Craftsman air compressor keeps tripping breaker.

10 years 1 month ago #690 by maxvan
Craftsman air compressor keeps tripping breaker. was created by maxvan
My Craftsman 919-167330 air compressor will run a few seconds and then trips the breaker. I have replaced everything on it but the pressure switch and the motor. I don't know whether to spend more money on it or chunk it. Will the pressure switch cause it to trip the breaker?

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10 years 1 month ago #691 by Nightrider1987
Replied by Nightrider1987 on topic Craftsman air compressor keeps tripping breaker.
You have not mentioned if your motor is capacitor start and or capacitor run.You may have a bad capacitor if you have one as it takes more amps to start the motor.Also you may have a bad circuit breaker even if you use lights or small power tools in your space,Your air compressor uses more amps to start and will put more of a draw on circuit breaker.If you know how to swap breakers you could try it with another one in box.Also check all electrical connections in pressure switch box and plug end of electrical cord to see if tight and clean,Check contacts in pressure switch you could clean with fine grit sand paper.Try another outlet to plug in. As contacts in outlet maybe loose and not making good contact.

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10 years 1 month ago #693 by MTR-Admin
Replied by MTR-Admin on topic Craftsman air compressor keeps tripping breaker.
Nightrider1987's advice is right, I'll second that :-)

If you click the link below, there's a short video and document on how to test your motor Capacitors:

www.mastertoolrepair.com/images/How%20To...%20a%20Capacitor.pdf

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10 years 1 month ago #694 by maxvan
Replied by maxvan on topic Craftsman air compressor keeps tripping breaker.
I have replaced both capacitors also.

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10 years 1 month ago #695 by MTR-Admin
Replied by MTR-Admin on topic Craftsman air compressor keeps tripping breaker.
Which breaker is tripping? Is it the service breaker in the panel box? Is it 15 amp or 20 amp? Is it the breaker/reset on the motor?

If a panel breaker is tripping that quickly then there is a serious short in the power circuit. Normally a pressure switch will not cause a breaker to trip unless there is short and then it will usually trip as soon as it is energized. I would unplug the unit and check all the power connections, remove the covers from the pressure switch and motor cover and check all those connections, look at the contacts of the pressure switch see if anything looks burnt, loose or out of place. I would also check to see if the motor and pump turn freely and how much drag the pump is putting on the motor by turning it by hand with the unit unplugged of course.

If all of these obvious things look good then the motor is going to have to be checked to see how much current is being drawn and why if it is excessive. It does not look like a replacement motor is available and I suspect even if it was it would exceed the value of the unit.

Hope this helps!

- MTR

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10 years 1 week ago #771 by mrelmo
Replied by mrelmo on topic Craftsman air compressor keeps tripping breaker.
i have an old 35 gal craftsman 220 compressor that was tripping the breaker upon startup, the check valve on the top of the tank was bad and would not seal, so if the was an amount of pressure in the tank it was causing too much pressure in the cylinders and would trip the breaker, the spring on the check valve was bad, i replaced the check valve and have not had an issue since that might be your problem

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