Problems with a used Baure Jr II
Bought a used Bauer Jr II compressor, does not have an hour meter but the original owner kept very explicit notes even down to running it just to exercise it with dates and amount of time ran. It has approximately 30 hours on it per his notes. I have an Hour gauge on order, should be here next week. Compressor was shipped via FedEx from Colorado to Alabama.The dealer that sold it to me gave me a 30 day warranty in writing, “return within 30 days, no questions asked” plus used normal PayPal. The shipper built an excellent pallet and plywood box cover but FedEx did treat it rough. It was bolted down to the pallet, but the bolts had broken the pallet. Cracked the belt shroud, dealer is ordering a new one, hopefully will file a claim against FedEx.
2 things I noticed while un-crating it. 1st, there is a place in the cord that appears “mashed”. Probably should have already got my Fluke meter out and ohm the power cord. Also while looking for problems, took the intake filter cover off and got about 2 table spoons of oil out. Would that indicate it had been other than ‘upright” while shipping? Called the dealer and he wasn’t sure about what might cause there to be oil up there. Can there be blow by that would force oil in the intake? He encouraged me to run it to see what it would do. So I ran it for 2 hours tonight, purging the 3 valves every 15 minutes. 1st and 2nd stage did have some water but the 3rd stage had quite a bit of a milky looking substance and water. In a vehicle,that would indicate a blown head gasket at least, don’t know about a compressor. It never mover the pressure gauge and could feel nothing when I cracked the fill valve.
I am sure from all I have read on this forum, someone has the answers. This is my 1st dealings with a HPA Compressor.
The dealer had ran it last week to air up 2 tanks to insure it was working properly.
Any help, thoughts or input will be greatly appreciated
Charles
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Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
guykuo hit the nail on the head. A big thanks to you for the advise. The valve was screwed all the way down. After running the circuit, OPENED the valve, plugged it in, set the breaker and hit the switch. I did not time it but in about a minute, the gauge showed 1900 psi and rising. Got both my 44 and 88 cu ft tanks full to 4500 psi, even let them sit a couple of hours, had to watch a little football. Went back out and topped both tanks off. Left the out there over night to cool more. After the rain passed, the temps dropped and the humidity did also. I knew if I asked enough people, someone had the knowledge I didn’t. Will know next time.
Thanks for all the help and sharing the knowledge.
Charles
You run it for 2h with no pressure?
It is working on some extent cos there is water coming from the separators so it’s compressing air.
Did you hook it up to a bottle and is the filler whip valve open?
And one more question did you get to look a manual on running it, if you didn’t get one it’s available online.
Those bauers are pretty solidly built and knocking it on its side should not break it.
Hope you get it sorted.
Marko
My thoughts exactly on the oil in the intake air filter, didn’t know exactly where it would come into the system but can’t be normal. If using for breathing air, there could be no oil in the top end of the compressor. The pressure when purging the valves was not strong whatsoever. some but not much. Yes, I even have an inline gauge I had built (male, tee with 6000psi gauge, female) put a dead head in it and checked, also hooked it to another bottle to check also, everything showed no pressure. I have read the online version of the manual several times before ever purchasing the Bauer, have it saved to my PC, tablet and phone. Would love to get my hands on the shop manual. The only thing I can think of is it was shipped on its side somewhere between there and here, allowing oil to get on top of the compressor pistons, this is only a theory from working on vehicles 40 plus years, but I have been wrong before and probably will be again. I have never been one to deny I did something wrong.
Just had a conversation with the dealer. It in now in the hands of the dealer to file a damage claim on FedEx or take care of the repairs, takes a load off me. He gave me the option of getting a refund or wait till it is sent direct to Bauer for a rebuild/repair. That depends on timing, if the rebuild won’t take months on end, yea I will wait (as long as the warranty agreement is extended by the dealer). If it is just being sent back to the dealer, who does not have the setup to rebuild one by his own admission. I will be getting a refund, but that decision will be Monday at the earliest also depending on FedEx investigation. Yes I took pics all the way through.
Surprises me at times how people can ignore signs. http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q320/pappy50/Resized_20160916_120117_zpsveghsfn5.jpeg
Thanks for all the input,
Charles
An easy mistake to make that results in zero final output compression is having the output filter tower’s pressure limit valve screwed all the way clockwise (as viewed from above). The usual reaction is to tighten the valve clockwise to close it when one sees zero output pressure. That’ just the opposite of what is needed.
Fully in clockwise manually forces the safety pop-off valve open. That is backwards from most other valves. That pop off valve is the one at the top of the filter tower. Rotating it several turns counter-clockwise put is in normal operating position and lets it close. When pressure gets to the compressor’s limit, the safety valve will open and vent the filter tower to avoid over pressure. All the way clockwise is manually opened state —> no pressurization of filter tower.
The compressor should build enough pressurize in about minute to open the pressure maintaining valve and output into the fill whip.
Sorry to hear about your troubles, oil can get from the crankcase to the intake filter via the crankcase breather hose. So the machine has been on its side or else there wouldn’t be oil in the filter.
You run it for 2h with no pressure?
It is working on some extent cos there is water coming from the separators so it’s compressing air.
Did you hook it up to a bottle and is the filler whip valve open?
And one more question did you get to look a manual on running it, if you didn’t get one it’s available online.
Those bauers are pretty solidly built and knocking it on its side should not break it.
Hope you get it sorted.
Marko
Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
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Good to hear you got it set, I was pretty sure it was just somethin missed and not broken compressor.
Guykuo had the info, and I’m pretty sure it’s in the manual as well.
Have fun shooting and enjoy the unlimited air supply, I know I do.
Marko