Air Compressor Repair: fixed endless air bleed and transfer tube modifications

See how I fix an issue with my Sanborn 60 gallon shop compressor. It was bleeding or unloading air endlessly and having a hard time starting. I show you how to modify the tank feed, replace the check valve, and make a new, custom transfer/discharge line out of copper tubing.
PRODUCTS:
Check Valve: amzn.to/3I0t4lX
3/8" ID Copper Tubing: www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-...
Compression sleeves for 3/8" ID or 1/2" OD tubing: www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-...
Black pipe fittings:
www.menards.com/main/plumbing...
www.menards.com/main/plumbing...
www.menards.com/main/plumbing...
www.menards.com/main/plumbing...

[@FixItScotty]

Links to the products I used are in the video description.

[@visor2929]

Soft copper tubing for ez bending. That shepherds hook looks real good. Blue loc tight works really well good once you find the leak.

[@FixItScotty]

Thanks for watching and for the info!

[@HubertusSchaper]

Nice work Scotty, with a running compressor again, -well-done 👍🏻👍🏻greetings.Hubertus☮️🇳🇴

[@ronyerke9250]

Another way to go with that transfer tube would be to make it a 2 piece with a double-ended flare or compression coupler in the middle. I really liked your check valve mod.

[@backyardkombi5466]

Glad you fixed it Scotty.

[@sholaalabi9729]

Great job, just about to do the same thing on my QT-5

[@C-M-E]

Just a few notes to help you and others who may run into this one day: a little propane torch and an adequate round surface make a good stand-in for copper pipe benders when you're not in the position to chunk out a few hundred dollars for a one-time job. Most everyone will probably have a short run of 2-2.5" diameter of pipe left over from something that make excellent short radius 'jigs' for this stuff. A telescoping length set inside as the leverage is useful for avoiding crimps, but rebar is also useful if you can avoid deforming your connection end while bending. At the risk of playing safety nanny, but welding on a pressure vessel can potentially turn your compressor tank into a ticking time bomb. What's likely happened is that rust has precariously thinned the affected area where you get pinholes from long-term internal corrosion, which is made worse when welding repairs are enacted as you get HAZ metal around the repair (heat affected zone) which is already structurally compromised. Compressor tanks are under tremendous stress, expanding and contracting with use. That welded area will inevitably burst at some point down the road in spectacular manner; the bigger the tank, the bigger the boom, aka large bomb. Anyway, most consumer level tanks have a service duration due to being very thin-walled at nominally 10 years, and the best way to avoid tank corrosion is draining after every use (daily is best) and having air line dryers/water separators. Big industrial tanks are a little different as they normally have 1/4" wall thicknesses or more and are routinely inspected. In the event you are unsure about its safety, doing a hydrostatic pressure test with a pressure washer at 150% service pressure is highly advised. Worst case, your repair will crack and you'll end up with a wet pant leg/shirt. Best case, it's perfectly fine and you'll eek out a little more life from your tank before you have to deal with replacement. Hell of a lot easier to deal with than the shrapnel bomb of a compromised tank!

[@FixItScotty]

Thanks for the info.

[@zundfolge1432]

holy ccrap a baywindow bus! 1964 bus here!

[@FixItScotty]

Nice! Split windows are cool. You came to the right channel; I have a whole playlist on restoring that bus. Thanks for watching!

[@zundfolge1432]

just scored a ingersoll rand air compressor for 25 bucks. also doing your compressor mods.

[@alex140666]

you may have a problem with the "?" shaped copper pipe. Hot humid air coming in contact with cooler copper pipe may form condensation which will go back into the compressor (gravity) and contaminate the oil.

[@FixItScotty]

I will keep an eye on that. If I do see moisture in the elbow, I could probably change it to a Tee and add a drip leg. Thanks for the comment!

[@sotm2]

That small port on the compressor head is called an unloader port. It relieves pressure from the head so that compressor restart is easier.

[@FixItScotty]

Unloader port. Now I know the correct name. Thank you.

[@sotm2]

They make tubing benders that make bending copper tubing a breeze!! They also make specialized flaring tools for flaring the ends of copper tubing!!

[@FixItScotty]

Yes. Bending copper rather than using preformed fittings is much more common in the UK than here. It would be nice to have a 3/8" bender, but I would rarely have a use for it.

[@scottgrossman9080]

Thank you tremendously lol for a year I've been trying to find a video with the same problem as I've been having and "yatzee" you were in the same boat now the decision of when to tackle this project?? Great video my name is Scott also go figure

[@FixItScotty]

Glad I could help. If you don't have the additional problems that I had, just changing the check valve could be a quick 20 minute fix. Good luck Scott!

[@JR-pd9xz]

I really need your help - I have 80 gal. compressor - my check valve started leaking - I replaced the 1/2 x 1/2 with 1/8 check valve - still leaks - I believe the threads on the top of the tank I may have messed up - your advice is greatly needed - I was your extension build in this video - please advise me - joe

[@FixItScotty]

Did you spray soapy bubbles on the fittings to see where it is leaking? What type of dope or sealant did you use on your pipe fittings? If you cross-threaded the riser in your tank and messed up the threads, you may have to re-tap them.

[@bobbyballard]

I am running a DeWalt 175psi on a husky motor and pump

[@FixItScotty]

Nice! I might be in the opposite boat as you. My tank sprang a leak last year. It was a small rust hole in the bottom. I welded it up and it's been fine since. My pump and motor may outlast this tank. We'll see. Thanks for watching!

[@Z-Ack]

Try out buying a smaller oil cooler or transmission cooler radiator style deal with 4 or 5 passes and connect it inline right after the compressor head feeding into the rest of the system.. another upgrade is installing an oil/water separator right after the little radiator and then into the check valve then tank.. youll get 5x the use out of the compressor tank before it rusts out plus all the air in the tank will be clean, dry air.. as long as a fan is used in conjunction with the radiator.. cheap and well worth the work and install…

[@FixItScotty]

Good tips. I will look into that. Thanks!

[@bobbyballard]

A smaller line runs from that smaller port u see to the check valve on a square D pressure switch

[@FixItScotty]

Yes, as I was doing this video I educated myself on the bleeder line. The pressure switch opens at the end of the cycle to bleed the pressure from the head (either from the head or top of check valve, it doesn't matter). That way when the cut-in pressure starts the motor, the pump isn't bound from pressure. I know you know this. Just reiterating for the other viewers.

[@jameerchavis640]

So a 1/2” female compression fitting will thread to a 1/2” male pipe fitting?? I need to create a tube aswell no luck online

[@FixItScotty]

No, compression and IP have different thread pitch. The check valve I installed was male IP on the bottom to thread into the tank and compression at the top for the transfer tube.

[@matthewwestover4250]

You killed the airflow with that.

[@FixItScotty]

Killed is a bit strong of a word. The airflow may be slightly more restricted, but it's been working great for a year now.

[@velvetypotato711]

is there aluminum tube that you can buy?

[@FixItScotty]

I'm sure you can buy the exact replacement part for this compressor which was an aluminum tube, but they are expensive and harder to find.

[@tylerreidl8447]

Was it bleeding air from the bleeder tube or from the check valve?

[@FixItScotty]

Air from the tank was escaping out of the broken/missing check valve back into the pump head via the fill tube and then finally escaping out of the bleeder tube.

[@tylerreidl8447]

I bought the same check valve you linked, but when I got it, the inlet side is an absurd 11/16" which I can't find a compression fitting for. Did you have that issue?

[@FixItScotty]

@@tylerreidl8447 I remember buying the 3/8" ID tubing, ferrules and sleeves from Home Depot. The compression ferrules and sleeves were in the plumbing aisle with the copper/brass fittings in bags (2-3 per pack) hanging on the wall. I have a link in the description for the ferrules, but I wish I would have taken a picture of the sleeves in the video. That would have been helpful. 🤦‍♂

[@FixItScotty]

@@tylerreidl8447 Wait, did you say 11/16"??? I believe it should be 1/2" OD compression. They may have sent the wrong product.

[@tylerreidl8447]

It's the one you have linked, they may have changed their listing, but yes it's a funky 11/16 size on top which I have never seen until now 😂

[@sammyprestwood3182]

That's actually called an exhaust tube