Fiac Workhorse / cheap Drapers / Clarke

[Jackimus]

So, I'm looking at the Fiac Workhorse range:

Air Compressor Fiac Workhorse 3HP 50L 13CFM 240V

Air Compressor Fiac Workhorse 3HP 50 Litre, Belt driven Industrial Air Compressor with 1 year on-site warranty.

www.r-techwelding.co.uk

That's £650 with discount code. I'm going purely on 'R-Tech sell it, so it must be alright' here...

I'm aware of why belt drives, cast iron blocks and so on are better, but if I can connect together two of these for £230:

https://www.costco.co.uk/Home-Improvement/Power-Tools/Compressors-Air-Tools/Draper-230v-15HP11KW-Oil-Free-24L-Compressor-and-Air-Tool-Kit/p/551960

And get 3hp, 48L and 13CFM displacement (on paper of course, duty cycle I imagine won't be great, cumulative losses on displacement), is there really £420 worth of benefit to getting the Fiac?

If yes, would you spend another £35 to get the 100L version of the Fiac instead?

WORKHORSE AIR COMPRESSOR 3HP 100L

Belt Drive Compressor with 100-litre tank 230v WR3HP-100P-1 A powerful, mobile compressor with cast iron blocks and twin-cylinder pumps. All Workhorse compressors are built in Manchester UK and come with a 2-year limited warranty.

www.basicwelding.co.uk

And would you spend another £23 on top of that to get this Clarke instead and gain 1CFM of displacement over Fiac?

Clarke XEV16/100 (O/L) 14cfm 100 Litre 3HP Industrial Air Compressor (230V) - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

Is there another way better choice that I'm missing? In an ideal world, I'm going to find a great second hand deal on something, but in the meantime!

 

[Turbo]

Oil free compressors are only for light duty work like inflating an odd tyre, etc.
Any heavier work you will melt them.

 

[Munkul]

The little direct drive compressors are LOUD. That specific draper model is 97dba. Its super super annoying. For that reason, I'd swerve them.
Same sound level with that particular clarke.
The fiac has a much lower sound power, it says 74db but I'm guessing its louder. However, those big single cylinder compressors generally have a much more pleasant volume.

Definitely buy as big a receiver as you can. 100 or 150 ideally, as big as you can fit into your workshop

 

[addjunkie]

When comparing compressors make sure you are comparing eggs with eggs. Your 13cfm displacement is the amount of air moved, not the amount of free air delivered which I suspect will be more like 9 cfm.

Buy cheap buy twice !

 

[angellonewolf]

first off what is your power supply like just 13amp plug or 3 phase

and 2nd what do you want to do with them as the supply of air is what you need to work out

supply a plasma not to much sand blasting loads and more than you expect

 

[QuattroBro]

Yep, "what exactly are you using it for?" If you're planning on spraying cars you want 150 litre 3HP at minimum.
Running a DA sander and you'll also want the above, bare minimum. Regarding the noise most of us put it as far away from the work area (within the garage/unit) as possible.

 

[Jackimus]

Let's say the power supply is 13A, as I'm not sure if / when I might be able to get 16A. It seems 3hp / 14CFM is pretty much the ceiling of what you can do or what is available on 13A?

Main uses I see right now are air-powered cleaning tools such as a Tornador, and paint spraying. I'm not sure about switching over to air-powered tools, I'm not heavily invested in cordless yet but I do have a few cordless tools and a couple of batteries. I'll probably stick with cordless tools in fact, as they have to come to the car and not vice versa.

 

[oilcooled :)]

I have the abac a49b 100 litre. The pump is really is a big pump off a 200 litre compressor bolted to a 100 litre tank, it’s an animal of a compressor.

ABAC EXP A49B 90 CM3 - Single-phase electric belt driven air compressor - Motor 3 HP - 90 l

Singlr-phase Compressor - Abac EXP A49B 90 CM3 - 444 L/min Air Intake

www.agrieuro.co.uk

 

[Jackimus]

I have the abac a49b 100 litre. The pump is really is a big pump off a 200 litre compressor bolted to a 100 litre tank, it’s an animal of a compressor.

ABAC EXP A49B 90 CM3 - Single-phase electric belt driven air compressor - Motor 3 HP - 90 l

Singlr-phase Compressor - Abac EXP A49B 90 CM3 - 444 L/min Air Intake

www.agrieuro.co.uk

Interesting! Is that a 13A machine? I can't see an FAD number for it, just the intake of 444lpm/15.6cfm?

 

[AVI_8]

I have the abac a49b 100 litre. The pump is really is a big pump off a 200 litre compressor bolted to a 100 litre tank, it’s an animal of a compressor.

ABAC EXP A49B 90 CM3 - Single-phase electric belt driven air compressor - Motor 3 HP - 90 l

Singlr-phase Compressor - Abac EXP A49B 90 CM3 - 444 L/min Air Intake

www.agrieuro.co.uk

Most compressors are generic Chinese made these days, with a company’s branding and logo added, about 14 CFM displacement and FAD around 2/3 of that so about 9CFM from a 3HP
Machine Mart email on a regular basis with discount days on compressors, maybe worth having a look at.

 

[knighty]

what are you using it for>

if you don;t need much air I'd be looking at a silent compressor... or two... or maybe even 3

 

[addjunkie]

Most compressors are generic Chinese made these days, with a company’s branding and logo added, about 14 CFM displacement and FAD around 2/3 of that so about 9CFM from a 3HP
Machine Mart email on a regular basis with discount days on compressors, maybe worth having a look at.

Look for similar on the SIP site, they quote FAD figures

 

[oilcooled :)]

It’s running off a 13 amp plug the last year no problems, I must put in a 16 amp socket for it though. I looked for ages that’s the biggest pump I could find bolted to a single phase motor. If the compressor kicks in and your not using any tools it’s full in 30 seconds, a lot of pumps are 390 lpm intake that one is 444

 

[Jackimus]

Look for similar on the SIP site, they quote FAD figures

I was looking at SIP as well actually, if most of it is all rebadged China, I wouldn't mind saving a bit and going with them. Only issue was SIP and others being way louder at 97db vs 74db for the Fiac (if that number is right? I don't know how they would have managed that with essentially the same layout?)

Will also be good to find out if SIP is cast iron and all that other good stuff.

 

[Turbo]

I would suggest you keep an eye out for a 2nd hand belt drive blue Clarke.
They are built using good quality Italian pumps and have a great parts backup.

I think the older belt drive Sips used Italian pumps too.

 

[Jackimus]

I would suggest you keep an eye out for a 2nd hand belt drive blue Clarke.
They are built using good quality Italian pumps and have a great parts backup.

I think the older belt drive Sips used Italian pumps too.

If it's a blue Clarke, it will have an Italian pump?

I see the SIPs are also made in Italy, but that might not be with Italian components.

I did see a few Clarke industrials on ebay at a range of prices, but information on each of them is pretty sparse...

 

[Turbo]

We have a member on here who works at machine mart, a clarke main agent.
@bourbon

 

[bourbon]

What do you need to know? DM me

 

[Jackimus]

My god there's somebody for everything from everywhere on here! It's brilliant!