60 gallon compressor ventilation issue if sheetrocked in

[MrThinker]

Finally pulled the trigger on a 60 gallon air compressor. Went with an Iron Horse 11.2 cfm @ 90psi for 380$ locally on a memorial day sale.

I have a 1200 sq/ft shop thats pretty bare, recently built. I was going to put the compressor, which really is suprisingly quiet (used to have a 4hp direct drive 15 gallon), in a corner of the shop. Planned on building a studded wall with fiberglass insulation and 1/2" sheetrock on both sides.

I know the compressors build up heat, so my plan was to put a small return air like vent in the bottom of the sheetrock and a attic fan in the ceiling of the enclosure pulling air through. I have tons of left overs from building a house recently so all materials are pretty much no cost. The attic fan pulls 1500cfm.

My concern was since the fan is kind of powerful for a box 6 feet tall and 3ft square, will it pull the air through so fast that it could affect the compressor air intake? I assumed the massive amount of air passing over the compressor would keep it much much cooler than if it just sat in the corner.

Maybe leaving the roof of the enclosure open enough for a fan to be mounted defeats the purpose of trying to dull the noise?

Thanks

 

[LutzTD]

Finally pulled the trigger on a 60 gallon air compressor. Went with an Iron Horse 11.2 cfm @ 90psi for 380$ locally on a memorial day sale.

I have a 1200 sq/ft shop thats pretty bare, recently built. I was going to put the compressor, which really is suprisingly quiet (used to have a 4hp direct drive 15 gallon), in a corner of the shop. Planned on building a studded wall with fiberglass insulation and 1/2" sheetrock on both sides.

I know the compressors build up heat, so my plan was to put a small return air like vent in the bottom of the sheetrock and a attic fan in the ceiling of the enclosure pulling air through. I have tons of left overs from building a house recently so all materials are pretty much no cost. The attic fan pulls 1500cfm.

My concern was since the fan is kind of powerful for a box 6 feet tall and 3ft square, will it pull the air through so fast that it could affect the compressor air intake? I assumed the massive amount of air passing over the compressor would keep it much much cooler than if it just sat in the corner.

Maybe leaving the roof of the enclosure open enough for a fan to be mounted defeats the purpose of trying to dull the noise?

Thanks

A big fan is going to **** all your shop dust into your compressor housing, if you want to use such a big fan I would consider putting a filter housing in the intake opening. Your fan will never effect the compressor intake, your only worry is getting rid of about 2200watts of energy with the efficiency of air compressors.

 

[nine4gmc]

that^. install a standard HVAC central air filter to the "box". also, I would put a 36" door on that box for easy access to drain the tank etc. I have seen doors with filters installed in apartment complexes so thats another option.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

You really don't need the fan. Just use convection for your cooling/venting.
Intake at the floor exhaust at the top- as warm air rises and exits, it pulls in cooler air at the floor.
Just one less mechanical device to die.

 

[Falcon67]

I'm using a 6" inline duct fan in my compressor closet, along with a 240V relay to turn it on when the compressor kicks in.

 

[ilovevocs]

I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries with my comments but ere are my thoughts.

1. Have you made an attempt to duct the intake to the exterior of the structure? That may suffice your sound level needs, if you have done this, I'm sorry for assuming you have not. Even if building a closure this will not be on vein as you want to intake good clean air.

2. On the enclosure, if I was to do this I would not utilize standard 2x4 wall construction. Do a little research on sound proofing walls ect and you will find wall construction typologies more suited to your needs.

I am thinking that the stc 46 would be easily achieved with the materials you likely have on hand, it may take a little more work, but anything worth doing is worth doing right.

 

[MrThinker]

I am thinking that the stc 46 would be easily achieved with the materials you likely have on hand, it may take a little more work, but anything worth doing is worth doing right.

Nice find. Now that I look at the image I remember an epidosde of holmes on homes about 2 houses joined together and using a stc 46 wall to join the 2. I do in fact have plenty of 2x6's and 2x4's to build that particular wall.
Thank you.

I never thought about the filter idea, never crossed my mind I'd be sucking in so much dust but I guess if I'm pulling air in I get all the nonsense that goes along with it.

I don't want to vent the air out of the shop, I had it bricked, sealed and insulated so my air conditioning wouldn't just go straight out the door. Turns out a 2 ton unit only knocks 20 degrees off the outside temperature. But I gotta tell ya, 80 degrees feels awfully nice on a 105 Louisiana day.

All great comments and I will put them to use. I plan on cornering it up this weekend, I'll see about snapping some before/afters, as if you all are on the edge of your seat waiting to see a piece of sheetrock and a compressor

 

[garboui]

having vents open to the same space you're trying to isolate the sound from will make much of the enclosure construction moot.

 

[International VMX Star]

Is it possible to locate the compressor outside?

 

[z28snksknr]

You really don't need the fan. Just use convection for your cooling/venting.
Intake at the floor exhaust at the top- as warm air rises and exits, it pulls in cooler air at the floor.
Just one less mechanical device to die.

I agree with this. The heat dissipates through a air-cooled fin exchanger that is designed to work without a forced draft. Natural convection will suit your compressors needs just fine.

 

[ilovevocs]

Nice find. Now that I look at the image I remember an epidosde of holmes on homes about 2 houses joined together and using a stc 46 wall to join the 2. I do in fact have plenty of 2x6's and 2x4's to build that particular wall.
Thank you.

I never thought about the filter idea, never crossed my mind I'd be sucking in so much dust but I guess if I'm pulling air in I get all the nonsense that goes along with it.

I don't want to vent the air out of the shop, I had it bricked, sealed and insulated so my air conditioning wouldn't just go straight out the door. Turns out a 2 ton unit only knocks 20 degrees off the outside temperature. But I gotta tell ya, 80 degrees feels awfully nice on a 105 Louisiana day.

All great comments and I will put them to use. I plan on cornering it up this weekend, I'll see about snapping some before/afters, as if you all are on the edge of your seat waiting to see a piece of sheetrock and a compressor

Oddly I have been planning a similar installation in my garage. I had intentions of doing it since I moved into it. It is on the bottom of my list at the moment. Wife wants a pool and a patio and I am too cheap to pay for someone to build either.....

 

[automobiliben]

Where did you find that deal? Seems really good!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[MrThinker]

A local hardware store http://mysutherlands.com
stocks them for 470$ all day, 20% for memorial day.

Wish I knew someone with a DB meter so i could do a before and after just for S&G's

 

[tkonbass]

A local hardware store http://mysutherlands.com
stocks them for 470$ all day, 20% for memorial day.

Wish I knew someone with a DB meter so i could do a before and after just for S&G's

If you have a smartphone you can download a free DB meter app that would at least let you make basic before and after measurements. On my iPhone I have "RTA Lite" that I use for that purpose.

 

[e-tek]

.......as if you all are on the edge of your seat waiting to see a piece of sheetrock and a compressor

You have no idea........

 

[71goldss]

I just finished building a closet almost exactly as your plans for my new Quincy 5hp 60 gal. I used a 36" solid core prehung door, with 3/4" plywood for the outside walls and 4' x 8' sheets of soundproofing for the inside walls that I purchased at Home Depot. Not sure what the soundproofing is actually called, but it looks a lot like 3/4" jute (?), like used under auto carpeting on older cars. Can be easily cut with a utility knife. Actually has "soundproof" written all over it. I made a sort of chambered baffle system for the ceiling of the closet so that the sound has to travel back and forth from front to back a few times before reaching the 1520 CFM gable/attic fan at the top. I'm still just using the opening under the door for the air intake, but plan to make an intake filter system. With the door shut and the fan on, I'd say that the compressor noise is cut by at least two thirds. MAJOR IMPROVEMENT! And when up on the ladder and listening to the air coming out the top through the fan, no compressor noise! Just air! Highly recommend building one!!!

 

[71goldss]

Will post pictures once I master how to on this forum.

 

[71goldss]

Ok, learned how to load photos now.

Almost completed compressor closet. Still need to add trim molding and paint. Like many, I mounted the compressor on hocky pucks that are attached to the compressor itself and not the floor. The compressor can be easily "walked" out of the closet for servicing.

 

[trboxman]

I agree with this. The heat dissipates through a air-cooled fin exchanger that is designed to work without a forced draft. Natural convection will suit your compressors needs just fine.

Except for that whole fan bladed pulley thing that most large compressors have going...

 

[71flh]

If you've named yourself mrthinker, but facts prove, well think about it...

 

[automobiliben]

You have no idea........

Haha, now that's funny!