Aircom flat 20A is leaking oil

[maffie]

"Looking at the photo it seems that it is not regularly dusted off or the air filter is blocked causing under pressure in the motor allowing oil to enter the pressure cut off switch, take it apart and clean it with (spray can) brake cleaning fluid, this also applies to the pressure regulator."


If you are not sure how to do this let someone else do it, it's worth paying a little to have it done, it's that complicated a job but could be more expensive if you mess up.

Thank you for you translation Bert! That looks much better hihi.

I understand that it is better go to a proffesional with it. And I will if I get stuck. But I have a very annoying rule for myself that says first look if i can do it myself before I ask somebody else to do it. You only know you can't after you have try it. And for everything is a first time right? In this way I also learning a lot. (And i am not that rich that I can ask for help on anything )

 

[maffie]

@Melbee thank you for scan. I think it is very kind of you to take the time to scan it for me!

 

[Malky]

Thank you for you translation Bert! That looks much better hihi.

I understand that it is better go to a proffesional with it. And I will if I get stuck. But I have a very annoying rule for myself that says first look if i can do it myself before I ask somebody else to do it. You only know you can't after you have try it. And for everything is a first time right? In this way I also learning a lot. (And i am not that rich that I can ask for help on anything )

If you can do it yourself I recommend it, it's handy to know how to maintain your equipment and not just your brushes, the more can fix yourself, the more you have to spend on cooler things, read the manual Mel posted and you should be fine.

 

[Melbee]

@Melbee thank you for scan. I think it is very kind of you to take the time to scan it for me!

You are Welcome maffie, that's what we are here for....to help
I have it also in French, German and I presume Italian if you would prefer one of those languages over English? Let me know.

Let us know how you get on with the Break Cleaner and if you fix the problem or not....I would be very interested so maybe I could fix mine too. I bought mine new and was only told to tighten the bolts which were already too tight for me to turn them any more. So I'm very curious.

I bought my 20A from Lion-Art.nl and he is Dutch so he may also be able to help you if this doesn't work. There is no harm in calling him to ask even though he does not sell them anymore.

You learned more about the problem than me so well done!! Looking forward to hearing how it goes. I also like to fix things myself.

One tip I will give you is that the fixing to open the Air Tank is at the back of the Tank and just unscrews but!!!!! DON'T TIP THE WHOLE COMPRESSOR UP to empty the liquid (water and oil) that builds up in the Air Tank after time. It will spill oil from the motor into other parts of the Compressor that you do not want it to go.....Trust Me!! I tip the compressor very slightly (about 0.5cm - 1cm max) and put something underneath to hold it at that angle. Then I use a thin plastic Pipette to suck the liquid out of the Air Tank and into a plastic container. You could even try modifiying a Soap Liquid pump if you can find a tube that fits inside. I think you like a challenge But the plastic Pipette is the easiest and works fine, I curve the end a bit so it gets to the liquid at the bottom.

Good Luck

 

[maffie]

Hoi Maffie

When you take delivery of a new fridge and it has been moved around a lot during the delivery process, they always recommend you don't switch it on for 24 hours after you put it in its place, the reason for this is the oil that should remain in the the bottom of the fridge motor gets bounced around and mixes with the coolant in the fridges pipes causing it to not work properly and even cause damage, these silent compressors use the same type of fridge motors and the same rules apply, so I'm guessing there is nothing wrong with your compressor except that you started using it as soon as it arrived because of this you unwittingly have the bounced around oil all through your pipes, your only solution is to have your pipes cleaned and I would guess, your tank too, if you know anybody who is a bit mechanical let them do it for but you won't get the best out of the compressor until this happens.

Any manual for the same type of compressor (20A) will help you, the only difference is the shape of the tank and maybe where everything sits but the parts and what they do are more or less the same.

And the two black plastic nuts are only cable guides, they are only there to stop the pipes or cables being damaged.

So when I want to change the oil this week it is the best to not use it 24 hours after changing?

 

[maffie]

I found some more oil by the red arrow. This oil looks and feels older. It is thicker and more brown...but I don't know yet where it came from..stil searching..

 

[maffie]

@Melbee : yeah, I like a challenge . I like the feeling afterwards that I can do more then I think I am able of. Girlpower!!! (hopefully)

 

[basepaint]

you go girl!!!

 

[Malky]

So when I want to change the oil this week it is the best to not use it 24 hours after changing?

If you change the oil while it's standing flat as it should you don't need to wait, only if it has been moved aggressively after it has been filled would you need to let it settle, moving the compressor from one room to another isn't a problem, as Mel said, tipping the compressor isn't good for it.

 

[Melbee]

@Melbee : yeah, I like a challenge . I like the feeling afterwards that I can do more then I think I am able of. Girlpower!!! (hopefully)

Yes totally GirlPower!!! Or simply a persons curious desire to understand the things they do and the technology they use to do it!!

Don't want the guys to feel left out HeHeHeeee!!!

 

[maffie]

This rubber "thing" had oil on the outer ring. Behind the rubber thing it is completly dry. So I think the oil must came from that golden thing on top. But I have no idea what i need to do with this..I don't know what is does. Could that be oil leaking? Anyone??

 

[Melbee]

So when I want to change the oil this week it is the best to not use it 24 hours after changing?

If you change the oil while it's standing flat as it should you don't need to wait, only if it has been moved aggressively after it has been filled would you need to let it settle, moving the compressor from one room to another isn't a problem, as Mel said, tipping the compressor isn't good for it.

Hi maffie, I would let it settle a little while just to be on the safe side maybe and hour or two but as Bert-DB says you don't have to leave it 24 hours because it hasn't been moved aggressively.

Don't add too much oil at once you want the oil level to be between the middle and top levels, not more. So be careful when you re-fill, I would put some oil in to the halfway level and then leave it for an hour and then add a little more to about half mid/top level and leave it for another hour. If it goes down top up until it's below top level but near. Not right to the top OK?!!!

 

[Melbee]

I'm not an expert but the Gold thing at the top looks to me like the Pressure Gauge Valve itself which could be the source of the leak. Can I ask you how much is leaking? My Flat 20A drips maybe 6 or 7 drops of oil in 1 or 2 years and like I said before it is not a problem for the function of the compressor. I'd be careful you don't pull it apart too much that when you put it back together it might be worse!!!

If I were you I'd put it back together now and see if re-tightening all the parts has stopped the leak. If not and it's only a few drops over a long period of time I'd leave it. Every engine/motor leaks oil to some extent and it's not a problem. If the oil level drops in the "oil level window" very quickly and you have a pool of oil then you have a problem, if not use the compressor and PAINT!!!!

All credit to you though!! I've never seen inside my Pressure Control Unit before.....Thanks

 

[maffie]

Okey, I think that the gold thing on top is the unloader Valve..but that hasnt does anything to do with oil also...now I really don't understand where the oil is from...

 

[maffie]

@Melbee Okey, I think you are right! I don't want to damage the compressor offcoarse. I don't know how much oil it will spil, because this is the first time i see it. I was affraid that the oil was a sign of the begin of a bigger problem..

I clean it up an put ik back together. Tomorrow the new oil arives, so I can put it in and spray happely ever after I hope.

 

[Squishy]

A bit late for this conversation, but if you are having trouble identifying where an oil leak is coming from make sure uts clean and dry and then dust the area with talcum powder, then you will see a track left from the oil which should make it easier to see where its coming from.

If you find you need to replace a seal, but cant find one right away, you could maybe use gasket seal (used in engines) for a temporary repair.

Hope you have success with your fresh oil. Girl power for sure.

 

[maffie]

A bit late for this conversation, but if you are having trouble identifying where an oil leak is coming from make sure uts clean and dry and then dust the area with talcum powder, then you will see a track left from the oil which should make it easier to see where its coming from.

If you find you need to replace a seal, but cant find one right away, you could maybe use gasket seal (used in engines) for a temporary repair.

Hope you have success with your fresh oil. Girl power for sure.

That power-tip is a really smart tip! Thanks a lot!.

 

[JackEb]

never underestimate the female mind for coming up with 'oddball' solutions, or the uses for talcum powder !

the old saying is 'necessity is the mother of all inventions' I much prefer my version... 'mother is the inventor of all necessities' LOL

 

[basepaint]

Looks like you Girls have this wrapped up

 

[Malky]

Okey, I think that the gold thing on top is the unloader Valve..but that hasnt does anything to do with oil also...now I really don't understand where the oil is from...

The oil came from your motor as mentioned, it makes it's way through your pipes and almost everywhere air can go, it's carried by the air, the gold thing is a safety feature, if your compressor fails to cut out when it should this will automatically open to release pressure to avoid your compressor being damaged by pressure overload, this part needs to be cleaned as well, you should be able to remove the pipe leading into it and clean the inside of the pipe and you can clean the inside of the from behind with your brake cleaner just with a cotton bud (wattenstaafje) you don't need to remove this part.

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This rubber "thing" had oil on the outer ring. Behind the rubber thing it is completly dry. So I think the oil must came from that golden thing on top. But I have no idea what i need to do with this..I don't know what is does. Could that be oil leaking? Anyone??

Looking at the second photo in this post, that rubber gasket has been removed before, it looks to me like it has replaced wrong and the edge of it facing us has been folded over on itself when it was put back, you can actually see old oil residue on the metal next to it, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the cause of your "under-pressure" to from the start, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if this was also why the previous owner sold it on.

With Mel's manual and all the photo's you have taken you should be able to take off as much you can to clean everything really precise, but do it in stages so that you don't confuse yourself and you know where everything came from, even continue to make photos of each part before you take them off.

P.S. if you contact the guy who told you what was wrong, he may be able to help you by advising you how to place an "in-Line" oil filter directly after the motor to help you avoid this kind of thing in the future, since you're pulling everything apart now anyway, now would be a good time to do that and such a filter is only a matter of a few €'s and well worth it, bigger more expensive compressors normally have these already.