Locate air compressor outside.

[Meridianmac]

Anyone put their compressor outside? I live in Idaho and I'm considering building a insulated compressor shed behind the shop. Maybe use some heat tape to keep is from freezing? Anyone done something like this?

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[bucktruck]

The machine shop where I work has had its compressors located outside for the last 22+ years I've been there. When we changed locations 9 yeas ago, the compressor sat outside without an enclosure for at least three years before it found its way into an enclosed "hut."

Keep in mind that I'm in Cali where it rarely dips below freezing. We do get plenty of rain though.

When I get some time I plan to build an outside hut for my garage compressor, as I'd rather annoy my neighbors with the noise than have to listen to it myself.

 

[bastage]

With another Winter like this one I would be worried about it flooding unless your on an elevated lot.

-Kuna

 

[Ign]

Mine has lived in a pre-fab shed since new in '03.

Why is freezing a problem in your mind? Do you always keep your vehicles above freezing?

 

[coljar]

I had to drop something off at the Toyota dealership body shop the other day and noticed their compressors are outside with a shed roof and chainlink fence around it.

 

[James-W]

Mine has lived in a pre-fab shed since new in '03.

Why is freezing a problem in your mind? Do you always keep your vehicles above freezing?

Well, for one thing, if there is oil in the compressor and it gets really cold it will be VERY thick and will turn over pretty hard until it warms up. Then to, in cold climates you can get a frost build up on the motor and since a lot of these compressors do not have enclosed motors, you can get condensation inside the motor housing which isn't exactly an ideal situation.

If you have an insulated shed to put it in and if you have a little heater to keep the temperature around 45 or 50 degrees, then it should work perfectly fine. It may work pretty well without a heater, but I think it would be best if there was a little heat.

Vehicles were made to withstand a wide range of temperatures so sitting outside in VERY cold places is not a big issue. You may have a problem starting the vehicle if it gets super cold and the vehicle hasn't been maintained real well and isn't in real good mechanical condition.

 

[Marctrees]

I fully support idea of compressor "outside". but am pretty sure "Heat tape" will NOT do the job in a cold winter climate.

Just comes to my mind - In a cold winter climate, if you use it like every or most days, like insulate the shed addition, and have a sliding insulated panel that you put in place only when in the shop working to shield the noise.

That way, it gains the heat when you are not in the shop working.

Something like that maybe.

Just an idea. Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Otherwise, 1500 watt $25 "Milkhouse" heaters are your friend.

Even though they are all jineez made now. Marc

https://www.google.com/search?q=mil...ved=0ahUKEwiHhaSeq4LSAhUL9YMKHTgFCy4Q_AUIBygC

 

[bobabuee]

outside insulated is ok but I would add a engine block heater to keep oil from getting cold in winter months it cheap 40-50 bucks insurance for high dollar compressor

 

[md21722]

I saw them all the time when I lived in Tennessee. Sometimes in concrete block enclosures with a roof, sometimes just with chain link and some pitched boards or metal roofing on top. Sure there is external rust or weathering. The shops buy these things used & replace as needed but they often last years and years like that and still run the shop with no downtime. Air leaks keep them running when nobody is around so there aren't truly any "cold starts". Doing it perfect & being practical are two different things. The shop owners have two houses, if they fixed the air leaks I don't think they'd save enough in electricity to have more houses & they'd have less time to be on the golf courses. Life is good. If you need it to look pretty you might be a tool polisher.

 

[DWinTX]

Mine is against an outside wall of my shop with a roof extension over it. Never had a problem, but I'm in Texas. We maybe get 30-40 freezes in a normal year (not this year!) so I don't deal with cold weather too much.

 

[Meridianmac]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I want to put the compressor outside because I don't want to listen to it and I don't want to use up any more floor space. The wiring was run during construction so that is dealt with already. We have had sub-zero temperatures this year. That does not happen often but it does occur. So according to manufactures specs I should be running 5-30# oil. The condensate in the tank could be a problem, so I'm going to hook up an automatic drain valve. Condensate in the motor probably could use some sort of heat for protection when I first start up. Some sort of heater in the shed is probably going to be necessary.

 

[dbabicky]

As far as heat in the shed, put a 100 watt light bulb in there. that's all the people up here in NE Wisconsin do in there outside pump houses to keep the water from freezing. I don't know if you'd even need a 100 watt bulb, most around here use 40-60 watt bulbs. You'd only need it a few months a year and remember to put a small 1/2 inch hole facing your house so you know when the bulb burns out.

 

[73RR]

A small heater will have a t-stat, light bulbs not usually.....
If you can keep the inside of the enclosure around 40-50 degrees you'll be fine.
Use lots-o-rigid insulation and seal it up.

 

[nh_yota]

I had to drop something off at the Toyota dealership body shop the other day and noticed their compressors are outside with a shed roof and chainlink fence around it.

A little off topic, but one of the local Toyota dealerships had a fire in their compressor room the other day and they initially thought it was caused by an overheated compressor, but found it was improperly stored gasoline and a spark from a water heater.

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20170208/NEWS07/170209344

 

[Slednut]

My compressor is outside with a vented box built around it. I had a light bulb that would come on when it was cold but after an earlier thread where most said it was not needed I shut it off. Have had 12 degree below zero temps and it runs just fine.

BTW, it's really nice and quiet and the floor space gained is great.

 

[kbs2244]

I your area, I would look into keeping it inside and putting a muffler on the intake to quiet it down.

 

[lionsgarage]

Let's visit this whole compressor location one more time....the reason compressors are outside is the need to be cool, cold is ok too, if kept warm they breed water, water in airlines and air tools is bad. The air should be either dropped in temp, or kept cool before use, or add a refrigerated air dryer.
Oh and the noise isn't pleasant inside, some will place an insulated enclosure to fend off the noise.......oops, then you've got water shooting out the air hoses and tools.
Before some of you disagree I'll say, some parts of the country are dry enough to get away with it inside, and some use so little volume they never see any water, but most won't be so lucky.
The other benefit it the added floor space, ��

 

[vtcat]

Synthetic oil helps with cold and hot temps.

 

[James-W]

Most of us do not use our compressors all day every day, we only use them for short periods of time and not continuously, so heat is not an issue for most of us. Compressors that are sitting outside in an unheated space will get very cold and the oil will get extremely thick. As with a car outside in cold weather, you can get frost on the compressor and on the electric motor as well. The motor will have to overcome the resistance of the thick oil in order to start, and it will have to run with an extra load on it because of the thick oil as well. In VERY cold weather it will take a long time for the compressor oil to warm up, if it warms up at all, so the extra load will be on the motor continuously and will have to work harder which means it will draw more current and will get hotter than it normally would. In any case, the frost on the motor is going to melt as the motor heats up a bit (with the extra load on the motor you can be sure it will warm up rather quickly) and if water gets into the motor (many compressor motors are not fully enclosed) that is certainly not a good situation.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

My brother has his compressor at the auto repair business outside under a shed roof, but no enclosure. Been there since 1998 with no issues. It doesn't get down to zero very often in central Okla. but it does occasionally. Frequent freezes. If you are running the correct compressor oil, it should not be a problem.
Nice getting the noise outside.

 

[AldeanFan]

When I worked in an auto body shop we had our compressors in an uninsulated outside room.
We never had problems in the cold, only with heat in the summer.
In Canada


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[Dragster Racer]

Keep the right viscosity oil in it and it ought to be fine. Oh and manage the condensate. I manage the maintenance in a food plant, and we have many many pumps outdoors. Nothing special about the motors, and they don't run all the time. Stuff that freezes we put insulation dog houses on the pump and heat trace the lines. Oh, and we don't change oil for winter.

 

[btdobie]

A small heater will have a t-stat, light bulbs not usually.....
If you can keep the inside of the enclosure around 40-50 degrees you'll be fine.
Use lots-o-rigid insulation and seal it up.

Don't seal it too well. You do need air available to compress. Ventilation will also be crucial in the summer months.

 

[btdobie]

for those that don't heat their compressors. How do you manage the condensate in the tank? I can't imagine that Ice drains well.

 

[AldeanFan]

for those that don't heat their compressors. How do you manage the condensate in the tank? I can't imagine that Ice drains well.

Not much humidity to cause condensation when it's below freezing anyway, water is a much bigger problem in the summer when it's hot and humid.

At the end of the day the compressor room is nice and warm from the heat of running the compressor, so shut it off and leave the drain open and it will drain over night.
Be careful not to slip on the frozen puddle in the morning.



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