Champion vs. Saylor Beall

[thecj3man]

I am going to upgrade my compressor in the next few weeks or months and have some questions. I have found two compressors locally, both are used.

One is a Champion VR 10-12, it's on a 120 gallon vertical tank with a 10 HP single phase motor on it. It looks pretty good in the pictures but I have not observed it in person.

The other is a Saylor-Beall 707 pump that is at a local compressor shop. This shop works on a lot of compressors and has a room full of older pumps. The owner said he would freshen the pump, put it on a 120 gallon horizontal tank, and get a new 7.5 HP WEG motor to round out the package. This shop has been in business around here at least 40 years, so I tend to trust them.

The prices on both units are comparable within a couple hundred dollars.

So, can anybody give any positives or negatives of the champion pump vs. the Saylor-Beall? Is a horizontal tank going to hold a lot more moisture than a vertical? I am hoping this compressor will be the last one I ever buy, so I would like to get a nice long life out of it.

Thanks,

WAP

 

[healing]

I am a fan of saylor beall, but I would take the 10 HP champion with the compressors being equal used condition. As long as you have enough service (power) to start it.

 

[EOC_Jason]

10HP Single phase is a LOT of AMPs. Have you looked at how big a 120 gallon horizontal is? Do you have room for it?

I've heard that those big 120 gallon verticals with the large pumps & 10HP motors can be a little tippy, so use extreme caution when moving it around (if you go that route). I don't see why there would be any difference in moisture in the tank, a lot of that has to do with the aftercooler design of the pumps.

The SB 707 is a classic design, tried & true... In fact there are many import copies of it, though not 100% identical. Parts for it should be easy to get, and not to mention if you are buying from a compressor shop I'm sure they stock stuff for it.

Nothing wrong with the WEG motors, they are made in Brazil I think (or somewhere in south america).

If you have the room for the horizontal tank, I would pick the SB 707 simply because it is pretty much bullet-proof as long as you maintain it properly. Also with the smaller motor it will run at a lower RPMs and hopefully be a little quieter.

 

[thecj3man]

10HP Single phase is a LOT of AMPs. Have you looked at how big a 120 gallon horizontal is? Do you have room for it?

I've heard that those big 120 gallon verticals with the large pumps & 10HP motors can be a little tippy, so use extreme caution when moving it around (if you go that route). I don't see why there would be any difference in moisture in the tank, a lot of that has to do with the aftercooler design of the pumps.

The SB 707 is a classic design, tried & true... In fact there are many import copies of it, though not 100% identical. Parts for it should be easy to get, and not to mention if you are buying from a compressor shop I'm sure they stock stuff for it.

Nothing wrong with the WEG motors, they are made in Brazil I think (or somewhere in south america).

If you have the room for the horizontal tank, I would pick the SB 707 simply because it is pretty much bullet-proof as long as you maintain it properly. Also with the smaller motor it will run at a lower RPMs and hopefully be a little quieter.

I just finished installing 200 amp electrical service into my barn and so far all I have is 3 flourescent lights. So, I should have enough juice to run a large compressor. I have plenty of room in my barn for either a vertical or a horizontal, and the compressor will have to live there for at least another year until I get my shop finished. My concern over the horizontal vs. vertical tank moisture was more of how to get a horizontal tank drained of water. I have never had a morizontal tank so I am not sure how they drain.

Thanks for the information,

WAP

 

[mayday0017]

Wow 10hp non 2phase motor is a beast, I didn't even think you could run bigger then a true 7.5hp. (shows what I know)

What I do know is the SB is a better pump if you ever need to rebuild it then the champion. Champion pump doesn't have bearings on the crank/connecting rod making the connecting rod a wear item. The rods are pretty expensive to replace as well... All of that said I love my Champion but if I was given the choice between both new I would pick the SB probably.

 

[firebox40dash5]

Cripes... 10hp? That's gotta be pulling 50-60 amps... jeebus!

We have an old Champion R15 with a 5hp motor at work, with 2-3 people working off it, it'll keep up with 2 of us using a needle scaler and sander, although it'll run constantly. I can't complain about the Champion, it's been running for over 2 years and including a motor swap to single phase and a used pump (other one had been toppled, and turned out to have busted valve seats) cost a whopping $700, so other than having to find a new one fast I couldn't ***** much if it died today.

I'd say the S-B since it sounds like the pump is higher quality, and it'll still do all you need and then some. At least I assume it will, since I'm not sure exactly what you're doing with it.

 

[healing]

I just finished installing 200 amp electrical service into my barn and so far all I have is 3 flourescent lights. So, I should have enough juice to run a large compressor. I have plenty of room in my barn for either a vertical or a horizontal, and the compressor will have to live there for at least another year until I get my shop finished. My concern over the horizontal vs. vertical tank moisture was more of how to get a horizontal tank drained of water. I have never had a morizontal tank so I am not sure how they drain.

Thanks for the information,

WAP

Horizontal tanks usually have a drain on one end mine does, I just tip the compressor towards the end with the drain. Doesn't take much a 2x4 under one end does the trick.

 

[EOC_Jason]

My concern over the horizontal vs. vertical tank moisture was more of how to get a horizontal tank drained of water. I have never had a horizontal tank so I am not sure how they drain.

They have a drain-**** on one end on the bottom, no different than any other compressor. One of my friends has a machine shop with two big horizontal 120 gal compressors. We got some anti-vibration feet from McMaster Carr, not expensive at all. When installing the compressor we leveled it via the feet. Easy as pie.

As long as you drain it regularly I don't see how it would be any better / worse than a vertical.

 

[thecj3man]

Thanks for the opinions above. My main use will be just having a shop and working on my old Jeeps and a John Deere 3020 that I have big hopes of restoring. I have had my eye on some blasting cabinets and that is why I would like to get a compressor that will pump a lot of air. The Champion is rated about 34 cfm and the SB is rated very close, both at 175 psig. It is a hard choice for me to make, I never thought I would find one large compressor for sale, let alone two within an hour of my house.