Using the 7.2 kw generator to power my air compressor

[fgutz3rd]

I’ve been trying for months now to power up my air compressor with my truck and everytime I connect it it give me a pop the breaker type fault. I cannot get it to power my air compressor. It’s only a 20 gallon so it’s not a big generator. Had nobody had this problem? Could use some advice on how to fix this issue

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[Kodiak]

I’ve been trying for months now to power up my air compressor with my truck and everytime I connect it it give me a pop the breaker type fault. I cannot get it to power my air compressor. It’s only a 20 gallon so it’s not a big generator. Had nobody had this problem? Could use some advice on how to fix this issue

Others with more experience will probably chime in but:

Many of issues like this have been reported to be solved with a soft start device to help reduce the load at start up.

 

[JEB]

I’ve been trying for months now to power up my air compressor with my truck and everytime I connect it it give me a pop the breaker type fault. I cannot get it to power my air compressor. It’s only a 20 gallon so it’s not a big generator. Had nobody had this problem? Could use some advice on how to fix this issue

First thing to try, if you haven’t already, is to make sure you’re plugging your compressor into the 30A socket. You will get another 10A of headroom. You’ll need an adapter like this one: https://www.amazon.com/L14-30P-Appl...rong+generator+to+20a+adapter,aps,158&sr=8-20

If that doesn’t work, you’ll need a soft starter, like @Kodiak said. The problem is that an air compressor, like any other piece of equipment with a compressor (e.g. an air conditioner), requires a lot of start up amps and that initial surge will overload the truck’s amp rating. You can get away with the surge if you have a mechanical breaker (like your house has) because it takes some time for a mechanical breaker to react and cut the power. But the Powerboost has an electronic breaker and it trips immediately as soon as you hit the amp limit. A soft starter will lower the initial surge amps needed to start the compressor.

 

[fgutz3rd]

Others with more experience will probably chime in but:

Many of issues like this have been reported to be solved with a soft start device to help reduce the load at start up.

What is a soft start device

 

[fgutz3rd]

First thing to try, if you haven’t already, is to make sure you’re plugging your compressor into the 30A socket. You will get another 10A of headroom. You’ll need an adapter like this one:

If that doesn’t work, you’ll need a soft starter, like @Kodiak said. The problem is that an air compressor, like any other piece of equipment with a compressor (e.g. an air conditioner), requires a lot of start up amps and that initial surge will overload the truck’s amp rating. You can get away with the surge if you have a mechanical breaker (like your house has) because it takes some time for a mechanical breaker to react and cut the power. But the Powerboost has an electronic breaker and it trips immediately as soon as you hit the amp limit. A soft starter will lower the initial surge amps needed to start the compressor.

For some reason I could not open the link but I do have a 30 amp adapter but it has 201 10 plugs coming out of the other end and I tried to use that and it’s still popped the breaker on the on the truck so I have no idea why it keeps doing that it’s only the compressor it runs everything else. What is a soft start

 

[JEB]

For some reason I could not open the link but I do have a 30 amp adapter but it has 201 10 plugs coming out of the other end and I tried to use that and it’s still popped the breaker on the on the truck so I have no idea why it keeps doing that it’s only the compressor it runs everything else. What is a soft start

I tried to fix the link. https://www.amazon.com/L14-30P-Appliance-Receptacle-Generator-Connector/dp/B094N55LN7/ref=sr_1_20?crid=1HMAISPCTE8LS&keywords=4+prong+Generator+to+20a+adapter&qid=1700741339&sprefix=4+prong+generator+to+20a+adapter,aps,158&sr=8-20

A soft starter is basically a microprocessor controlled unit that sits between your truck and your compressor that learns your compressor’s start up requirements and lowers the start up amps needed to get the compressor going. They aren’t cheap. The one I use on my rv’s ac is $350.

Compressors are not like other equipment you might have. Start up amps for compressors are much higher even though running amps might be similar. That’s the problem.

EDIT: I just did a google search and this is an example of a plug in soft starter: https://www.amazon.com/InnoRaymond-..._C07U2wBuzHDAB5HMYATkkounNR7h5FRoCmloQAvD_BwE

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

My chop saw only pulls 10 amps running (per UIL label) but blows the 30 amp breaker on my 7.2 KW F150. Soft starts can help with saws as well.

 

[JEB]

My chop saw only pulls 10 amps running (per UIL label) but blows the 30 amp breaker on my 7.2 KW F150. Soft starts can help with saws as well.

Yes! It will help anything with a motor.

 

[imnuts]

There is/was also an update for the truck to help reduce the inrush current surge trips. Not sure if you've had it applied, but I think it's an FDRS only update. Not sure if it will fix the problem, but it's worth a shot.

 

[SALEEN961]

Starting current is a very big issue with air compressors. When I got my 30 gallon air compressor, it would dim the lights when turned on from empty. When the compressor would kick back on to top off the pressure, it would pull so much current that it would drop the voltage to my garage from 120V all the way down to 70V.

I didn't want to go through the trouble of rewiring the garage since I'm renting it, so I spent $8 and installed a 26% underdrive pulley on my air compressor to reduce the load on the motor. This has been working just fine even with the far for ideal wiring.

 

[Gros Ventre]

It is usual for a motor to draw 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 times the running current of the motor. What a softstart does is flatten that peak down by reducing the current into the motor during start.

 

[madsend81]

Yes, startup amps on motors under load can be quite substantial. In industrial settings we see surge amps of 120% - 200% of rated load frequently. Those surge amps are usually for such a short period of time that they don't do any damage. Usually motors in industrial settings use time delay fuses or have circuit breakers with an adjustable surge allowance setting as protection for that reason.

As was stated, the Powerboost has fast acting circuit protection because either the high startup current or the voltage drop that occurs with a motor starting up under load can cause damage to the electrical circuits managing the ProPower system.

A soft start will control the amperage available to the motor on startup. They are very common in industrial settings as an energy saving measure.

 

[Gros Ventre]

Another way to go at this is to get an auto transformer. With this you can start at zero current and manually run it up to run current. If you do this don't dilly-dally raising the control know to full voltage.

 

[Walter Townsend]

I’ve been trying for months now to power up my air compressor with my truck and everytime I connect it it give me a pop the breaker type fault. I cannot get it to power my air compressor. It’s only a 20 gallon so it’s not a big generator. Had nobody had this problem? Could use some advice on how to fix this issue

Which compressor do you have; Make, model, what type of motor is on it? If it is 20 gallon belt driven compressor can you rewire the motor from 110V to run on 220V. By doing this, the over all power (watts) to run the compressor will be the same, but the current draw will be halved for each of the legs, IE instead of 15 amps start up current on 110 volts you will have 7.5 amps on 220V.

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