Porter Cable Air Compressor DOA WTF!?

deathpunk dan · 02-15-2011, 09:22 AM

My folks gave me a porter cable 3 nailer and compressor kit for xmas. Mostly so I'd stop borrowing my dad's nailers, I think.

So, this weekend I go to use it for the first time..and while the compressor motor runs, the system never builds any pressure and you can hear the air leaking somewhere around the motor (under the plastic cover).

I thought Porter Cable = good stuff. Turns out there is pretty much zero quality control with this unit and many others found them defective as well.

So I called up Home Depot. No local stores have any of this model in stock, and they want to charge me $35 to send it out for repair. The repair facility will then determine if the issue is covered under warranty.

Meanwhile the bought-at-a-yard-sale-for-$10 who knows how old or what brand portable compressor I have keeps chugging along. It's just loud and heavy, and only goes to 100 psi (the pc one allegedly goes to 150).

Could I take the thing apart and possibly fix it? Sure, yeah. But that's not the point.

Seahawk · 02-15-2011, 09:29 AM

Check to see that the water vapor valve for draining the tank after each use is closed.

I have a DeWalt that will do the same thing if the valve isn't closed.

A930Rocket · 02-15-2011, 09:33 AM

Spary soapy water on the connections and/or a weld. Sounds like one is loose, including the condensate drain mentioned.

MT930 · 02-15-2011, 12:27 PM

They are pretty simple check for a broken metal reed they will break and need to be replaced. They let air in on the piston down stroke and up stroke.

5min job they tend to break when it's cold. I have a small Porter Cable compressor it works great! 135 PSI cast iron with oil. It's never broken

I had a Bostitch that broke often.

Change the oil while your there.

74-911 · 02-15-2011, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deathpunk dan

I thought Porter Cable = good stuff. Turns out there is pretty much zero quality control with this unit and many others found them defective as well.

I have had what is probably the same Porter Cable compressor/nail kit for going on 6 years and would have recommended it to anyone looking for a small comressor. Have done a lot of nailing with it and 5-6 times a year I use the compressor when diving the boat to scrape barnacles - when the water is cold and I'm really sucking down the air the compressor will run non-stop for 1/2 an hour or so and never any problems. Like all things these days, it is probably just the luck of the draw.

lm6y · 02-15-2011, 02:13 PM

I think everyone is missing the point here. It's not even two months old, and it's NEVER been used. He shouldn't HAVE to take it apart to fix ANYTHING. Home Depot would be taking it back, and fix it for nothing, or I would have a new one. Charging you $35 for their problem is just insane.