Condor Air Compressor Switch
Chanelle Kirksey
Condor products control, sequence and monitor in a wide range of applications and in different sectors. For more than 130 years. Our company name stands for the claim to supply competent and certified solutions.
Compressed air: In modern trains, it ensures perfect operation in a wide range of functions. A complex system provides the braking system with compressed air. Safety and reliability of every component play a decisive role in railway operation. Pressure switches from Condor are therefore used thanks to their uncompromising quality. Equipping rail vehicles involves demanding application fields for compressed air supply and monitoring. Our customers benefit from our decades of experience.
Condor pressure switches are fitted to industrial compressors of all well-known manufacturers and in a wide range of applications. We are a reliable and safe partner for industry. The high quality of our pressure switches is based on many years of know-how, with both qualifying us for customer-oriented individual solutions. The robust and hard-wearing design ensures a long service life, also under high loads. Depending on medium, requirements and load, we supply pressure switches in a wide range of versions.
Safety for people, protection of material assets: In case of a fire, sprinkler systems must function reliably and with absolute precision. Condor pressure switches monitor the pressure in the pipes; either electromechanically or electronically (digitally). Any deviation from the preset pressure is signalled as a fault or alarm and is used e.g. to control the pump motors which restore the correct pressure. The pressure switches monitor the functions of an entire extinguishing system.
The Condor MDR1 pressure switch can be used for single phase compressors or as a pressure switch to provide a signal to the control circuit in a larger compressor. You can see just how the product works in the video below.
This switch is the "EA" version which means that it includes the red rotary On/Off knob.
The MDR1 pressure switch is now supplied with differential kit as standard, this allows greater control over the cut out pressure of the switch.
On the underneath of the MDR1 switch there is an unloader valve with a 6mm push in connection. The function of the unloader valve is to remove the pressure from the piston of a compressor so that when it re-starts it can move freely and prevent the motor from stalling.
The MDR1 pressure switch is supplied with a delayed unloader valve (AEV 1S) as standard. If you need an unloader valve without delay (EV 1S), this can be ordered separately.
Cable glands are included with this product.
Pressure switches for other pressure ranges are available on request.
Please note, from Feb 2018 the MDR1 is now supplied with differential kit pre installed.
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The Condor company was established in Germany in 1893 and is acknowledged as being the inventor of the pressure switch. Its extensive range of Condor pressure switches for air compressors is considered to be the best in the world. Condor products are justifiably renowned for their high quality and ber reliability.
MDR 3: MDR 3 is a three-phase, 3-pole switch for both air pressure or water pressure. Some versions come with an ON/OFF knob. Maximum cut-out pressure is 35 bar. Note that many versions of the model are available with a variety of pressure ranges and overload protection ranges, to suit your particular application.
You can rest assured. When you think your compressor has failed, there is no need to discard it. Instead, replace the faulty parts with the required Condor pressure switches, Fluidair filter elements, or Domnick Hunter condensate bags. With our long experience and vast technical knowledge in the field of compressors and vacuums, and our huge inventory of parts, spares, filters, and compressor kits, we can provide an all-round solution to what ails your compressor. Contact us at freephone 0800 677 1367. We look forward to hearing from you.
In this article, we explain how to correctly adjust your air compressor switch. We start off with some background information about their function, followed by a step-by-step adjustment guide. Scroll down if you want to go directly to the step-by-step instructions.
Normally Closed (NC) switches break the circuit when the pressure crosses the upper limit. This will switch off the compressor pump. As the pressure drops over time and crosses the lower limit, the switch will make an electrical circuit. This activates the compressor pump until the upper limit is reached.
A Normally Open (NO) switch operates the opposite way. It breaks the circuit at the lower limit and closes the circuit at the upper limit. Furthermore, there are changeover contacts that allow the user to choose between NC and NO operation.
Most switches allow you to adjust the cut-in and cut-out values proportionally by adjusting the main spring. The hysteresis (difference between the cut-out and cut-in pressure) can often be set by a second smaller adjustment spring. The switch can thus be easily set with 2 set screws.
The graph below shows a typical pressure switch diagram. The horizontal axis shows the cut-out pressure and the vertical axis the cut-in pressure. The shaded area shows the range in which the switch can operate.
Before starting work, ensure that the power supply is turned off. Make sure that you have the datasheet of your particular switch on hand. For these instructions the Condor MDR 2 is used as an example. Your switch might have a different adjustment mechanism.
First remove the cap. You will see the connection points for the motor and the power supply. Also, you will see one or two large springs and a smaller spring. By turning the nut on the rod end, the spring pressure can be adjusted.
The small spring (see Figure below) is used to adjust the differential pressure (hysteresis). The large springs are used to adjust the cut-out and cut-in pressure simultaneously and proportionally. For some models like the MDR 2, the small spring adjusts only the cut-out pressure while the cut-in pressure remains the same. For other models it might be the other way around and the adjustment steps are different but the principle remains the same.
Adjust the hysteresis to the maximum differential pressure. This is done by loosening the nut on the small spring till the spring is not compressed anymore. Remember that turning clockwise means increasing the pressure, and counterclockwise decreasing the pressure.
As a final step, the cut-out pressure is adjusted by pre-tensioning the small spring until the right value. Once more, please note that sometimes the small spring adjusts the cut-in pressure instead of the cut-out pressure. Furthermore, some switches only have one spring to adjust both cut-in and cut-out pressure simultaneously while the hysteresis is a fixed percentage which cannot be altered.
The air pressure deflects a membrane inside of the switch. A mechanical spring acts on the other side of the membrane. If the membrane deflects far enough, an electrical switch is operated that switches the compressor pump on or off. By adjusting the pre-tension of the springs, the switch point can be altered.
This depends on your equipment, therefore there is no optimal pressure. However, each extra bar/psi comes at a high energy cost. The goal is to lower the pressure as far as possible without affecting the end users. This also means that the pressure drop from the compressor to the machines must be as low as possible.
Condor MDR3 pressure switch is available with thermal overloads (5 different setting ranges available) or without thermal protection and can be used for three phase or single phase compressors.
The MDR3 has built in adjustable differential capability to have greater control over the cut out pressure of the switch. For example if the cut in pressure is pre set to 3 bar then the cut out pressure can be adjusted to be set to between 4 bar & 7 bar. Please see data sheet for more information.
On the underneath of the MDR3 switch there is an unloader / delayed unloader valve with a 90 degree push in connection for 6 mm plastic discharge tubes.
When ordering the MDR3 pressure switch without thermal overload relay, choice of thermal overload relay, unloader / delayed unloader valve and two cable glands must be ordered separately.
MDR3 pressure switch without thermal overload relay, are supplied with SK 3-S arc chamber.
MDR3 pressure switch with thermal overload relay, are supplied complete with EV 3WS unloader valve two cable glands.
MDR3 unloader valves with push in connectors have grey collets while MDR3 delayed unloader valves with push in connectors have orange collets.
Available on request:
Condor MDR3 with other thermal overload ranges.
Unloader / delayed unloader valves to suit 1/4" od tube.