Air compressor switch. A tricky and necessary component of any air compressor. Although tinkering with this is not recommended if you are new to the air compressor game, for those of you who are familiar with this tool, it’ll serve you as a guide.
Basically, what this does is, dictates the amount of air that flows from the air compressor to the tool that’s using it. There are typically two types of settings for an air compressor switch. They are cut-in and cut-off/out settings. Cut-in is the pressure point at which the air compressor starts operating. On the other hand, the cut-out pressure point is the opposite of that. In this post, we will discuss how air compressor pressure switch adjustment works and how you can do it on your own.
How do you Adjust a Pressure Switch?
To adjust the pressure, switch according to your own preference, you need to do the followings:-
Step 1: Pre-adjustment Step
First of all, make sure there’s no power to the air compressor. Meaning it’s been plugged off from the power. This ensures your own safety. So, yeah! Absolutely make sure you do this. You also need to remove the cover that covers the pressure switch before you proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Locating and Adjusting the Pressure
Next, you need to set the cut-in pressure point. How do you locate the screw that controls the cut-in pressure point? Well, it depends. In most cases, it should be the screw that is closest to the motor. If you want to lower the cut-in pressure at which the tool starts, dial the screw counter-clockwise. Do the opposite of that if you want higher cut-in pressure.
Step 3: Validating the Change
Now, to check if your tweaks actually worked, plug the machine into the power source again. Drain all the existing air from the tank using the drain valve. Now sit back and observe at which pressure point the air compressor starts. If you are happy with the current settings, move to the next step. Otherwise, reiterate from step 1 to step 3 again.
Step 4: Ideal Settings
To make the ideal changes to your cut-off pressure, make sure you always have 20-40 PSI higher pressure than the cut-in pressure. The adjustment process is exactly the same as above. Dial the knob clockwise or counter-clockwise to achieve your desired PSI.
Why would you want to adjust the Pressure Switch?
That is a very good question. Especially considering the fact that it is not recommended to tinker with the pressure switch. Well, usually you might want to tinker with this pressure switch when you want to replace your existing pressure switch.
Why? Because the new one is most likely to not come with the pressure settings as the existing one. So, to have the same old feeling and operating cut-in and cut-off pressure, you would need to adjust the pressure switch.
How a Pressure Switch works on Air Compressor?
Another question that might come to your mind is how does this pressure switch actually work? Well, the pressure switch is nothing but a mechanical moving part that depends on the air pressure. This switch controls the operation of an air compressor. Basically, when a user plugs in their air compressor and moves the lever to auto settings, it forces the switch to complete a circuit. This is actually the beginning of everything. After the completion of the circuit, the motor starts, and the air pressure starts doing its job.
Best Air Compressor Pressure Switch
| Model Number | Min. Close Cut-In | Max. Open Cut-Out | Differential Range | 120 volt | 240 volt | 240 volt | 480/ 600 volt | Factory Setting | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69JF6LY | 60 psi | 110 psi | 15-25 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 80-100 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF7 | 50 psi | 145 psi | 25-33 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 95-125 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF7Y | 50 psi | 145 psi | 25-33 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 95-125 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF7LY | 50 psi | 145 psi | 25-33 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 95-125 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF7LY2C | 50 psi | 145 psi | 25-33 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 95-125 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF8 | 90 psi | 165 psi | 25-38 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 115-150 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF8Y | 90 psi | 165 psi | 25-38 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 115-150 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF8LY | 90 psi | 165 psi | 25-38 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 115-150 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF8LY2C | 90 psi | 165 psi | 25-38 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 115-150 | Shop Now » |
| 69JG8LY | 90 psi | 165 psi | 25-38 psi | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 115-150 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF9Y | 100 psi | 175 psi | 30-40 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 140-175 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF9LY | 100 psi | 175 psi | 30-40 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 140-175 | Shop Now » |
| 69JF9LY2C | 100 psi | 175 psi | 30-40 psi | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | N/A | 140-175 | Shop Now » |
| 69JG9LY2C | 100 psi | 175 psi | 30-40 psi | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 140-175 | Shop Now » |
Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
The most reported symptoms of a bad pressure switch are when your air compressor cuts on and off very frequently with little to no changes in pressure. You may also see undesirable fluctuations in pressure when your pressure switch goes bad.
You will get the following issues if you have a bad pressure switch:
1. It might stop operating altogether.
2. It won’t pump well or at all.
3. Random fluctuations in pressure.
4. The compressor will go on and off with the slightest change in pressure.
This occurs when over time the diaphragm in the switch gets worn or cracks. Check the state of the diaphragm to confirm the leak.
Why does my air compressor keep shutting off? One of the most common reason for this is a faulty valve. One way to tell is to check whether air continues bleeding from the unloaded valve even after the air compressor is turned off.
Final thoughts
Well, this brings us to the end of this post. Now you know more about pressure switch than you did before. The goal of this post was to serve you as a guide on how things work regarding air compressor switch. Hope it did you justice. Nonetheless, it’d still suggest you guys consult a professional if you want to adjust your pressure switch. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
As always, work hard and stay safe.