outside compressor room

[BEAVO]

hello guys we finally got us a new house and unfortunately it has just a 2 car attached garage.... theres not much room for all my stuff so i was thinking of building something outside for just the compressor....anyone have an ideas? another reason is for the noise....its an 80 gallon kobalt compressor......

 

[jethro29]

great idea,just make sure that the compressor has atleast three feet of open space around it and that the room can get plenty of fresh air,either thru a door or some windows.

 

[coljar]

If you can build it bigger than just for the compressor, it's handy storage. My compressor's are in the back rooms of both my garages. In my new garage, it is a compressor, furnace, restroom, and storage room.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Make sure you keep it drained otherwise any water will freeze in the tank, especially when we get a winter like last year.

You could always add a small shed off the back side of the garage 4-6 deep and wide as the garage, it'll give you a place for the compressor, kids toys, mowers and other home "****" to free up garage space.

 

[ford33]

My compressor is outside covered by a wood shelter. Chicago winters are cold yet it is doing fine after 2 winters. Keep the tank drained and make it easy for you to drain it otherwise you will not do it often. I also use synthetic compressor oil from Amsoil.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Insulation, yes or no? I was thinking about that for cold and/or sound muffling. Opinions?

 

[55chevr]

My compressor in the garden shed. It is a Home Depot T-111 prefab job. 10' x 12' with a gambel roof. I did pour a concrete floor to set it on. Not heated. I ran a 50' regular air hose into the garage where I build a manifold out of black pipe. The first air hose lasted 8 years outside in the elements but it was shielded from direct sun light by shrubs. I changed it last year when one of the fittings started to hiss a bit. No noise and no space issue. Hardest part was running a 240V line to the shed but I did take a 120V line off of it for a light and an outlet in the shed.

 

[55chevr]

I read where there is some concern about freezing in winter. Never had the line freeze but I drain moisture from the compressor periodically and open the separator in the garage periodically.


Joe

 

[JoeFin]

Insulation, yes or no? I was thinking about that for cold and/or sound muffling. Opinions?

Yep ...

I built a compressor closet outside of my shop just for the compressor and lined it with 2" thick Styrofoam insulation. Much quieter

Yes - and don't forget the extend your drain out with a couple fittings and a "Gas Service" valve for easy draining

 

[ABADWILLYS]

Heres mine, theres a 80 gal 5HP IR in there, been 2 years no problems, I used leftover metal from my build and a old screen door.. and i did pour a little slab.

 

[owenst7]

I recently acquired a free Devilbiss oiless "5hp" that is LOUD. I put together a little shed for it from scraps a few weeks ago. It's 3'x3' and the compressor only raises the temperature a few degrees when it's running (although I haven't run it continuously in real hot temperatures yet, only having it kick on a few times in 20 minutes or so). I did put this 50 cfm bathroom fan in the "attic" and the exhaust blows through passages in the 2x4s that I cut out with a hole saw. It's plugged in to a christmas light switch that's in the garage, and I haven't even been using it. The passages split and recombine the exhaust stream around bends to disrupt the flow before it makes its way to the vent on the opposite side. I did a similar setup for the intake through the wall. I didn't insulate anything at all, but it is double-walled osb to make it more rigid. If you put your hand on the outside while the compressor is running, you can't feel any vibration. This double-wall setup is significantly quieter than the ones I've made in the past that were single wall with blue board styrofoam. Might just be due to being sealed up better, but either way it was cheaper and easier. I did put 1" of Styrofoam under the EPDM but above the attic airspace because it is black and I figured it would drop the temps from the sun.

You can stand right next to it while the compressor is running now and have a conversation at a normal volume. It isn't any louder than the house's AC unit right next to it. It's about the same low pitch as the AC also, which is a lot more bearable than the high pitched noise it was before. If you're inside the house on the opposite side of the wall, you actually can't even hear it unless it's silent and you listen for it. It's right up against the headboard of my bed, and it's quieter than the fan in the adjacent bathroom.

 

[owenst7]

The door has strips of foam mattress pad under the tarp where it contacts to make a relatively airtight and water resistant seal. That really knocked the volume down.

The first picture is of inside the right hand wall before I cut the 6" inlet that I connected the fan on the motor to. The wall vent on the outside wall comes in at the top right corner, then air travels down the left side of that wall and up the right side where it gets sucked in to the compressor fan.

I didn't mess with the drain because I'm in the desert and I might get a cup of water out of my compressor total in a whole year. Ironically, it is raining today though Lol.

 

[Tharp]

I'm in the same boat as you BEAVO, just bought a house with a 2 car garage, I was going to place mine by the ac outside,but that side of the house is too close to the property line to build a shed. I'm moving the compressor 35' to the back corner of the house, on the outside wall of the master bedroom.

I'm running the electrical up in the attic, and pouring a slab next to the house. I'm thinking of running the air line in the ground, because I'm in FL and the attic is 150deg-but I don't know how I would get the water out of the line since it would be the lowest point of the system. I'm in the process of refining the details before putting walls up now. Good luck w/ your decisions.

 

[BEAVO]

ok guys thanks for the replys and sorry for not responding until now... been busy with the house.... so where do i get the the auto drain valve? now as far as noise control what do you suggest? what about vents for cool air and heat? my plan is to build the compressor room a little oversized so i could get to it easy and for other storage....

 

[BEAVO]

bump..any ideas

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd imagine any place like Northern Tool, Amazon or air compressor dealer should carry them.

 

[BEAVO]

what about sound control and venting?

 

[BEAVO]

anyone? lol

 

[BEAVO]

no?

 

[BEAVO]

how would you guys suggest i do the floor? i plan on pooring a slab for it then building on it..should i dig out where i want then put gravel in?should i put any type of rebar in it?

 

[Tharp]

Not that I know what I'm doing, but for my 40" x 40" I felt that a 4" slab was more than sufficient, but I don't know what has to be done where you see freezing temps for more than 5 days in a year haha.

 

[mmurray70]

I lost a compressor motor once from leaving it in unheated garage in below zero temps.

Most compressors will not have enough power to start with pressure on the pump so there is a valve in the pressure switch that bleeds the pressure off the pump everytime it cuts out so its easy to start when it cuts back in. Compressed air tends to have alot of moisture in it and this can cause the unloader valve to freeze.

This is what happend to mine. Water got in the unloader valve causing it to freeze, so the pressure wasnt released from the pump when it cut out. When it came time to start again it couldnt, and ended up burning up. I continued to leave the replacement compressor in the unheated garage, but since then i always leave a heat lamp on it in the winter to keep unloader valve from freezing.

 

[overkill 19]

I'm thinking about doing this. But concerned about the -35c weather we get could be hard on the compressor.
But if insulated really well I think even a light bulb will keep it warm enough. That's all we ever had in our water well pit. Granted it was 15 feet down.

 

[BEAVO]

If it gets really cold I could just put a small space heater in there

 

[600SL]

anyone? lol

I used Roxul from Lowes

http://www.lowes.com/pd_305816-1278...e62c-9421-4ec8-b367-119d226a62f3&kpid=3394032

I also covered it with some kind of black board I found a HD. It was called something like sound board.

Sorry no pictures of the Roxul or sound board installed.

The top is vented out the overhang in front of the door and there will be a 2x2 ft attic vent on the bottom right side. The door is an insulated door. Its now wired to put in up to a 7.5HP compressor and an attic fan if need be.

 

[Tharp]

I forgot to mention ventilation, the shed is 2" away from the house, so the top 2ft of wall facing the hous is missing(where the compressor belt & sheave will be), above the door there is a 3" gap all the way across that is screened in. I imagine with the walls around it the compressor will be quiet enough, but we'll see. Since you are up north maybe you can put a vent to the soffit?

 

[BEAVO]

anymore input on the slab? what about freezing?

 

[bazzateer]

Insulation, yes or no? I was thinking about that for cold and/or sound muffling. Opinions?

Yes, but don't forget the ventilation and exhaust.

anymore input on the slab? what about freezing?

A simple 4" slab should be more than enough. With regard to freezing - as long as the 'shed' is well insulated you should be OK. But remember to drain the tank periodically as others have said. Or you could put a small thermostatically controlled electric fan heater in there to keep the temp above freezing?

 

[overkill 19]

That's kinda what I had in my head. Switch a supply fan with damper when the compressor calls for air and use a thermostat to control heat with small ceramic heater or heat bulb like the farm! Lol

 

[BEAVO]

Yes, but don't forget the ventilation and exhaust.



A simple 4" slab should be more than enough. With regard to freezing - as long as the 'shed' is well insulated you should be OK. But remember to drain the tank periodically as others have said. Or you could put a small thermostatically controlled electric fan heater in there to keep the temp above freezing?

so no need for any rebar? didnt figure i would but wasnt sure

 

[BEAVO]

also for heat was thinking of puting in a heat light or some type of small portable heater that has a thermostat.the plan for me was to build it 3.5x8ft but after going out and measuring i can build it bigger...its 14 ft from door to the meter......was thinking of doing 13 ft....what do you guys think? i can got out 4 ft as well....this wall is to the garage that you see pictured

 

[coljar]

The spot looks good, but if it was me doing it, I would use rebar, stay on the other side of that light to avoid moving it, and come out 4 ft. from the wall. I may have missed it, but did you say you're matching up with the same siding?

 

[BEAVO]

yeah i planned on siding it with the same siding thats on the house..... i was thinking about using that light as a light for the inside of the "shed"then pulling a receptacle or two from the recpeptacles from the inside of that wall.. i was thinking the rebar would help with keeping it together better from the thawing and freezing

 

[air8]

Sitting in to see how you guys seal the weather out when attaching to an existing building.

 

[BEAVO]

Sitting in to see how you guys seal the weather out when attaching to an existing building.

hahah i im watching too. but i do have an idea

 

[BEAVO]

How far should I dig down for the pad?

 

[air8]

What is the cost of concrete in your area? That might play a role determining the size and depth of the pad.

 

[Cro-codile]

I am in the same situation of putting the compressor remote. I would need to run a line from the other garage about 30 yards/meters away.
What line do you suggest? A simple air hose, or something more sofisticated? A pipe won't work since I will need to run it through a flexible plastic tube.

 

[BEAVO]

really havnt checked the price on concrete.....i know theres a minimum and i bet i wont meet it with this..... what do you guys think about the bags of concrete? a cro-codile...... is there a reason you need it to be in a plastic tube? if it has to be in it then i would say yeah just put a regular air line in there......like the hoses...but look for something bigger than your typical line in a garage...

 

[Cro-codile]

Thank you.
I like to keep it easy maintenance when the hose is lead below surface.

Additionally I'll run a network and power cable in that tube.
It's one of those in 100mm slightly less than 4".
http://www.fraenkische.com/de/Kabuflex-R-schwarz-2639.html


I think to go with a high quality air hose through the tube and put an extra compressed air "container/bowl" as a buffer somewhere it doesn't disturb.