compressor choices

[ari666]

i figured since the compressor is largely for whizzing back and spraying, then it'd suit this section.

i am in the market for a new compressor for home. i just found a 3HP 100ltr single piston for 500 bucks but there is a 4HP 100ltr single piston for 600. i also could get a triple cylinder 5HP 130 liter for a grand, then there are belt driven options, direct drive options this many liters, that many liters

would it be better than i look at smaller tanks and more powerful engines, or the other way round?

in all honesty is 1HP worth an extra hundred bucks? is 5HP 130ltr worth a grand? realistically i mean. itll be used by one person at a time with basic air tools and spray guns.

should i just drop the 500 on the cheap one or keep saving for an expensive one?

 

[Tom_1569]

Spray painting you want a compressor that can put out a large number CFM's, rather then a large tank as you are constantly releasing air at a low pressure (30-50psi).
A bigger tank is always good, but no good if your constantly waiting for the tank to fill up.
I have 225 Litres of tanks on a 5hp Honda Motor, I fill the tanks up, thats enough to do 2-3 coats on a Roof without turning the motor back on (note my motor fills up the tanks quicker then the release valve can release so for safety I cant leave it running unattended lol). I would say 130L/5HP would be the go, better to have overkill then run out pressure midway through a stroke.

 

[50LTRv8]

Just be careful with power requirements on the larger compressors. Lots of them seem to need 3 phase connection, something to factor in.

 

[ari666]

ok ok, let me clarify. this will be for use at home in my garage. prolly gonna spray the impala jams etc and itll sit there switched off for a few months at a time.
as much as i would love to go for the most expensive option, i dont. if cfm is what i need, how about the direct drive compressors? they seem to have better cfm than belt and are cheaper. i kinda want to get something this weekend. the budject is 1000 bucks, but that will have to include 2 hoses (one clean, one oiled) oil drip, i already have a water catcher, but will need all the fittings to do a permanant install. (wall mounted fittings etc) so more likely around 800 for the compressor itself.

any suggestions on specific ones, or places to look for them would be MUCH appreciated.

OH LOL, also it needs to fit in the boot/back seat of my VK

 

[delcowizzid]

direct drives never pump enough you want at least 12cfm which is about the biggest belt drive compressor you can buy that runs on single phase power .convert the direct drives litre per hour to cfm and you will find the smaller-medium ones are about 4cfm LOL

 

[Tom_1569]

Dont rule out Petrol ones, they are good, an easier system to repair when they break, and dont require 3phase power.

 

[bandit10]

i have a petrol 7hp 100ltr compressor i use for my spray painting, it runs my orbital sander or spray gun all day long at constant pressure, does use a lot of fuel though...
The more cfm's the better, if your planning on doing a lot of bodywork i would say 12-14cfm minimum. so go for the biggest one you can afford.

 

[thewheeldeal com au]

PM sent re compressors, I'm in the process of getting a new one and may be able to help you out.

 

[Bellicose]

15 CFM is the minimum you need, 3 hp is the biggest you can go with single phase (STD househokd plug), anything with bigger hp will be 3 phase.

Free air delivery (FAD) is what you need to look at when looking at compressors, thats when you have spray gun open full or your DA sander goin' with an empty tank and compressor goin'. Some 3 hp 15 CFM units are only rated at 8 CFM FAD which is useless for doin any thing except pumping up the tyre on ya wheelbarrow lol.

 

[ari666]

yeah i ws wondering about how free air delivery related, it seemed that tank size controlled free air delivery and cfm was largely down to the motor. so is CFM how rapidly the tank gets air and free air delivery how quick the tank dispells it when it full?

i took a look at the compr i have at work (which is crappy but only ever used to run air tools) and it is a 50ltr with a 2.5HP motor, its been doing the job well for the last 7 years. these are going for 300 bucks! lol, one thought was to get two of those and hook them up with a joiner pipe! making a 5HP 100 litre for 600 bucks which can run on a normal 10A plug!!! im pretty sure theres gotta be holes in this theory somewhere.