Machine: KOP 34/10 diesel portable air compressor
Application: Pipeline cleaning and drying post-inspection
The customer is a company that takes care of important water pipelines. For a recent job, they were using their Kotech KOP 34/10 air compressor to power a series of pipeline pigs (cleaning devices) to scour debris from the pipe walls, and then switch to the dryer function keep blowing dry oil-free compressed air to evaporate any remaining moisture.
The machine was working fine and the project was moving along as planned. However, something was getting a little odd on the compressor. The compressor engine seemed to be working harder than it should, like a car engine constantly running at high speed when it didn’t need to.
Because of this, and the machine’s temperature gauge was always reading on a high level. Though it wasn’t overheating to the point of shutting down, it was warmer than normal.
The site crew is very knowledgeable. They checked the usual things one would expect: the radiator was clear, the coolant levels were good, there was nothing blocking the air flow around the engine. But after all, they still couldn’t figure out what makes the engine constantly running at full power.
Although the compressor was still doing its best and the project was doing good, they were concerned about the long-term effect on the machine. They wanted to fix the small problem before it could become a big one.
Upon receiving the customer’s support request, the Kotech service center immediately initiated technical support protocol. We arranged for two of our technical engineers to visit their site.
Engineers arrived fast. They first conducted a thorough visual inspection and consulted with the operators to understand the exact sequence of events leading to the fault. A engineer then connected his laptop to the KOP 34/10’s integrated control system to download operational data logs.
It revealed a keynote: a gradual rise in engine temperature coinciding with the pressure drop, which ruled out a simple sensor fault. The problem wasn’t obvious, but after a thorough check, he found the main cause.
The chief culprit was a partially clogged fuel filter, a common yet often overlooked problem when operating in dusty environments. Imagine it, when you try to drink through a clogged straw, you have to suck much harder to get the same amount of liquid. The same thing to the air compressor engine.
To compensate and keep producing the same amount of power, it had to work constantly at full capacity to get sufficient fuel through a clogged fuel filter, which naturally made it run hotter.
It was a simple issue, but not an easy one to spot without experience. Engineers replaced the old fuel filter with a new one, also took the time to check a few other related parts to make sure everything was in perfect shape. After starting the machine back up, the engine immediately settled into a more relaxed rhythm.
The temperature gauge soon dropped back to the normal, green zone. The compressor was now running smoothly and efficiently.
The team at site was very happy. They appreciated that Kotech took their concern seriously and addressed it rapidly. The visit not only solved the mystery of the hard-working engine but also gave them peace of mind. The project was completed successfully, and customer was confident that their Kotech compressor was in great condition.
From this case you can find that Kotech is not just here to sell machines; we’re here to be a reliable partner, ready to help with our expertise whenever our customers need it.
