Hiatachi EC12 compressor question
Hey,
I have a Hiatchi EC12 compressor question. Recently the regulator crapped out on me (internal spring failure) so I picked up a new one and installed it (correctly i believe). There is a small pressure relief valve in the back of the whole regulator / switch box mechanism that connects to a line that leads directly to one of the tanks. This was not replaced or messed with. That valve has a small pin hole that as I assume releases air until the pressure comes down to the pressure that you have set it at. Now when I re-installed the regulator and turned the compressor on, it pumped up to about 110 PSI and turned off. Then air leaked out of that pin hole until the pressure dropped to about 40PSI. I turned the regulator 10 times or so and got it to stop at only 45 PSI the next time. Long story short, I have cranked the regulator around about 150 more times and now there is air leakage thru the pin hole to about 100 PSI before it stops. I’d like to get to 120PSI for the framing nailer (one of these days) and the regulator shows no sign of running out of turns.
I never paid attention to it much before it broke cause I kept it set at 120 PSI and all I used was the framing nailer on it. I can’t find anything on it through the Hitachi web site.
My question is; how many turns should it take to change to pressure regulator between say 100 and 120 PSI? I would think maybe 5 or 6 not 45. Am I doing something wrong or is the regulator?
Any help would be appreciated.
Replies
That part is an "unloader" if I'm correctly imagining the part. It's purpose is to vent the head pressure when the pressure switch turns the compressor off. Maybe that needs cleaned or replaced. A lever comes down on the pin when the pressure switch is off, check that the pin didn't get bent. They're pretty cheap.
Edited 4/12/2007 10:07 pm ET by MarkH
Thanks.
I took that pin / relief valve assembly out and blew it out a bit. Put it back in and worked the same. Cranked the regulator about 25 more times and now it seems to work fine at 120PSI and then it kicks in again at about 95 PSI like it used to. I find it odd the number of rotations it takes.
Thanks for your input.
David