Baldor L1410T, 5hp motor

[rusty]

ok, i finally found the specs on that thing, it's rather old ;P

There was a wire factory installed from the top left terminal, behind the 3 heavy wires, down to the top terminal on the side of the bottom block. The top 2 terminals are the contactor coil. The bottom left side terminals are the switch terminals, and probably a cutout for the motor protector (The product specs kinda suck and don't describe the protector, other than it's a bi-metal type).

I suppose the first question is, what is the rating on the pressure switch?
If it is good for 30 amps, you don't really need the contactor for anything, you could just move the 3 feed wires to the other side of it and use only the motor protector.

If it is not rated for 30 amps, you should wire it so it uses the contactor, otherwise you will eventually burn it up..

normal wiring for it would be:
(small wires)

Factory jumper wire from top left terminal, to left side, top terminal.
wire from top right terminal to one of the feed wires. (to supply the power for the coil)

wire from the left side, bottom terminal to the pressure switch top right terminal.
wire from pressure switch bottom right terminal back to the Other feed wire.

No other wires on the pressure switch

Wires that used to go through the pressure switch, now go straight to the motor.

Technically, you are supposed to have a disconnect switch on this thing also, unless it plugs in.

Now..tell me what the ground is connected to, before you electrocute yourself ;P

[1930]

I need to look this over further and may have some more questions for clarification but thanks so much for your time. It is nice that you are able to find information like this that might otherwise not put too use.

The ground as I mentioned from the feed goes into the box, is joined onto the lug at the far right, comes out the bottom lug on the far right, ( when there is contact made ) goes directly over to another lug in the far right lower corner of this box where a bolt passes thru the lug and is screwed directly into the compressor motor base which is the welded onto the top of that air tank.

Dont know if it was necessary but I ran a third wire ( ground wire ) from the base of the little contact box ( farthest right little box where I am assuming the pressure switch is mounted as well if I am correct ) back over and up into the same lug that was just mentioned farthest right lower corner of this same switch box that we were just discussing.

You say ...........it's rather old............can you give at least a ballpark clarification. I was thinkig mid or late eightes, thought I had already confirmed that but that info now eludes me

[rusty]

>can you give at least a ballpark clarification. I was thinkig mid or late eightes,
Only vaguely, probably before 1979, but possibly only before 1996 (after 96 it would say siemens on it)
It was listed as discontinued in some places, but not others, so it probably means only certain variations of it were obsoleted...

The ground should come into the box, go under the copper lug, and go from the copper lug out to the compressor. no jumper to anything on the contactor, no ground connected to anything on the contactor. The lug is bolted to the box, that grounds the box, that's *all* you ground in the box.

I am assuming it is really a ground in your feed (goes back to the panel, and is connected to the ground bar, with all the bare wires on it, not to the neutral bar, with all the white wires on it...)

(Note: If you have an older panel , you might have both the white and bare wires on the same bar, in which case it doesn't matter)

It is supposed to be green colored wire btw ;P

[1930]

Well Rusty I finally got around yesterday to finishing that wiring on the comp. I had to play around with it a bit. I hooked a jumper wire from the top left rear lug in the back to the top front left lug  and the right rear top lug to the right front top lug and it energized that switch to pull it in and it turns on and shuts off as it should fine.

There is a pretty good buzzing noise that I can hear. When the comp. hits its 200 psi it automatically shuts off and that is the time I can hear the buzzing noise. I am able to see that it is the switch ( the same one that I just energized ) it is vibrating slightly I guess. I am assuming this is normal?

I would like to put a separate on/off switch somewhere other than throwing the circuit breaker in my shop which is how I have it wired now to turn on and off. I will prob. throw one in there somewhere.

In hindsight I maybe didn't go the right way with this comp. purchase either. If you figure I paid 600 bucks for it than had to buy a 4 hundred dollar motor since I did not have the 3 phase plus I really don't have any idea how many hours its clocked or how well its been maintained you can see that maybe I just should have spent the 2 gees ( not that I had it ) for a brand new one.

I do however feel that maybe it is a better built comp since it is quite a few years old so that makes it a little better and I would not be surprised with the little that I will ever use it compared to its potential I prob. wont ever have to buy another so all in all I am not disappointed but maybe just would have asked for a better deal in its initial purchase price had I known what it was gonna take to get it usable again.

The thing sat a long time with air in it after being disconnected and transported to the sellers house where it sat outdoors and so I am thinking that maybe this is why I am getting sludge as thick as soup out my drain line still.

I have run it and drained it a few time and yet still the rusty sludge ( no offense ) is coming out. I guess maybe I should look for a removable plug somewhere, I guess theres gotta be a way to open up the tank and rinse it out?

Anyway thanks again for the help

[rusty]

Buzzing is probably a loose coil in the contactor, happens when they get old, won't hurt anything, just annoying...

(If you had wired the pressure switch through the contactor, it would be off when the compressor stopped, and not making noises and wasting electricity ;P

That is also where an on off switch could go, tho, ideally, you should have a real disconnect type switch near the compressor...

>maybe I just should have spent the 2 gees
You got out for half price and a bit of sweat, not a bad deal.

Is the sludge oily? Or just rusty?
Sitting with air in it didn't hurt it, after some point it used up all the oxygen in that air and stopped rusting, leaving water in it wasn't ideal tho...

Keep blowing it down, it will clean out after a while, also, keep in mind, if it is the least bit humid out, you are also adding water running the compressor....that's why you drain it daily ;P

(The shop compressor here, which is in very good condition, and fairly well maintained, nevertheless drools rusty sludge when drained, it is the way it is....steel + water=rust+sludge)

>maybe it is a better built comp since it is quite a few years old ...
I like that logic, seeing as Rusty is quite a few years old.....

Curtus made very good compressors for years, that thing should make you happy for years...
(Until you blow up the plastic airline and make shrapnel grenades)
>When the comp. hits its 200 psi
Using pipe rated 150PSI....

Personally, unless you really need 200psi for something, I would set the thing at 150, or at most 175, it's a lot easier on the compressor and regulators....

Now...have you actully *done* anything with that compressed air yet? Changed a tire? Sandblasted the misses coffee table? Dusted something off?

[1930]

I am going to make you a drawing of how I wired it Rusty, you can maybe tell me a better way, maybe a way to wire that pressure switch as you mention. Still not even sure where the heck that switch is!
 
You said the two words that make my blood boil ..........wasting electricity............Might be opening a can of worms but I have no choice but to try at least now, and anyway if its going bad than I am sure it being constantly buzzing like that will only shorten its life even more.

Might be you mean to by-pass this buzzer box ( thats what Ill call it from now on ) and if thats the case than Ill just wait for it to go bad before I do anything. Hate to get rid of it since it is there and I was able to use the original wiring I.E I didnt have to buy any new
Maybe you have already told me, my reading comprehension is pretty poor so pictures always work best with me.

Just a thought, many ( and I mean alot ) of bodyshops here in Fl ( of course just the independents ) use PVC pipe and run the same pressure. I have only seen one pipe blow and it just happened to be the one right behind me as I was working.

Startled me but that was all, just broke out the glue and a sleeve and no problem done. It had been there from what I was told 30 plus years anyway. My point is that I am not too worried about it, short PVC section within the room that houses comp and from there is goes underground ( under a pile of gravel ) over to my workshop and then an even shorter line of PVC inside the shop. Rubber hose from there which by the way is a way another shop I worked at was plumbed, all rubber hose and that hose had been there again a long time.

[mikeswrenches]

1930,

PVC is an absolute no no for air lines.  One of the mfgs. of PVC even mentioned it in some of their literature.  That being said I know it is used a lot with no problems.  We used it in our shops for years until the following happened.

We built a new store in West Palm Beach some years ago that had a separate little building for the compressor, and as we had always done, used PVC for the air line.  Had a piece of hose from the compressor over to the 1 1/2 PVC on the wall, then underground into the main shop.  SOP was to turn off the compressor every night.  Well as will happen, one night this wasn't done.  The next day when we came in there was plastic shrapnel every where.  It had dented the starter box to the point that it had to be replaced.  Had anyone been in there when this exploded, they would have been seriously hurt.

Apparently this was one of those "perfect storm" events.  The pressure switch failed, the relief valve didn't relieve, and the circuit breaker didn't trip.  The weakest link then became the PVC pipe.

If I had a compressor in an area where I was working I would not use PVC.  Copper pipe is a little more expensive but will not shatter like PVC.

And as Rusty pointed out, use a circuit breaker that is rated at less than the maximum amperage draw of the motor.  You want it to trip!!! if there is a malfunction.  Also make sure your relief valve works.  It may be all crudded up and won't work.  Cheap insurance is to get a new one.  They aren't all that expensive.  Get one that is rated a little higher than your max working pressure.  And again, as Rusty said, keep your working pressure down to a reasonable level.  Unless there is some reason you need 300 psi, 150-175 psi would be more reasonable.  An added benefit of the lower pressure is that it takes less electricity.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Mike

[amertrac]

Also, don't take this the wrong way,but, I *assume* you have the motor bolted down....cause it's a big motor, and bad things happen otherwise....
(I have seen guys test a motor on the floor...with interesting results

I have a 6 inch scar on the inside of my leg from a electric motor climbing up it.   bob w.

[1930]

Thanks for the input

[1930]

I am trying to dial down the air pressure, there is a manual for this comp. avail on-line but I cannot see where it mentions setting the pressure.

Through fumbling around with the two little screws at the rear of this gizmo ( one is plastic and the other steel )  I have been able to get it dialed down so that it kicks back on at approx 100 pounds but again will not shut off till it reaches 150.

Still seems a little high for me, anyone here recognize this switch and maybe give me clear directions on the proper procedure?

[rusty]

Many of those switches only have one adjustment. (called 'fixed differential') You set the min-max range by buying the switch with that range. The single adjustment sets only the pressure mid point...

Also, those switches come in different pressure ranges, they are not adjustable over an unlimited range, for example you may have a 135-175 pound switch, if so, that's all you are gonna get....

It should tell you that on the cover somewhere....

It is almost impossible to ID a switch looking at it, only the cover is different, everyone has copied the basic design for decades...

(A new one only costs about $30 or so, unless it needs an unloader (tubing connected to the bottom in addition to  the one going to the tank))

[1930]

Thanks Rusty, maybe I can steal the switch off my old comp. I believe it may have been a lower setting.

[OilyRascal]

starting to sound like my backhoe project - an expensive education :)

Seriously - my hat off to you for you commitment to this compressor.  I know how expensive a proposition it can get to be.  I've been working to get the IR back going in the shop - hydrotested the tank $$$$ - had the electric driver replaced $$$$- reworked the compressor sightglass $$$$ - hours cleaning melted plastic where someone thought cooling the compressor with a buck of water on top was good - now the 600V starter has taken a dump (hanging) - and it is obsolete running nearly $250 for a replacement.

I paid $25 (new) for the 6hp 60 gallon Coleman blackmax I have in my garage.  It has never asked for anything other than draining daily and oil.  It has never failed to serve my needs.

[1930]

Many of those switches only have one adjustment. (called 'fixed differential') You set the min-max range by buying the switch with that range. The single adjustment sets only the pressure mid point...

Also, those switches come in different pressure ranges, they are not adjustable over an unlimited range, for example you may have a 135-175 pound switch, if so, that's all you are gonna get....

It should tell you that on the cover somewhere....

It is almost impossible to ID a switch looking at it, only the cover is different, everyone has copied the basic design for decades...

(A new one only costs about $30 or so, unless it needs an unloader (tubing connected to the bottom in addition to  the one going to the tank))

I fiddled around a bit more this A.M with that switch and I was able to dial it down to kicking on at 90 and kicking off at 125. It seems much happier now and that is where I believe I will leave it.

Still havent found out the purpose of the black plastic screw, seem to make no difference either way.

I think Im gonna leave it wired as is also, it dosent seem to be humming nearly as loud and so I better not try and fiddle with it further. Thanks again for all your help.