News & Updates



12th May 2020

Preventative Maintenance of Your Air Compressor System

Do you have one of the original VMAC VRlite, VR30, VR40 or VR70 PTO engine mounted compressed air systems installed on your mobile tyre vehicle?

If so then you might be at risk of having your air compressor system serviced incorrectly.

The VMAC engine mounted air compressors are without a doubt renowned for their reliability. However, we have noticed a recent increase in callouts that have been directly related to the systems not being serviced correctly, utilising non-genuine parts and in some cases not changing parts at all.

We have analysed our call outs and found that around 95% would have been prevented just by servicing the systems correctly. This is quite an eye-opening statistic! Not to mention that the average cost of the repair is much higher than the cost of a service.

So why is servicing your compressed air system so important?

  1. It’s the law, Under the PUWER Regulations 1998. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) place a duty on employers to ensure the work equipment they own, operate, and have control over is safe to use at all times. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure all equipment is maintained and in safe working condition. - see more - https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer.htm
  2. Good housekeeping, why would you pay for one the best compressors on the market and not look after it? Crazy right? Especially when the system is integral to the operation of your business.

So what happens if your system is serviced incorrectly or not serviced at all? 

In the same way as your car or van, normal wear and tear can result in lower performance, efficiency and reliability. Although it will keep working, for a time, as with everything that has moving parts eventually it will breakdown.

What if you think it is being serviced correctly, but it is not? And how do you know?

  1. Reduction in system performance
  2. Unusual noises
    1. When the system is building to pressure
    2. When in use
    3. When the system blows down (the technical term for depressurising).

The first thing you will notice is a reduction in system performance, BUT the key thing to knowing if the system has been serviced correctly is having the knowledge to identify the parts that should be changed

So what should you be seeing when the system is being serviced?

There are variations for each system the following is an example of the VR70 and whether you are paying monthly or annually for your service, the parts replaced should ALWAYS be the same. 

Every time the systems are serviced you should see 12 items replaced:-

1. Air Filter7. Coalescing Filter
2. Drive Belt8. Coalescing Filter Seal
3. Automatic Tensioner9. Oil Scavenge Screen
4. Compressor Oil10. Oil Scavenge Screen Spring
5. Oil Filter11. End Cap Seals
6. Oil Filter Protective Cap12. Safety Pressure Relief Valve

Anything less than these 12 parts then you or your servicing company could be cutting corners.

Why is it important to use Original Equipment Manufacturer Parts (OEM parts) over Aftermarket Part?

During the design of the VMAC engine mounted compressed air systems, parts have been individually sourced and approved to meet the exact requirements of the system.

Although Aftermarket parts may seem cheaper in the short term, the likelihood of them causing you issues and costing more in the long term is extremely high.

Here are 4 reasons why you should buy OEM parts:

  1. Quality & Specification
  2. Maintain Warranty & Support
  3. Durability
  4. Ease of Replacement

Choosing to use OEM parts will guarantee your peace of mind, not only because of the increased level of quality and durability, but you can be guaranteed that the part will fit every time!

To find out more about the Service Parts and why changing them is so important, check out the IMPORTANT UPDATE - Preventive Maintenance article.

Contact us today to check that your system is being serviced correctly

+44 (0) 1743 443 176 info@technisystems.co.uk