The motor MFG blanked out the true HP rating with "SPEC" but
the FLAs are listed as 15, same as yours. May even be the same model.
A temporary solution is... never mind... I don't want to go there. <g>

Breakers higher than 20 amp are generally not 'fast trip', but generic
15 and 20 amp breakers that will be used on consumer 120v lines are.
The dual pole 240v breakers are generally not 'fast trip' designs. Be
prepared to order the HM breakers, as many supply houses apparently
don't stock them. FWIW,

Greg G.

"Greg" writes:

<snip>

> I am really
> curious how they get away with putting a NEMA 5-15 plug on this thing!
> It certainly should be a 5-20. It does recomend that this should be on a
> dedicated 20a circuit. I guess I am breaking out the Kliens.

You definitely want a 1P-20A c'bkr & #12AWG wire for your compressor;
however, the plug and receptacle are 100% rated to handle 15A all day long.

OTOH, 1 c'bkr is only rated to handle 80% of nameplate rating on a
continuous basis, thus a 1P-20A device is only rated at 16A under continuous
load.

HTH


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: <http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett> for Pictures

Don wrote:
> <Greg G.> wrote
>
>>DAMHIKT.
>
>
> What does this mean?
>



Don't Ask Me How I know This




>

--
--

Mark

N.E. Ohio


Never argue with a fool, a bystander can't tell you apart. (S. Clemens,
A.K.A. Mark Twain)

When in doubt hit the throttle. It may not help but it sure ends the
suspense. (Gaz, r.moto)