Harbor Freight Air Compressor. NEED HELP!

[HankRHill]

So I was looking at two compressors, and something caught my eye. I noticed that the 10 gallon is 5.3 cfm @90 psi, and 6.2 cfm @40 psi. Then I went over and looked at the 21 gallon. It reads 4.7 cfm @90 psi, and 5.8 cfm @40 psi. This doesn't make sense to me. Both motors are the same 2.5 hp, and have the same 125 max psi. Am I missing something? And does tank size matter all that much? I know that the bigger the tank, the less time it cuts on so the motor stays cooler. I thought cfm was a really big deal. Thanks in advance!

 

[lbhsbz]

CFM is a function of motor/compressor size and has nothing to do with the tank size. The tank is just storage. You'll get higher CFM until the storage is depleted, but after that, the unit will supply the rated CFM. Bigger tanks are nice for high volume intermittent loads like impacts/air hammers, but for sanders/grinders, etc...you need more pump/motor.

 

[Strouty]

First problem is that you are looking in Harbor Freight for an air compressor.

Second problem is, I wouldn't believe any ratings they offer regardless of what it was.

Hopefully someone else will tell you something better than me, sorry to be so negative.

 

[Codejack]

What lbhsbzblzhsblhzslbzhslzhbslzlshhlsbslz said

Get a big tank for wrenching and worry less about CFM; get more CFM for grinding/sanding/painting... a big tank is still nice, but :shrug

 

[jakemac]

CFM has little to do with the size of the motor or tank. You need to compare the ratings of the pumps.