Craftsman is a popular brand of air compressors used by many DIY and professional mechanics. If you are a Craftsman user and your compressor is not turning on, there would be some issues. In the article, we will troubleshoot all the problems your device faces and how you can fix them.
Possible Issues Why Your Compressor Won’t Turn On
If your compressor is not turning on, we’ve given seven reasons below and their solutions. These issues are faced by a majority of the users, read here:
Power Issue
A very common issue that people don’t know about is no electric power in the air compressor when they turn it on. Check your electric power source where you have plugged the machine’s switch. Maybe there is a fault in it, try to change the power source, and your issue will be fixed.
Moreover, the wires that deliver power to the air compressor have issues. It might get broken, and that’s why the connection is not complete. Look over the whole wire; there will be a part where wires are broken, attach the wires and cover them with insulated tape.
Breaker Keeps Tripping
Most people face this issue; when they start the air compressor the breaker keeps tripping. The first reason would be the cover of your motor that is not fitted properly or broken. Because there are two capacitors installed in that cover with a switch in the center of start and run capacitor windings. Its function is to switch the start winding to run windings so the air compressor can run smoothly.
The windings switch by pushing a centrifugal actuator in the motor. When your cover is cracked or not tightly fitted, it will not be able to push the centrifugal switch. Your air compressor running without start windings results in overloading the breaker and trips it. To fix this issue, make your motor cover tight so the switch can successfully shift the capacitor jobs and start the compressor.
Bad Capacitor
A bad capacitor could be the reason for the compressor not starting. As there are two capacitors in a compressor, start and run. So, you have to check both one by one which are faulty. Take a multimeter and run a test on the capacitors. When you find a bad capacitor, check its ratings like capacitance (µF) and voltage to buy a new one of the same value. Now replace the capacitor carefully and turn on the machine. We are sure the compressor will start working.
Blown Fuse
You should check the fuse in your air compressor, it may blow up and that’s why the compressor is not running. The most common reason for fuse blown is fluctuations in voltage. If the voltage passes the circuit too high or low the fuse gets bad. This issue can be handled by doing continuous maintenance of your machine. For now, change the fuse that was suggested by the manufacturer. After replacing the fuse, your compressor will turn on.
Dried Fluid
If the compressor is making a humming sound on turning on the reason may be fluids dried in the piston. Due to less liquid, the piston faces too much force and does not move freely. The solution is simple, add some fluid to the piston area and try to move the motor fan. When it becomes loose, turn on the power switch. Your air compressor will start operating again.
Failing Check Valve
A bad check valve may cause your compressor not to turn on. When your tool has air in the tank due to a bad check valve it starts going in the reverse direction. So, replace the faulty check valve to turn on your air compressor and for the proper functioning.
Low Oil Level
If you own an oiled compressor, its oil level should be up to the scale that is recommended by the toolmaker. In your case, the oil amount will be low and that’s the reason it is not properly functioning. The compressor will not smoothly run, not provide good pressure, and never gives you a long hour job. Its simplest solution is that, add the oil suggested by the brand. When there is enough oil in the air tool, it will begin the job. With proper oil lubrication, it will perform for a long time and also make good pressure.
FAQs
Air compressor hesitate to start sometimes – How to fix this issue?
I had a Craftsman 6-gallon air compressor that started very slow. Let’s know how I fixed it. The thing that comes to mind very first is the start capacitor because it helps the compressor to start quickly. Checked the capacitor using a multimeter and found the issue. The start capacitor is going bad and providing not enough torque to the motor to start. That’s the reason why it is not starting quickly. So, I purchased a new start capacitor and replaced it. After fixing this issue, the compressor starts working fine.
My Craftsman compressor starts up and dies what would be the reason?
Whenever you turn on your compressor it starts for some seconds and turns off, Am I right? This issue comes due to the bad functioning of your device’s motor. The motor will soon expire, so change the motor quickly. If you have a warranty left on your tool, take it to the service center and repair it without wasting any time. Because the bad motor might affect the whole circuit of your tool. Before things get worse go to the maintenance center and fix the issue.
Wrapping Up
When your air tool doesn’t turn on you have to check out the issue that we have discussed above and follow the given solutions. To avoid these circumstances, you have to do a monthly or 3-month maintenance of your air tool. This way you can run air compressors for more years. Still, if your machine is not starting comment below the exact issue. We will quickly identify the issue and properly guide you to fix it.