How To Set Psi On Air Compressor

Download Article

Air compressors can be used to power all kinds of pneumatic tools, such every bit nail guns and other handy tools yous might find yourself using to go construction and building projects done more apace. In social club for your air-powered tools to work properly, make sure to set your air compressor's output pressure to the right PSI range. Don't exist intimidated if you aren't sure how to do this. It'southward really like shooting fish in a barrel to arrange the force per unit area up or down using your compressor'south pressure regulator knob! Everything else, including the pressure inside the air tank, is automatically regulated by the machine's pressure level switch. If you're installing a new switch, adapt the cut-in and cutting-out pressures then the compressor turns on and off correctly.

1
Locate the air tank pressure gauge coming off of your compressor'due south tank. Await at your air compressor for a gauge attached to a nozzle coming out of the air tank. This is the air tank's force per unit area estimate.^[1]
- This is typically the larger of the 2 gauges on an air compressor.
2
Identify the outlet pressure level gauge attached to the compressor's airline. Find the airline, which is the hose that connects to your air tools, and look for the judge nigh where the hose connects to the tank. This is the compressor'southward outlet pressure gauge.^[2]
- This is unremarkably the smaller of the two gauges.
- The pressure regulator knob is often correct below or beside this gauge where it connects to the airline, though sometimes it is in between the 2 gauges.
Advertisement
three
Expect at the air tank pressure gauge to meet the reserve air pressure. Bank check what number the needle on the air tank's force per unit area gauge is pointing to. This is how much air pressure level, measured in pound-force per square inch (PSI), is bachelor in the tank for you lot to employ. The needle will motion down when you use air tools and motion back up once again when yous stop using the air in the tank.^[iii]
- The reserve force per unit area is regulated automatically by a pre-programmed pressure level switch. This keeps it within the manufacturer'southward accepted range of air force per unit area PSI.
- Your air compressor can't supply any more air pressure than information technology has in the tank and it won't get above the maximum pressure set by the manufacturer's pressure switch.
4
Read the outlet pressure gauge to see the air pressure level output. Take a look at the needle and read the PSI information technology'southward pointing to. This is how much air pressure the compressor will currently supply from the reserve tank to the tool you choose to connect to the airline. The number the needle points to will change when you make adjustments to the pressure level.^[four]
- The outlet pressure can never be higher than the tank'due south reserve pressure.
- This is the only pressure that you will demand to manually assault your air compressor each time you use a different tool.
Advertisement

1
Check your air tool'south PSI requirements on the tool or in the owner'south manual. Look for a sticker or printed lettering nigh your tool'south handle or on its underside to run into how much PSI of pressure information technology needs to operate. Refer to the owner's transmission if you can't discover this data on the tool itself.^[5]
- Note that if your tool requires more than PSI of air pressure to operate than your compressor has in its reserve tank, you can't use that tool with your air compressor. You lot would take to go ahold of a bigger air compressor or find a tool that you can operate using less pressure.
- Not having enough pressure to operate a tool isn't unremarkably an result because pretty much all mutual air tools operate within a force per unit area range of 70-150 PSI, which most air compressors tin supply.
two
Operate brad nailers, die grinders, and drills with lxx-90 PSI. These are examples of common tools that piece of work with pressures in a lower PSI range. Check the manufacturer's recommended PSI for these types of tools and accommodate information technology within this range as needed.^[6]
- Orbital sanders work within a similar PSI range of lxx-100 PSI.
3
Run air hammers, angle grinders, disc sanders, and paint guns at 90-100 PSI. Many common pneumatic tools, such as these, operate in this PSI range. Always use the manufacturer's recommended PSI setting to start with.^[7]
- Other examples of air tools that work with ninety-100 PSI are touch on drivers, touch wrenches, ratchets, and speed saws.
4
Utilize grease guns and tire inflators with 120-150 PSI. These are examples of air tools that operate using a higher PSI than most other tools. Remember to e'er gear up the PSI to the recommended range specified on the tool or in the owner'due south manual.^[viii]
- A framing nailer is another blazon of tool that works at a higher PSI of well-nigh 100-130.
Advertising

1
Ready your air compressor with the tool you lot desire to utilise. Plug your called pneumatic tool into the air compressor'southward airline hose. Plug your air compressor into a power outlet and turn it on to fill the reserve tank with compressed air.^[9]
- The reserve tank volition automatically stop filling when it reaches the manufacturer's pre-prepare air pressure capacity.
- Always adjust the output pressure for your air compressor when you lot connect a new tool.
two
Plough the pressure regulator knob counterclockwise to decrease the pressure. Await at the needle on the output force per unit area gauge near the air hose to make up one's mind if you need to increase or decrease the output pressure. Twist the pressure regulator knob slowly to the left until the approximate needle points to the right PSI, if you determine you desire to lower the pressure for your tool.^[10]
- For example, if the output pressure guess needle is currently pointing to xc PSI and yous are using a blast gun that needs lxxx PSI to operate, turn the knob to the left until the needle points at eighty PSI on the gauge.
3
Rotate the pressure regulator knob clockwise to increase the pressure. Cheque the output pressure estimate needle to see whether you need to decrease or increase the pressure. Motility the force per unit area regulator knob slowly to the right until the needle on the gauge points to the right PSI, if you determine y'all must raise the pressure for your tool.^[11]
- For example, if you're using an air hammer that needs 100 PSI to operate, and the output force per unit area judge'south needle is currently at 80 PSI, turn the regulator knob to the right until the needle points to 100 PSI on the gauge.
iv
Test your tool and raise or lower the pressure if needed. Try operating your tool on something unimportant to see how it's working at the recommended PSI, such as a scrap piece of woods if you lot're using a nail gun. Turn the pressure level up or down by up to 10 PSI at a time if the tool seems like information technology'southward operating weakly or with too much pressure.^[12]
- For example, if yous're using a nail gun and the nails are going too far into the wood, you can try decreasing the pressure level past ten PSI or so in order to make the nails sit flush with the surface of the forest. If the nails aren't going in far enough, try increasing the pressure by nigh ten PSI.
Advertisement

1
Ready the cut-in and cutting-out pressures merely on a new pressure switch. The cut-in pressure is the pressure at which your air compressor's engine turns on and the cut-out force per unit area is the force per unit area at which it turns off. These pressures are automatically regulated by the manufacturing plant-installed pressure level switch for safety, so merely set them if y'all are putting a replacement pressure level switch on your compressor.^[13]
- Exercise not change the cut-in and cutting-out pressures on an existing manufacturer-installed pressure level switch. There is no need to do this. The factory settings are there to forbid accidents.
- The cut-in and cut-out pressures ensure that your air compressor's tank doesn't become besides pressurized and potentially explode.
- Double-check the manufacturer's instructions for the new force per unit area switch to come across what the factory-set cut-in and cut-out pressures are. You don't need to make adjustments if it is set to the aforementioned range as your compressor uses.
2
Locate the cut-in and cutting-out adjustment screws on the pressure level switch housing. Accept the comprehend off the pressure switch and wait for 1-2 adjustable screws. Look for labels on the switch or refer to the owner's manual to determine which screw is for cut-in pressure and which spiral is for cutting-out force per unit area.^[14]
- Some pressure switches only accept 1 adjustable screw, which changes the pressure differential, or the range between the cut-in and cut-out pressures.
- Never make adjustments to these screws if you lot aren't certain which is which.
3
Turn the cutting-in adjustment screw using a screwdriver to gear up the cutting-in force per unit area. Rotate the screw counterclockwise to make the compressor motor plow on at a lower pressure. Plough the screw clockwise to make the motor turn on at a higher pressure level.^[15]
- Always refer to your compressor's owner's transmission for the manufacturer'south recommended cut-in force per unit area.
- In general, the cut-in pressure level should exist around the lowest PSI that yous operate tools at.
- If your pressure level switch only has 1 pressure differential spiral, turning it will automatically lower or raise both the cut-in and cutting-out pressures.
iv
Twist the cut-out adjustment screw with a screwdriver to set the cut-out force per unit area. Turn the spiral clockwise to raise the pressure at which your compressor's motor shuts off. Rotate it counterclockwise to brand the motor turn off at a lower pressure level.^[sixteen]
- Always set the cut-out pressure to the manufacturer's recommended PSI, then your compressor won't stay on if there is too much pressure in the tank.
- In general, the cut-out force per unit area should be about 20-40 PSI higher than the cut-in pressure.
- If your compressor only has 1 adjustment screw, yous don't accept to set the cut-out pressure. It changes automatically when you move the single force per unit area differential screw.
Ad

Inquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your e-mail address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Standard portable air compressors commonly have a maximum output PSI of 150.^[17]
Well-nigh common air tools only require most lxx-100 PSI to operate.^[18]

Thank you for submitting a tip for review!

Ever refer to the owner's manuals for your air compressor and air tools for specific instructions regarding air pressure.^[xix]

Advertising

Things You lot'll Demand

Air compressor
Pneumatic tool

Most This Article

Thank you to all authors for creating a page that has been read 16,730 times.

Did this article aid you?