HF 5 hp 2stage compressors is 2 stage

[6PTsocket]

I was just looking online at the two HF 5 hp compressors. I read a review of the 62299, 3 cylinder model and the reviewer said it was really a single stage. I looked at the manual that claims it is a 2 stage but there is an air filter on each cylinder head BINGO!! In a 2 stage compressor the second stage cylinder(s) get their air from the first stage cylinder(s) not the outside air. I even looked at a true 2 stage, 3 cylinder, separate head pump, and only two cylinders had air filters. Also you can see the common output manifold for all three cylinders. The real 2 cylinder, 2 stage, 93274 goes to 165. The three cylinder only goes to 150psi. Even for HF this is a new BS or incompetence level. Both compressors have the same specs and price but they pump the same 60 gal tank to 150 and 165 respectively. Make sure you buy the right one if you are thinking about one of theirs.

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[ZBrink]

You should call HF or go to a store, examine the machine thoroughly and ask more questions before you make such a confident claim after only looking at photos and the manual online.

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[smuro04]

OP is correct, the newer 3-cylinder model is not a true 2 stage unit. I've been to the store recently and inspected one myself.

I hate my store for the simple fact that if I ask for a particular item number, the store associates all claim that they are "the same thing."

Absolutely not.

I've said it before on here, the 93274 is probably the best "bang for your buck" 60 gal, 2 stage out there right now.

 

[Tallpilot]

OP is correct, the newer 3-cylinder model is not a true 2 stage unit. I've been to the store recently and inspected one myself.

I hate my store for the simple fact that if I ask for a particular item number, the store associates all claim that they are "the same thing."

Absolutely not.

I've said it before on here, the 93274 is probably the best "bang for your buck" 60 gal, 2 stage out there right now.

I have this fight as well. I have sympathy for the people who work there and wish them better success in life but it is clear that they have no real training or knowledge of their product lines. Fortunately, we do and through the efforts and sharing of people on this forum and others we can extract the good items while leaving the chaff behind for the unwary.

 

[smuro04]

I have this fight as well. I have sympathy for the people who work there and wish them better success in life but it is clear that they have no real training or knowledge of their product lines. Fortunately, we do and through the efforts and sharing of people on this forum and others we can extract the good items while leaving the chaff behind for the unwary.

Hell, I was looking for one of the HF vises that goes on sale every now and then for like $54. I was looking for a particular item number because it is very well (decently) made, (61163 & 67415, I can't remember which is the better item off the top of my head at the moment, but one is nice and the other is just ****.) the other item number for the vise was a total piece of ****. I asked the MANAGER, of all people, and he even said it was "the same thing." I had to break into a 5 minute Segway and explain to him how they are not the same thing and how he should know this as a backer of his company's own products.

This is also the same guy who gave me **** about the 60 gal compressors and said he has no way of identifying which item number he would pull out of stock. Like, c'mon dude, take 30 seconds to find an item number on the box before you drag it out of stock to keep your customer happy. With the amount of money I spend there, you would think they would want to keep me happy...

That's why I love this place (Garage Journal), the knowledge here is unmatched.

 

[raffaelli]

I've said it before on here, the 93274 is probably the best "bang for your buck" 60 gal, 2 stage out there right now.

I have one. Best 800 I have spent in the garage.

 

[6PTsocket]

You should call HF or go to a store, examine the machine thoroughly and ask more questions before you make such a confident claim after only looking at photos and the manual online.

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Obviously, you have not a clue about the difference between a single stage and a two stage and if you think talking to the clerks at HF is source of accurate information, I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might want to buy.

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[6PTsocket]

OP is correct, the newer 3-cylinder model is not a true 2 stage unit. I've been to the store recently and inspected one myself.

I hate my store for the simple fact that if I ask for a particular item number, the store associates all claim that they are "the same thing."

Absolutely not.

I've said it before on here, the 93274 is probably the best "bang for your buck" 60 gal, 2 stage out there right now.

It is not any kind of 2 stage. The number of cylinders has no bearing on the number of stages. A 2 stage has a cylinder or cylinders in parallel that raise the air pressure to say 70psi and feed a smaller cylinder that raises the pressure to the tank pressure of 165/175 psi or higher. A single stage has one or more cylinders running in parallel that pump air directly into the tank. This one has 3. Campbell Hausfeld has a 4 cylinder single stage.Oil lubed single stage compressors are pretty much limited to 150psi max. A second stage cylinder that is being fed from a first stage cylinder is not taking air through an air filter. On better compressors there are cooling fins on the connection pipe between the stages. It is called an intercooler. The manual has a picture with the word " air filter" and three arrows pointing to the three filters.

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[6PTsocket]

I have this fight as well. I have sympathy for the people who work there and wish them better success in life but it is clear that they have no real training or knowledge of their product lines. Fortunately, we do and through the efforts and sharing of people on this forum and others we can extract the good items while leaving the chaff behind for the unwary.

That is why I posted.

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[md21722]

I believe what happened is for a period of time HF was sourcing this compressor from a different supplier, or possibly two suppliers. They may still be doing it. My local store had the 3 cylinder for a while as a floor model but it has been replaced with the original. I get the feeling someone in purchasing made a mistake.

 

[ZBrink]

Obviously, you have not a clue about the difference between a single stage and a two stage and if you think talking to the clerks at HF is source of accurate information, I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might want to buy.

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Jeez, no need to be a jerk about it. I was mainly saying you should really go to the store and inspect the tool in person versus just looking at drawings online.

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[ZBrink]

Hell, I was looking for one of the HF vises that goes on sale every now and then for like $54. I was looking for a particular item number because it is very well (decently) made, (61163 & 67415, I can't remember which is the better item off the top of my head at the moment, but one is nice and the other is just ****.) the other item number for the vise was a total piece of ****. I asked the MANAGER, of all people, and he even said it was "the same thing." I had to break into a 5 minute Segway and explain to him how they are not the same thing and how he should know this as a backer of his company's own products.

This is also the same guy who gave me **** about the 60 gal compressors and said he has no way of identifying which item number he would pull out of stock. Like, c'mon dude, take 30 seconds to find an item number on the box before you drag it out of stock to keep your customer happy. With the amount of money I spend there, you would think they would want to keep me happy...

That's why I love this place (Garage Journal), the knowledge here is unmatched.

Hey that's something I don't understand. What's the deal with HF items having various part numbers?

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[smuro04]

Hey that's something I don't understand. What's the deal with HF items having various part numbers?

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Either different manufacturers or different production runs.

Look closely at products and compare the quality between item numbers. Some are better than others.

 

[6PTsocket]

It is two-stage, but it is HF China two-stage. A little different from what most people think of as two-stage. HF two-stage means

stage1- The piston is traveling down and sucking fresh air into the cylinder.

stage2- The piston is traveling upwards and pushing compressed air out of the cylinder and into the storage tank.

[emoji38]_hitti

Ah, that explains it. Lol!!

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[redmondjp]

OK guys - the REAL reason why this error exists is that the PREVIOUS model of HF compressor replaced by this one WAS a two-stage unit. And HF hasn't properly updated their marketing information (keep in mind that the people writing that information probably wouldn't know how to identify a two-stage compressor pump if you put a gun to their head).

You can verify that by reading older HF compressor threads on this site.

 

[ZBrink]

OK guys - the REAL reason why this error exists is that the PREVIOUS model of HF compressor replaced by this one WAS a two-stage unit. And HF hasn't properly updated their marketing information (keep in mind that the people writing that information probably wouldn't know how to identify a two-stage compressor pump if you put a gun to their head).

You can verify that by reading older HF compressor threads on this site.

Which is precisely why I suggested one going to the store and putting thier hands on one in person before writing a "This is fact" thread.

 

[B_Bimmer]

I don't think less of value has ever been said in five total posts than by ZBrink in the history of the internet.

 

[6PTsocket]

Which is precisely why I suggested one going to the store and putting thier hands on one in person before writing a "This is fact" thread.

Nobody is saying that HF ever swapped models under the same part number. The three cylinder is obviously a single stage to anybody that knows the difference. I do not have to go to the store to verify that 62299 has three air filters that are identified as such in the owner's manual. Go look at it. Then tell me how it could be a two stage with all. I have even spoken to their tech support about another product. The answer I got was so incompetent that I challenged the guys knowledge. I got a reply from his boss that began. "What he was trying to day was...." You will never get to speak to anyone in store or at product support

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[6PTsocket]

Oops, sorry did not mean to post yet. Nobody here has said that HF ever sold two products under the same part number. If you bother to look at the owners manual you will see the words "air filter" with three arrows pointing to the three filters. If you can explain how if all three cylinders are taking in filtered air and this is a two stage l would be glad to listen Before you tell me what I can or cannot conclude please learn the difference between a single stage and a two stage compressor. The other posters, that know the difference, took my post in the spirit it was intended. I just pointed out that because of a screw up at HF they were selling a lesser product interchangeably with a better one. The part numbers are correct. If you buy 93274 you get a real two stage. No need to go to the store or talk to a well meaning but technicnically ignorant clerk. My previous experience with their tech support was to ask how many CFM a device required so I could determine if my small compressor could handle it. The response was that it used NO CFM. That is when his boss stepped in. LOL!! This forum IS the HF tech support line.






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[md21722]

I dunno, I quizzed the guy at my local store and asked how could this be, he said some mumbo jumbo.. he wouldn't so far as to say it was false advertising but wouldn't admit it was a dual stage either. That's why I think it was an error. When I asked him about their gas engine compressor, I said I've never seen that setup matched before, something either the pump or motor is junk, and he admitted that one of them was junk. I just don't remember. The way I looked at, the guy did not want to be responsible for a massive advertising error, for what was probably a purchasing mistake. We all know HF is renowned for making tools that super cheap and great if they make it through half the job they were intended for. I don't think they'd intentionally sell a single stage as a dual stage, but they would sell the cheapest possible compressor they could.

 

[6PTsocket]

I dunno, I quizzed the guy at my local store and asked how could this be, he said some mumbo jumbo.. he wouldn't so far as to say it was false advertising but wouldn't admit it was a dual stage either. That's why I think it was an error. When I asked him about their gas engine compressor, I said I've never seen that setup matched before, something either the pump or motor is junk, and he admitted that one of them was junk. I just don't remember. The way I looked at, the guy did not want to be responsible for a massive advertising error, for what was probably a purchasing mistake. We all know HF is renowned for making tools that super cheap and great if they make it through half the job they were intended for. I don't think they'd intentionally sell a single stage as a dual stage, but they would sell the cheapest possible compressor they could.

Just charge it up to gross incompetence. I was not trying to assign blame. The reason the error exists is not important. What is important is that G J members that might be in the market for a 5 hp 2 stage do not buy the wrong compressor. The first review I read on the 3 cylinder said it ran hot, was not a 2 stage and he returned it. No need to go through what he did. On closer examination, it was obviously a single stage. I see no point in trying to extract a confession out of some clerk that probably knows little and just needs a job. Many times I see associates in Lowes and HD giving advice to customers when they do not have a clue. It serves no purpose in trying to educate them. Most do not take it well, anyway. Your best bet is to educate yourself before shopping and take any store advice as questionsble. I cannot remember the number of times that HF or Lowes clerks have told me they are licensed plumbers or electricians, etc., with 30 years experience. So why are they working there? There are exceptions and I have gotten good advice but you have to know enough to tell the difference.

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[MoPar/Kid]

Whats frustrating, is my store refuses to stock the 93274. I'm forced to pay $100 freight that will only deliver to residential. I dont have a forklift in my garage... I have 3 at work..

I've waited 3 weeks for what I was told the 93274 would be back in stock. 3wks pass, and I discover its the 62299 that they stock. Like any Harbor freight staff, I felt like I was explaining the theory of relativity in preschool structure and getting nowhere. I called HF corporate line to speak with head sales rep, of course he was unavailable, you think I've heard back...

At 900, its less of a bargain... At that price, a Quincy is looking more feasible, especially in terms of customer service and serviceability in general. For 400 more I could have a much superior product that I would be proud to own.

Whats yalls thoughts? Should I spring for the Quincy or is there another comparable option?

 

[Bottlecapdigger]

I kinda went through a similar shopping experience. All the ones I looked at had a big assembled in USA sticker on them but at closer inspection the pumps all had made in India or China on them. To get something better I had to spend upwards of 2k , just not in the budget. But looking at the whole plan I really don't use air that much any more. So I ended up buying a used devilbiss compressor from a school auction. By the time I get a new single phase motor and get it set up I will almost have the cost of a princess auto compressor. But in the end I've got a high quality compressor that's got made in Canada all over it. As a bonus I can get parts for it if ever needed and will last for years to come.bcd

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

So which has better CFM?

 

[Schurkey]

Why the hell are you shopping for real tools in a Harbor Fright?

You ought to know better.

 

[bobernet]

A used IR, Quincy, etc on Craigslist will be a better, less expensive option with actual parts availability to ensure you can buy once in a lifetime.

I bought a 40 year old T30 4 years ago. Someone had added a nice intake silencer and automotive air filter. The Baldor motor was only a couple years old. The 60 gallon tank didn't have a speck of rust inside or out. 165psi all the time, and it cost me $300 and 40 minutes of time to pick it up.

Why bother with new at $800+ from HF?

 

[redmondjp]

A used IR, Quincy, etc on Craigslist will be a better, less expensive option with actual parts availability to ensure you can buy once in a lifetime.

I bought a 40 year old T30 4 years ago. Someone had added a nice intake silencer and automotive air filter. The Baldor motor was only a couple years old. The 60 gallon tank didn't have a speck of rust inside or out. 165psi all the time, and it cost me $300 and 40 minutes of time to pick it up.

Why bother with new at $800+ from HF?

Because not everybody lives in an area where you can find a decent used compressor, and it may be months or years before you find one that is priced correctly. In my area, I've been routinely scanning CL for the past several years for compressors (bad idea; I now have too many!) and the good compressor deals typically disappear within 24 hours, with the overpriced ones sitting on the list for months at a time.

 

[ndnchf]

I looked over this thread yesterday since I may be upgrading my compressor at some point not too far down the road. The HF store is only a mile away and I needed a couple things, so I ran over last night. While I was there I wanted to look at the #93274 2 stage compressor. They had one on display and it looked nice. But the thing that confused me is the tag hanging on it had three different/possible item numbers; 93274 and two other numbers I don't recall. I know that it is common to have multiple item numbers and it means they are from different sources or changes in design. So I looked all over the actual compressor for an item number, but could not find one anywhere. So there seems to be no way of knowing if it really is a #93274 or one of the other two numbers listed. Asking a clerk is useless. They just tell you they are all the same, which we know is not true.

So - is there any way to identify if it really is a#93274?