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air compressor shack

junkyardwarrior

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Nov 17, 2014
Messages
176
Got my 30x40 built and working on moving a few things around, and want to put the compressor outside. It doesn't get that cold here...maybe teens in the winter, but 100+ in the summer. I can vent the shack as needed. But I'm at a standstill at the moment. I don't know which route to go with the electricity? Just a 50 gallon 5hp upright compressor, I think it draws 230v 20A. The slab is separated from the rest of the building by the width of a 4x4 to isolate the vibration. But that's as far as I've gotten because of the weather (snow/ice/sleet). Wiring TO the it is 8/3, and on a 30A breaker. Wires are in but I haven't figured out the best way to connect the compressor yet. 30A air conditioner 3R switch? How do you guys do it?
 
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600SL

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Apr 26, 2012
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1,794
Location
Connecticut
I put mine outside. Its really nice with it outside. I'm vented at the bottom side facing away from the neighbors and also vented at the top soffit. I used a 60 Amp AC disconnect which I hate. I don't know why the knife switch disconnects are no longer available.
 

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Cyberbear

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Nov 23, 2013
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California
Spending 12+ years in the electrical trade has made me lazy in my old age. I've always hooked up my a/c units using a motor starter switch with over load protection that I can energize remotely, either from one on/off station or several.
I've always purchased what was needed on ebay and wouldn't even bother with a typical knife switch disconnect, which aren't really designed for regular daily operation of heavy equipment, although many people do who want to save a few bucks or do not know how to wire a commercial start/stop station. It's so much easier to simply push a button rather than having to use an old fashioned manual disconnect switch box to operate my equipment.
 

C96

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Nov 30, 2013
Messages
1,251
I used a 60 Amp AC disconnect which I hate. I don't know why the knife switch disconnects are no longer available.

??? :headscrat

Here are some very inexpensive ones at Home Depot:

6fbfe39a-5470-48bf-8734-b277c8f6e310_400.jpg


cf44888a-e88a-4736-8dbe-5e887e297932_400.jpg


Both are 60 amp and have a 10 horsepower rating @ 240 volt
 

stage20

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Nov 5, 2013
Messages
3,722
Location
pcola FL
i couldnt find one when i hooked up my compressor either. i have an a/c disconnect as well. the only ones i found were at the electrical supply house and they wanted gold for them. 70 or 80 bucks. i picked up a a/c piece for 10 bucks.
 
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junkyardwarrior

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Nov 17, 2014
Messages
176
I got my shack built, and wired. I put a remote switch next to the light switch at the entry door so that when I turn the lights on, I can push the button to start or stop the compressor without having to go out and manually turn it on. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is venting the compressor shed. When they built the shop building, there were 4 sheets of siding left over, and a few small pieces of outside corners. I put the frame up in a few hours (I work real slow---I'm a mechanic not a carpenter) and then the next day I put the siding on. Realized that I didn't have enough outside corner, I had to run to the metal building supply place, actually two of them. The first one (18 miles away) said they had it but it was the wrong color and would have looked odd. So I had to run down to the other place, about 50 miles one way, and they had it in stock. I got 3 pieces which was enough for the whole thing. $36 for all of including 11.125% sales & use tax. Cost more in diesel to get there/back. But all in all, it came out pretty good. I couldn't find a pre-hung outswing door so I had to hang my own. No big deal. Never done it before but it was pretty much self explanatory. Only thing is I had to double and triple check my measurements and cut once. Hardest part was the concrete. 10 sacks of 80lb quickcrete.

I actually built it a little bigger than what it was needed. 5' by 5'2". Same deal for the electric service. 50A service and 6/3 wire. That way if for some reason later on down the road I wanted to put a different compressor (bigger), it's already set up for it.

For some stupid reason the pic keeps uploading sideways. I've tried editing it to get it turned, but it keeps showing up sideways on the site. Dunno. I'm a bit technologically challenged.
 

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kbkna

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Aug 29, 2009
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339
Location
SWEET HOME ALABAMA
Looks great. I need to do the same for my place. Any pics of your inside switch and wiring? What size hose did you come off the compressor with?
 

Slednut

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Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Messages
2,554
Location
Washington state
I moved my small compressor outside a couple weeks ago. I wanted to keep the bugs out so I just built a box in my shop put it outside and installed the compressor in it. It has a bunch of vents on the back side.
 

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Cyberbear

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Nov 23, 2013
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1,524
Location
California
About old fashioned knife disconnect switches: In times past things were different in the electrical trade and practice. Today everyone is been conditioned to be overly safety conscience. The old switches had a habit of arcing when turned off under a load, which would cause some sparks to fly and eventually burn up the contact points.
Later they designed a "motor snap" switch that reduced the arcing but not all of it. Being these early knife switches were manually operated, they don't operate as fast as the now newer magnetic motor starters with over loads to shut down everything when an overload situation occurs. Some knife switches had replaceable fuses and some did not.
Much has changed over the years, and for the better I believe. I personally always use a motor starter for anything one hp or larger, just my preference. A commercial motor snap switch is usually adequate for the smaller size motors.
 

CGT80

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Aug 29, 2014
Messages
867
Location
IE, SoCal, USA
Tonight I was planning out a compressor shed and today I got a shipping quote from Eaton compressor.

I was considering a 4 foot deep lean to type shed on the back of my single car garage, which is 12 feet wide. I am thinking of getting a 5hp two stage 80 gallon horizontal compressor. The horizontal should be easier to move after it is shipped or when I move to a different house. I cold put dollies under it or make a frame with wheels. The vertical tanks are top heavy. The storage shed could hold work supports, the tile saw, and other random stuff.

The old compressor was 220v 15 amps and I just used #10 romex and a two pole 20 amp switch mounted next to my garage light switch. The new compressor would pull 24 amps while running. I have a 50 amp 3 pin welding receptacle on the outside of the garage that sits in an outdoor enclosure. The cord passes through a slot in the bottom and the lid snaps shut to keep the weather out.

Should I change this out to a motor starter switch? The new compressor would be setup with a heavy duty pressure switch and not a magnetic starter, if these are related or the same.

Cyberbear, do you have any links for a suggested product?

I used to do a lot of electrical when I worked in the construction industry, but my best friend was the electrician, not me. I am very familiar with electrical but not up on all of the codes and equipment installations. We did more repair work and office TI jobs.

Winter time temps are in the low 40's here, but summer will reach 95 often and peak at 110, with very little rain. Has anyone had to add fans to their compressor shack to keep the hot air moving out?
 

Denwood

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Sep 22, 2014
Messages
4,212
Location
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
I moved two 110V compressors (they work together) to my shed. I installed two breakers in my panel for them, ran a 12/3 Tec cable outside (shared neutral) and a 2 x 20 amp plugs in the shed. One compressor is direct wired to one junction box (no external plug) and the other compressor is plugged in to the 2nd junction box. This gives me a plug in the shed when required. I turn the compressors on via the shop breakers only when I'm working in the shop.
 
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junkyardwarrior

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Nov 17, 2014
Messages
176
Another question. I have a clue how to vent the building but I don't know how to put a vent into the metal siding? Any of y'all got any pics of some vent ideas on the metal stuff? If it were wood-and flat-it'd be easy, but this stuff has ridges in it ever 7 1/4", so mounting a 18" wide soffit vent, it wouldn't sit flush on the metal.
 

owenst7

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Oct 19, 2011
Messages
632
Location
Anchorage/Reno
Another question. I have a clue how to vent the building but I don't know how to put a vent into the metal siding? Any of y'all got any pics of some vent ideas on the metal stuff? If it were wood-and flat-it'd be easy, but this stuff has ridges in it ever 7 1/4", so mounting a 18" wide soffit vent, it wouldn't sit flush on the metal.

Easy/cheap way is get some sheet metal and fabricate a flashing that slips under the siding on top and sides, then seal it with exterior silicone.
 
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