Harbor freight 29 gallon, or 60 gallon compressor?

jgorm · Feb 10, 2015

I'm strongly leaning towards getting a HF belt driven oil based compressor. I can't decide between the 29 gallon, 2hp, 5.9cfm @90psi, 82dB, $359
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-to...-cast-iron-vertical-air-compressor-61489.html

and the 60 gallon, 5hp, 2 stage, 15.8cfm @90psi, 70dB, for $639 or $799
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-to...n-165-psi-two-stage-air-compressor-93274.html
or
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-to...n-165-psi-two-stage-air-compressor-55391.html

I can't tell what the difference between central pneumatic and US general is, but the General is $160 less and has the exact same specs.

I was set on the 29 gallon, until I saw the dB readings of 82 compared to 88 on the oilless, an 70 on the 60gal. My craftsman 5hp 30 gallon took a **** and it was loud as hell and drove me nuts all the time. Going from 80db to 70db is half the volume. 15cfm at 90 psi is awesome, but it will really only affect my fill up times, but less time running, and much quieter is worth some $$. I only work by myself, and it was fairly rare that I would need to wait for my compressor to catch up using my craftsman around 5cfm@90psi. It would still happen sometimes with my mini air "jackhammer", or sometime with the fraiming nailer if I was putting in too many nails :lol_hitti

Are these things total junk? Is is better to buy a smaller lower capacity name brand? I have lots of harborfreight stuff, and some things work just fine. HF sockets and pliers, not so much :lol:

f575gtc · Feb 10, 2015

The 60 gal is a re-badged US built compressor, unless they recently changed manufacturer.

But you are comparing a semi portable compressor to something stationary.

jgorm · Feb 10, 2015

Us made? Seems like a great deal. Neither compressor would need to be moved. I'm going to hard plumb the shop.

CompressorPros.com · Feb 11, 2015

The Harbor Freight 60 gallon unit, US560V has been recently rebranded as Central Pneumatic instead of US General. Other than that, they are the same and still made by Atlas Copco, who also makes BelAire, Chicago Pneumatic and Quincy

Venom2164 · Feb 23, 2015

The one for $639 says it is re-manufactured in the description on the Harbor Freight web site.

jgorm · Feb 23, 2015

It looks like none of the 20% coupons work for compressors. Makes it seem like less of a deal. I'm still up in the air for how much I want to spend on this. I want it to be quiet and move a lot of air.

ChrisLS8 · Feb 23, 2015

www.hfqpdb.com

They have all the compressor coupons.

Zrexxer · Feb 23, 2015

Just to deal with the question at face value, there's no comparison between a 29 gallon single-stage and a 60 gallon 2 stage. If I had the choice of either of those, it certainly wouldn't be the smaller one.

CNGsaves · Feb 23, 2015

^ ^ +1 . . . .nobody ever wished they had crappy 29 gal compressor once they have 5 HP 60 gal !!!

OP . . . do you not have CL, pawn shops, estate sales, etc. in your part of the world ?? Before I'd spend that kind of money at HF, I'd be looking for quality compressor used.

Davefr · Feb 23, 2015

It's almost beyond our ability to comprehend, but the HF 60 gallon unit is made in the USA and good quality

The tank is US, the pump is European, the motor is a name brand but made in Mexico and assembly is in the US.

Reviews are very positive. It's the same as Bel Aire 216V but only has a 90 day warranty.

jgorm · Feb 23, 2015

Craigslist only has junk and I've watched it every day for a few weeks now. I don't have time to rebuild a compressor. The small one is out for sure. Now I'm trying to decide if a Quincy is worth double the cost. I do know that 5.5 cfm at 90, like my old compressor had, is no nearly enough. I've considered better brand, single stage, but I'm not sure if that would be a better buy. I'm a bit hesitant to down that much at harbor freight. The 70db rating if the hf 60g is what sold me.

Venom2164 · Feb 25, 2015

Yesterday I renewed my Harbor Freight Inside Track. The confirmation email had some coupons. One was for the $799 compressor. It was a $50 off Coupon that brings it down to $749.
I went and looked at it. As mentioned before, The Pump is made in Italy, The motor is made in Ohio and the Tank is also U.S. made, then it is assembled in the U.S. Quality looks good. I have been shopping for a new 60 Gallon since mine is finally dying after 10 years. I have not found any in the $750 price range that are 60 Gallon two stage. Most seem to be $995 and up.

creativecars · Feb 25, 2015

The shipping weight difference between the two 5hp compressors.
276lbs vs. 228lbs
I am guessing a thicker tank.

R7237 · Feb 25, 2015

I got the "factory remanufactured" one for $495 a few months back.

Venom2164 · Feb 27, 2015

I bought it today with the $749 Coupon. It is the same 60 Gallon Tank that is on the Lowes Kobalt I am replacing(Lasted 10+ Years). The same company is making the Kobalt models and Also some Home Depot models. They have gone to a 3 foot base instead of 4. That irritates me as now I have to redo the mounting. Today I ran the 8-2 and installed the 40 amp breaker. By the end of this weekend I should have the job finished. I will post more then.

p_mori7 · Feb 27, 2015

Following !

jgorm · Feb 28, 2015

Venom2164 said:
I bought it today with the $749 Coupon. It is the same 60 Gallon Tank that is on the Lowes Kobalt I am replacing(Lasted 10+ Years). The same company is making the Kobalt models and Also some Home Depot models. They have gone to a 3 foot base instead of 4. That irritates me as now I have to redo the mounting. Today I ran the 8-2 and installed the 40 amp breaker. By the end of this weekend I should have the job finished. I will post more then.

Where did you get that coupon?

Venom2164 · Feb 28, 2015

jgorm said:
Where did you get that coupon?

My above post states... I renewed my Inside Track Membership and recieved the coupon in the confirmation email. Here it is:

Venom2164 · Feb 28, 2015

Got the compressor installed today. Completely tested and no air leaks. Much quieter than the Old Single Stage Kobalt 60 Gallon, When standing in front of it we can even talk with raised voices to each other while it is running. Once the Kobalt turned on you could yell and not be heard. This compressor seems to be very good quality. Fit and finish are very good, no scratches or weld blobs. It fills very quickly and works perfectly. Tomorrow I will take some pics and post them.

Petey156 · Feb 28, 2015

I'm curious. Did you buy the extra warranty?

Venom2164 · Mar 1, 2015

Here are pics of the compressor installed. I am waiting on a Timed Automatic Drain Valve to be delivered. I will post that install when finished. I went with Shock Absorbent Pads as well as Hockey Pucks on each leg. Because the legs are not smooth on the bottom they normally sink into the pads and make deep grooves. The hockey pucks keep this from happening and also gives a little more height for access to the drain. I installed a Harbor Freight Industrial Filter/Water Separator that is good up to 160 psi. I mounted it directly to the Pump / Motor Platform. The unit also come with a regulator, but it is trash... Look at the reviews. So, I just used my existing Amflo Regulator which is good up to 250 psi. I have a little more plumbing to do today for the Air Hose Reel. I am also including a pic of the Kobalt unit that this one replaced. The Air Pump Filter on the Kobalt is much better, so I will be moving that onto the Harbor Freight Compressor.
I did not buy the extended warranty for this Compressor. The unit is Built very well from great parts. I should know within the first 90 days if I have an issue.The warranty prices for it are ridiculous. And it is not just a warranty, it is a Repair Maintenance Agreement. 2 years is $169. So your total warranty would be for 2 years and 90 Days. Not worth it in my opinion since it is repair only. Then if you want it repaired on site you can add another $99.00 to your Repair Maintenance Agreement. Now you would be at the price where other Two stage compressor prices start and they come with a much longer warranty.

CoopVA · Mar 1, 2015

What is wrong with the Kobalt unit? HF also sells replacement pumps and motors... I put one of their 3hp motors on a 60 gallon tank that came with a pump I rebuilt. Saved a few bucks...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Venom2164 · Mar 1, 2015

The tank has rusted out and has a small leak on the bottom behind the drain valve. Here in Florida moisture is a killer. I am in the middle of a Home Renovation and did not want to waste time trying to get the tank repaired. I put it on Craig's list and someone is coming to look at it today. They have a good tank but the motor and pump are shot.

Davefr · Mar 1, 2015

Looks like a great installation!!

How would you rate the noise level of this unit??

Venom2164 · Mar 1, 2015

Having owned Oil less Compressors in the past... They are nosiy as hell.
Scale of 1-10 10 Being the Loudest.

Oil Less - 10
Kobalt 60 Gallon - 7
Harbor Freight Two Stage 60 Gallon 4.5

I have seen and heard larger much more expensive compressors that are pretty quiet.

When the Kobalt would turn on in the garage it could be heard pretty easily inside the house. The HF can barely be heard in the house.

jgorm · Mar 1, 2015

Venom2164 said:
Having owned Oil less Compressors in the past... They are nosiy as hell.
Scale of 1-10 10 Being the Loudest.

Oil Less - 10
Kobalt 60 Gallon - 7
Harbor Freight Two Stage 60 Gallon 4.5

I have seen and heard larger much more expensive compressors that are pretty quiet.

When the Kobalt would turn on in the garage it could be heard pretty easily inside the house. The HF can barely be heard in the house.

Damn, I need to get off my *** and go buy this!

CoopVA · Mar 1, 2015

Venom2164 said:
The tank has rusted out and has a small leak on the bottom behind the drain valve. Here in Florida moisture is a killer. I am in the middle of a Home Renovation and did not want to waste time trying to get the tank repaired. I put it on Craig's list and someone is coming to look at it today. They have a good tank but the motor and pump are shot.

Ah... Makes sense. Good job on the install of the new one. Let's us know how the new unit holds up.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Venom2164 · Mar 2, 2015

Added the Hose Reel, it just clears the garage door. After using the compressor for a day, the safety valve triggered a couple times. The compressor was set a little to high from the factory. I adjusted it down about 5 psi and it is working perfectly.

Venom2164 · Mar 16, 2015

I have started a new thread on my compressor install. Today I added a Timed Auto Drain Valve. You can see the new thread here.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4721155&posted=1#post4721155

larryq · Mar 16, 2015

jgorm said:
Craigslist only has junk and I've watched it every day for a few weeks now. I don't have time to rebuild a compressor.

I hear you, I've been looking for a good 20 gal Speedaire or such, oiled portable for over a year. People think their rusty tanked, outdoor-stored for 20 years craftsman pancake compressors are made of gold! The hunt continues...

dtbingle · Jul 13, 2016

I know this an old thread, but can anyone comment on noise level of:

A) HF Central Pneumatic 29-gallon - current model #61489 - ~$370
B) HF Central Pneumatic 60-gallon - current model #93274 - ~$800
C) HF US General 60-gallon - refurb model only available #55391 - ~$640

Mainly focused on the how the 29-gallon compares to the 60-gallon units. Quieter? Louder?

PSYKO_Inc · Jul 13, 2016

larryq said:
I hear you, I've been looking for a good 20 gal Speedaire or such, oiled portable for over a year. People think their rusty tanked, outdoor-stored for 20 years craftsman pancake compressors are made of gold! The hunt continues...

Location? If you happen to be in northern California, I have a couple Campbell Hausfeld VT compressors (oem for Speedaire) and could make you a deal on one.

larryq · Jul 14, 2016

PSYKO_Inc said:
Location? If you happen to be in northern California, I have a couple Campbell Hausfeld VT compressors (oem for Speedaire) and could make you a deal on one.

An old thread comes back to life! Thanks for the offer, but about a year ago I picked up an oiled, belt-driven 25 gal Craftsman 'Professional' compressor for $150. Works well for what it is, though I wish I got more than 6 cfm at 90 psi....unfortunately I don't have 208 / 230 in the garage, and no room to fit a 60 gal unit.

PSYKO_Inc · Jul 14, 2016

Ah, didn't catch the date on your post. Sounds like you got a good one, and you're getting about as much as you can squeeze out of 120v/15a.

jz43 · Jul 14, 2016

I bought the 29 gal to replace me 30 gal craftsman oil less. It was so noisy i couldn't stand it any more. this compressor is great. It hold air without leaking and runs power tools great. it's also quiet. I would recommend it!

dtbingle · Aug 11, 2016

So I returned the 29-gallon HF/CN unit and purchased the 60-gallon HF/CN unit item #93274. Metered both using SPL function in AudioTools app for iOS. The results:

60-Gallon HF/CN Air Compressor - item #93274
SPL (dBA) @ 1 ft: 96 dB
SPL (dBA) @ 5 ft: 90 dB

29-Gallon HF/CN Air Compressor - item #61489
SPL (dBA) @ 1 ft: 89 dB
SPL (dBA) @ 5 ft: 83 dB

Roughly 6 dB difference, which in the sound world is regarded as being twice the volume.

larryq · Aug 11, 2016

Interesting, I would have guessed the 60 gallon would be the quieter of the two.

Bluejoe · Apr 14, 2019

Hey How is the compressor working out, is it load it’s been couple of years. I stopped HF picking up some items.

Dieselhammer · Apr 14, 2019

Always go one step bigger than what you think you can get by with when it comes to air supply. No one has ever said "man i wish i didnt have this big of a compressor"

Harbor freight 29 gallon, or 60 gallon compressor?

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