Just thinking out loud, why do compressors have built in tanks?

[hamburglar]

I think it would be kind of nice if the compressor part and the air storage part were separate for mass market products. You could size each as you wanted, it would be easier to move if the unit were separable, I suppose you could daisy chain tanks, put both pieces in separate places, etc.

I know that you can buy this stuff individually, but the price is bound to shoot up quite a lot for the same capacity.

Portable compressors are a different kettle of fish, of course.

Is it unreasonable to have a flexible air line continuously under pressure?

 

[tatra]

chances are what you are describing is already on the drawing board..........marketing is all about getting you to feel inadeqeute in your purchases come the next year............your musings on this particular subject are paralell to mine............

 

[nissan_crawler]

Build your own, it can be done reasonably.

 

[hamburglar]

While I'm thinking about what I want out of this, I'd like for the compressor part to have a fairly smooth outside (cooling issues allowing), kind of like one of those portable Honda generators. No exposed belts, no exposed fragile stuff.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I wouldn't want it enclosed like that. You can use flexible line in constant pressure applications, with no problem. My compressor is plumbed with AN-12 hose, rated for 400 some degrees, and 1500 p.s.i.

 

[eschoendorff]

I dunno... i kind of like having my compressor/tank already engineered, tested and proven. That way it just works and is one less thing I need to worry about....

 

[hamburglar]

I dunno... i kind of like having my compressor/tank already engineered, tested and proven. That way it just works and is one less thing I need to worry about....

Well, I can't say there's a whole lot of engineering to be done in having a tank and a pressure line.

Remember, this also gives you the ability to easily change the size of the tank. Also, the whole kit and kaboodle is a bunch easier to move.

I'd also like the compressor to be quiet, thank you.

 

[jimvannoy]

Well, I can't say there's a whole lot of engineering to be done in having a tank and a pressure line.

Remember, this also gives you the ability to easily change the size of the tank. Also, the whole kit and kaboodle is a bunch easier to move.

I'd also like the compressor to be quiet, thank you.

Put it in a covered space outside your shop. Quite as can be.

 

[hamburglar]

Put it in a covered space outside your shop. Quiet as can be.

There's no way to do that at my house, plus the neighbors would be hating life then.

Another reason I can see to separate the two units is one of reliability. Here's what I mean. For an example, one of the silliest products built in years past were those VHS tape decks contained in a TV. You were combining a pretty darned unreliable (and often unfixable) gizmo with one that is quite reliable (the TV). If one breaks, to a large extent the point of the whole system breaks.

 

[ddawg16]

Not pratical for the smaller 'consumer' sized setups. When you get into the larger industrial setups....such as a 2 stage worm compressor, yea, it has not tank....but those also cost you about $5/min to run since it's hooked up to a 3ph, 480 line using about a 100hp motor.

Think about it....you have to put the motor somewhere....might as well stick it on the tank....but there is nothing to stop you from taking the compressor off and putting it somewhere else.

 

[jimvannoy]

There's no way to do that at my house, plus the neighbors would be hating life then.

Another reason I can see to separate the two units is one of reliability. Here's what I mean. For an example, one of the silliest products built in years past were those VHS tape decks contained in a TV. You were combining a pretty darned unreliable (and often unfixable) gizmo with one that is quite reliable (the TV). If one breaks, to a large extent the point of the whole system breaks.

My compressor has a tank, electric motor, and compressor pump. 3 separate parts all replaceable. Pump and motor can both be rebuilt, pressure switch can be replaced, belt can be replaced.

 

[hamburglar]

My compressor has a tank, electric motor, and compressor pump. 3 separate parts all replaceable. Pump and motor can both be rebuilt, pressure switch can be replaced, belt can be replaced.

Excellent news, I'll keep it in mind.

In truth most anything can be fixed for forever. I'm refering more to cheaper compressors that would just be thrown away which, given modern manufacturing practice, will work their way up the food chain over time. I'll quit beating the drum on this now except to note that I really can't see the elegance of monolithic design in this case.

 

[hamburglar]

Not practical for the smaller 'consumer' sized setups. .

That strikes me as sort of a sweeping statement. It's basically just a matter of repackaging some rather inexpensive (and often poorly built) manufactured goods. The only gotcha I can think of is the additional cost of additional cardboard in the shipping container and a stand for the compressor, but I only play a mechanical engineer on TV. Perhaps the main problem would be that the compressors most everybody buys vibrate so much that they need the mass of the tank to not walk or shake to death.

In any case, with the notable exception of the ratching wrench, the innate conservatism of garageistas will kill anything slightly out of the norm as a product.

 

[ddawg16]

That strikes me as sort of a sweeping statement. It's basically just a matter of repackaging some rather inexpensive (and often poorly built) manufactured goods.

How about this for a comparison......stereo's. The cheap stuff is thrown in one box...all inclusive. The higher end stuff, you buy the individual components you want to get the results you want.

If you want a compressor by its self....Ingorsol Rand is a good starting point.

At the end of the day it's all about cost....and what someone is willing to pay for it.

 

[russlaferrera]

This has been done before, in the late 70s. The reason given was the motor/compressor vibration on the tank weakened the welds causing the tank to fail..

With this info the industry tried to market this new concept, however it was newer received well. IMO it took up more space.

 

[hamburglar]

How about this for a comparison......stereo's. The cheap stuff is thrown in one box...all inclusive. The higher end stuff, you buy the individual components you want to get the results you want.

If you want a compressor by its self....Ingorsol Rand is a good starting point.

.

That's a really good point. The difference I can see is the significant cost savings in a boom box due to shared casework, power supply, cheaper interconnects.

Can you think of a lower end IR compressor of this type? I'd like to check it out.

One other advantage I can see (a minor one to be sure) is that you could have a long run from compressor->tank and a shorter one from tank->tool.

 

[ddawg16]

You mean like this?

At the end of the day it all comes down to money. The 'average' person does not have the expertiese to setup what you are suggesting (which is what I would like to do as well). As you can see from the prices on that page, the combined unit is a better value....but there is nothing stoping you from yanking the compressor off the tank and putting it where you want it.

I'm getting ready to do a new garage....typical 2 car detached garage....the whole thing is coming down....building a new one...1.5' wider, and 5' deeper...with a 'real' attic. Until I got my first compressor, I didn't realize how much I would use it....even my wife uses it a lot. But the noise has to go. I'm going to make a small shed behind the garage for the compressor and dust collector. If I come across another tank, I'll plumb it into the main line and put it up in the attic towards the front. It won't reduce the amount of time the compressor runs...but when I kick in the old impact wrench, I can be assured of plenty of umph.

 

[Danglerb]

Products are designed to make money, not suit the customer.

Safety and warranty issues would get in the way of a Chinese menu system, with all in one its cheaper to make and test.

OTOH I totally agree and would prefer to be able to mix and match as I please. Fact is when my Sears vertical goes toes up I will be replacing the top unit with something else, with the else being whatever suits ME at the time.

 

[PAToyota]

How about this for a comparison......stereo's.

I was trying to come up with a decent analogy - but I think Ddawg nailed it.

If you go to a commercial supplier, you can specify components. But for 99.9% of the people walking into Lowes, HD, Sears, etc. they are going to want a package and not have to worry about picking the three components. So if one in a thousand might want that flexibility, it is not enough for the retailers to even consider worrying about...