What you will find in the video library
Compressed air equipment is easier to understand when you can see it moving. A ten-second clip of an inlet valve cycling, a screw package loading and unloading, or condensate discharging from a drain tells a technician more than a page of text. The library groups videos by the question they answer:
Slide-by-slide engineering explainers from Reddy Compressors.
- How it works: rotary screw compression, piston compressor stages, refrigerated and desiccant drying, load/unload and modulation control, variable-speed drive behaviour.
- Recognising normal and abnormal running: what a healthy screw package sounds like, short cycling, safety valve lifting, belt squeal, bearing noise, knocking in piston machines.
- Routine checks: reading the controller, checking oil level in the right machine state, testing condensate drains, inspecting cooler fins and inlet filters.
- Site and rental packages: portable diesel compressors on site, hose and manifold layouts, aftercoolers and moisture separators for blasting, borewell compressor and rig set-ups.
- Air system basics: pressure drop across filters and pipework, leaks heard and found with ultrasonic detection, receiver placement.
How each video is labelled
A video can make a claim look stronger than it is. To keep the library honest, every entry carries a label and a short statement of what it does and does not show.
| Label | What it means | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Explainer | Animation, diagram or narrated walk-through of a principle | To understand how a system works in general |
| Field footage | Our own recording of real equipment during service, commissioning or hire | To see what a component or condition looks and sounds like |
| Fault example | A recorded abnormal condition, such as a noisy bearing or a drain stuck open | To compare with what you see on your machine, then contact us |
| Site package | Layout of a portable, rental or project installation | To brief your team on what will arrive and how it connects |
Readings that appear on a display in a video belong to that machine at that moment, under that day’s ambient temperature and demand. They are not ratings, and they are not performance guarantees for any other machine.
What each video entry contains
Each entry in the library lists the basics, so you can decide whether a video is worth playing on a mobile phone at a site with weak data coverage:
- a plain title phrased as the question it answers;
- the running time;
- a link to the related technical article that covers the topic in depth.
Transcripts and captions are being added progressively. Until a video has them, the related article gives the same engineering points in text, which is easier to follow in a noisy plant room, for viewers with hearing loss and for anyone who prefers to read.
Learning to recognise faults by sound and sight
Experienced compressor engineers diagnose a great deal by ear. Videos help you build the same instinct, provided you use them to decide when to call for help rather than to start dismantling things.
| What you notice | Common causes to consider | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Machine loads and unloads every few seconds | Pressure band too narrow, receiver too small, leaking inlet valve, demand swings | Record the cycle on video and note the pressures; check the control settings with us |
| High discharge temperature trips in summer | Blocked cooler fins, hot air recirculating, low oil, faulty thermostatic valve | Stop and allow to cool; video the cooler and the room ventilation |
| Hissing near the package or along the pipework | Leaks at fittings, hoses, drains or quick couplings | Note the location; leaks are a major hidden energy cost |
| Rumbling or rising pitch from the airend or motor | Bearing wear, misalignment, coupling or belt problems | Stop the machine and call; bearing failure can damage the airend |
| Safety valve lifting | Pressure control fault or wrong set point | Stop and investigate; never block or adjust a safety valve |
| Water at tools or in filter bowls | Dryer fault, failed drain, overloaded dryer, no dryer | Video the drain and dryer display; see the dryer service page |
Remember that one symptom can have several causes, and that two faults often appear together. A blocked cooler, for example, can raise discharge temperature and also speed up oil degradation, which then blocks the oil filter. A video shows the symptom; diagnosis comes from readings, history and inspection.
The fault examples are deliberately short and specific. They show one condition each, so you can compare like with like.
Sending us a video of your compressor
A phone video is often the fastest way to describe a breakdown. Our engineers regularly use customer videos on WhatsApp to decide what to bring to site, which spare parts to check and whether a hire compressor is needed while the main machine is repaired.
- Stay outside guards and canopy doors while the machine is running; keep clear of belts, fans and hot surfaces.
- Start with the nameplate and the controller display, then show the whole machine.
- Record at least one complete load and unload cycle, with the pressure gauge or display in view.
- Hold the phone still near the source of an abnormal noise for ten to fifteen seconds.
- If there is a fault code, record the display and the alarm history screen.
- Send the video with your site location, the working pressure you need and a phone number.
Do not record inside electrical panels while they are live, and do not ask anyone to remove guards for the camera. If a video needs to be taken inside the package, isolate and depressurise the machine first in line with your site procedure.
How videos fit with articles and project evidence
Videos are a doorway, not the whole house. The technical articles on rotary screw compressors, dryers, portable diesel units, borewell compressors and air audits hold the full engineering: sizing, selection, pressure and flow bands, service schedules and safety. A video links to them so you can move from what you have seen to what you need to decide.
Where footage is used as evidence of a project, the project evidence pages explain how to interpret it. A video of a compressor running on a site shows that the equipment was there and operating; it does not on its own prove capacity, air quality or energy use. Those need measurement.
Video topics we are building
The library grows as our team records useful material on service jobs, commissioning and hire work. Topics we prioritise are the ones customers ask about most:
- why a screw compressor runs hot in Indian summer conditions and how to keep cooler and room ventilation right;
- how a portable diesel compressor is set up on a construction, blasting or borewell site;
- how condensate drains, filters and dryers work together;
- how to read pressure and temperature on common controllers;
- what a hire job looks like, including servicing every 300 running hours with oil change and checks;
- how a leak survey is carried out and recorded.
If there is a topic you would like explained on video, tell us. Practical questions from plant engineers and site supervisors shape what we film next.
How Reddy Compressors helps
Reddy Compressors, at Tarnaka in Secunderabad, has served industry since 2002 as an independent multi-brand specialist. We sell new and used compressors, rent from our own fleet of 50–2,000 cfm diesel and electric machines at 2–30 bar, and provide service, AMC, overhaul and spare parts for ELGi, Atlas Copco, Ingersoll Rand, KAESER, Chicago Pneumatic and many other brands. Our 20+ service engineers and technicians review the photos and videos you send, cover all of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for site service, and supply equipment and spares across India.
What to send us
- A short video showing the nameplate, the display and a full load/unload cycle.
- Any fault codes and the running hours.
- Make, model and serial number.
- Required pressure and approximate air demand.
- Site location and your contact number.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my screw compressor sounds normal?
A healthy screw package has a steady hum when loaded, a clear change in note when it unloads and a brief blow-down hiss when it stops. Knocking, grinding, rising whine or a sudden change in sound are warning signs. Compare with a known-good recording of a similar machine, and if the sound has changed, record a video near the noise and send it to us before running it further.
Why does my compressor keep loading and unloading?
Rapid cycling usually means the pressure band is too narrow, the receiver is too small for the demand pattern, the inlet valve or control solenoid is faulty, or demand is swinging sharply. It wastes energy and wears the inlet valve and motor contactors. Record a few cycles with the pressure display visible and send the clip; we can usually narrow the cause from that and the settings.
Can you diagnose a compressor fault from a WhatsApp video?
Often we can narrow the problem down a long way, especially with the nameplate, fault code and a full load cycle in the clip. It helps us decide what spare parts to check and whether a site visit or a hire compressor is needed. Some faults need hands-on measurement, so a video is the first step in diagnosis rather than a final answer.
Is it safe to film inside a compressor canopy?
Only when the machine is stopped, isolated electrically and depressurised in line with your site procedure. Screw packages can restart automatically, fans and belts can cause serious injury and separator tanks hold stored pressure and hot oil. For running videos, film from outside the canopy with doors closed or at the inspection openings the maker provides.
Do your videos show the performance of a particular model?
No. Readings visible in a video belong to that machine at that moment under that day’s conditions. Rated flow and pressure come from the maker’s data and the nameplate, and actual delivery is confirmed by measurement. We use videos to explain principles and show real conditions, not to state specifications or guarantee results.
Can I request a training video for my maintenance team?
Yes, tell us the topic, the machines on your site and who will watch it. Common requests include safe isolation, daily checks, drain testing and reading the controller. We can point you to existing videos and articles, and our engineers can explain the same points in person during a service visit or AMC review.
Related pages
Technical content reviewed by D. Srinivas Reddy, Managing Partner and service engineer, Reddy Compressors. Last updated 17 October 2026. How our engineering content is reviewed.