What does High Discharge Temp mean on a Gardner Denver AirSmart G2?
Short answer: High airend discharge temperature shutdown (G2). If your Gardner Denver AirSmart G2 controller is showing High Discharge Temp, the controller has logged a specific, documented condition. This page covers what it means, what causes it, what you can safely fix yourself, and when — and why — it takes a technician.
What exactly is the machine telling you?
On the AirSmart G2, this shutdown fires when airend discharge temperature exceeds 240°F (116°C). The documented action is to check oil cooler system functionality or reduce package power. Note: the G2 displays fault names as text, not the numbered codes used by the first-generation AirSmart.
Which machines show this?
Gardner Denver rotary screw compressors with the second-generation AirSmart G2 controller, the color-display successor to the original AirSmart. The key difference for anyone searching a fault: the G2 displays fault names as plain text — "High Discharge Temp", "Drive 1 Fault", "Change Separator" — while the first-generation AirSmart showed numbered codes like SHUTDOWN #128. If your display shows words with no number, you are on a G2. Shutdowns stop the machine and reset with the STOP button once it has come to rest; advisories keep the machine running and clear from the home screen's upper-right (Gardner Denver logo) button. Many G2 packages pair the controller with a variable frequency drive it supervises.
What causes it?
- Oil level low at the sight glass
- Cooler exteriors fouled or airflow to them obstructed
- Poor compressor-room ventilation feeding the machine hot air
- Oil cooler system or thermal valve fault — the manual's stated check when it repeats
Can you fix it yourself?
Usually — cool the machine, correct oil level, clean coolers, and ventilate. A shutdown that repeats after those fixes means the oil circuit needs professional attention.
Step by step — what to try, in order:
- Let the machine cool, then check oil level at the sight glass
- Clean cooler exteriors and clear any airflow obstructions with the machine off
- Improve compressor-room ventilation
- Press the STOP button after the machine has stopped to reset the shutdown
When do you need a technician — and why?
Thermal valve and oil-system diagnosis means opening the pressurized oil circuit with proper instruments — guessing wrong risks the airend, the most expensive part on the machine.
If it does come to a service call and you're in Nashville, TN or Birmingham, AL, we maintain independently compiled lists of local companies that service industrial air compressors — real businesses with verified contact information, none of whom paid to be listed.
Related questions
What does High Discharge Temp mean on a Gardner Denver AirSmart G2 controller?
High airend discharge temperature shutdown (G2). On the AirSmart G2, this shutdown fires when airend discharge temperature exceeds 240°F (116°C). The documented action is to check oil cooler system functionality or reduce package power. Note: the G2 displays fault names as text, not the numbered codes used by the first-generation AirSmart.
Can I fix High Discharge Temp on a Gardner Denver AirSmart G2 controller myself?
Usually — cool the machine, correct oil level, clean coolers, and ventilate. A shutdown that repeats after those fixes means the oil circuit needs professional attention.
When does High Discharge Temp on a Gardner Denver AirSmart G2 controller need a technician?
Thermal valve and oil-system diagnosis means opening the pressurized oil circuit with proper instruments — guessing wrong risks the airend, the most expensive part on the machine. Call for service if the shutdown repeats — oil system and thermal valve faults need a technician.
Verified against service documentation: Gardner Denver AirSmart G2 controller documentation for High Discharge Temp (best-aire.com)