Episode 22: Weatherproofing Your Air Compressor

Jason Reed

Alright, welcome back to The Big Dog Podcast! I’m Jason Reed, here with Lisa Saunders, and today we’re talking about something that, honestly, gets overlooked until it’s too late—weatherproofing your air compressor. Specifically, what happens when winter hits hard.

Lisa Saunders

Yeah, and I mean, it’s not just about being cold, right? Cold weather can really mess with your compressed air system. I always thought, “Hey, machines like the cold, don’t they?” But it’s way more complicated than that.

Jason Reed

Yeah, it’s true—rotary screw compressors are actually more efficient in the cold because the air’s denser, so you get more bang for your buck. But, and this is a big but, once you drop below, say, 35 or 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you start running into real problems. Oil thickens up, seals get brittle, and water starts condensing and freezing in all the wrong places.

Lisa Saunders

Right, and I always forget—oil viscosity, that’s the big one, isn’t it? When it gets cold, the oil gets thicker, so the motor has to work harder. That can trip breakers, shut down the compressor, and suddenly you’re scrambling to get production back online.

Jason Reed

Exactly. And it’s not just the oil. Rubber seals and hoses, they get stiff, start cracking, and then you’ve got leaks. Plus, water condensation is a nightmare. It freezes in the lines, blocks drains, and if you’ve got a desiccant dryer, you might be replacing beads way more often than you want.

Lisa Saunders

So, what do you actually do about it? I mean, you can’t just cross your fingers and hope for a mild winter.

Jason Reed

Nope, that’s a recipe for downtime. The best setups I’ve seen use a few key things: electrical enclosure heaters to keep the controls from freezing up, sump heaters to keep the oil warm, and trace heating on pipes so you don’t get ice blockages. And, honestly, insulation everywhere you can put it. Kaishan’s low-ambient package does all that—plus, they use stainless steel pipes, which hold up way better than copper or brass in the cold.

Lisa Saunders

I love that you brought up trace heating. I always thought it was just for, like, water pipes in old houses, but it’s a lifesaver for air systems too. And those independently controlled thermostats—they’re not just a luxury, right? They actually help you dial in the right temp for each part of the system.

Jason Reed

Yeah, and let me tell you, I saw this firsthand at a plant in the Midwest. They had this brutal cold snap—condensate lines froze solid, and production was about to grind to a halt. They brought in a Kaishan low-ambient setup, with all the heaters and insulation, and it kept everything running. No more frozen lines, no more emergency shutdowns. It was, uh, kind of a game changer for them.

Lisa Saunders

That’s the thing—people don’t realize how much downtime costs until it happens. And it’s not just the compressor, it’s the whole process that gets thrown off. So, prepping for winter isn’t optional if you want to keep things moving.

Lisa Saunders

Alright, so we’ve survived the freeze—now let’s talk about the other extreme. Summer. High-ambient temperatures can be just as brutal, maybe even worse in some ways.

Jason Reed

Yeah, heat’s a silent killer for compressors. If your intake air is already, say, 110 degrees, by the time it’s compressed, you’re looking at discharge temps of 175, 200 degrees, easy. That’s rough on everything—motors, oil, seals, you name it.

Lisa Saunders

And it’s not just oil-lubricated units, right? Oil-free compressors run even hotter. I read that the air can hit 350 degrees inside an oil-free rotary screw. That’s wild.

Jason Reed

Yeah, oil-free is a whole different animal. You need oversized coolers, high-temp insulation, and, honestly, you gotta make sure your system is rated for those temps. Kaishan’s oil-flooded compressors are rated up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than most competitors. Their oil-free KROF units can handle 115 degrees, and they use Class F insulation on the motors—so you’re not burning out windings every summer.

Lisa Saunders

That’s a good point. And, uh, I actually saw this go wrong on a factory tour in Texas. They had a VSD unit—variable speed drive—sitting right out on the shop floor, no climate control. It failed in the middle of a heat wave. Turns out, those electronics are super sensitive to heat. If you don’t put the VSD in a cooler, climate-controlled spot, you’re just asking for trouble.

Jason Reed

Yeah, VSDs are finicky. You can pay for a heat-rated upgrade, but honestly, just put it in a server room or somewhere cool. And don’t forget, VSDs actually generate more heat when they’re running in turn-down mode, so you gotta plan for that too.

Lisa Saunders

So, best practice—keep your VSDs remote if you can, and always check the max distance with your distributor. And, uh, don’t forget about storage. The Compressed Air & Gas Institute says you want up to 10 gallons per CFM of system capacity, with a mix of wet and dry storage. That helps buffer those temperature swings and keeps your system stable.

Jason Reed

Yeah, and don’t skimp on cooling. Oversized coolers, high-temp insulation, and regular checks on your auxiliary motors—those fans are working overtime in the summer. If you push your system past its rating, you’re just cutting the life of your motor in half. Literally—every 10 degrees Celsius over the insulation rating, you lose half the service life. That’s not a scare tactic, that’s just physics.

Lisa Saunders

It’s easy to forget how much heat impacts the whole system. And, honestly, a lot of failures I’ve seen could’ve been avoided with better planning—just thinking ahead about where you put the equipment and how you cool it.

Lisa Saunders

So, we’ve talked about surviving the cold and beating the heat, but honestly, none of that matters if your system design is off. You can have the best compressor in the world, but if you don’t have the right setup, you’re still at risk.

Jason Reed

Yeah, system design is everything. Multiple compressors, proper storage, backup units—if you’re running just one compressor with no backup, you’re rolling the dice. I always say, base, trim, and backup. That’s the gold standard. It keeps you running, even if something goes down, and makes maintenance way less stressful.

Lisa Saunders

And maintenance—don’t get me started. You need a checklist: clean your filters, check your drains, sample your oil, and keep an eye on your sensors. Predictive monitoring is huge. It’s not just about fixing things when they break, it’s about catching problems before they cost you real money.

Jason Reed

Yeah, and I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s way cheaper than unplanned downtime. I mean, a shutdown in the middle of a production run? That’s a nightmare. Regular cleaning, oil sampling, and just walking the floor—those little things add up to big savings.

Lisa Saunders

And if you’re not sure where to start, partner with a local expert. Seriously, consultants and distributors know the climate, they know the equipment, and they can help you size your system right. It’s not just about selling you a compressor—it’s about building a relationship so you get the right advice, fast service, and support when you need it.

Jason Reed

Yeah, I mean, nobody wants to be stuck renting a diesel backup because they didn’t plan ahead. That’s expensive, it’s dirty, and it’s just not sustainable. Working with a local partner means you’re ready for whatever the weather throws at you, and you’re not scrambling when things go sideways.

Lisa Saunders

So, bottom line—design your system for year-round reliability, stay on top of maintenance, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. That’s how you keep your compressed air system running strong, no matter what the forecast says.

Jason Reed

Alright, that’s gonna do it for this episode. Lisa, always good talking shop with you. And for everyone listening, stay ahead of the weather, keep your system tight, and we’ll catch you next time on The Big Dog Podcast.

Lisa Saunders

Thanks, Jason. And thanks to everyone tuning in—don’t forget, we’ve got more episodes coming, so stick with us. Take care, everybody!