Kaeser compressor venting issue

[Rapid_Tech]

Hey Guys,

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar problem with their Kaeser compressor. The unit in question is an 2015 SM-10 with the intergrated dryer & receiver tank and has close to 10k hours. There's also an additional 200 gallon storage tank. Maintenance is up to date, I did a full service on it replacing all the filters and oil about 3 months ago.

For a while now it would give a back pressure alarm. It's fairly random when it happens, once every 1-3 days. I've changed the solenoid and vent valve assembly, based on the recommendation from the Kaeser dealer in my area. It helped initially for a few weeks but the problem has returned and is happening more often.

I'm now wondering if the pressure transducer is the actual culprit? When the compressor is running, the pressure on the screen builds normally to its limit of 125psi. As soon as the compressor unloads, the pressure drops to 107-110psi in a split second. I mentioned this to the Kaeser service tech on the phone but the only answer he gave me was that there was a large demand of air in the shop . I explained to him several times that it would do it with no machines turned on and no air being used. Even if all my machines are on, there's no way that it would drop 15+psi in less than a second from a system with a 250+ gallon capacity.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Panza]

I have the same compressor more or less, and the pressure drop when it goes from load to unload is definitely not 15psi. It might be around 2psi.
Can't help with your problem, but a sensor of some sort seems right.

 

[Rapid_Tech]

Thanks Panza, I know something isn't right with this compressor. I ended up buying a new pressure transducer, which didn't solve the pressure drop, but so far it hasn't given a back pressure alarm yet after more than a week.

One thing I'm really disappointed in with Kaeser is the tubing they use between the air/oil separator tank and the cooler. It's just regular steel tube that is all rusted on the inside due to hot, moist air flowing through it. They know it causes problems as well because they put mesh screens at the end of the tube to catch little pieces of rust from the tube. Would it have been so hard to make it from stainless instead. At times, I think the Germans are on the same level of stupidity as the chinese.