Workshop Air Compressor ?

[VladTepes]

Chasing an air compressor for the workshop.

The rider is I want to get one cheap, but not a cheap one !

This means a 2nd hand unit will probably be the best option as new QUALITY ones are poisonously expensive.

I'd want one that flows 16cfm+ so I can use it for a bit of blasting / painting.

If its electric it would need to be 10 amp as I have no 15A sockets available. If a decent petrol one came on teh market I would consider it but I think electric would be less hassle and I could store it away from thieves easier when not in use (in the carport is where I use it).

Thoughts?

[Tote]

You will be limited to about 200lpm Free air flow with a 10 amp electric unit. I've got a Supercheap direct drive one that hasnt died yet that will allegedly deliver that much but it is a bit small for my needs.
Second hand units seem to start at about $600 and are expensive for what they are , I was at a clearing sale a while ago where a nice Com-Pac unit went for about $400.00 but it had modifications welded to the tank:eek:

Aldi apparently occasionally have a 15 amp belt drive unit but i've never seen one in the flesh ( and 've been looking)

Regards,
Tote

[VladTepes]

200lpm is only about 7cfm. Not much use for much.

Oh and I did mean at least 12cfm not 16, though 16 would be MUCH better.

Is it possible (without damaging it) to run a 15A unit on 10A circuit? I haven't got a 15A outlet (rental house) but will get one run if/when I buy a house in future.

Advantages / disadvantages of direct vs belt drive?

[Wallaby Ted]

You probably won't damage the unit if you could plug it into a 10amp socket, the 15amp has a larger earth so it doesn't fit into 10amp one.

Theoretically you could blow you fuse (depending on the load on the circuit) as 15amp sockets normally have their own circuit (at least they do when I have electricians do them for me) :D


Richard

[steveG]

If you're limited to 10A and only doing intermittent blasting/painting, how about a smaller/cheap compressor and an additional larger (separate) receiver to give you additional air storage for blasting/painting.
Later when you've got a decent power supply you could flog the cheapie off and probably not lose much, then buy a decent one.

Steve

[DoubleChevron]

You'll have to go petrol. I have an old Clisby 17CFM compressor I bought new many years ago. It pulls about 14amps from memory. It *just barely* runs the sand blaster I made. It's much better with the 2nd 8CFM compressor running as well.

D/A sanders will run slowly, painting is fine ... it runs any spray gun easily. By wanting to sand blast though your going to be absolutely hammering the guts out of it and waiting for it to re-pressurise ( I made a PA blaster which works brilliantly).

Maybe two 12CFM compressors plugged into seperate circuits in your house could be the trick :confused:

seeya
Shane L.

[blue_mini]

Sounds like you need to run two smaller compressors in parallel, but even so they're not that cheap.
2 direct drive 40l Bunnings compressors should get you about 240l/min of air, fine for spraying but a little small for blasting.

My mate ran an aldi one with a better brand one, not spectacular in their air delivery and quite a bit louder than a better quality compressor.

Do you really need to sand blast or can you use a grinder to clean stuff up? I find I don't use air tools at all, it's easier to run an extension cord and power everything than run a compressor and have everything air driven.

[Homestar]

Is it possible (without damaging it) to run a 15A unit on 10A circuit? I haven't got a 15A outlet

Being an Electrician I can't condone that sort of thing, but maybe my 17CFM that draws 13 amps may just be plugged into a 10 amp outlet...:angel:

I don't use it all the time - just a bit on the weekends, and the only time I have a drama is if someone turns the kettle on while it is running as it is on the same circuit.....:D

Everyone in the house now knows not to do that if they can hear it running...

[VladTepes]

A mate tells me he bought an Aldi one last year and uses it for just the sorts of things I'll usually be doing when working on the bike. He's quite happy with it especially atthe price and with the Aldi warranty.

He reckons they will likely come on sale early-Mid September again. (That's when he got his last year)

SO assuming I can find a way to get a 15A one to plug into a 10A circuit please help me here sparkies- how would one do that in THEORY (not, of course, that one would LOL )

[DoubleChevron]

A mate tells me he bought an Aldi one last year and uses it for just the sorts of things I'll usually be doing when working on the bike. He's quite happy with it especially atthe price and with the Aldi warranty.

He reckons they will likely come on sale early-Mid September again. (That's when he got his last year)

SO assuming I can find a way to get a 15A one to plug into a 10A circuit please help me here sparkies- how would one do that in THEORY (not, of course, that one would LOL )

Don't forget the startup current, that'll be the killer, you'll pop the circuit breakers if it's low amperage wire on startup. If you end up running two, ensure they are set to "start" at different pressures so you don't end up with two compressors starting at the same time.

I only have 10amp power points in my shed. I have no qualms about running two air compressors off the circuit though. It's 40amps from the main meterbox on the house, through to the shed (I climbed up into the house roof and verified the weight/size of the cable heading through the roof before it heads underground. If there's any issues, it'll pop the lower amperage breakers in the shed before the 40amp "shed" circuit breaker in the meter box either way.

The bigger issue would be if we have the big reverse cycle A/C's in the house running, you would probably then be approaching the capacity of the power cable running upto the street with the compressors running in the shed.

seeya,
Shane L.

[kenl]

A mate tells me he bought an Aldi one last year and uses it for just the sorts of things I'll usually be doing when working on the bike. He's quite happy with it especially atthe price and with the Aldi warranty.

He reckons they will likely come on sale early-Mid September again. (That's when he got his last year)

SO assuming I can find a way to get a 15A one to plug into a 10A circuit please help me here sparkies- how would one do that in THEORY (not, of course, that one would LOL )

Well in theory, you could trim a bit off the earth pin on the 15amp plug so it would fit in the 10amp socket. I've heard....... that a file can do the job, or a grinder, or even a pair of tin snips. But I really wouldn't know if any of that is true?

[schuy1]

I reckon bypass the electrical system totaly and go with something like this. Komatsu Air Compressor 130 CFM - Blue Diamond Machinery (http://www.bluedm.com.au/komatsu-air-compressor-130-cfm/?gclid=CJDb09iotLkCFQnPpAodgCEASw) I reckon this might just let you do a few of the things you want! :D

[UncleHo]

I would be looking at a petrol powered unit from "Trade Tools Direct" they have a good range on display at Caboolture and are open Sat & Sunday,they twin & triple cylinder units all on wheels.

[numpty]

Well in theory, you could trim a bit off the earth pin on the 15amp plug so it would fit in the 10amp socket. I've heard....... that a file can do the job, or a grinder, or even a pair of tin snips. But I really wouldn't know if any of that is true?

Why would you do this? Why not just replace the 15 amp plug with a 10 amp one.

They're both illegal regardless :cool:

[DoubleChevron]

Why would you do this? Why not just replace the 15 amp plug with a 10 amp one.

They're both illegal regardless :cool:

Gee's guys.... it's new under warranty. Everyone knows you need to make up a 10cm long extension cord with a 10amp plug one end and 15amp the other end. That way if the compressor dies, you still have a standard unmodified plug on it so the warranty isn't rejected :twisted: :wasntme:

seeya,
Shane L.

[VladTepes]

I can't getthat link to work but from the description you give I presume that I could buy a house for the same money..... :lol:

The petrol powered ones seem to go up to about 12cfm anyway and are expensive - like nearly $2K expensive.


Someone else recommended juts joining two cheaper compressors together to one outlet BUT I have a few queries about this.

Surely that isn't going to double the performance, unless maybe careful attention was paid to the relative size of hoses and fittings. Anyone got the maths on this?

Running 2 x 10A compressors on a circuit would draw more current than 1x 15A anyway would it not?

[DoubleChevron]

I
Running 2 x 10A compressors on a circuit would draw more current than 1x 15A anyway would it not?

If your going to do that, you run it on two separate circuits in the house.

seeya,
Shane L.

[blue_mini]

Two compressors in parallel would be slightly mismatched, but they would compensate for each other, only issue being the massive power surge when they both turn on when the pressure drops. Unless you put a valve or something to only open when the pressure in the other compressor has dropped below a certain point. But i imagine itd reach a steady state after a certain point when they just turn off and on together. In other words ignore the mathematical playing with yourself and run them off two power supplies.

[olbod]

I have a large, old, blue one.

[33chinacars]

I have a large, old, blue one.

:p:p Probably Peerless then.