Air compressor check valve question(s)

I've got a Brute 15 gal 125psi compressor I picked up for cheap almost 10 yrs ago. For my occasional use, it has served me well.

This past weekend, the check valve failed, as in, it came apart. The pressure regulator failed in a similar manner not long after I bought the unit (chinese high quality.....)

The exact replacement is no longer available (of course).

So my question is:

Are all check valves basically the same, meaning, can I use a 'universal' type one in its place?

(A new compressor is out of the question right now, and this unit otherwise works fine).



Thanks!

That's the one that unloads the air pressure from going back to the compressor if what I see is correct.
It should be just a basic one way valve that's spring loaded.

Any one that you can thread in should work fine.
As long as it allows pressure from the compressor to go through and seals to block it back flowing is all that matters.

If you can't find the correct exact one, adapting one may be required.

I am having trouble grasping how your compressor is tubed from your pictures. Where is your unloader valve, on the pressure switch or on the end of the compressor crankshaft?

6PakBee, I don't have any other pictures of it and the compressor isn't close by........

this looks like it may work. https://www.amazon.com/Preamer-Thre...hy=9058123&hvtargid=pla-788235173262

This is the way I've seen most compressors tubed. The smaller ones usually have the unloader valve as part of the pressure switch. The larger ones have a centrifugally actuated unloader valve on the end of the crankshaft. They both bleed off the pressure on the upstream side of the check valve when the compressor stops so that the next start is with no pressure at the compressor pump discharge.

The more I look at that I am starting to think that it isn't a check valve but a pressure relief valve. It's somewhat hard to tell but the seat that you see seems to be after all three connections.

That looks like what he needs.

"I say, Holmes, I think you have it."

Isn't Central Pneumatic a Harbor Freight brand? Might check HF as well.

The amazon one looks like the small fitting comes off the wrong side? But it's the right idea.

https://www.amazon.com/Powermate-03...B008JVM2RQ/ref=psdc_552274_t1_B07QNPYSQ8

Been calling it what the manual refers to it as. The part is 'H' here.

Good catch 5th! You are correct. I ordered the one you posted.

Thank you everyone for the help! It is much appreciated!

You were correct, it was the check valve. I just couldn't see the relationship of the three ports in the photos.

Well, THAT didn't work out. The part I ordered thanks to 5thAve was the wrong size. Duh, I shoulda checked sizing. I take the blame on that one.

But now I have a bigger problem. I took a wire brush to the base of the fitting to clean off where it threaded into the tank then soaked it with PB Blaster for about a week. This did no good, the weight of my wrench broke the fitting off flush with the tank.

I know brass is a soft metal, but brittle?

*sigh*

So now I'm at the crossroads of do I keep jacking with this thing or spend money I don't have and get another compressor?

FB Marketplace is your friend !!

I just worry that I'll end up buying someone's problem......

Lay the compressor on its side and take a hacksaw blade and make two cuts 180 degrees apart in the brass fitting just down to the threads. Then take a small chisel and peel the remains of the fitting out of the tank. Removed a number of large brass fittings like this. Just don't get carried away with the cuts or you'll have another problem.

That sucks!
I had a portable compressor given to me for free because it had a rusted out tank. I ended up finding another one for $20 that had compressor problems but the tank was good. Swapped the compressor parts from the bad tank to the good one and all is good now. So sometimes buying someone elses problem isn't necesserily a bad thing!

i have done this as well.
if you have an air saw, that will make the job easier.
as to the brass becoming brittle, causing it to break, the actual cause of the break was that the brass had galled to the steel threads.
repaired many fittings because of this in my 45 year machinist career. the cause was always galled threads due to dissimilar materials. even using teflon tape or paste will not rule out this possibility, although it does reduce the chance of breakage somewhat.

Teflon Tape on stainless steel thread being screwed into aluminum can be a real headache saver.

if you have an air saw, that will make the job easier.

Yes, it would but I only have one compressor.........

(just struck me funny, not upset)

that was kind of a stupid thing for me to say, since your problem involves your compressor. my bad.
i was just thinking off the top of my hairless head.
next best thing would be to take a hacksaw blade and grind down the top side of the blade so it would fit inside the fitting, then use that to slice a couple of slots into the broken part of the brass. the slots do not really need to be 180 apart, just enough so when you can get the first chunk of the fitting out, there is enough room for the rest of the fitting to collapse and be small enough to exit the tank threads.
you could also use a jig saw with a fine tooth metal blade to make the cuts. use the low speed if it has that feature, or if the variable speed kind, be "gentle" on the trigger.
use some grease while cutting regardless of the method, to keep the most particles of the cut you can out of the tank.
whatever method you use, please let us know how you make out.