What compressors do you have in your home garages

[Dan93]

Why does everyone talk about compressors in litres? The size of the tank has no bearing on the output of the machine.

I own three cars. One with a ninety litre tank, one with a 60, and one with a 37. They all do 30mpg (ish).
Does the size of a cars fuel tank govern what car you buy? Don't think so.

Paul G

The tank size is completely relevant, using your car guide out of those 3 choices you wouldn't use the 37 litre for a drive to Germany (air grinder) as you would be filling the tank all the time (charging the compressor) right?

 

[Paul G]

The tank size is completely relevant, using your car guide out of those 3 choices you wouldn't use the 37 litre for a drive to Germany (air grinder) as you would be filling the tank all the time (charging the compressor) right?

Ooooooo, I would. Love to take my Seven around the Ring.


I used to own Superbikes. It wasn't a problem to stop & fill every 120 miles. Glad for a break from concentration.

 

[armalites]

I own three cars. One with a ninety litre tank, one with a 60, and one with a 37. They all do 30mpg (ish).
Does the size of a cars fuel tank govern what car you buy? Don't think so.

Paul G

Actually it may if you need one with good range.

 

[dannyp]

2x 3hp 90 ltr units is going to be better . thats more or less what my clarke is 2 x 3hp pumps on a 200 ltr ish tank it was expensive for someone else, the budget way would be 2x 3hp 90 ltr units piped together and it would work as well probly half the price as well

i'd think on a 3hp tho 90 - 100 ltrs tank for a singel compressor is probaly a good size , 200 ltrs on 3hp is going to be tedious pumping up

 

[dannyp]

they are good when i got mine i was a needs must and a bit of a package deal, before it we had loads of compressors one evening we had our then big petrol t30 blow it engine up, and 2 electric direct drive units give up, leaveing us with my original 150 ltr 3hp belt drive jobbie tat was 2nd hand to me 15 yrs previous and it was showing it's age.

there was a one of them clarke twin pump things on ebay and came with a refigerant dryer £600 for the pair needed compressor asap and dryer seemed a good idea so grabbed it, to be fair so far its been a damb good unit get more air from it than the previous rabbel on electric and space is now at a premium so the relative compactness suits. it's good but the demon mod was a nrv and 3/4 line to the road compressor, if sanding cars ect we just run the road compressor, souds overkill but workshop supply isnt brilliant and it's on prepay meter so it works out much cheeper to burn diesel and had the compressor anyway, did notice tho just how much our electric consumption dropped after got the twin pump clarke tho, probaly halfed for a bit

 

[Woody.v8]

My likkle home compressor

 

[Keith 66]

In my garage stands a ROMAC compressor, built as a paint spraying compressor for the CEGB in 1944, it has a dual voltage 2hp motor that will run on 240 or 2 phase 415 volts, Pump is a strange axial thing with 6 pistons arranged like the cylinders of a revolver with a swash plate driving their con rods. Its on a trolley & is supposed to be mobile but is enormously heavy! The reciever is two heavy tubes that form the base frame. I dont worry about them as they are 1/2" wall tube & quite clean inside. It runs up to 100psi in about 40 seconds & gives about 8cfm. They dont make them like that anymore!

 

[the artfull-codger]

Why does everyone talk about compressors in litres? The size of the tank has no bearing on the output of the machine.

I own three cars. One with a ninety litre tank, one with a 60, and one with a 37. They all do 30mpg (ish).
Does the size of a cars fuel tank govern what car you buy? Don't think so.

Paul G

Agree with you there Paul, people seem obsessed with the size of the tank, & allways quoting it,the only time a larger tank is any use is to store air at max pressure because your compressor has a small output & it fills it up to use a tool that uses more than the cfm of the pump but it only lasts till the pressure drops.

 

[dannyp]

problem is its cheeper to make a big tank compared to an efficent pump hence tank size gets used to sell them

 

[ukracer]

On the back of thos i did have a 150 litre tank running in my garage. Anyway due to stupidity leading to negligence it dropped a rod.

A replacement seemed cheaper than parts so i finally got one.

The problem is it has a significantly smaller drive wheel on the pump side.

What issues will this give me......

 

[ukracer]

Agree with you there Paul, people seem obsessed with the size of the tank, & allways quoting it,the only time a larger tank is any use is to store air at max pressure because your compressor has a small output & it fills it up to use a tool that uses more than the cfm of the pump but it only lasts till the pressure drops.

I see three of you understood that.

Sadly i didnt quite follow it...

 

[Jetex]

So in a home garage, most people are limited to using a 3HP motor for a compressor, in that case what cylinder arrangement or system would give the highest CFM, are using more cylinders going to be better? Most of the compressors I see that have a 3HP motor only give a displacement of about 14.5CFM, actual air delivery being less. Is it possible to obtain more CFM with a 3HP motor?

 

[brightspark]

buy a one with a 4hp motor and u end up with 18cfm or buy a tandem pump and motor set up and it will run to 28cfm

 

[dannyp]

as said above

tandem pump, 2 compressors linked ( same differance really ) or go for a bigger motor. it is possible to get a lot more cfm from 3 hp but the catch is you can't have the pressure as well, at mates place he has 2 14cfm pumps running off a singel 3hp motor but they are only pumping up to a much lower pressure in the 40-60 psi range

 

[ukracer]

As i said above i ended up getting a replacement pump but my old one had a larger pully for the belt. about 4inches bigger than the belt pulley.

Can i still install the new one with the smaller wheel on it. Obviously it will run the pump faster but will that cause problems when starting the compressor under load..??
Or any other issue i need to be aware of?

 

[Jetex]

buy a one with a 4hp motor and u end up with 18cfm or buy a tandem pump and motor set up and it will run to 28cfm

When people talk of compressors in home garages I assume that means running from a 240V 13 to 16 amp supply, will 4HP motors start and run successfully on that?
Yes a bigger pump and motor will give you more but is 14.5CFM the limit if using a 3HP motor and needing 90psi as required for most air tools. Could there be a more efficient way? screw type compressors only seem to be in bigger industrial sizes and with 3 phase motors.

 

[brightspark]

as said above

tandem pump, 2 compressors linked ( same differance really ) or go for a bigger motor. it is possible to get a lot more cfm from 3 hp but the catch is you can't have the pressure as well, at mates place he has 2 14cfm pumps running off a singel 3hp motor but they are only pumping up to a much lower pressure in the 40-60 psi range

running the pump faster it will be harder to start under load and wont do the new pump any favours wear wise as it will run hotter u realy need to know its recommended running speed from manufacturers

 

[brightspark]

a 30 amp supply isn't a problem running a 4hp motor on domestic supply it depends on your cable size supply to your garage

 

[Ruffian]

Got an old 3hp 150l compressor at home and works well running everything I need at home, air impact gun die grinders and even the tyre machine.

The sgs compressors are cheap and cheerful but are quite nice compact unit with a decent cfm also. And much quieter than mine

 

[ukracer]

running the pump faster it will be harder to start under load and wont do the new pump any favours wear wise as it will run hotter u realy need to know its recommended running speed from manufacturers

I thought as much. I will be back..lol