toolin' around
Well-known member
I had one of those Harbor Freight 11 gallon portable compressed air tanks, and it was super handy for inflating tires etc. I'd throw it in the truck with the dirt bikes when we go camping, even though I have a generator and compressor in the truck as well.
Decided to modify it to add some additional capacity to my 15 gallon DeWalt compressor... the DeWalt is rated to 225psi and the HF tank is only rated to 125psi, so I couldn't connect it directly as an auxiliary tank, and I didn't want to lose the portability of the tank as a stand alone unit.
Considered just putting it inline with the output, but that would mean I'm only adding 11 gallons at whatever working pressure I'm at, and not maximizing the additional capacity.
So, I added a regulator to the output of the tank, a ball valve on the inlet side. Now, I can set the output of the compressor to 125psi so I'm adding maximum capacity, and use the tank regulator to control the pressure to the tools... I can also either leave the tank with a short hose beside the compressor, or take it closer to the work site so I can use a shorter hose from the regulator to the work. I can shut the ball valve and still take the tank away to inflate tires etc.
So now I have 15 gallons at 225psi plus 11 gallons at 125psi, so it should be equivalent of having around 21 gallons at 225psi, so it's roughly a 40% capacity increase over the previous setup. (I know... I should have bought a larger compressor in the first place, but I don't really need more capacity that often.)
What do you think? What could I do to make it better? Or what should I have done differently? I had originally planned to fit a 125psi relief valve on the second elbow... I fitted the second outlet there only as a temporary stop till I could order one, but then I realized it allowed me to leave the tire inflator hose connected as well so it doesn't get lost... the compressor is now permanently set to 125psi, so little risk of over pressurizing the tank.
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Decided to modify it to add some additional capacity to my 15 gallon DeWalt compressor... the DeWalt is rated to 225psi and the HF tank is only rated to 125psi, so I couldn't connect it directly as an auxiliary tank, and I didn't want to lose the portability of the tank as a stand alone unit.
Considered just putting it inline with the output, but that would mean I'm only adding 11 gallons at whatever working pressure I'm at, and not maximizing the additional capacity.
So, I added a regulator to the output of the tank, a ball valve on the inlet side. Now, I can set the output of the compressor to 125psi so I'm adding maximum capacity, and use the tank regulator to control the pressure to the tools... I can also either leave the tank with a short hose beside the compressor, or take it closer to the work site so I can use a shorter hose from the regulator to the work. I can shut the ball valve and still take the tank away to inflate tires etc.
So now I have 15 gallons at 225psi plus 11 gallons at 125psi, so it should be equivalent of having around 21 gallons at 225psi, so it's roughly a 40% capacity increase over the previous setup. (I know... I should have bought a larger compressor in the first place, but I don't really need more capacity that often.)
What do you think? What could I do to make it better? Or what should I have done differently? I had originally planned to fit a 125psi relief valve on the second elbow... I fitted the second outlet there only as a temporary stop till I could order one, but then I realized it allowed me to leave the tire inflator hose connected as well so it doesn't get lost... the compressor is now permanently set to 125psi, so little risk of over pressurizing the tank.