Air compressors in the shop?

[MrDeerHunter]

So I was thinking the other day about power consumption and compressor use. I have a shop system setup with about 200 ft of PEX 3/4. I have an 5hp 50 gallon two stage and a small 15 gallon compressor I am not using. Have any of you hooked in a smaller compressor for your everyday needs and saved a larger compressor for spray jobs or some other air hog tool. For the most part I just use it to nail about 20-30 pins at a time or fill a tire. My big compressor seems like over kill until I start spraying. Just curious if anyone has run a smaller aux compressor in their system to save power when their wouldn't be much duty cycle to worry about.

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[rlitman]

I don't think you'll necessarily save anything. Since the big compressor is two stage, it is likely quite a bit more efficient, and the runtime will be proportionately shorter than the lower powered small unit, so in the end, unless you've got leaks wasting air (and you drain the tank completely each day), the bigger unit will actually be cheaper to run.

 

[Lucky13driver]

I have a similar setup. I use the big one if I'm in the garage and the small one for remote work. Although I'm thinking about upgrading to one of those new quiet compressors.

 

[Abeo]

I keep my 60 gal tank filled but shut in, and just use air as needed while choosing when to run the compressor again. It's been over a month since I ran it last (die grinder and blow gun, no big projects lately).

I can see having a small compressor on hand for running a nail gun in the house(or needing portability). But I can't stand the racket of the smaller compressors.

 

[fourjeepin]

So I was thinking the other day about power consumption and compressor use. I have a shop system setup with about 200 ft of PEX 3/4.

PEX?!? You know it’s not rated for air pressure, right? I’ve been meaning to do this in my shop but don’t hear about many people using it for air.

 

[matt_i]

Keep your large compressor's system valved off to eliminate air leaks (as much as possible). I think my compressor cycles 1x per month if I don't do anything.

Otherwise, yes, filling up a big tank from empty just to hit a couple of pops is wasteful of energy in my opinion.

if you already have the small one then I'd use it. A small one is also good for portability when you need to take air to a job.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Put me in the camp of one compressor and shutting off the system/leave tank charged group.

I do have a small pancake compressor that I traded for some work a couple of years ago. That's for working in the house/away from the garage jobs.

 

[finn]

Number 1, isolate your large compressor from the piping with a quality ball valve when not in use. A five horsepower motor uses a lot of electrical energy to spin a two stage pump.

Number 2, consider the noise level of the small compressor. My portable Craftsman/ DeVillbiss is much louder than my two stage, low rpm Champion.

I was using the small compressor for quick jobs, but, primarily because of the noise, but also the pump up time, abandoned that practice, after I got in the habit of shutting off the system with the ball valve to maintain tank pressure when not in use.

My black iron piping has a couple of small leaks, but it runs high on the 16’ walls, so it is difficult for me to access.

 

[zmotorsports]

One compressor only in my shop (5HP/60 gallon). I had a small 20 gallon unit that I took in trade many years ago while at my last shop but found I didn't use it like intended. Sometimes what I thought would only be a few minute job and used the small one would turn into a larger job and I would fire up the big compressor anyways. Then there was the real estate the small compressor took up which was nearly the same footprint as the larger one so I sold it and have only used my large one ever since. I put a ball valve on my tank so when I close up for the night I turn the ball valve off to keep everything charged and from bleeding off so it really doesn't run unless I'm actually using air.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I would tend to agree that there's no advantage to using the small compressor in your system.

I have not followed the above advice to shut in my compressor when not in use.

I just make sure I don't have any air leaks so my compressor doesn't cycle.

That being said...my compressor is anchored firmly to the wall and wouldn't cause a problem if it did cycle. My brother (many years ago) had a portable compressor in his shop begin to cycle a lot while he was gone on vacation. When he got back, he found the compressor had walked itself a few feet until it got up against the side of his corvette and scratched the **** out of it....got all the way into the gel coat if memory serves.

Phil

 

[MrDeerHunter]

I would tend to agree that there's no advantage to using the small compressor in your system.

I have not followed the above advice to shut in my compressor when not in use.

I just make sure I don't have any air leaks so my compressor doesn't cycle.

That being said...my compressor is anchored firmly to the wall and wouldn't cause a problem if it did cycle. My brother (many years ago) had a portable compressor in his shop begin to cycle a lot while he was gone on vacation. When he got back, he found the compressor had walked itself a few feet until it got up against the side of his corvette and scratched the **** out of it....got all the way into the gel coat if memory serves.

Phil

I appreciate it. I will stick with my current setup then and forego the small compressor.

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[bwringer]

A small quiet portable compressor is a very handy thing to have for other reasons, like work away from the shop.

The new Fortress compressors from HF, for example, are very quiet, and there are any number of oil-lubricated small compressors that are quiet and compact.

But to just sit there next to the big one being used for small jobs... ehhhh. Probably not worth it.

Plus, you probably ought to run the big compressor every so often just to make sure the innards stay lubricated, etc. If it just sits for weeks between uses that's probably not great.

And I definitely agree that it's worth your time to track down system leaks, and add a ball valve.

 

[Falcon67]

Same as above - 60 gallon in the shop, on 24x7, shutoffs at the various outlets. I have a portable, it's in the shed in storage. If we go out of town, then I'll shut the gate valve at the compressor and turn off the breaker. Otherwise, it's ready to go for anything I need, any particular time.

 

[sberry]

One compressor only in my shop (5HP/60 gallon). I had a small 20 gallon unit that I took in trade many years ago while at my last shop but found I didn't use it like intended. Sometimes what I thought would only be a few minute job and used the small one would turn into a larger job and I would fire up the big compressor anyways. Then there was the real estate the small compressor took up which was nearly the same footprint as the larger one so I sold it and have only used my large one ever since. I put a ball valve on my tank so when I close up for the night I turn the ball valve off to keep everything charged and from bleeding off so it really doesn't run unless I'm actually using air.

A couple of these are worth repeating. Simple, about the best way to do it.

Same as above - 60 gallon in the shop, on 24x7, shutoffs at the various outlets. I have a portable, it's in the shed in storage. If we go out of town, then I'll shut the gate valve at the compressor and turn off the breaker. Otherwise, it's ready to go for anything I need, any particular time.

 

[richard7]

I close ball valve at my compressors at home and at work when done .I've seen dryers annd filter systems fail under pressure. hate for it to happen and no one there to shut it off. The best money can buy will fail under pressure eventually might be 20 years might be tonite

 

[WaterBoyz]

I have an old 20-gallon single stage oiled compressor (220 volts). I also have a 20-gallon secondary tank. The secondary tank is plumbed into the air system. It is separated by a ball valve.

When I need extra capacity I open the valve and now I have a 40-gallon system. Sure, I still have the same CFM of my pump but sometimes I just need a burst of capacity like when using the sandblast cabinet or a high volume tool.

I use a wind-up timer to enable the power to the compressor. So I can wind it up, say for 2 hours, and it is done. No compressor running at 2 am. The timer controls the coil of a contactor. Ezee Pezee.

I bought the secondary tank off FB Marketplace cheap since it had a bad pump.

I also have a small hot-dog oilless compressor for portability. Dammm is that thing noisy.

 

[waynesmith1]

Sorry, this is kinda off topic but I want your help regarding air compressor. I want to buy an air compressor for my garage. I have read a post where i found two types of air compressors Porter-Cable CMB15 and Makita MAC2400 . Please suggest me which one to go for.