Air compressor keeps cutting off?

[Etrious]

So I’m trying to pop the rivets on my skoolie with an air hammer to raise the roof. Problem is the air compressor keeps cutting off, I think it’s tripping the generator. It’s a 3000 watt generator, the air compressor is a 10 gallon, 120 volt, 13 amp, runs 4.3 scfm @ 90 PSI. The air hammer needs 4cfm @90 PSI. The first day I went an hour or so before the air compressor cut off. The compressor is brand new out the box generator is a rental. The next day it would only run for maybe 15 minutes before cutting off.

There is no power at the lot my bus is on so I really need an air compressor/generator set up to work.. Generator has oil and gas and is not turning off when the air compressor does. Compressor doesn’t use oil so it’s not that.

I think I’m going to return the compressor and try renting a bigger compressor and generator but idk if that will solve my problem… any ideas?

[Kentucky Dreaming]

Air compressor running 120 volts at 13 amps is only pulling 1560 watts. Your post is a bit confusing. What is actually stopping?? The compressor or generator?

[PorchDog]

Air compressor motors can draw a lot of amps while starting. the Generator may not be up to supplying the initial starting current required by the air compressor. A 6000 watt generator might solve your problem.

[Etrious]

Originally Posted by Kentucky Dreaming

Air compressor running 120 volts at 13 amps is only pulling 1560 watts. Your post is a bit confusing. What is actually stopping?? The compressor or generator?

The air compressor is cutting off.. I believe it’s tripping the generator.

[fo4imtippin]

Originally Posted by PorchDog

Air compressor motors can draw a lot of amps while starting. the Generator may not be up to supplying the initial starting current required by the air compressor. A 6000 watt generator might solve your problem.

I agree, mine pulls near 30amps for 1 second on startup. Motor startups are hard. If mine is on an extension cord (even 10g) it trips the breaker. Bigger generator is needed.

[HamSkoolie]

Originally Posted by Etrious

The first day I went an hour or so before the air compressor cut off.

My guess from the available information is that you are exceeding the compressors duty cycle and it is overheating. Running a consumer grade small compressor that barely puts out the air flow needed for the tools being operated is likely over working the unit.


If the generator continues to run and no breakers on the generator are "popped" it is your compressor. It likely has an over temperature circuit that shuts it off until it cools down. I have a much larger tank and compressor. If it's running a lot I will work 15 minutes and then stop using the air for 15 minutes so that the duty cycle is slightly less than 50% (the compressor doesn't run continuously but it does run a lot.

[Booyah45828]

Rent a gas powered air compressor. They'll typically be a lot more cfm then what a 120v compressor will be, and you're already renting equipment anyways.

Plug your current compressor into a wall outlet to see if it's ruined or not. Googling your specs came up with an identical harbor freight unit. Not knocking harbor freight, but the guarantee they give you isn't that the product will work, only that they'll continue to replace it when it stops. So that unit might be ruined.....

FYI a lot of your cheap compressors aren't constant duty, so keep that in mind when spec'ing units.

[Etrious]

See I’m not exactly sure how to tell if the generators breaker popped but it does start flashing a little red light and if I completely turn the generator off and back on the air compressor will turn on again (if I try to turn the compressor back on without restarting the generator it won’t turn on).

It seems general consensus is bigger generator/air compressor is needed. Hoping that fixes the problem cause if so it’s a pretty easy fix. �� first time having to work with either so it’s been “fun” troubleshooting.