Air Compressor caught fire!!!!
 

I tried to decide if this should be in O/T or Tech as it’s the Air Compressor in my garage that I and many people use to fix their Fiero's at my house. So it is technically Fiero repair related.

So here goes.
P]
The back story, my main compressor quit about a month ago, and I borrowed one to keep me running for the time being. Our neighbour who is a steel worker and drag motorcycle guy is moving and offered me a small compressor he only put about 20hrs of use on at a job site.
Well I brought it home, hooked it up, and fired it up, and it caught fire!!!! I don't know how long it had been sitting, he honestly doesn't remember. It’s been sitting in the back of his garage/shop for years.
Initially I was going to run 2 compressor side by side set at different "fire up" pressures. Running the main with a 90psi fire up pressure and the 2nd one would only fire is the system pressure drops below 80psi. Found out quickly that the garage breaker would kick out if both were running at the same time for more than 2mins.
So I went only to the new compressor. Everything was looking good; it was up to about 120psi with a 145psi shut down pressure. I was running the air line out to the driveway as I was going to test it inflating a few tires. As I walk back to the garage I am kinda looking down at the pressure gauge and I hear a POP, there is a 4" tall flame coming out of what looks like a giant capacitor on the side of the motor, I quickly rip the power cord out of the wall and pull the compressor away from the garage wall, the fire goes out on its own.
After a few mines to relax from what could have been a really bad situation, because I leave my garage compressors powered up at all time, if this would have happened while I was say eating dinner inside the house, it could have been really, really, really bad.
I called up Dr.Fiero aka Watts, and spoke to him; he said it sounds like the cap failed.
My old compressor has something that looks similar, only with the addition of a reset button. I was thinking about taking it from my old compressor and moving it to the new one. However without hearing from some people that are more familiar with 110v motors. I know enough to know, that I should ask before I proceed. So from the pics below can anyone offer any input.
P.S. The compressor feeds a much larger 20 gallon reservoir tank, with a manifold to feed the air lines/tools.

Does anyone recognize the brand "Friend" or know where it would have been bought new? Dan honestly does not remember, it was only bought as they needed a small portable compressor for a job site, it was bought last min for $200, got about 20hrs of use on the site then tossed in the corner.
Compressor
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/1.jpg
Hood removed, showing big white cap/tube thing
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/2.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/3.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/4.jpg
The flame was from the end of the tube, I think the pop I heard was the end of it popping off
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/5.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/6.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/7.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/8.jpg
Tried to show the guts
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/9.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/10.jpg
Kinda Ironic to find a Special BC decal saying it’s inspected to be Fire Safe.
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/11.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/12.jpg
This is the similar unit on my other machine, was thinking of moving it over if it would be safe to do.
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/13.jpg
http://captfiero.com/compressorfire/14.jpg

56k keep away. lol it was being a bad "friend"

^ bahahah, I was about to say that...

So after talking and showing it to a few of my gear head buddies, that have compressors of there own for 20 years, they agree that it is the starter cap for the motor. They have been known to fail in that matter with flames shooting out of them, especially if they are a cheaper Asian made cap. Replacements of the same kind can be had for 8-10 bucks online or a better American made version that is $25 locally. So I'll probably buy one locally and get it fixed, I am also going to try to get in touch with the local retailer and or overseas manufacturer and ask them about the issue. If this is a normal failure point, I know that I am going to be good with a good cap, however if the cap normally does not fail, I'll be looking for reasons why "this one" failed, from broken wire, or short someplace in the unit itself.

Hopefully I'll be back in action soon.

good luck.

I'm not a pro by any means so my opinion kind of means nothing but we have a few machines at work that use starter caps in the motor and they do blow out from time to time, just gets old/moisture build up/etc especially since our machines stay outside. If it were me, I'd just replace the cap and give it a try.

Hit up Princess Auto Dave.... they can set you up goood!