Safety & Pressure Relief Valves

You must match two factors: the thread size (e.g., 1/2″ BSP) and the flow capacity. The valve must be able to vent more air than your compressor can produce. For example, our 1/2″ valve passes ~4,800 L/min at 8 bar. If your compressor produces 5,000 L/min, you would need the next size up.

No. Safety valves are factory-set and sealed for safety compliance. Tampering with them is dangerous and illegal. If you need a different pressure (e.g., 10 bar instead of 8 bar), you must purchase a valve pre-set to that limit.

A leak usually means either the valve seat is dirty/worn or your system pressure is creeping too close to the valve’s set point. If the pressure switch fails and the compressor doesn’t turn off, the safety valve is doing its job by “leaking” to prevent an explosion.

You should manually test the valve (by pulling the ring/lever) at least once a week to ensure it isn’t seized. In South Africa, a formal pressure vessel inspection (which includes the safety valve) is required every 36 months by law.

Yes, Airpower’s safety valves are universal. As long as the BSP thread size matches and the discharge capacity is sufficient for the pump’s output, they can be used on any brand of compressor.