For our (many) doctors that have lubricated compressors from the older Apollo lines, here is a visual walk-through of basic maintenance that can (and should) be done on a monthly basis.
Let’s get started!
*Remember: never attempt to do a repair that you are not comfortable with or are unsure about! Having overflowing confidence to dive into something new is one thing, but always be careful and don’t hurt yourself. As a doctor, your first and foremost priority is the overseeing of your office and making sure your business runs smoothly. Always be extremely careful when performing even the most basic maintenance on your equipment.*
(Yaeger Dental Supply, Inc. does not assume any responsibility for damages to equipment or injury as a result of working on the equipment as outlined in these tutorials.)
Figure 1.1
The first task you will want to accomplish is to check the oil level. While the compressor is cycling (pumping up), the oil level should fill the sight-glass half way. Be sure to check this level on a regular basis. Acceptable oil consumption, per compressor head, is between 1oz.-3oz. per month. If the compressor head is consuming more oil than this, call your technician to take a look at your system. Chances are good that the rings inside the head are wearing out.
Figure 1.2
Filling the oil is easy. Just hold open the filler valve flap and pour the oil in. Most compressor oil bottles have a tiny spout on the top to make filling easier, however a piece of 1/4″ poly tubing can be inserted into the bottle nozzle to make this task even easier.
Figure 1.3
Figure 1.4
Next, check the function of your compressors cooling fans. Sometimes there are cooling fans on the deck (the platform that the compressor heads sit on) as well as the top of the compressor heads themselves, but the ones that really matter are the latter. Some fans blow downward, and others upward. As long as you can feel sufficient airflow and see the fans rotating relatively quickly, you can assume they are functioning properly. If the cooling fans die, they should be replaced by your technician ASAP, or else the head can overheat and cause major thermal and electrical problems, which can add up to a lot of money. A ~$150.00 fan is much kinder to your wallet than a new ~$2000.00 compressor head!
Figure 1.5
The checking the coalescent filter flow indicator needs to be done while the compressor is operating in its normal duty cycle.
Figure 1.6
To release pressure in the compressor tank so that the compressor will cycle, pull the pressure relief valve ring until the compressor heads turn on. Watch the pressure gauge as you do so, making sure that the compressor turns on at 80 psi (+/- 5 psi) and turns off at 100 psi (+/- 5 psi).
Figure 1.7
Figure 1.8
While the compressor is cycling, take notice of the indicator color. If it stays green through the whole cycle, the filter is still good. If it shuttles to red anytime during the cycle, change the filter immediately.
Figure 1.9
To change the filter, first turn the compressor off. Next, hold the red and black lock tab down while turning the filter housing clockwise or counterclockwise while pushing upward to disengage the locking teeth on the bowl. After turning the bowl, slightly wiggle and pull down to remove the filter housing.
Figure 1.10
To remove the filter, unscrew the filter counter-clockwise. Replace with a new filter and repeat the steps 1.9 and 1.10, except in reverse order. Be sure that the red filter gasket is in place on the new filter before you install it.
Figure 1.11
Next on the list is to check the wet/dry indicator on the tank. If the color of the glass indicates that the condition is wet, switch the purge tank to “open” (the purge valve to switch over to the separate purge tank allows the desiccant tank to dry out) and check back in a few days to see if the condition changes. If not, call your service tech. If the color changes to “dry,” close the purge tank.
Figure 1.12
Open the tank drain briefly to see if there is any moisture. If no moisture comes out, close the valve. If moisture exists, leave the valve open until moisture is gone.
Now, that wasn’t too scary was it? You now know how to do a full monthly service to your Apollo lubricated air compressor. Check back with us regularly to learn more tips and self-fixes you can preform in your own office.
Have a suggestion on a repair topic? Drop us a line at Allen@yaegerdental.com
*Remember: never attempt to do a repair that you are not comfortable with or are unsure about! Having overflowing confidence to dive into something new is one thing, but always be careful and don’t hurt yourself. As a doctor, your first and foremost priority is the overseeing of your office and making sure your business runs smoothly. Always be extremely careful when performing even the most basic maintenance on your equipment.*
(Yaeger Dental Supply, Inc. does not assume any responsibility for damages to equipment or injury as a result of working on the equipment as outlined in these tutorials.)
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Tags: guide, maintenance, tips, Walk-through
Happy Friday, everyone! To everyone who has been giving me feedback about what you want to see on my equipment repair walk-throughs, I’d like to say thank you! Having your questions and comments to use as a compass really does help me figure out which guide to write up next. Next week, I will be putting a basic 3-way syringe repair guide together, seeing as how that has been my most popular topic request. But for now, let’s relax after getting through another week, and have a laugh at one of the most well known viral videos to hit the internet: David after Dentist
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