*Construction seemed sturdier than other units I considered **MyBest.Tools** Noise level was reasonable. Good pressure and cfm capacity for a small reasonably light compressor.*
The problem was not with your air compressor suplying air to your impact gun. The problem with Air Supply to your gun is you need a high flow regulator and high-flow fittings and the correct size and length of hose. The motor is not supplying your gun with air, neither is the tank. The regulator is what is supplying your gun with the air. the tank supplies air to the regulator witch supplies the air to the hose that is supplying the gun. As long as you have ample pressure in the tank meaning that you have 120 or more PSI in the tank then the power output of your gun relies on the capacity and flow rate of the regulator, capacity and flow rate of the fittings, and capacity and flow rate of the hose.
I've had my harbor freight air compressor for about 10 months and it has never acted on me thank god! Everything runs smoothly and I've never overfilled it cuz there was like 3 warning labels telling you not to do that! It's still running like a champ! I do always turn it off when I'm going to be gone for more than an hour not because it says so it's just something I personally like to do
Yasin Munye the warning labels are in place so you don't run the compressor with the oil over filled which will damage the compressor internals. I never ran the compressor with oil over filled, simply filled and drained to flush any contaminates out. Oil was to the correct level before I ever hit the switch. The problem I had turned out to be the tank pressure release valve stuck causing the compressor to act the way it did when the tank had air pressure. When I drained the air tank it was able to cut on with no issues. I'm kinda glad this happened due to the disappointment of the 125psi while using certain air tools such as my 1/2 impact. I've had good luck with harbor freight stuff with this being the exception. I simply returned it and got a higher rated model and I'm glad I did. Thanks for watching!
What’s the Husky go for? I used to have a 60 gallon upright with a v head and ran off of 220 it was from Harbor Freight and would run 3/4” impact gun I did pay 900 for after the impact spool some connections I ended up spending around 970. If I remember it had 5 hp motor the only problem I ever had was my air release valve would open up on full tank of air. I sold it but should of kept it.
Put a speaker magnet on the bottom of the oil pan. It pulls all of the metal fragments to the area next to the drain plug. Although the only thing that is magnetic is the cylinder you can still jury rig it in the right spot. Works for lawnmowers too. I also do the same thing for my car: on the oil pan, on the transmission pan, and on the oil filter. Works wonders! Just a tip... Thanks for the great video!
had the same issue with mine and it was the cold start valve on top of the head. it was not releasing when it was supposed to. bought one of of amazon for less the $5 and replace the old one. now it works 100%
Me too, circuit overload. I just think he didn't like the unit. If the size of the hose is the same, and the pressure is the same, then the gun will act the same. You can't compare a lower pressure with a higher pressure.
Using a separate outlet to the one that's loaded up with a lot of gadgets....just wondering if that's an issue with low current, or else there's too much pressure left in the unit. A good practice from what I've seen is to open the release valve on the bottom when starting it. There's a valve on top of the head that's supposed to do this but if you start with too much pressure from the git-go that might not be good enough to fire it up (for awhile, if you keep at it for awhile the pressure would eventually slowly get down to a level that it would fire up). Or so I guess.
*After years of hauling around a large,💫 **allabout.wiki/PORTER** heavy, loud dewalt air compressor (that ironically was advertised as quiet, supposedly 78dB), I bought this. Facepalm. While it is not ‘silent’, I find myself chuckling every time I use it, sparing all my neighbors the terror of my former compressor. I use for inflating tires, impact wrench, finish nailers. Absolutely love it. And I store it under the garage sink in a 24” cabinet. I paired with a coil 1/2”, instead of a my former 50’ 5/8” hose that I had to lug across the yard from the shed, unpleasantly uncoil.... this little guy is light and portable; just a joy. Impact wrench is still capable of easing lug bolts, flywheel bolts, crank pulleys... just allow for a tiny bit of recovery now and then.*
I had the cold-start problem with my 10-gallon CentralPneumatic unit (same compressor, smaller tank) and I used a heavier extension cord and the problem went away. I think the starting capacitor is undersized or something like that, but if you have a good electrical source, the cold start problem goes away.
Wow what a life saver you are. I'm watching your video while staring down at this exact model in the harborfrieght store. Thank you for saving me time and money and a headache. I get frustrated when things don't work especially after only a couple of uses. Thanks!
David Vargas I'm sure the harbor freight compressors are good for most jobs but in my case, not only did I get a dud compressor, I found it was not enough to run what I wanted to. Happy to help, I have a lot of nice reliable harbor freight tools and equipment but I was not impressed with this model compressor. Thanks for watching
I believe the reason why it was having issues is the motor needs a certain vacuum load to startup. To test this take off the air filter and use your thumb to block the whole until it powers on . The air holes i believe need to be lined up some way
Mine does the same thing. I'm told it's the cold start button. I'm past the 90 day return so I'll see if I can play with it. If I can't get it to work I'll just turn it into a large air storage tank.
Old video but here's the fix for the HF issues. The regulator AND the 1/4" nipple that feeds it are restricted, get a new nipple from the plumbing dept. The failure to start is usually because the oil is too thick, mine does the same thing in the winter.
You definitely need to use 1/2" flexilla hoses with 3/8 MNPT and high flow fittings like Milton V series or Prevost S1 High Flow fittings and couplers (what I use) to get the most air to your tools. A good regulator and air filters with less restrictions are also advisable so you don't have choke points in your line setup. 90 psi is 90 psi regardless of your compressor size...all a matter of how much air is actually getting to the tool. Compressor size and efficiency really only matter with the most demanding of air tools. You could also just turn your psi up on the regulator to make sure the tool is getting enough air, your hose and fittings are probably restricting flow and there is a pressure drop by the time it reaches the tool.
I bought one. It did the same. I took it back and exchanged it. After a month, same thing. No extension cord, it was hooked directly into outlet with 20 amp breaker. Thought it might be the cold start valve. It does the same thing with the valve completely removed. The tank is in perfect condition. But the rest is junk.
You had too much head pressure when the compressor motor tried to start up. The Cold Start Valve on top of the head is suppose to "unload" the head pressure, but it doesn't stay open long enough. I use something to press the little button on the valve down (open) until the motor gets started. Very annoying, but it is a work around. I've order some other Cold Start Valves with (hopefully) higher close pressures to see if they'll stay open long enough for the motor to get running.
Jetta Red mine is 1 day old it blows air from that valve on top the entire time it runs, it still builds about 100psi in the tank tho.. does yours blow the whole time like that?
Glad I watched your video before picking it up. I like the Husky 175 30 gallon too. It doesn't surprise me the damn thing did that after only 24 hours.
good video, a paint sieve or strainer...white with white cheesecloth is a perfect inspection device...virtually any contaminants will appear billboard big, then renders the oil reusable, even stack them 3 or 4 deep....also a great formula that will keep you from being disappointed in compressors [most are]...pay attention to 3 main figures that directly relate to each other.... its the @ is where its at...your PSI vs CFM with the big @ is everything....beware of lopsided @s...most fail to realize even home devices can gobble up some serious air...usualy for good home use, around 15 to 17 CFM @150 to 175 PSI range seems to handle most jobs, even light sandblasting..once you learn that @ formula, you can walk up to any compressor in the box and do a pretty good rough figure on what you ll really have when the heats on...durability requires current research though. you can also preheat the oil to around 160 degrees and even loosen more, you may steer toward industrial type constant duty rated non foaming non detergent oils for added longevity, although "the good stuff" can be quite expensive... also a quick magnetizing of device[s], even the drain plug can be a great help. although it may be a wives tale, old-timers say never cut them off manually. let them cycle and shut off themselves...hasn't hurt my never been apart 30 year old..... I.R.
I bought one of those; didn't work out of the box. I returned it for a 60 gallon compressor. You said your tool didn't have the power of your shop compressor and that's likely true but not because the harbor freight compressor isn't putting out enough air. It's almost certain your shop air compressor is set at way too high an air pressure (some people don't even use regulators on their shop compressors, bad idea). If you look at the manuals of air tools they indicate the tools should be run at a certain pressure, normally about 90 psi or so. Running them higher will give you more power but it can be dangerous as the tools are designed for the set pressure, any more than that and you can damage or even destroy your tools long term and some have even broken their cases from too much pressure. Too much pressure is very hard on the seals, vanes and end plates. From the Ingersoll Rand website: “Technicians will often increase pressure to 120 psi, but we typically like to stick with 90 psi,” said Ingersoll Rand Manager, Mark Krisa. “Truck shops consistently run at 120 or 140 PSI as a matter of habit. This will give the tool greater performance, but in the long run it’s not good for the tool because it can reduce the expected lifespan of an air tool.” If the tool will remove a nut or bolt at the pressure the tool is designed for (or even just a little higher) that's great. If not buy a larger/stronger tool. I've never had an automotive nut I couldn't remove running my 1/2 inch impact at no more than 100 psi.
I went through 3 of these with the same problem of being unable to start with pressure in the tank. Turns put my AC power line had too much voltage drop between the panel and the shop. I ran a new circuit with 12 guage wire from the panel and I dont have any more issues. No way this could run with an extension cord.
Hey I know this is like two years too late but the problem was that you did not have enough amps running through it to start it. Usually when it is cold these cheap Chinese’s compressors don’t like to start. So this was caused by not enough amps or it was just too cold outside to start. This is most likely useless because it is two years late.
Air pressure has little to do with how much power it can produce, it's the CFM not the PSI that determines that. At my shop it's 14cfm but at home it's 4.7cfm(harbor freight).
@@Powertool1990 the harbor freight 21g, fills faster and in my opinion a better buy. The only downside is the maintenance. Go through a lot of oil if you maintain it.
I know this is older but change all your fittings out to Milton 1/4 inch V style qick connects and fittings, they'll make a HUGE difference with your tools.
you wasted a lot of oil just "flushing it". you would have needed to somehow hook up a pressure line to it in order to actually flush it. you should have just filled it to the top once and let it drain out, than fill it to the full line and let it run for like 2 seconds than did an oil change. running for 30 mins right off the bat wasn't that smart. you only need the oil to circulate a bit before it picks up the metal left over from the milling, instead you let all that metal you didn't drain out to do more damage than it should of
I have the same issue with my HF compressor, after numerous attempt to fueil up the tank it does start working....I'm about to replace it with a better quality air compressor.
I bought one of these in March 2017. The owners manual said it held 5.3 ozs. of compressor oil. I put 5.3 ozs. in and it didn't even register on the sight glass. Finally I tilted the compressor towards me and then sloshed it around and I could see it but it was low on oil. I put in around 7.5 ozs or what was in the bottle of oil that came with it. That amount was about right to fill to the middle of the sight glass. I used it for the 30 min. break-in and then changed it. To anyone who buys one of these make sure you put the correct amount of compressor oil in the unit. No problems so far but it's only seeing regular use now.
Your outlet didn’t have enough amps to start it up, mine did that before and I moved to another outlet and it’s fine. User error, harbor freight compressors are good
Not user error, I tried every outlet in my garage, the same outlets that use to run my old craftsman compressor that I know pulled more amps without an issue. This compressor was junk and honestly I'm glad it happened so I could get something better to run my 1/2 impact. I've been very happy with my husky 30 gallon 175 psi.
The pressure is not the problem. You don't have enough SCFM. Your Snap On impact is close to specs as my IR 2235TiMAX that I have at work and at home. My IR needs 24 SCFM MINIMUM @ 90psi under load to put out the advertised torque. Your Snap On is more than likely the same and doubt that HF air compressor puts out much more than 5-6 SCFM at 90 psi
I've heard it's the pressure switch, if you release the pressure from the tank does it turn on again? I returned mine since it wasn't enough to run my 1/2 impact anyway
I actually just took one of those back to Harbor Freight I got it for Christmas was still in the 90 day warranty thank God but every time I went to go use it it would act like it wanted to start and then stop I hit the reset and it would go back to the same thing start and then stop
l now leave mine turned off when I am not in the shop. When the compressor was new I came into a smoke filled shop. Apparently the check valve failed so the pressure switch was never satisfied letting the motor run for hours before I came back. The oil got so hot it started smoking creating a blue haze throughout. Soon as this one craps out will buy something else.
Richard Lambert they do that at work when we leave for the week, an air line busted over the weekend and the compressor was running for a couple days til someone came in Monday morning and found it. Now they turn it off, I've got in the habit of doing the same.
Bro the problem is not the compressor its your connection,I have this same compressor for five years plus it now started to leak oil in the center seal,this works better closer to the socket than using extension cord,if you have no choice make sure it is thick wire and at least 10 -20feet max
Good video thanks, I hope mine doesn't quit on me.like yours now I'm scared. Harbor freight electronic products just don't seem to last. But their tools are great. This thing is so loud my neighbor came over thought my ac had broken. My ears are ringing. I wouldn't reccomend it at 169.99 retail. 144.95 with coupon on sale.
i bet you were using an extension cord on your harbor freight compressor. My 10 year old harbor freight compressor did the same thing to me when using a extension cord because of the amount of amp draw. Mine is also the old style red tank compressor and with a modified 110 cut in and 125 cut out pressure switch plus 11 gallon expansion it runs all my 1/2 in air tools(most are snap-on) just fine and still in for less than half the cost of that oil-less junk. side note other easy fixed common issue is the motor relief valve not releasing pressure on motor for ease of start up.
Same thing happened to me when i got one of those. I guess I'm not alone on this one. I wasted a lot of time and it wasn't fun putting it back into the box. I cut the box up when I unpacked it. Used a whole roll of packing tape. So I figured $5.00 for the tape, loading it back up, wasted gas for the return trip to the store and back home, was a complete waste of time and effort, all because of a defective product. You might want to think twice before getting this compressor. I'm 66 years old and and have a screwed up back. Was just too much trouble for an old fart like me. THUMBS DOWN ON THIS ONE !
The honda guy, No, it was plugged directly into 3 different outlets with the same problem. I did find if I drained the air pressure off the tank, the motor would cut on like nothing was wrong. My guess is the pressure relief valve was stuck or something stupid. I found it wasn't big enough to run my 1/2 inch impact like id like to, so I returned it for a husky 30 gallon 175 psi, I'm much happier. I just reviewed the Husky last weekend if you want to see how the new husky performs. Thanks for watching!
Repairs & Reviews i bought this same unit it made that same exact nosie like it was running but then it would die out but i was using an extension cord, first i pluged it directly into the wall it worked plugged it back into the extension cord and turned every thing in my house and garage off lights tv's ec. ec. then it worked it may have just been pulling to many watts, it also runs my snap on impact quite well
When it comes to air compressors. Don't skimp. I love Harbor Freight but don't buy your air compressor there. Do it right. Get a 60 gallon two stage compressor. The Kobalt is about $500.00 and is a great choice. Just get a good name brand two stage 220 Volt compressor. It's worth running a new 220 volt circuit if you need to.
I am on my 3rd 1 and all doing the same problem and I know its the pressure on the head not letting it start so now I am bring it back and they cam shove it up their butt ! I like how it says " super Quiet" A deaf person could hear it. You get what you pay for !!!!
mark kent the 30 gallon husky compressor is 299$ at Home Depot. You definitely get what you pay for and the Husky is definitely a better option for auto repair which is its main use.
If you actually knew anything about how it works or functions you would know that you can fill it to the brim with oil and be perfectly fine just as long as it's not run. Its a piston and rod that's turned by an electric motor that builds air pressure. Filling the case with oil effects nothing unless it is run with oil overfilled which I did not do.
@@Powertool1990 The guy that repairs em told me they have valves inside that get damaged wen over full. Also your supposed to drain the tank after use.
The harbor freight barely running the impact was the main reason I wont buy it, since I am a small engine mechanic that is an important factor. I will buy the Husky that you did a video on instead.
I do small engine repair also and the Husky is amazing for everything I need, even takes zero turn blades off which can be a pain if you don't have the right impact and compressor
No, they offered to replace it or return it and I just returned it and got one slightly bigger to fit my needs. I suspect it was a air pressure relief switch or something because it would kick back on if you drained air below 50 psi
henry Sansone shop compressors are big for volume/storage of air, the pressure on my new husky compressor will actually run just as much pressure as the one at my work. But it obviously won't run it as long at that pressure. I learned that a 125psi compressor won't come close to actually running 125psi. My husky is 175psi and I can run 90-125psi with no issues. Thanks for watching!
I bought this same unit based on good reviews around the web, this thing sucks. It takes like 4 minutes to pump up and it kicks back on pretty quickly, it cycles even with the lightest use. This is a very light duty unit and not for anything other than VERY light use. It's crazy loud and pretty weak.
I’m hoping you’ve learned about CFM’s vs air pressure since your review. I’m not at all trashing on you! I just noticed that you seemed to thing that pressure was all that was used to run your 1/2” gun. Cheers 🤙🏻
When I used mine for the first time, it shot up to 125 psi, then I used my air blow gun, and went it dropped to 95 psi , it sounded as it wanted to restart pressure building, but failed, I tried turniig the switch off and pushing the restart button and it never kickstarted back up. (Any one know why this would happen??)
Albert R sounds like exactly what happened to me. I found that when I drained the air pressure from tank it would work again. It's like the air pressure was to much to restart the compressor. I believe there's some kind of pressure relief valve that most likely was bad. I returned it and bought a 175 psi 30 gallon Husky, I'm much happier with the Husky
big mistake. all you had to do is just to plug the compressor in a better outlet to get better power. don't forget you are trying to run a 2.5 HP compressor in a house. and this can happen with any make of compressors not just the ones from harborfreight. any compressor up to 2HP needs a real good feeding power outlet.
I tried several different outlets, made no difference. The pressure relief valve wasn't working so once the tank had a certain amount of air pressure it wouldn't turn the compressor back on. If I drained the air pressure below 50 psi it cut on without issue. I returned it and got a husky 30 gallon 175 psi compressor and it's a huge improvement from the harbor freight. We'll worth the extra money
@@Powertool1990 yes the thing is the engine on this compressors with oil needs real good power compare to the electric compressors and also to make the reset after afew hours running the compressor
Wow, that is weak..........to think i almost got that same Compressor before i got my Huskey, 125 PSI doesnt really do much..?? At least when using 1/2 impact, Interesting, good to know for future Reference, Thanks for the Video
try following proper breaking procedure, and not filling the compressor to overflow. you just damaged your compressor there. and you are a Mechanic....... Scary....
Justin Korpal filling the oil to the top of the fill plug never touches anything to do with the compressor and how it functions (which is at the very top of the cylinder head), now if I had filled it with oil put the plug in and turned it upside down then yes, oil would have reached the compressor. Simply filling the crank case had absolutely nothing to do with this failure. Oil was filled to correct level when the break in procedure was performed.
Mine stays full all the time as it's set up permanently in my garage and hooked to a hose reel. Going on five years and no problems yet. People always overthink this stuff.
*Construction seemed sturdier than other units I considered **MyBest.Tools** Noise level was reasonable. Good pressure and cfm capacity for a small reasonably light compressor.*
Had mine for over 2 years. Works great, no issues, and am completely satisfied. It still has the OEM oil in it.
The problem was not with your air compressor suplying air to your impact gun. The problem with Air Supply to your gun is you need a high flow regulator and high-flow fittings and the correct size and length of hose. The motor is not supplying your gun with air, neither is the tank. The regulator is what is supplying your gun with the air. the tank supplies air to the regulator witch supplies the air to the hose that is supplying the gun. As long as you have ample pressure in the tank meaning that you have 120 or more PSI in the tank then the power output of your gun relies on the capacity and flow rate of the regulator, capacity and flow rate of the fittings, and capacity and flow rate of the hose.
I've had my harbor freight air compressor for about 10 months and it has never acted on me thank god! Everything runs smoothly and I've never overfilled it cuz there was like 3 warning labels telling you not to do that! It's still running like a champ! I do always turn it off when I'm going to be gone for more than an hour not because it says so it's just something I personally like to do
Yasin Munye the warning labels are in place so you don't run the compressor with the oil over filled which will damage the compressor internals. I never ran the compressor with oil over filled, simply filled and drained to flush any contaminates out. Oil was to the correct level before I ever hit the switch. The problem I had turned out to be the tank pressure release valve stuck causing the compressor to act the way it did when the tank had air pressure. When I drained the air tank it was able to cut on with no issues. I'm kinda glad this happened due to the disappointment of the 125psi while using certain air tools such as my 1/2 impact. I've had good luck with harbor freight stuff with this being the exception. I simply returned it and got a higher rated model and I'm glad I did. Thanks for watching!
What’s the Husky go for? I used to have a 60 gallon upright with a v head and ran off of 220 it was from Harbor Freight and would run 3/4” impact gun I did pay 900 for after the impact spool some connections I ended up spending around 970. If I remember it had 5 hp motor the only problem I ever had was my air release valve would open up on full tank of air. I sold it but should of kept it.
Put a speaker magnet on the bottom of the oil pan. It pulls all of the metal fragments to the area next to the drain plug. Although the only thing that is magnetic is the cylinder you can still jury rig it in the right spot. Works for lawnmowers too. I also do the same thing for my car: on the oil pan, on the transmission pan, and on the oil filter. Works wonders! Just a tip... Thanks for the great video!
I built a water proof box with sound deadening insulation for mine. It sits in that outside and I have no noise problems.
had the same issue with mine and it was the cold start valve on top of the head. it was not releasing when it was supposed to. bought one of of amazon for less the $5 and replace the old one. now it works 100%
mine only did that if i had other things plugged into the same outlet. had mine 4 years no prob yet
mine too... i have the same compressor 21 gallons and all he had to do is to find a better outlet to plug it in.
Me too, circuit overload. I just think he didn't like the unit. If the size of the hose is the same, and the pressure is the same, then the gun will act the same. You can't compare a lower pressure with a higher pressure.
Using a separate outlet to the one that's loaded up with a lot of gadgets....just wondering if that's an issue with low current, or else there's too much pressure left in the unit. A good practice from what I've seen is to open the release valve on the bottom when starting it. There's a valve on top of the head that's supposed to do this but if you start with too much pressure from the git-go that might not be good enough to fire it up (for awhile, if you keep at it for awhile the pressure would eventually slowly get down to a level that it would fire up). Or so I guess.
*After years of hauling around a large,💫 **allabout.wiki/PORTER** heavy, loud dewalt air compressor (that ironically was advertised as quiet, supposedly 78dB), I bought this. Facepalm. While it is not ‘silent’, I find myself chuckling every time I use it, sparing all my neighbors the terror of my former compressor. I use for inflating tires, impact wrench, finish nailers. Absolutely love it. And I store it under the garage sink in a 24” cabinet. I paired with a coil 1/2”, instead of a my former 50’ 5/8” hose that I had to lug across the yard from the shed, unpleasantly uncoil.... this little guy is light and portable; just a joy. Impact wrench is still capable of easing lug bolts, flywheel bolts, crank pulleys... just allow for a tiny bit of recovery now and then.*
I had one of those harbour freight 21 gallon compressors and did not have any problem, it does warn you to connect it to a 20 amp dedicated outlet.
Yea that's exactly why it wasn't running.
I've had mine for at least 8 yrs, runs good.
Mine did this but had too much oil as the eyelet is hard to read. Fixed it and works well now.
I appreciate your review. I was surprised by the dirty oil. That will surely kill the engine if not clean.
I had the cold-start problem with my 10-gallon CentralPneumatic unit (same compressor, smaller tank) and I used a heavier extension cord and the problem went away. I think the starting capacitor is undersized or something like that, but if you have a good electrical source, the cold start problem goes away.
Wow what a life saver you are. I'm watching your video while staring down at this exact model in the harborfrieght store. Thank you for saving me time and money and a headache. I get frustrated when things don't work especially after only a couple of uses. Thanks!
David Vargas I'm sure the harbor freight compressors are good for most jobs but in my case, not only did I get a dud compressor, I found it was not enough to run what I wanted to. Happy to help, I have a lot of nice reliable harbor freight tools and equipment but I was not impressed with this model compressor. Thanks for watching
I believe the reason why it was having issues is the motor needs a certain vacuum load to startup. To test this take off the air filter and use your thumb to block the whole until it powers on . The air holes i believe need to be lined up some way
Mine did that when it was brand new. After a few good uses, and a break in period it worked fine. That Husky is Nice though.
Mine does the same thing. I'm told it's the cold start button. I'm past the 90 day return so I'll see if I can play with it. If I can't get it to work I'll just turn it into a large air storage tank.
Old video but here's the fix for the HF issues. The regulator AND the 1/4" nipple that feeds it are restricted, get a new nipple from the plumbing dept. The failure to start is usually because the oil is too thick, mine does the same thing in the winter.
You definitely need to use 1/2" flexilla hoses with 3/8 MNPT and high flow fittings like Milton V series or Prevost S1 High Flow fittings and couplers (what I use) to get the most air to your tools. A good regulator and air filters with less restrictions are also advisable so you don't have choke points in your line setup. 90 psi is 90 psi regardless of your compressor size...all a matter of how much air is actually getting to the tool. Compressor size and efficiency really only matter with the most demanding of air tools. You could also just turn your psi up on the regulator to make sure the tool is getting enough air, your hose and fittings are probably restricting flow and there is a pressure drop by the time it reaches the tool.
I bought one. It did the same. I took it back and exchanged it. After a month, same thing. No extension cord, it was hooked directly into outlet with 20 amp breaker. Thought it might be the cold start valve. It does the same thing with the valve completely removed. The tank is in perfect condition. But the rest is junk.
You had too much head pressure when the compressor motor tried to start up. The Cold Start Valve on top of the head is suppose to "unload" the head pressure, but it doesn't stay open long enough. I use something to press the little button on the valve down (open) until the motor gets started. Very annoying, but it is a work around. I've order some other Cold Start Valves with (hopefully) higher close pressures to see if they'll stay open long enough for the motor to get running.
Jetta Red the problem is nobody reads the damn manual...
Jetta Red mine is 1 day old it blows air from that valve on top the entire time it runs, it still builds about 100psi in the tank tho.. does yours blow the whole time like that?
Glad I watched your video before picking it up. I like the Husky 175 30 gallon too. It doesn't surprise me the damn thing did that after only 24 hours.
good video, a paint sieve or strainer...white with white cheesecloth is a perfect inspection device...virtually any contaminants will appear billboard big, then renders the oil reusable, even stack them 3 or 4 deep....also a great formula that will keep you from being disappointed in compressors [most are]...pay attention to 3 main figures that directly relate to each other.... its the @ is where its at...your PSI vs CFM with the big @ is everything....beware of lopsided @s...most fail to realize even home devices can gobble up some serious air...usualy for good home use, around 15 to 17 CFM @150 to 175 PSI range seems to handle most jobs, even light sandblasting..once you learn that @ formula, you can walk up to any compressor in the box and do a pretty good rough figure on what you ll really have when the heats on...durability requires current research though. you can also preheat the oil to around 160 degrees and even loosen more, you may steer toward industrial type constant duty rated non foaming non detergent oils for added longevity, although "the good stuff" can be quite expensive... also a quick magnetizing of device[s], even the drain plug can be a great help. although it may be a wives tale, old-timers say never cut them off manually. let them cycle and shut off themselves...hasn't hurt my never been apart 30 year old..... I.R.
i know you went oiless, but the bulk of your vid was on the conventional type.
I bought one of those; didn't work out of the box. I returned it for a 60 gallon compressor. You said your tool didn't have the power of your shop compressor and that's likely true but not because the harbor freight compressor isn't putting out enough air. It's almost certain your shop air compressor is set at way too high an air pressure (some people don't even use regulators on their shop compressors, bad idea). If you look at the manuals of air tools they indicate the tools should be run at a certain pressure, normally about 90 psi or so. Running them higher will give you more power but it can be dangerous as the tools are designed for the set pressure, any more than that and you can damage or even destroy your tools long term and some have even broken their cases from too much pressure. Too much pressure is very hard on the seals, vanes and end plates. From the Ingersoll Rand website: “Technicians will often increase pressure to 120 psi, but we typically like to stick with 90 psi,” said Ingersoll Rand Manager, Mark Krisa. “Truck shops consistently run at 120 or 140 PSI as a matter of habit. This will give the tool greater performance, but in the long run it’s not good for the tool because it can reduce the expected lifespan of an air tool.” If the tool will remove a nut or bolt at the pressure the tool is designed for (or even just a little higher) that's great. If not buy a larger/stronger tool. I've never had an automotive nut I couldn't remove running my 1/2 inch impact at no more than 100 psi.
Mike, where is the article you are quoting from? Love to see it.
Chris F doesn't need to be an article. Simple common sense.....
Well yeah, but I wanted to see the whole thing just to read it. Never know if it might contain other useful info.
Lol you got two gifts. well played sir
hope i would've seen this video before. starting mine. flushing it for sure tomorrow. thanks for the info.
I have the HF compressor you originally bouht and haven't had any problems with it. I'm guessing you got a dud.
Man great review thanks for sharing!
I went through 3 of these with the same problem of being unable to start with pressure in the tank. Turns put my AC power line had too much voltage drop between the panel and the shop. I ran a new circuit with 12 guage wire from the panel and I dont have any more issues. No way this could run with an extension cord.
yep, run it off a 20A circuit and you will be fine.
Yes that is also possible if the shop is in an out building.
Hey I know this is like two years too late but the problem was that you did not have enough amps running through it to start it. Usually when it is cold these cheap Chinese’s compressors don’t like to start. So this was caused by not enough amps or it was just too cold outside to start. This is most likely useless because it is two years late.
Air pressure has little to do with how much power it can produce, it's the CFM not the PSI that determines that. At my shop it's 14cfm but at home it's 4.7cfm(harbor freight).
IT's too bad you never ran the Husky compressor so we could hear how much quieter it was than the harbor freight compressor.
I have a entire review of the Husky compressor on my channel
@@Powertool1990 the harbor freight 21g, fills faster and in my opinion a better buy. The only downside is the maintenance. Go through a lot of oil if you maintain it.
@@Powertool1990 proper flush is to do it once (6oz) then again after the 30min break in. Then finally again after 1hr of heavy use.
that is about what the one I bought did. I had bought it for my son.
You didn't have 20 amps going to the compressor
That's what it sounds like. Not enough power. Maybe it was a 15A outlet shared with other loads.
You need hi flo milton v style couplers and fittings
I know this is older but change all your fittings out to Milton 1/4 inch V style qick connects and fittings, they'll make a HUGE difference with your tools.
you wasted a lot of oil just "flushing it". you would have needed to somehow hook up a pressure line to it in order to actually flush it. you should have just filled it to the top once and let it drain out, than fill it to the full line and let it run for like 2 seconds than did an oil change. running for 30 mins right off the bat wasn't that smart. you only need the oil to circulate a bit before it picks up the metal left over from the milling, instead you let all that metal you didn't drain out to do more damage than it should of
eksine that’s what the instructions request you do
@@itsraheem Yes you're correct Raheem. The 30 minutes wasn't about flushing it, it was about breaking it in per the instructions.
HF claims 4.7 SCFPM @ 90PSI and 5.8 SCFPM @ 40PSI. I find that hard to believe but it is a decent little shop compressor..
I have the same issue with my HF compressor, after numerous attempt to fueil up the tank it does start working....I'm about to replace it with a better quality air compressor.
Exact thing happened to mine. Pulled the head off and the wrist pin on the piston broke
I bought one of these in March 2017. The owners manual said it held 5.3 ozs. of compressor oil. I put 5.3 ozs. in and it didn't even register on the sight glass. Finally I tilted the compressor towards me and then sloshed it around and I could see it but it was low on oil. I put in around 7.5 ozs or what was in the bottle of oil that came with it. That amount was about right to fill to the middle of the sight glass. I used it for the 30 min. break-in and then changed it. To anyone who buys one of these make sure you put the correct amount of compressor oil in the unit. No problems so far but it's only seeing regular use now.
Damn, and I was considering one of those Central pneumatics. Guess not anymore..
Your outlet didn’t have enough amps to start it up, mine did that before and I moved to another outlet and it’s fine. User error, harbor freight compressors are good
Not user error, I tried every outlet in my garage, the same outlets that use to run my old craftsman compressor that I know pulled more amps without an issue. This compressor was junk and honestly I'm glad it happened so I could get something better to run my 1/2 impact. I've been very happy with my husky 30 gallon 175 psi.
It's the cord and amps. I use a red and black extension cord, it works because of it's gauge. I figured that out after it kept popping circuits
The pressure is not the problem. You don't have enough SCFM. Your Snap On impact is close to specs as my IR 2235TiMAX that I have at work and at home. My IR needs 24 SCFM MINIMUM @ 90psi under load to put out the advertised torque. Your Snap On is more than likely the same and doubt that HF air compressor puts out much more than 5-6 SCFM at 90 psi
mine does the exact same thing. but mines out of warranty... is there a fix for it?
I've heard it's the pressure switch, if you release the pressure from the tank does it turn on again? I returned mine since it wasn't enough to run my 1/2 impact anyway
Do you think the shavings are cast iron or aluminum?
My Husky air compressor stop build air, I opened found that on the sheet metal valve is broken, Where can find this part?
HELP 21 gal. 2.5 hp harbor freight compressor leaked out all oil from bottom of the compressor,any ideas
I actually just took one of those back to Harbor Freight I got it for Christmas was still in the 90 day warranty thank God but every time I went to go use it it would act like it wanted to start and then stop I hit the reset and it would go back to the same thing start and then stop
l now leave mine turned off when I am not in the shop. When the compressor was new I came into a smoke filled shop. Apparently the check valve failed so the pressure switch was never satisfied letting the motor run for hours before I came back. The oil got so hot it started smoking creating a blue haze throughout. Soon as this one craps out will buy something else.
Richard Lambert they do that at work when we leave for the week, an air line busted over the weekend and the compressor was running for a couple days til someone came in Monday morning and found it. Now they turn it off, I've got in the habit of doing the same.
Bro the problem is not the compressor its your connection,I have this same compressor for five years plus it now started to leak oil in the center seal,this works better closer to the socket than using extension cord,if you have no choice make sure it is thick wire and at least 10 -20feet max
is it cold in your garage?
I had the exact same issue with one. I exchanged it and had the exact same problem with the second. "Horrible Freight"...lol.
Douglas Cummings don't get me wrong, they have some awesome stuff for the price but air compressors are not one of them haha
4.7 cfm to 5.1 not a monster difference man.
Good video thanks, I hope mine doesn't quit on me.like yours now I'm scared. Harbor freight electronic products just don't seem to last. But their tools are great. This thing is so loud my neighbor came over thought my ac had broken. My ears are ringing. I wouldn't reccomend it at 169.99 retail. 144.95 with coupon on sale.
CFM / hose and line ID
i bet you were using an extension cord on your harbor freight compressor. My 10 year old harbor freight compressor did the same thing to me when using a extension cord because of the amount of amp draw. Mine is also the old style red tank compressor and with a modified 110 cut in and 125 cut out pressure switch plus 11 gallon expansion it runs all my 1/2 in air tools(most are snap-on) just fine and still in for less than half the cost of that oil-less junk. side note other easy fixed common issue is the motor relief valve not releasing pressure on motor for ease of start up.
either that or the house wiring is 14 gauge wire.
Briggs & Stratton oil came with mine .. . . Too bad it didn’t work. Have had mine 10 years no problem . ..
Same thing happened to me when i got one of those. I guess I'm not alone on this one. I wasted a lot of time and it wasn't fun putting it back into the box. I cut the box up when I unpacked it. Used a whole roll of packing tape. So I figured $5.00 for the tape, loading it back up, wasted gas for the return trip to the store and back home, was a complete waste of time and effort, all because of a defective product. You might want to think twice before getting this compressor. I'm 66 years old and and have a screwed up back. Was just too much trouble for an old fart like me. THUMBS DOWN ON THIS ONE !
are you using an electrical cord?
The honda guy, No, it was plugged directly into 3 different outlets with the same problem. I did find if I drained the air pressure off the tank, the motor would cut on like nothing was wrong. My guess is the pressure relief valve was stuck or something stupid. I found it wasn't big enough to run my 1/2 inch impact like id like to, so I returned it for a husky 30 gallon 175 psi, I'm much happier. I just reviewed the Husky last weekend if you want to see how the new husky performs. Thanks for watching!
Repairs & Reviews i bought this same unit it made that same exact nosie like it was running but then it would die out but i was using an extension cord, first i pluged it directly into the wall it worked plugged it back into the extension cord and turned every thing in my house and garage off lights tv's ec. ec. then it worked it may have just been pulling to many watts, it also runs my snap on impact quite well
When it comes to air compressors. Don't skimp. I love Harbor Freight but don't buy your air compressor there. Do it right. Get a 60 gallon two stage compressor. The Kobalt is about $500.00 and is a great choice. Just get a good name brand two stage 220 Volt compressor. It's worth running a new 220 volt circuit if you need to.
Yes that is good advice and a dream setup but not everyone has the space for that big of a machine.
only thing about mine is a little water and ive had it about a year and a half
I am on my 3rd 1 and all doing the same problem and I know its the pressure on the head not letting it start so now I am bring it back and they cam shove it up their butt ! I like how it says " super Quiet" A deaf person could hear it. You get what you pay for !!!!
TAKING MINE BACK TOMORROW !
You can turn up how much air is in the tank lol
The harbor freight 29 gallon air compressor is 150psi and you can't even hear it running.
HOW MUCH MONEY WAS THE HUSKY ??
mark kent the 30 gallon husky compressor is 299$ at Home Depot. You definitely get what you pay for and the Husky is definitely a better option for auto repair which is its main use.
Should have spent little more and got the 29 it's so quiet and runs 150psi
Thats why they put stickers all over the damn machine telling u not to fill over the mark. Lol u broke nearly all the rules n broke the compressor
If you actually knew anything about how it works or functions you would know that you can fill it to the brim with oil and be perfectly fine just as long as it's not run. Its a piston and rod that's turned by an electric motor that builds air pressure. Filling the case with oil effects nothing unless it is run with oil overfilled which I did not do.
@@Powertool1990 The guy that repairs em told me they have valves inside that get damaged wen over full. Also your supposed to drain the tank after use.
@@jbassheadice2702 any valves would be in the head, not the crankcase where the oil was.
I have one. I will replace it as soon as I can. It's ridiculously LOUD.
The harbor freight barely running the impact was the main reason I wont buy it, since I am a small engine mechanic that is an important factor. I will buy the Husky that you did a video on instead.
I do small engine repair also and the Husky is amazing for everything I need, even takes zero turn blades off which can be a pain if you don't have the right impact and compressor
Did they tell you what the issue was with the harbor freight compressor?
No, they offered to replace it or return it and I just returned it and got one slightly bigger to fit my needs. I suspect it was a air pressure relief switch or something because it would kick back on if you drained air below 50 psi
@@Powertool1990 awesome, thank you. Mine is doing the exact same thing.
Shop compressors are huge lol of course you can't compare
henry Sansone shop compressors are big for volume/storage of air, the pressure on my new husky compressor will actually run just as much pressure as the one at my work. But it obviously won't run it as long at that pressure. I learned that a 125psi compressor won't come close to actually running 125psi. My husky is 175psi and I can run 90-125psi with no issues. Thanks for watching!
@@Powertool1990 Often the PSI is the max the tank can hold not what it can run at.
I bought this same unit based on good reviews around the web, this thing sucks. It takes like 4 minutes to pump up and it kicks back on pretty quickly, it cycles even with the lightest use. This is a very light duty unit and not for anything other than VERY light use. It's crazy loud and pretty weak.
I’m hoping you’ve learned about CFM’s vs air pressure since your review. I’m not at all trashing on you! I just noticed that you seemed to thing that pressure was all that was used to run your 1/2” gun. Cheers 🤙🏻
When I used mine for the first time, it shot up to 125 psi, then I used my air blow gun, and went it dropped to 95 psi , it sounded as it wanted to restart pressure building, but failed, I tried turniig the switch off and pushing the restart button and it never kickstarted back up. (Any one know why this would happen??)
Albert R sounds like exactly what happened to me. I found that when I drained the air pressure from tank it would work again. It's like the air pressure was to much to restart the compressor. I believe there's some kind of pressure relief valve that most likely was bad. I returned it and bought a 175 psi 30 gallon Husky, I'm much happier with the Husky
big mistake. all you had to do is just to plug the compressor in a better outlet to get better power. don't forget you are trying to run a 2.5 HP compressor in a house. and this can happen with any make of compressors not just the ones from harborfreight. any compressor up to 2HP needs a real good feeding power outlet.
I tried several different outlets, made no difference. The pressure relief valve wasn't working so once the tank had a certain amount of air pressure it wouldn't turn the compressor back on. If I drained the air pressure below 50 psi it cut on without issue. I returned it and got a husky 30 gallon 175 psi compressor and it's a huge improvement from the harbor freight. We'll worth the extra money
@@Powertool1990 yes the thing is the engine on this compressors with oil needs real good power compare to the electric compressors and also to make the reset after afew hours running the compressor
@@Powertool1990 i have the same 21 gallons and i plug it in on a single outlet and it works fine with no issue👌
I bought one and it never worked right.
Died with less then 20 hours on it. I have the tank still
BETTER HAVE EAR PLUGS AND UNDERSTANDING NEIGHBORS
Wow, that is weak..........to think i almost got that same Compressor before i got my Huskey, 125 PSI doesnt really do much..?? At least when using 1/2 impact, Interesting, good to know for future Reference, Thanks for the Video
try following proper breaking procedure, and not filling the compressor to overflow. you just damaged your compressor there. and you are a Mechanic....... Scary....
Justin Korpal filling the oil to the top of the fill plug never touches anything to do with the compressor and how it functions (which is at the very top of the cylinder head), now if I had filled it with oil put the plug in and turned it upside down then yes, oil would have reached the compressor. Simply filling the crank case had absolutely nothing to do with this failure. Oil was filled to correct level when the break in procedure was performed.
Never leave air in the compressor, use the release valve when you are done or this will happen💀 to your harbor freight compressor.
Mine stays full all the time as it's set up permanently in my garage and hooked to a hose reel. Going on five years and no problems yet. People always overthink this stuff.
Its extremely loud. lol.
I needed compressor for work you are not wrong it is a piece of crap
capacitor is probably shot
you don't have enough power