This page is for anyone that has air compressor wiring problems and cannot figure out how to fix it themselves.
It is important that, along with your question you upload a photo or two of the area on the air compressor power supply, ON/OFF switch, pressure switch connections, motor connections or capacitor connections where you are experiencing the problem. Doing so will help others help you.
Not being electricians, we are hesitant to offer specific electrical advice to others ourselves, though with adequate care and concern we have no problem monkeying around with the wires on our own air compressors.
Adequate care means to ensure that the power supply to the air compressor is off until you are ready to test it, and an understanding the air compressor capacitors are simply fast discharge batteries, and if the capacitor on your air compressor has a charge, then you can easily get zapped if you don’t take care.
We will certainly offer compressor wiring advice in general terms, like check to make sure your air compressor is plugged in and the like but cannot dispense specific electrical advice.
We expect that any air compressor wiring problems will be responded to fairly quickly by the host of visitors that visit this site.
Air Compressor Wiring Problems
Postings and responses are below. If you are in a position to offer advice to a questioner about their air compressor wiring problems, please do.
Hello! I got a new compressor and it stopped working a month later. I had to go to a different shop in a different state and get a new compressor shipped there since the compressor was under warranty. When the new shop changed out the compressor, they told me “wires connected to compressor were switched. the ‘rigging’ of the electrical connection pieces into compressor basically fried it over time”. When I called the original shop I went to, they told me if that was the case (wiring being switched), the compressor would have never turned on working in the first place. Can you clear up for me if the compressor could have worked if the wiring was switched? Is the old shop just pretending not to know?
Aliza, a good start would be to let us know the make and model of the air compressor in a comment here. We’ll see if we can find an answer for you.
Thank you for responding and your potential help. I’m not sure what the make/model of the air compressor is, but the car is a 2007 Ford E-150.
Aliza, sorry, I cannot help. Given that this site is about home and industrial air compressors, I’m not confident anyone else visiting this site can help you either. You likely want to post your question on one of the many forums about automotive issues. Good luck.
I’m trying to connect an older 6hp 220v compressor I bought, but never used, to a new house that has a NEMA 14-30 outlet.
I’ve been doing a lot of confusing research and I think I’ve discovered the compressor was connected to 110v in its previous life. The wiring was cut off so I can’t see how it was wired.
The cutoff wire running to the pressure controller looks like 12/2 with ground (black, white, bare copper) with an orange sheath (30 amp?). The motor connection to the controller is black / white / green. The controller connects black-black, white-white and green-ground.
My questions:
1) doesn’t 220v require 2 hot (Black) 1 common (White) and a ground (green/bare??)
2) did I miss another unused connection in the motor for a second hot wire?
3) do I need a new pressure controller to be able to run 220v?
(I know the compressor should be hard wired but I’ll address that after I have this beastie working)
I don’t enough to know what else to ask.
Thanks.
Rob
Rob, the label says 230 V single phase so that’s what you should be powering the motor with. I doubt very much if a previous owner tried to run that 6HP motor with 115 V. It wouldn’t run.
As to the specific wiring of your compressor and supply, I am not an electrician and will have to leave suggestions on that either to another visitor, or your electrician.
I suspect that the pressure switch on the until is already rated for 230 V, but if not, any replacement will have to be. Good luck.
Before I blow up the house, here is the compressor’s pressure controller and the NEMA 14-30 plug pigtail. If I understand correctly, I connect the black and red of the plug pigtail to the black and white of the compressor controller, the green of the plug pigtail to the ground of the controller and the white of the plug pigtail is not used. I appreciate everyone’s time and assistance. Rob
I have a SpeedAire compressor model 1Z721C. 2 stage, 3 hp, single phase. Motor is Dayton 5K675K 115/230.
I inherited this compressor and am installing it in my workshop. It came with a GE magnetic starter model CR306K1000AAMA. I have the starter and motor wired as follows;
120v to L1
120v to L2
L1 to top of coil
L2 to front terminal of overload
Back overload terminal to pressure switch
Pressure switch to bottom of coil
T1 on starter to T1 on motor
T2 on starter to T4 & T8 on motor
T2, 3 and 5 taped at motor
I can not get the motor to run with the starter & motor wired for 230v. The starter pulls in and 240v are present at motor. I used the diagram present on the motor to connect for 230v. In thinking the motor may be bad, I wired a cord directly to the motor for 115v and it runs fine, pressure switch works as well.
I am hoping someone can see something that I have wired wrong.
Can anyone help Kevin with this wiring problem?
I have a Porter-Cable pancake compressor. It is about 15 yrs old. Two days ago I plugged it in. It began to run slow and smell like an electrical burn. I tired it again a day later, same thing almost immediately. What is the fix/how do I figure it out?
I am assuming that the smell you refer to is coming from the motor? Has anything about your use of the compressor changed? When did it last work well?
Add a photo or two of the compressor when you respond, please. Thanks.
Sorry, no pic but it is model CFBN125N. It is the smell from the motor. I have used it intermittently as of late. so, no change in use. It worked just fine two weeks ago.
While I cannot see “under the hood” if the motor has a capacitor on it, that may be the issue. If it doesn’t, then I suspect the motor is pooched.
Thanks, I’ll check it out.
Why does a Craftsman 33 gallon air compressor melt the plug?
If you are speaking of the power cord plug melting, odds are pretty good you’ve got a much greater than normal power draw, and that could be a variety of issues including a short, motor failing, mechanical lock up of the pump stalling the motor etc., though I’m surprised it would melt the plug before a fuse or breaker blew. Not safe to use, that’s for sure.
i have a MT30004 PowerPal handheld. i have taken the rear plate off(rear bell assembly) and i disconnected some of the wires from their terminals and now am scared to trial and error them back. can you/somebody help. i cant find a clear picture and manual prints don’t even show wires there. cord comes in the housing with the usual blck,wht,grn. inside the machine itself are red, blue,black white. the problem is on the plastic terminal plate under the rear plate are a bunch of male terminals. where does everything connect? thank you
Hi Travis. We’ve created a new page on the site to help address air compressor wiring problems, and moved your post to there.
We were unable to find a photo of the MT30004 air compressor. We did find out that it is made by Campbell Hausfeld, so if you have not contact them for details, it would be a good idea to do so.
We can tell you that on the supply side typically the black wire is the hot, the white wire is the return, and the green wire is ground. As to “red, blue,black white. ” not being able see any circuit diagram makes this a bit difficult to interpret.
For example, does the Power Pal MT30004 have an ON/OFF switch? If so, again typically, the black wire from the supply side would connect to one side of the compressor ON/OFF switch, and the other wire from the switch would feed to the motor or motor capacitor if there is one.
Hope this provides a bit of guidance, and that someone with the MT30004 can offer specific advice.