How to Operate & Service A Pancake Compressor

Posted by Henry.Wilsonn on October 28th, 2015

We all love pancake compressors, don’t we? They are light, compact and extremely portable. They have got enough pneumatic power to perform all light to medium duty tasks with ease. I also happen to own a Bostitch compressor which I picked up because of several reasons. Firstly, it was a great value for the money and price to performance ratio has been amazing so far. Secondly, Bostitch is a well known brand so if anything goes south with my compressor, I can actually get my hands on to Bostitch parts to repair the unit.

It’s easy to operate a compressor as small as this but don’t let the size fool you. It still packs a punch to injure you severely and you need to be careful around it. You should know the proper method of switching on and off your pancake compressor as well as the appropriate method to service the unit. Here are some bulleted instructions that will help you understand my point a little better:

What You Need To Do Before Switching On

1. First of all, inspect the compressor thoroughly for any damaged or broken components. Do not operate if compressor is damaged or if there is a reason to believe that the compressor isn’t running as it’s supposed to be.

2. Before turning the compressor on, always verify that the tanks have been drained and are clear of any moisture, debris or dirt. See “Draining Tank” procedure below to remove impurities from your compressor’s tank.

How to Switch the Compressor On

1.    Verify that the On/Off switch is in the off position.

2. Ensure that the tank air pressure is at 0 PSI.

3.    Attach the air hose to the discharge line.

4.    Plug the unit into a properly grounded outlet.

5.    Pull out the On/Off switch to on. The compressor will automatically cycle on and off to keep the tank pressure maintained.

6.    Adjust the pressure regulator to the proper pressure setting required for the air tool.

How to Switch the Compressor On

1. Push in the On/Off switch to the off position.

Service and Maintenance: Prior to performing service and maintenance to the compressor, always disconnect all accessories and attachments from the unit, and disconnect the compressor from the electrical source. When replacing parts, only use genuine replacement parts and nothing else. For example, if you own a Bosch compressor, always go with the original Bosch parts instead of cheap aftermarket replacements that can cause damage to your compressor.

If your compressor uses oil then check the oil and replace it if needed. My Bostitch unit uses an oil free mechanism so I don’t have to go through that routine.

Draining Tank - Twist-Style Drain Cocks:

1. Verify that the compressor is turned off.

2. Holding the handle, tilt the compressor toward the drain cock so that they are positioned at the bottom of the tank.

3. Turn the drain cock to open the valve.

4. Keep the compressor tilted until all moisture has been removed.

ToolpartsPro.com offers a wide range of Bosch parts, Bostitch parts and CST-Berger parts on lowest online prices.