Replies

1. 
   Samson | May 19, 2009 06:42pm | #1

   I'm going to guess: flame thrower.

   wait no, um ... warp core meltdown?

   
   

   ---

   Edited 5/19/2009 11:43 am ET by Samson

2. 
   Mackwood | May 20, 2009 03:40am | #2

   PHASERS SET TO "KILL"!!!!  WTH!  That is bizarre!

   "Close enough for government work=measured with a micrometer, marked with chalk and cut with an axe"

3. 
   WoodLess | May 20, 2009 03:43am | #3

   While I have no idea what would cause such a mishap, I am pretty sure that it is not going to work again.

   Chuck

4. 
   USANigel | May 20, 2009 03:47am | #4

   I bet if you return it to Sears and complain enough they will replace it!

1. 
   Samson | May 20, 2009 04:16am | #5

   Who would want another?  Would you give the crapsman arsonist another chance????

5. 
   philip | May 20, 2009 01:21pm | #6

   Yep- I saw it recently-mine. I did show pictures right here on Knots- under thread title "compressor saga" I think. I got away with it because my compressor is a Hydrovane and it only cooked non crucial parts such as exterior cowling, two gauges , a terminal box and one of two motor bearings.
   It can happen when a hose blows,nobody is there, the compressor runs continuously, heats up, vaporises the oil and you can get a fire.....
   In my case mine shut down only because the thermal overload switch was tripped-not by motor overload but by the stream of hot air heating the switch cover.... a very lucky escape as there was very little oil left in the rotor housing.
   The only sure fire way to avoid this kind of thing is to be able to remember to switch off when you leave the shop...(Once in 22 years is not bad-and I recovered the compressor).

   Philip Marcou

   
1. 
   forestgirl | May 20, 2009 07:09pm | #11

   Thanks, Phillip, I missed your original post I guess.  Gotta say, I love the heart-shaped drip pan under that cute little compressor.  LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   ring | May 21, 2009 07:33am | #14

   I think Philip got it just right with his explanation, but I wanted to add a postscript - one of the clauses of my fire insurance is that we must shut down the electricity to all machines at the end of the working day. That would prevent an occurrence just like yours. Our shop is wired so that all the machines and wall outlets are cut off with one main switch, but it leaves essentials like alarm system, lighting, fax, refrigerator, etc. still working. Sorry about your compressor but you can count yourself relatively lucky that you didn't have a really bad fire.David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

1. 
   forestgirl | May 21, 2009 05:33pm | #15

   Hi, Ring.  Fortunately, it wasn't my compessor -- a post I picked up at another forum.

   Is that commercial insurance -- I'm assuming so.  They must be onto something!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   ring | May 21, 2009 05:47pm | #16

   Yes, it's the insurance on my business. They have some pretty annoying clauses but the one about shutting the electricity to the machines seems to make good sense.David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

2. 
   forestgirl | May 22, 2009 09:49am | #17

   After digesting this thread, I think we will throw the breaker on our well pump if/when we leave for more than a day, and the breaker that handles the line going to the shop (to a subpanel there -- or I call it a subpanel  anyway).forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

3. 
   bones | May 22, 2009 06:23pm | #18

   While I have lived on city water for a long time, when I had a house in the country, and left for a trip, I always killed the well, hotwater,  watermain to the house.  Nothing like having a pipe pop while not there.  Thats just me.  Good idea!Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

4. 
   forestgirl | May 22, 2009 07:07pm | #19

   We have a pretty small pressure tank, so killing the well should take care of all of it but the X gallons in the tank.  I've been pestering my husband for 2 years to change out the hot water heater, which is at least 20 years old.  If it breaks and makes a mess (it lives in the house, behind a closet), I'm going to suddenly be called away to another state, let him deal with it.

   Am I mean?  Yes, I am.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

5. 
   brucet9 | May 24, 2009 03:43am | #20

   "If it breaks and makes a mess (it lives in the house, behind a closet), I'm going to suddenly be called away to another state,..."Good idea. The single-story house I grew up in was built by a very good builder who insisted that everything be perfectly level, including the slab floor, as it turns out. We found out how level it was when the 15 year-old water heater, situated in the middle of the house, failed catastrophically in the middle of the night. At 6am I stepped out of bed into an inch of warm water. I splashed around from one bathroom to another and then the laundry and kitchen looking for the leaking pipe before it dawned on me that the water heater was to blame. Every room was flooded, water was running out under front, back and side doors, and of course all carpets were ruined.
   BruceT

6. 
   forestgirl | May 24, 2009 06:09am | #21

   That's amazing, Bruce!  Not a problem we'd have to worry about, as the house slants pretty markedly, I think away from the bedroom and bathroom.  Nick's "office", however, would get the worst of it.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

7. 
   Jimurock | May 24, 2009 03:57pm | #23

   Had that happen to me, and even though it was in the basement it made a royal mess.  Now the water heater sits in one of these overflow pans tied to the drain, and I sleep better:  http://www.oatey.com/Plumber/Shared/ProductGroup/42/Pans+and+Stands.html

   Jim

8. 
   gofigure57 | May 24, 2009 03:33pm | #22

     Bruce,

   I had the same experience. the water heater burst and the well just kept pumping it into my house.

   Tom. 

6. 
   philip | May 20, 2009 01:24pm | #7

   But then again, apart from what I said in previous post: that is about the best thing that could happen to that type of compressor. (;)

   Philip Marcou
7. 
   JohnWW | May 20, 2009 04:31pm | #8

   Hi FG,

   Philip Marcou has already described the most likely scenario, and one that is fairly common. The system developed a major leak, typically a failed hose or fitting and the compressor ran continuously until it melted down. In this case it appears that the motor was the part that overheated first.

   The same thing happened in the FWW shop right after I started there, a hose blew off and the compressor ran all weekend. Fortunately someone came in to work on Sunday and turned it off before it caught fire, but he said you could feel the heat from across the room. After that I put a mechanical timer on the compressor so the most it could run was one hour. Every commercial operation I ever worked in always shut down the compressor at the end of the day.

   Air compressors generate a tremendous amount of heat, it's built into the physics of compressing air, and only the heaviest duty industrial machines are able to run continuously without melting down. Lightweight portable machines are probably designed for a 15 minutes per hour duty cycle, anything more than that and they're going to generate more heat than they can get rid of.

   John W.

1. 
   forestgirl | May 20, 2009 07:13pm | #12

   Thanks, John, I've passed the info along at WWA with full credit to you and Knots.  I'm going to be careful to unplug my compressor (I switch it off, but unplugging would be the best methinks).

   Impressive that the FWW shop compressor ran that long without catching on fire!!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

8. 
   bones | May 20, 2009 04:33pm | #9

   WOW that could have been dangerous.  Glad it did not burn the house down.  Was it on (automatic) or just plugged in?  If it was on auto and came on and the heat fins had become clogged, enought head could build up to start a melt down.  Another option is an electrical short.  Either way its bad.  I have this similar model that I've had for 20+ years and had a case where a mouse made a home in my cover with chewed up paper towels and grass that was packed around the heat dissipation fins.  I looked around as saw smoke coming out of it while painting (it was infront of me) and shut id down quick and yanked that plastic cover off and got it out before it flamed up.  Dang scarry.  It did not melt anything but now, I never leave it on when not in the shop.  Its in plain sight, and every so often I used the blast gun to blow the dust out of it.  Once burned once learned.  It's still going strong though. 

   Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:
   If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
   And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
   
1. 
   forestgirl | May 20, 2009 07:15pm | #13

   Good point, Bones, those meece can be troublemakers, and heaven knows, there are a few who take up residence in my shop every year! (usually in the attic, fortunately)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

9. 
   JerryPacMan | May 20, 2009 06:38pm | #10

   A stuck closed pressure switch could also cause this.  I am in the process of replacing the pressure switch on my 5 year old compressor.  The Square D switch contacts are severely pitted.  I have had a Square D well pump switch contacts weld together and stick.  Luckily I was home and shut the pump off as it was going past 100 PSI, the toilet float valve started to leak and I heard it.  I always turn off my well pump when I am out of the house for more than a day. 

    

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans.

   When your ship comes in... make sure you are not at the airport.