What size compressor do I need?

[Gullible]

Hi,
I'm looking to get a compressor to run some tools - riveter, impact wrench and a spray gun. Mostly I'll be doing hobby stuff like fixing up trailers and farm machinery.

There are so many compressors to choose from I'm stumped. Do I want a big tank with a low hp or do I want a small tank with a bigger hp. Price seams to be a balance of the two. I'm not a professional so cannot justify forking out big $$ for something that will mostly sit in the garage.

Love to hear what experience you've had.

[Gordie]

Mine is 2.5hp, 298L/min, 175L/min free air delivery...about a 50L tank I think. Runs a small sandblaster, spraygun, air tools, middle of the range type of thing, cost about $500 10yrs ago or so...probably get them for less now. Seems to do all I want for a home compressor.

[dero]

I have just downgraded from a larger, older compressor to one very similar to what you describe & it is working just fine . Similar use to what you need .

[Gullible]

Hi dero,
If you do not mind my asking, what size/air flow? what brand? and were from?

[northiam]

I bought Peerless 10 years ago
Big tank means less starts and stops
Lower RPM means go forever and reduced starting current :)

P14 Portable, 275LPM, 10AMP ? Peerless Products (http://www.peerlessproducts.com.au/air-compressors/air-compressors/single-phase/p14-portable/)

https://www.toolmart.com.au/00257.html

[dero]

Hi Gullible , I got a Westair FAD 235lpm 54lt tank .
Smaller than the old one , but does all I want .
Westair is a WA company , if not readily avaliable I would probably have gone with Peerless , BOC or Repco .

[goingbush]

On compressors

Having moved into a house recently , with neighbours - perish the thought , I got a shed built and have equipped it with all sorts of goodies,

I have your typical generic direct drive chinese type compressor which I have hooked up to an air line to distribute to points around the shed, But the noise of the compressor was concerning - or I thought it might be to the neighbours ,

I was all set to buy a noiseless compressor - at 5 x the price of a no-name when I saw some guy using an oil filter screwed to the end of a rifle as a noise suppressor - you know where I'm going , most noise on a compressor is induction noise.

I cobbled together an adaptor and screwed a Z9 to my compressor , ( just had to dig out the anti drain back valve - probably un-necessary ) .... ah the silence , plus theres enough filter media in there to last forever .

the pink bats screwed in behind wire did had a marginal benefit, would not have bothered with it if I'd fitted the oil filter muffler first.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/11/546.jpg

[LandyAndy]

Westair are good.
Had one as a sodbusters slave and we have one on our service trailer.
Good quality gear.
Andrew

[Old Farang]

That looks like some fancy anvil you have there. Do you have a patent on it?
Not sure, but it looks like a piece of cut down steel tramline. :cool:

[goingbush]

That looks like some fancy anvil you have there. Do you have a patent on it?
Not sure, but it looks like a piece of cut down steel tramline. :cool:

No thats not an anvil, its a paperweight :)
but yes it is a piece of tramline.

[crash]

A couple of things to consider - 15amp or 10amp.
Other thing is find out the max FAD at the given PSI that is required for the air tools you are using then choose compressor to suit.
If you are planning on using it around farm machinery a petrol driven one may be the go - transportable, and can have a higher FAD than electric ones.

[DoubleChevron]

Get the biggest compressor you can find .... oilless are noisy, slow and create to much heat and moisture.

I often string my old 16CFM and 10CFM clisby compressors together to get more airflow. The bigger ones will have a 15amp earth pin. Just make youreself a "cheater" lead... or file the earth pin. I can't imagine a shed that doesn't have a 15amps circuit to it ( just make sure you don't run any other high current tools at the same time).

compressor is one thing where bigger is always, always, always better. buy the biggest and best you can find. It'll last you a lifetime. When I was 20years old ... everyone thought I was nuts 'cos I saved up and bought a 16CFM clisby... aussie made compressor, aussie made motor, aussie made tank. It's still going strong 20years later. It's never even needed the drive belt adjusted. it just works ... always. It runs everything I've hooked upto it. sanblasting is very slow (I string in the second compressor for that), D/A air sanders are slow...

It can go 6 months without being used ... and will always work when I need it ( after all how much time does someone with 3 young kids have to go outside and tinker these days).

If you buy direct drive oiless junk ... you'll hate it .. it won't work for much other than inflating tires very slowly and very noisily. you might be able to paint with it 1 panel at a time .. with lots of waiting. you'll have lots of moisture issues. Don't do it!

seeya,
Shane L.

[northiam]

High Quality 3HP Electric Motor Belt Drive Industrial 2.2kw Air Compressor 100L | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/High-Quality-3HP-Electric-Motor-Belt-Drive-Industrial-2-2kw-Air-Compressor-100L-/172400927846?hash=item2823e56466:g:vLgAAOSwImRYIAO y)

Bargain it seems ?

[Gordie]

High Quality 3HP Electric Motor Belt Drive Industrial 2.2kw Air Compressor 100L | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/High-Quality-3HP-Electric-Motor-Belt-Drive-Industrial-2-2kw-Air-Compressor-100L-/172400927846?hash=item2823e56466:g:vLgAAOSwImRYIAO y)

Bargain it seems ?
Looks good, good price.

[DoubleChevron]

High Quality 3HP Electric Motor Belt Drive Industrial 2.2kw Air Compressor 100L | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/High-Quality-3HP-Electric-Motor-Belt-Drive-Industrial-2-2kw-Air-Compressor-100L-/172400927846?hash=item2823e56466:g:vLgAAOSwImRYIAO y)

Bargain it seems ?

How did they rate that ? there is no way something that draws less than 10amps is 3hp. It's only 12CFM. I'd be looking at 16CFM bare minimum. Not chinese crap pretend horse powers or pretend CFM's ... real horse powers that do actual work :)

This is the direction I'd be heading:

Peerless P17 Electric Belt Drive Compressor Hoppers Crossing - United Tools (http://www.unitedtoolshoppers.com.au/peerless-p17-electric-belt-drive-compressor.html)

seeya,
Shane L.

[bblaze]

How did they rate that ? there is no way something that draws less than 10amps is 3hp. It's only 12CFM. I'd be looking at 16CFM bare minimum. Not chinese crap pretend horse powers or pretend CFM's ... real horse powers that do actual work :)

This is the direction I'd be heading:

Peerless P17 Electric Belt Drive Compressor Hoppers Crossing - United Tools (http://www.unitedtoolshoppers.com.au/peerless-p17-electric-belt-drive-compressor.html)

seeya,
Shane L.

That's the compressor I have and wouldn't advise on any smaller. Also have acheap chinese one I use with my brad gun when renovating, bit of junk but works, also use it to pump a tyre but I do use the peerless for all else
cheers

[northiam]

I have a Peerless P14
Same compressor as the P17 and P20 just a slower RPM :o
Yep all chinese components!
Pretty sure the vessel/tank is china too :)

[Gullible]

and that is my problem. It is hard to compare apples with apples when you do not know what they mean by an apple.

I've also been bitten before where more 'expensive was not better quality'.

[fakawi]

I have 16cfm ingersold rand, about 15 years old, works fine, also one of those little el cheapo things, painted the one tonner three times with it, and the lj80 suzi also.
bit slow as you have to wait for the compressor to catch up but that doesn't matter because I am not the speediest painter on the block.
finish is all orange peel but that is the worker not the tool, and most new cars even the costliest have orange peel.
the quality of the job is all down to the preparation preparation preparation blame the worker not the tools.
Also done a fair bit of sandblasting with both, both are deficient for that if you are planning to do sandblasting and don't want to take all day waiting for the compressor to catch up buy at least a 17 cfm (I notice it is hard to get the dealers to tell you what the cfm is they like to talk lpm. bit like the battery people won't tell you how many plates in your car battery they only want to talk about cca)
HOWEVER if you don't have at least a 15 amp power point and preferably an 18 amp one be aware you could burn your house down. if you only have 10 amp pp stick to the little cheap ones. and use heavy duty extension cords.
as for petrol although i find them too noisy and painful to start when left standing, i prefer to just flick a switch, but i have 3 phase and 15 and 18 amp points.
in other words all will do pretty well anything the average mug punter wants the difference is in how much time you have and how much money you want to spend, buy the best you can afford is a good idea.
by the way I like the idea of the oil filter silencer i have a couple of unused ones laying around might give them a try.
As far as air storage goes that is pretty immaterial, unless you have a very large tank you will run out of air when sandblasting any way, so the compressor will end up running continuously and I found a large tank inconvenient when transporting as they are heavy and awkward.