shadow3

I am hoping someone can help me understand te properties of how a regulator on an air compressor works for pressure testing an intake system. For instance if I set the regulator to 15psi when I turn my compressor on, I am assuming that air will fill the intake system until 15psi occurs and the regulator will stop putting more air into the system? I am assuming that the 15 psi in the intake system would not allow anymore ar out of the compressor based on the regulator setting.

georgeb944

If you set the regulator to 15 psi, it will try to pressurize the entire system downstream of the regulator to 15 psi. If you have a leak in the system, it will continue to attempt to build up the pressure. If it reaches the set pressure, it will reach an equilibrium and the air flow will stop.

In other words, using the pressure regulator on your air compressor to limit the pressure into your intake system is the right thing. Set the regulator to zero before hooking it up to the tester, then bring it up slowly to the desired pressure.