Question about my LOUD Sears Air Compressor!

[1Garageman]

I have the famous super loud Sears 33 gallon vertical air compressor. I love having an air compressor and using it and all the tools. But I am pretty much embarrassed to use it because both of my next door neighbors hear it inside their house!

I was wondering if I just replaced the motor in it, with a better one, if that would cut the noise level way down??
Is it the motor causing all of the noise?
Could I just put in there a nice 5hp motor, or so, running of a 240v line and solve the problem?

Please give me some advice. I am just like embarrassed to run the damn thing now, and I need it.
Thanks guys!

 

[gahrajmahal]

Sounds like it's an oilless compressor. Do some research on those small pancake compressors that come with nail guns. Everyone complains about the noise and I believe it is the compressor not the motor. If you do a search on this site several folks have built enclosures around their compressors to muffle the sound. You could try that first. Good Luck!

 

[dirttracker18]

Yuppers it's the motor,
Waiting until you take that thing apart and see how it is made. We had ours for over 10 years and tried to rebuild it. The rebuild only lasted a couple years after due mainly to the tin cans they use for cylinders. It is now just a big air tank for my race car trailer. I am sure you can put another motor on but unless you have something kicking around thats a good unit (read quieter) then you are better off building a wall around yours and insulating it for sound.
IMO anyway
Perhaps someone has found a bette solution.

Edit: They get louder as they get older.

 

[Zrexxer]

It's most certainly NOT the motor. Oilless compressors are obnoxiously loud and short lived. Putting a 240V motor on it will result in an obnoxiously loud and short lived 240V compressor. It's time to upgrade.

 

[Gary S]

Sell it and get a piston compressor with an oil filled crankcase. Then your excess noise will be gone and you get to listen to the slow pop-pop-pop of a good compressor. You will not be sorry you did.

 

[dirttracker18]

My mistake, not sure what I was thinking but ya the pump not the motor.

I know I was thinking "ya you can change the motor" while in my mind I was seeing the pump. Perhaps its time for a nap, better yet a beer.

 

[rwhite692]

I had a Sears Professional Oil-Free, "6.5 HP" / 60 gallon upright. It never gave me any trouble, but it was SO loud, and I guess the frequency of the god-awful racket was what made it even worse on my ears.

I sold it off for $300, and I built this one:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42474

 

[Scooterfish]

Oil less = loud & shorter life

Dirt tracker I would have a beer & a nap

 

[A29]

Never buy a compress except a beld drive one. That one will be quiet when it quits which will not be very long.

 

[ket-tek]

I used to have that same compressor, selling it at a big loss for only $40 was worth never having to hear it again. I enjoyed watching it drive away in the back of the buyers pickup.

It pumped air pretty good but was to much noise for me to handle.

 

[Falcon67]

Yes - the fix it to sell it or give it to an obnoxious relative and buy a better compressor.

 

[1Garageman]

I have thought about moving it into my basement, boxing it up down there, and then running pipes out to the garage from it. But pain in the **** getting it down the stairs and more money to put into it for buying the supplies. If I sell it, I would have to buy another and put more money into that also. I would get a better product, but I don't really need a better product production wise; although that never hurts.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I'm in your shoes. I put my loud Sears one in the basement in an insulated box. It's not a simple project -- I also needed two fans and a lot of insulated ducting to circulate air around it (even with passive circulation, temps inside the box would shoot up to 140 and beyond very quickly). So then you need a remote switch, both for the compressor and the fans. I made it all work, but I also decided that $320 for a rebranded 240v 60-gallon Campbell Hausfeld was a price I was willing to pay to more than double my cfm and have room to grow for air tools and painting down the line.

I'd offer you my box and cooling setup, but my Sears was horizontal, and I haven't wired a 240v circuit into the basement yet.

 

[RattytatTom]

I have that same compressor. When we eventually move, THAT compressor will not be making the trip. Probably sell it cheap to someone starting out..........

 

[gary300]

I was looking at that compressor since I am a long time Sears Craftsman user, but after reading a number of posts I was convinced to get an oiled, belt driven cast iron pump unit and ended up with this:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...d=10053&productId=100063473&categoryID=524403

I have been very happy with it and it is very quiet.

 

[Joe B.]

I have one of the 25 gal. oilless Craftsman Pro units and it is not that loud. It can barely be heard in the house when I run it in the garage.

I always see those 30ish gallon compressors on Craigslist at over 75% of original price and I never see them relisted. Someone must be buying them. You could probably unload your and upgrade without much bother.

 

[cletus66]

It will become quiet when it kicks the rods out. I have a Craftsman 6 hp 60 gallon laying in the woods behind my shop. I replaced the rod/piston and cylinders several times before I gave up and bought a real compressor. I'm gonna shoot that thing with my AK47 before I haul it away.

 

[JCQuick]

I have an old and i mean at least 20years sears "Permanently Lubricated" compressor.
I've used it a lot over the years and only problem I've ever had was the tube that feeds the tank air breaks about every 2-3 years. but its an easy fix.
However damm that ***** is loud. I just need other things first. good thing is at work we are a saylor beall distributer and I can get a good deal.

 

[LWW]

Everyone ******* about the 30gal Craftsman oil-less, but they serve a purpose for a lot of people.

Mine is plumbed inline as an "auxiliary" tank to add volume to my 60gallon Ingersoll-Rand and can be easily pulled out to take to the track and used with the 110v power generally available in the paddock.

If I'm at a track that doesn't have paddock power, I can run it off my portable generator and with an oil-less pump, I don't have to worry about leakage while transporting it.

 

[BTG]

I've got one of the Craftsman oil-less compressors. Loud as sh*t! I can't hear myself think when it runs. My heart sunk after I hooked it up for the first time...It truly has been the one garage purchase that I really regret

I will be selling it for a loss...Oh well. I'll upgrade to a compressor that I can buy parts for and rebuild..oh and will give me some sanity!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

direct drive motor to pump (pump turns at very high speeds) = loud
open crankcase (oil less does not need to be enclosed) = loud
aluminum block/crankcase = loud

end result is a terribly loud compressor that cannot be silenced enough.

belt drive (pump turns much slower than motor) = quieter compressor
enclosed crankcase (to contain oil) = quieter compressor
cast iron crankcase/cylinders (dampens better than aluminum) = quieter compressor
All of the above, combined with well muffled air intake = very quiet compressor.

Charles

 

[1Garageman]

Ya I got some decisions to make. I see people selling it on craigs list for $150 or $180. I got it by trading my 8 gallon air compressor to the guy and giving him $50. I only paided $60 for the 8 gallon compressor.
So I guess you could say I only have $110 invested into it. Maybe I'll keep an eye open on craigslist for a nicer quieter oiled up compressor and see if I could find one under $300,and sell mine for $150.
I just hate going through all of that, because I am not really using it a lot.

 

[38Chevy454]

The small time and money sacrifice to upgrade to a belt driven oiled compressor will be far less than the continued aggravation and noise by continuing with the current compressor.

 

[1984GMC]

Yup. Had the same one for 7 years and had to rebuild it 3 times, Finally the last time i fixed it i put it up for sale.

 

[Tom2]

I've used a couple of those loud Craftsmans. Sold the last one shortly after getting it. Its just too annoying.

Bought a 4hp 80 gallon upright Husky. It's very loud as well though. Maybe even louder.

So, just because it uses oil, doesn't necessarily guarentee it will be quiter.

I live in the country, so it doesnt matter. I just wear ear plugs.


For a good, big, quiet one - I would go Eaton. Wish I could have afforded one when I bought mine.. A lot quiter, and more CFM than you'll ever need in a non-shop garage (and even most shops)

 

[rwhite692]

.....For a good, big, quiet one - I would go Eaton...

Which is fine, so long as you don't care that the pump is Chinese. Jury is still out as to how long those things are actually going to hold up over time.

 

[machz]

If you want quiet and portable it's hard to beat this http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200375221_200375221

I picked one up a few weeks ago and I'm amazed at the power and how quiet it is.