New To Me Air Compressor...

[adpostel]

I got this air compressor from my Father In Law, he didn't need it anymore, actuallly has very few hours on it. Its been sitting behind my garage since we moved in and the time has come to hook it up and now I am looking for suggestions. How to hook it up to my electrical box, best way to plumb the lines into the garage. I want to keep it outside and plan on just pouring a small cement pad for it to sit on and wire it to the electrical panel, and just run the plumbing inside the garage. Any thoughts? Will this compressor suffice for air tools, sand blasting, painting with an HVLP setup? And also, on the last pic I show where the compressor is sitting in correlation to the garage and the large overhang, will this be OK to leave the compressor outside uncovered, under the overhang? It doesn't seem to get too many elements on it, or should I cover it with something? Even something as simple as a mini-carport, basically a small roof to go over the compressor?

 

[Torque1st]

We need ALL the information off the motor nameplate.

See this site for how to run the airlines:
http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf
You can get the parts at the local home box store.

 

[e-tek]

Good idea to leave it outside. But for sure frame up a little shed for it - it'll last longer and the electric motor won't get wet. It's a decent size, maybe a little light for blasting, but not too bad. I have an 8HP unit that puts out 18.5 cfm and it kicks in every 10mins with constant blasting/painting. Make sure to run a flexible line from tank to your hardline. I'd also run an indoor power switch and auto blow-off valve so you don't need to go out to it to shut er down.

 

[ebasista]

From the nameplate its a 15A 240V motor. If you want to leave it outside you'll have to use weathertight connections. it will require running two breakers in a panel in order to operate, unless you have an existing 240V line in the garage.

As for leaving it outside, does it rain? It will last much longer if you put it in some kind of enclosure, can't tell if its rated to run in the elements outside.

For a "free" compressor it will do most anything a home hobbyist can ask for, sandblasting is an air hog and expect to run the compressor a lot depending on the job.

 

[dirrty dan]

Good idea to leave it outside. But for sure frame up a little shed for it - it'll last longer and the electric motor won't get wet. It's a decent size, maybe a little light for blasting, but not too bad. I have an 8HP unit that puts out 18.5 cfm and it kicks in every 10mins with constant blasting/painting. Make sure to run a flexible line from tank to your hardline. I'd also run an indoor power switch and auto blow-off valve so you don't need to go out to it to shut er down.

Why the flex line? Is it a vibration issue?

 

[ironroad 9c1]

yes , and its gonna be a bit weak for blasting.

 

[dirrty dan]

yes , and its gonna be a bit weak for blasting.

I have a 11 @ 90 and it keeps up with my blast cabinet just fine.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I have a 11 @ 90 and it keeps up with my blast cabinet just fine.

Depends on how large of a nozzle you have in the blast gun. I have whatever TP tools provides as standard with their cabinets, and my 7.5hp two stage, about 24cfm, runs and shuts off then quickly runs again, I have to give it breaks to cool off. Cannot see how one smaller than 5 hp would work. The OPs compressor is placarded at 9.4cfm at 90psi

The one the OP shows is not 6.5hp as shown on his data plate. That is the "starting hp" which is usually about double the normal running hp, which is the proper way to rate motors. This compressor is actually somewhere in the range of 3 horsepower, if that much. Its a good compressor, not to badmouth it, just that it isn't as "big" as it looks.

Charles

 

[dirrty dan]

Depends on how large of a nozzle you have in the blast gun. I have whatever TP tools provides as standard with their cabinets, and my 7.5hp two stage, about 24cfm, runs and shuts off then quickly runs again, I have to give it breaks to cool off. Cannot see how one smaller than 5 hp would work. The OPs compressor is placarded at 9.4cfm at 90psi

The one the OP shows is not 6.5hp as shown on his data plate. That is the "starting hp" which is usually about double the normal running hp, which is the proper way to rate motors. This compressor is actually somewhere in the range of 3 horsepower, if that much. Its a good compressor, not to badmouth it, just that it isn't as "big" as it looks.

Charles

That seems like a lot of running for a cabinet.
I have my compressor with a 60 gallon tank set at 135 psi and run my blast cabinet at 85 psi. It sounds like maybe you're runnung the cabinet at the same pressure as your compressor, and/or your pressure switch has a really short "off/on" range, and/or possibly too small of a tank. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Torque1st]

Why the flex line? Is it a vibration issue?

Read the link I posted, and some of the hundreds of other threads on here about running lines.

 

[dirrty dan]

Read the link I posted, and some of the hundreds of other threads on here about running lines.

The link you posted shows the "flexible metal hose" that they sell, but they fail to mention why they're needed. Please don't feel obligated to answer my question if it's too much trouble for you.

 

[SteveU]

You can use rubber hose or hydraulic hose with the proper ends to thread into the compressor & your air line. Reason for this is it isolates vibrations from your compressor from reaching the metal airline.

 

[Torque1st]

Make sure the rubber hose is straight and not curved.

The link you posted shows the "flexible metal hose" that they sell, but they fail to mention why they're needed. Please don't feel obligated to answer my question if it's too much trouble for you.

This subject and the flex hose has been covered hundreds of times, a simple search will suffice.

 

[e-tek]

Make sure the rubber hose is straight and not curved.
QUOTE]

Why?? I have mine curved so as to also have the condensate return to the tank (as much as possible) before going into the main line. I'd think it'd be hard to always get a flex line straight from your machine to your hard line!!

 

[Torque1st]

The curved hose tries to straighten out with every pulse of the compressor which transmits more vibration to the pipes and produces more noise.

It is not hard at all to get a straight hose. A straight horizontal run out of the tank with an isolation valve running to a Tee with a drip leg or an Ell pointing straight up towards your pipe on the wall will give you a straight hose and maximum isolation.

 

[dirrty dan]

You can use rubber hose or hydraulic hose with the proper ends to thread into the compressor & your air line. Reason for this is it isolates vibrations from your compressor from reaching the metal airline.

Thanks Steve.

 

[dirrty dan]

Make sure the rubber hose is straight and not curved.



This subject and the flex hose has been covered hundreds of times, a simple search will suffice.

We don't all have the time to search for every question we might have, Torque. Again, if it is inconvenient for you to answer any of my questions, feel free to ignore them. I'll be just fine.