What size compressor do I need?

**crash** · 12th November 2016, 08:19 PM

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** · 15th November 2016, 02:25 PM

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** · 15th November 2016, 03:44 PM

High Quality 3HP Electric Motor Belt Drive Industrial 2.2kw Air Compressor 100L | eBay

Bargain it seems ?

**Gordie** · 15th November 2016, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by northiam

High Quality 3HP Electric Motor Belt Drive Industrial 2.2kw Air Compressor 100L | eBay

Bargain it seems ?

Looks good, good price.

**DoubleChevron** · 16th November 2016, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by northiam

High Quality 3HP Electric Motor Belt Drive Industrial 2.2kw Air Compressor 100L | eBay

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

seeya,
Shane L.

**bblaze** · 18th November 2016, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

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

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** · 18th November 2016, 05:20 PM

I have a Peerless P14
Same compressor as the P17 and P20 just a slower RPM

Yep all chinese components!
Pretty sure the vessel/tank is china too

**Gullible** · 18th November 2016, 09:17 PM

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 · 8th December 2016, 09:30 AM

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.

Thread: What size compressor do I need?

Thread Tools

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions