scottydl
Site Team
As much as I have promoted the cheap Harbor Freight air compressors over the years (especially on the forum, for RV use), mine is no longer holding air above 20psi. It's a 3-gallon pancake type with max pressure around 100-105psi. It worked fine last Fall when I was winterizing the trailer, and afterwards I left the tank drain plug open (as always) to prevent moisture buildup in the tank.
Now when I have it plugged in and pressurizing the tank, at 20psi I can feel air pumping out the sides, from the gap where the compressor motor is attached to the tank. When I open the tank drain plug, a bit of orange liquid sprays out that I assume is rusty water that built up somehow/somewhere. Could some water from my RV plumbing system have backed up into the compressor innards during winterizing, later freezing and damaging a seal somewhere? Or maybe this is just to be expected in cheap compressors after more than a few years.
Now when I have it plugged in and pressurizing the tank, at 20psi I can feel air pumping out the sides, from the gap where the compressor motor is attached to the tank. When I open the tank drain plug, a bit of orange liquid sprays out that I assume is rusty water that built up somehow/somewhere. Could some water from my RV plumbing system have backed up into the compressor innards during winterizing, later freezing and damaging a seal somewhere? Or maybe this is just to be expected in cheap compressors after more than a few years.