Hi, Just got a decent deal on a Rol Air compressor. It was shop worn but new, never used. The regulator was tweaked so they tossed in a new Amflo one. Nice deal..Until I tried to cut corners and install the Amflo reg. by disassembling it. Otherwise I’d be forced to take off the pump cowling not too easy.. I busted part of it while rebuilding it. Cheap plastic junk…
Anyway I took a closer look at the one that came with the compressor and tried to see what was up. Evidently the knob had just got kicked a little and a little sicky. I took it apart and was pleased to find nice brass and steel as I imagined would be a good idea. Anyway I put it together and it seems to work.
These gadgets look deceptingly simple, basically a spring and a diaphragm.
Hence my question: Is this a work or no work deal? I mean once I get the gauge one (keep reading) and it is accurate there should be no problem as long as it adjusts as all the fail safe pressure relief is down stream..right?
Oh yea the guage..All the other fittings screwed right in and the threads seems sound but I can’t get a typical gauge to screw in. Are there different patterns? Metric maybe?
Thanks,
Al
Edited 10/15/2006 1:02 am ET by Allen
Replies
That's right, if it works, it works. The regulator is seperate from the shut off switch that keeps the compressor from building up too much pressure.
Gauges come in 1/8 and 1/4 pipe thread. . . have you tried both?
I replaced the regulator on my emglo with a small used industrial one off of ebay. I had to shoehorn it in there a little bit, but it's better than the original.
zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
regarding the gauge, if the piping you used is standard NPT the gauge port should be standard as well...
provided you use a gauge that matches the capacity of the unit.
...." as all the fail safe pressure relief is down stream..right? "
the " fail-safe " is at the relief valve on the tank before the regulator along with a properly functioning pressure switch...
PLEASE DO NOT ADJUST THE PRESSURE SWITCH
all a regulator does is provide the proper PSI for a given tool, it does not turn the compressor on or off
there are several devices in the circuit..
a pop-off relief valve,
the P.S.,
a check valve,
an unloader mechanism,
a regulator, a filter, and maybe a line lubricator......and a drain
you need to avoid fiddling around with both the the relief valve and the pressure switch....they should be considered non-adjustable.. do not attempt repairs...replace them when they malfunction
if the unloader quits working, your compressor WILL have difficulty starting.
.you will hear a short hissing sound when the pump stops if the unloader is operating
....it is located within the P.S. BTW
if you hear a constant hissing while the motor is off and start-up is very hard, the check valve is bad and is bleeding the tank off thru the unloader
oh yeah.....the tubing around the pump gets VERY hot after the pump cycles just one time....be careful
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Thanks Guys,I know my limitations and while pretty good at getting things back together in a fashion that looks right...I know somethings, despite being obvious, are best 3x checked.I'd swear I had the gauge on it while I was fiddling around. Just smoothly hand tight..but now it's a no-go. Todays project...Al
no-go?
sounds like you cross threaded it........
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Hi and thanks again for all the help.Come to find out the regulator has metric threads..13mm to be exact. Danged line guage is pretty much a special item..BTW.Rol Air no longer makes the classic twin tank 2hp compressor. The kind like the Airmate so ubiquitous the past few decades. All china fini pumps and cheap components assembled in USA.The ones you see on the shelf are it...won't see those likes again..ever....AllenBTW
They still make one or 2 others in Itally and USA with high quality components but if current trends continue....
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well that makes perfect sense......goodluck,maybe you can have the port tapped for standard thread?.
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That's what I would do. Tap out that port to standard threads.
Carpe that ol' diem ! ~LisaL
of course you would ..... you doodyhead ! ;^/.
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Good idea..I can't seem to find anything but a deep tap though...it will bottom out before it starts to cut the threads thoroughly. Unless I take it further apart and I'm a bit gun shy.I'll only do this as Rol Air was kind enough to hear my dilema and send me a brand new assembly free. So now I can have one one with metric threaded line gauge and standard!! Wow!My belly button is rapidly puckering and un puckering at the very thought!!!Al
you can't find the right tap because you need a NPT tap...
which is tapered and will definitely not bottom out.....most likely 1/4 or 3/8a regular tap is no good this time.
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Hi,OK this ought to do it. Concerning the line gauge. I went to Tool Depot in Encinitas, CA(highly recommended BTW!) and they took a typical guage off the shelf and it almost fit. This was standard pipe threaded Amflo guage; about $7. They tapped it out for me for free and it threaded right on! Oddly I have 2 brand new ones from elsewhere that in no way would thread on.I'm starting to thing I got false info from RolAir and this was standard thread just a bit tweaked as a good gauge with pipe threads pretty much fit. They actually spec'd out 13mm which occurred to me is 1/2"! and in no way is it that big.So if anyone else stumbles upon this thread concerning Rol Air line guages...they easily tap out to standard guage or in fact may be despite contrary info from RolAir.....sigh....Al
All's well then......!good luck, sounds like you found a new toy store in Encinitas.
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