Noise Insulation for shop compressor?

[radios1]

I threw a heavy packing blanket over my compressor too and the racket was muffled to the tune of 4dB at 6'. I am thinking that a lot of my noise is from vibration and from the steel legs echoing off the cement floor. No soft materials or furniture to absorb the sound in a garage or shop. Hopefully, we will cut the noise down enough to live with.

the noise comes from the air intake!. close that off for a test, and see how quiet the compressor gets!..

 

[Doofy]

the noise comes from the air intake!. close that off for a test, and see how quiet the compressor gets!..

I bought 2 intake silencers. I installed one on the intake, ran a 3/4" heater hose down from that almost to the floor and added another silencer to the end of the hose. That quieted things down by 2dB, at the most. Sucker is just loud.

 

[dragoneggs]

the noise comes from the air intake!. close that off for a test, and see how quiet the compressor gets!..

Not just from the air intake... the noise is emanating from the whole of the compressor unit from what I can tell.

 

[downsizingnow48]

The Quincy website has some practical suggestions on noise reduction.

Guide to Sound Reduction for Air Compressors | Quincy Compressor

Also, the motor and compressor could be mounted on vibration isolators so the tank does not act like a giant bell as another member commented.

McMaster-Carr

 

[downsizingnow48]

I used this type of isolator on an exhaust fan and it made a big difference.

McMaster-Carr

 

[dragoneggs]

The Quincy website has some practical suggestions on noise reduction.

Guide to Sound Reduction for Air Compressors | Quincy Compressor

Also, the motor and compressor could be mounted on vibration isolators so the tank does not act like a giant bell as another member commented.

McMaster-Carr

I might have to consider this... I have my 60gal upright on a homemade wooden dolly with poly wheel casters. Wondering if isolating the feet from the wooden platform would help but I kind of doubt it will be noticeable. The noise is pretty much coming from the top of the compressor. I would be surprised if it made 1dB difference since the casters already provide some dampening to the concrete floor.

 

[Wagtail]

I might have to consider this... I have my 60gal upright on a homemade wooden dolly with poly wheel casters. Wondering if isolating the feet from the wooden platform would help but I kind of doubt it will be noticeable. The noise is pretty much coming from the top of the compressor. I would be surprised if it made 1dB difference since the casters already provide some dampening to the concrete floor.

Well you'd be wrong Mate. "Shock" mounting ('rubber' dampening feet) are used extensively throughout Mine-Hunter class warships... which were my last class of ships I served on.

Now, yes, when you're working around sea-mines and the explosions (shock waves) that can occur, shock mounting can help the ship's equipment/plants/engines survive not being ripped from their mountings. But it works the other way too, in that you reduce the vibrations and noise produced by the equipment/plants/engines that would otherwise reverberate through the hull & structure of the ship.

Trust me on this. Dampening the compressor's vibration via 'vibration isolators' will work wonders. Vibrations resonate at a frequency.

 

[dragoneggs]

Well you'd be wrong Mate. "Shock" mounting ('rubber' dampening feet) are used extensively throughout Mine-Hunter class warships... which were my last class of ships I served on.

Now, yes, when you're working around sea-mines and the explosions (shock waves) that can occur, shock mounting can help the ship's equipment/plants/engines survive not being ripped from their mountings. But it works the other way too, in that you reduce the vibrations and noise produced by the equipment/plants/engines that would otherwise reverberate through the hull & structure of the ship.

Trust me on this. Dampening the compressor's vibration via 'vibration isolators' will work wonders. Vibrations resonate at a frequency.

I might have to take you up on this bet. I doubt it will be measurably effective. Guess I'm going to have to order some and give it a try.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I ordered 8 of the sandwich isolators for the compressor and motor, which are solidy bolted to the tank. As is, the noise is not really bothersome to me, but quieter would be better. Hoping for 2-3 db improvement.

The weight of the whole compressor is split between two pneumatic tires and a floor brace. I don't think there is much to be gained by adding isolators to the brace.

 

[powersrp]

what type of compressor and how loud? I've got a Quincy Q-5 that runs at 1800 RPM - note this isn't the QT-5 available from Rural King/Northern that runs at 3600 RPM. It isn't loud at all. Before you invest too much time and trouble in building a room, maybe solve your issue with just a new compressor. My compressor sets on 4 rubber pads and loosely bolted through two of them. You can have a conversation right next to it and talk in a normal voice.

Got the same, love it, funny story, went to lowes and picked up a compressor i ordered, left compresor in truck and that night read more reviews, nope, took it back and ordered the q-5 fron compressors direct, put a starter and drain valve on it, changed oil at about 20 hrs, purrs like a kitten, and fairly quiet.