Oil on hoses mystery.

[revel68]

I have a pretty big system. Ingersol Rand going to 4 Flexzilla spools. No oil is being purposly introduced. Regulator only.

Very recently I noticed a very clear oil all over the lines on the spool. Honestly all 4 spools to some degree, some more than others. Its a "glaze" of it. Also its on the black base of the spool too. This is about on all of them to some degree.
But when I check the compressor the oil is still quite full and very very yellow. If i barely even get a slight glaze of it on a paper towl directly out of the compressor it shows bright yellow.

But if i wipe a paper towl along the affected lines in my shop it does not build up with even the slightest yellow. If anything it is just dirty like i'm wiping lettering off or grime.. The oil seems thin and clear.

The only thing we can think of is that the compressor is doing this, blowing oil in to the line.
The compressor sounds fine to me.

Curious what you guys think. and what I could do to figure it out.

- Is the compressor compromised? Anything to listen for? Check?
- How would the oil even get this pervasive on the spool? Its coated all over the base and the lines, but how? Would the oil really just come out of a seam somewhere and "move along" and coat everything!?!?!

I called Flexzilla company and they said its not possible its from the spool itself.

 

[pnora]

Seems like the hoses are releasing the oil. Might be something in the materials or process they are made with. Put some dye in the compressor oil and see what happens.

 

[MarPar]

Definitely sounds like the hoses are leeching something.

 

[dadsbee]

Definitely sounds like the hoses are leeching something.

Yep **** hose if it doesn't come out the end!

 

[RJRENTON]

I have a pretty big system. Ingersol Rand going to 4 Flexzilla spools. No oil is being purposly introduced. Regulator only.

Very recently I noticed a very clear oil all over the lines on the spool. Honestly all 4 spools to some degree, some more than others. Its a "glaze" of it. Also its on the black base of the spool too. This is about on all of them to some degree.
But when I check the compressor the oil is still quite full and very very yellow. If i barely even get a slight glaze of it on a paper towl directly out of the compressor it shows bright yellow.

But if i wipe a paper towl along the affected lines in my shop it does not build up with even the slightest yellow. If anything it is just dirty like i'm wiping lettering off or grime.. The oil seems thin and clear.

The only thing we can think of is that the compressor is doing this, blowing oil in to the line.
The compressor sounds fine to me.

Curious what you guys think. and what I could do to figure it out.

- Is the compressor compromised? Anything to listen for? Check?
- How would the oil even get this pervasive on the spool? Its coated all over the base and the lines, but how? Would the oil really just come out of a seam somewhere and "move along" and coat everything!?!?!

I called Flexzilla company and they said its not possible its from the spool itself.

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Have you checked the compressor's crankcase oil level? It could be a compressor oil ring. WHAT TYPE OF A COMPRESSOR IS IT? A reciprocating (piston type) type, single or 2 stage or an oil flooded screw compressor or an "oil-less" (diaphragm type)...not known for a high volume or pressure. IF an oil flooded screw type, MAYBE the primary oil separator is starting to foul and the auxiliary separator can't handle the volume. Just about all screw machines have an oil separator somewhere in the system. Most oil flooded screw machine's oil, looks like a light colored straw colored oil.....it cools, seals and lubricates the internals.....just a thought......in industry, I've installed 2 500 hp Sullaire flooded screw compressors and one developed the same problem.....clogged primary oil separator........
BOB RENTON

 

[revel68]

Thanks Renton. Yikes! I 100% was meaning to put up the details on the compressor and messed up there. Its an Ingersoll Rand SS5L5 Single Phase I got back in 2011.
I've only popped the cap off and stuck my pinky in there. I haven't dug any further than that.

Edit: The spools are Flexzilla. Friend runs a mopar shop and installed all my system and has ran them for a long long time himself and never had issues - but also may be he never had a compressor blow oil in to his system. So he is not sure if the hoses would leech. I would think not? The oil is all over the hose but not on the drop part or near the tip/end. You have to pull some down and then you start seeing it. One even flung a drop on to the wall pulling the hose down.

 

[pnora]

Thanks Renton. Yikes! I 100% was meaning to put up the details on the compressor and messed up there. Its an Ingersoll Rand SS5L5 Single Phase I got back in 2011.
I've only popped the cap off and stuck my pinky in there. I haven't dug any further than that.

Edit: The spools are Flexzilla. Friend runs a mopar shop and installed all my system and has ran them for a long long time himself and never had issues - but also may be he never had a compressor blow oil in to his system. So he is not sure if the hoses would leech. I would think not? The oil is all over the hose but not on the drop part or near the tip/end. You have to pull some down and then you start seeing it. One even flung a drop on to the wall pulling the hose down.

Is there oil coming out of the hoses?

 

[RJRENTON]

Thanks Renton. Yikes! I 100% was meaning to put up the details on the compressor and messed up there. Its an Ingersoll Rand SS5L5 Single Phase I got back in 2011.
I've only popped the cap off and stuck my pinky in there. I haven't dug any further than that.

Edit: The spools are Flexzilla. Friend runs a mopar shop and installed all my system and has ran them for a long long time himself and never had issues - but also may be he never had a compressor blow oil in to his system. So he is not sure if the hoses would leech. I would think not? The oil is all over the hose but not on the drop part or near the tip/end. You have to pull some down and then you start seeing it. One even flung a drop on to the wall pulling the hose down.

Oil DOESN'T come from the hoses...ONLY from the compressor. Your machine came with an I-R synthetic lubricant...it's just a single stage reciprocal unit...nothing special...do not use regular engine oil. The oil is coming from the compressor....not leaching out of the hose. Have you drained the air tank of condensate (water) lately? ....just my opinion...
BOB RENTON

 

[revel68]

I blew air for a bit in to a balled up paper towl and didn't see any specs or anything. Perhaps I should let it go a lot longer though. I just held it on for may be a minute.
I let the water out about a week before discovering this issue. But tbh I had not let the water out for a long time before that. I bet I let it go a bit long without doing it. So perhaps its water mixed with a bit of oil?

The fluid on the spool/lines very much seems like something that wouldn't dry. its oily. thin, oily and clear. And some how it seeped out on to the spool and out on to the flexzilla hoses! like it just seeped around a lot more than I would have guessed and this is on areas of the spools that never get pulled out. just stay wrapped up in the spool.

Anything I could listen for when the compressor is running to indicate things are not good?