Summer Care: 9 Steps to Keep Your Air Compressor Running Smoothly

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Summer Care: 9 Steps to Keep Your Air Compressor Running Smoothly

Release time:

2025-06-16

How to Maintain an Air Compressor in Summer

In summer, every 10 °C increase in ambient temperature leads to a 20%–25% decrease in motor cooling efficiency. Simultaneously, for every 10 °C rise in winding temperature, insulation life is halved.

Additionally, bearing lubricant viscosity deteriorates at high temperatures. When oil film thickness drops below 3 μm, wear rate doubles, and oxidative degradation produces sludge that can clog oil passages, causing bearing seizure or rotor-stator contact.

1. Insulation Protection

Use a 500V megohmmeter weekly to test winding-to-ground insulation resistance (≥0.5 MΩ is safe).
If ambient humidity >80%, test daily.
If insulation resistance drops sharply, immediately dry using 80 °C hot air circulation or 30% rated current heating.

2. Lubrication Upgrade

In summer, replace regular grease with high-temperature synthetic grease (e.g., Mobil SHC634, Shell Gadus S2 V220) with:
Dropping point >240 °C
Viscosity grade: VG68
Grease replenishment interval shortened by 30% (from 1000–2000 hours to 700–1400 hours).
Reduce grease fill from 70% to 60% to avoid hindering heat dissipation.

3. Cooling Methods by Machine Type

A. Air-Cooled Models

Clean cooling fins daily (dust buildup >1 mm reduces efficiency by 30%).
Add a wind guide cover to increase airflow to 12 m/s, improving cooling efficiency by 30%.
Maintain room temperature at ≤45 °C; use industrial fans or air conditioners as needed.

B. Water-Cooled Models

Optimal cooling water inlet temperature: ≤35 °C
Temperature difference between inlet and outlet: <8 °C
Water pressure differential: ≥0.15 MPa
Monthly check water hardness (>200 mg/L requires softening)
Twice yearly chemical cleaning of heat exchanger tubes.

4. Vibration and Noise Monitoring

Abnormal vibration (>4.5 mm/s) or sharp friction sounds may indicate lubrication failure or rotor-stator contact.

In summer, perform twice-daily manual touch checks at bearing end caps.

Listen for:

High-pitched whine → Lack of lubrication
Low thuds → Friction or collision
Stop machine immediately for inspection if abnormalities are detected.

5. Electrical Safety Special Inspection

Tighten wiring terminals monthly (thermal expansion/contraction may loosen connections)
Clean carbon buildup from contact points.
Replace blue/blackened terminals (signs of oxidation).
Install a temperature control system in the inverter cabinet (keep cabinet temp ≤40 °C).
Replace power cables with 150 °C heat-resistant types.

6. Post-Shutdown Protection

After power-off, thoroughly clean motor, apply lithium-based anti-rust grease to bearings (dropping point ≥180 °C).
Weekly manual shaft rotation (3–5 turns) to prevent seizure.
Monthly no-load run for 30 minutes to remove moisture.
If shutdown exceeds one week, follow all above procedures strictly.

7.Summer Emergency Maintenance Protocols

Winding Overtemperature→ Immediately clean air intake filter and fan cover; check room ventilation.
Cooling Water Overheating→ Add ice to water tank for temporary cooling.
Inverter Overheating:→ Clear lint and debris from cooling air channels to prevent arc fire.