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+--- Thread: Help: Agh! 2Nd Compressor In A Week! (/showthread.php?tid=37863)
Help: Agh! 2Nd Compressor In A Week! - Darth Veach - 07-21-2011
I bought the Harbor Freight 1/8 hp Airbrush compressor a couple weeks ago after I met a lady at a convention who owned one and loved it. Well, needless to say I am a little ticked because I am on my 2nd one after exchanging the first one and I cannot figure out what is going wrong. I have used all the correct attachments, teflon tape for the seals and these are my 2 main issues.
1) It is losing air SOMEWHERE because about every minute it turns on for a second and then shuts off. This was happening with the first compressor so I took it back.
2) No matter how high I set the regulator, if I hold open the airbrush trigger for more than say 3 seconds, it drops to 20 psi and never goes any higher, no matter what I do to the gauge. (this is a new problem unique to this compressor. Didn't have the problem with the other one) As soon as I let go, the gauge goes back up to 30, 40, 50 whatever I set it at, but no matter what, I can't spray any higher than 20psi.
PLEASE if anyone can lend me some advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Please refrain brand bashing if you happen to not be a fan of Harbor Freight! But at this point I think I will have to go with something a bit more higher end!
Help: Agh! 2Nd Compressor In A Week! - Earl - 07-21-2011
I have had this with 2 HF compressors myself. When I exchanged them for another it was fine. You probably just got a couple of faulty ones. None of them lasted very long though. Just not the best quality compressors.
Help: Agh! 2Nd Compressor In A Week! - clownnation - 07-21-2011
Harbour Freight is great for alot of things, but powered tools are iffy
Help: Agh! 2Nd Compressor In A Week! - Darth Veach - 07-21-2011
Sadly I think I am learning the hard way. It is so hit or miss. I know of 2 people who have that compressor and love it. Swear by it. I have been THRU 2 and both have given me issues!
Help: Agh! 2Nd Compressor In A Week! - Jluck - 07-21-2011
One thing about these small compressors is they contantly run w/o a tank and are not made to run more than 20-30 min increments, with and hour cool down in between or they'll burn out real easy. Any 'oil-less" compressors are not made to run long at all. Not saying that's the issue, yours sounds faulty, but just a heads up.
Hopefully you just hit a store that has a bad batch of them.
~Jonny