air compressor

[mechanic]

I have been going on line and looking at 60 gallon air compressors.There are all kinds of brands and types of pumps.I've been looking at the campbell hausfeld extreme duty for $649 at air compressor direct. I've looked at the IR for $729. I've got a 30 amp circuit so it needs to be in the 3hp range and no more than 30 amps at full draw. I've also wondered about leaving it on the pallet. Some of the on line manuels say to bolt it to the floor. Can I hear what you did and the compressors in your shops.

 

[Alan L.]

I have a 60 gallon CH, the one that's I think $429 at Tractor Supply. I like it alot, it has solved all my compressor problems for the foreseeable future. I just left it on the pallet and it works great.

 

[Ford tractor]

I put caster wheels into the base of mine so it can roll around easily. Not that I do...

 

[George2615]

I have an 80 gallon Husky (sold at Home Depot) and made by Campbell Hausfeld. It has a 4 HP motor that draws 16.5A max. I have it plugged into a 220V 30A circuit. It is bolted to the same pallet the previous 60 gallon compressor sat on and not anchored to the floor. It has never moved from where it sits.

 

[Bird]

I left my 60 gallon Puma on the pallet as recommended by the dealer and that was not from one of the box stores but a business that did nothing but compressors and accessories from the small cheap ones to big ones they built themselves.

 

[radioman]

how about eaton compressors that is quieter?
Air Compressor Parts : Variable Frequency Drive : Variable Speed Drives : Piston Air Compressors : EatonCompressor.com

 

[wthompson]

i left mine on the pallet, it's been there for over 15 years. It's a sanborn/blackmax 5hp, 80 gallon . When sizing the circuit breaker, use the 80 percent rule. if the largest motor has a FLA (full load amps) of 16, you use an 20 amp breaker. 16 is 80% of 20. it may not always work out to be perfect math but use the next highest rated breaker available.

 

[Raspy]

The gallons don't really tell the whole story.

If you are planning to run something specifically, like your favorite air tool or a plasma cutter, you need to match the CFM.

Also, horsepower ratings can be completely misleading. Look at shop vacs for a good example of that. My old compressor was called a three HP, but is really about 1 1/2 and could not keep up. I replaced it with an Ingersoll Rand single stage compressor that has a genuine 5 HP motor and puts out over 18 CFM at 90 psi. Now were talking! I can run equipment continuously if needed.

So, pick the compressor by the CFM and match it to the load.

If you just want to spray paint, run a nail gun and fill some tires, it's a non issue, but for specific tools with heavy use you need some power.

Once I picked the spot for it I bolted it to the floor. Then installed a 1/4" ball valve on the bottom, for the condensate drain, and a hose that runs out through the wall.

 

[tlbuser]

Mine sits on vibration dampeners (3-4 dollars each @ mcmastercarr/grainger's) and I installed an automatic drain. Mine's an 80 gal 2 stage with a refrigerated dryer. Plasma cutters and paint guns like dry air.

 

[LarryD]

I've got a CH 60gl/6hp upright bolted to the floor. I cut little blocks from rubber horse stall matting for isolation. It is wired to a 2 pole, 230V, 20A dedicated circuit. The nomenclature says 15A max and it has never tripped the breaker.

3HP at 30A seems high. Was that a 120V unit?

 

[catskinner]

hockey pucks makes good mounts when bolting to the floor.

 

[sandman2234]

Raspy nailed it right! CFM is the question that needs answering!
I had a compressor for sale that a friend was interested in, but he bought a "bigger one" from the box store. He couldn't run his impact wrench with the new one for a complete set of tires (doing a tire rotation)without having to wait on it to build up. He came over with his impact and we did my truck tires with that air compressor and it never even slowed down. He ended up buying mine and hooking the two up in tandom. He uses the cheap one for airing up tires and such, and mine (or both of them together) when he needs some serious air.
The size of the tank has very little to do with the performance of the unit as a whole.
David from jax

 

[Dr Dave]

I have a IR 60 gal 2 stage, bought new in 1987, works great, no problems and is still on pallet. Makes it is easy to drain tank. I installed 2' lenght of 1/2" hydralic hose and plumbed garage with 1/2" galvanized pipe, sloped down hill back to tank. I use IR synthetic oil. A two stage will give you 150 psi +, and single stage 125 psi max. Be sure to get enough CFM, check max use on your tools.:thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

A two stage will give you 150 psi +, and single stage 125 psi max.

That used to be correct, and as a general rule still is, but there are exceptions. I've had this Industrial Air by Coleman PowerMate for over 6 years. It comes on at 125 psi and kicks off between 150 and 155 psi running on 120 volt.

And prices have sure gone up. I paid $536.08, including sales tax, at Northern Tool in Sept. '05. But Northern Tool doesn't have these anymore.

 

[Raspy]

Larry,

230 volts at 15 Amps is only 4.6 horsepower. If that is the "max" it can draw it must be full locked rotor amps, not running amps. So it's more likely about 3 horsepower.

More important information is the cu ft output at 90 PSI.

Overstated horsepower figures are common in the industry.

Another clue is to look at the motor plate and see what it says. If it says SPL, it means it's less than advertised on the compressor spec sheet. If it says 5 Horsepower, it means 5 running horsepower.

People should buy the biggest compressor they can afford and have power to run, for a shop, or match the output in CFM to the tool they want to operate. 18 CFM at 90 psi will comfortably run a 12 CFM tool at 90 psi, etc.

And single stage compressors will generally put out more CFM in the practical working range, than two stage compressors. Two stage is for working pressures over about 130 lbs.

I just hate all the misleading advertising that goes on.

 

[Bird]

John, after some class action lawsuits, some of the exaggerated horsepower ratings came way down, although I'm no sure they all came down far enough.:laughing: You know I once had a "3.5 hp" oilless Craftsman by DeVilbiss and they later went to labelling the same compressor as "4 hp". And now I think they're rated at 1.6 running hp. I also used to have this same model Puma air-compressor when they were labelled as "6 hp". The dealer told me at that time that they called them an "imitation 6 hp" and showed me one of their actual 5 hp motors that, of course, was much larger. I see the Puma is now labelled as 3 hp and I'm not sure that isn't still exaggerating a bit.

 

[Raspy]

Bird,

Exactly.

Have you seen the 6 HP shop vacs that run on a 15 amp 120 volt circuit? I think they take the gallon size of the barrel and call that the HP. It would be OK if nobody believed them, but................oh well.:confused2:

 

[Bird]

Bird,

Exactly.

Have you seen the 6 HP shop vacs that run on a 15 amp 120 volt circuit? I think they take the gallon size of the barrel and call that the HP. It would be OK if nobody believed them, but................oh well.:confused2:

My 12 gallon Craftsman shop vac is labelled as a 5 hp. You don't think that's an exaggeration, do you?:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[westbrooklawn]

The specs on the Eaton compressors look very good, and the 5 year unlimited warranty is exceptional. Another thing I like about their website is that they give db ratings for their compressors. Their $541 single stage is 74db (pretty quiet), and 11.2 cfm at 90lb. That seems like a lot of compressor for the money, however shipping isn't include so that may drive the cost up considerably. Does anyone have experience with these compressors?

3 - 25 HP Air Compressors : Piston Air Compressors for Sale : EatonCompressor.com

 

[two_bit_score]

Best you can get: Rolair.


Rolair Systems



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