Unique Compressor, 2 motors, and two Pumps

[Mr..Plow]

What Is the purpose of two pumps and two motors on a 20 gallon tank? Maybe it has a specific purpose?

Add info
modified air compressor built out of Campbell hausfeld parts except the lower electric motor 3 horsepower smith and Jones.
it pushes 19.7cfm @ 150 psi. It’s set up on 220 volt right now but I can modify to fit your needs. Call or text

 

[haveissues]

To serve as an example of many things you should never, ever do? Yikes!

There are commercial compressors with 2 sets of pumps and motors to provide double the air one can provide and for redundancy in case of failure but I wouldn't touch that mess with a 10 foot pole.

 

[LXCam]

Well they make twin pump compressors for fire sprinkler life safety systems (dry system).........but that POS ain't one of them.

 

[bsaint]

The legit one is called a duplex unit. This is a homemade special. I'm sure it works fine just not very polished.

 

[Michigan Mike]

I can't tell for sure but it looks like they welded on the tank? That is pretty much a NO NO.

 

[finn]

The only purpose is to salvage components from an old compressor that likely had a rusted tank.

Cheap way to convert a cheap garage sale compressor to something with more flow capability. Also a cheap way to destroy any structural integrity that cheap homeowner grade tank originally had.

 

[u2slow]

Can't weld to a welded-construction tank.... Hmmm. It's all question of how well it's done. Somebody may have pressure tested it after the mods, but you will never know.

The smart way of wiring that is for alternating operation. Then you could effectively have 100% duty cycle for something like sandblasting.

 

[The Cobbler]

looks like not very pretty welds, doubtful it was done by someone with pressure vessel welding cert. also that bung welded to the front of the tank.
I would stay clear .

 

[driftpin]

I have a Campbell Hausfeld (model VT610401) tank similar to the 'before' picture (if there was one), and it still works fine. I don't use it much, but it's 240 V 1 Ph and portable. 8 CFM @ 90 PSI, 30 gallons. A friend bought it new, I bought it from him when he moved out of-state. It's probably > 33 years in my ownership. Yes, I've changed the oil, a pressure switch and check-valve and a head gasket over the years.

finn: while the Campbell Hausfeld original unaltered equipment is no commercial-grade unit, perhaps you missed the three words on the bottom-right of the tank, something few pieces of machinery these days can claim, below the white star. "Cheap" I think-of as-being an oil-less compressor, built in Asia or outside our country, not something made in the USA. While I'm not using it much since getting my shop compressor, it's lasted 39 years. It holds pressure, and I haven't seen any evidence of a bottom of the tank leak, it gives me a nice -ring- when I tap it with a ball pein.



I have a 80 gallon Saylor-Beall 240 V 1 Ph as the main unit in my 2-car garage/workshop.

 

[Jlarson]

That's what we call a dumpster fire right there.

We do put in actual duplex packages with alternators and occasionally lag start switches in some applications where they want the redundancy of a second pump but might not have the room for or want a whole second compressor and tank, adding a lag start switch in too helps with applications that have intermittent high demand and need both pumps to run.

 

[mikedodge]

Looks like someone was trying to get more pressure when they should have just got a better compressor to begin with.

 

[Citation]

And now we know why there are stories of exploding tanks on the web.

So what things are wrong here. I'm not an expert in pressure chamber welding... and I doubt the guy who did this is either. It looks like they welded an outlet into the end of the tank as well as the legs to the sides. Maybe some screws in the leaks in the bottom of the tank too?

The twin motors are almost certainly more current than the pressure switch can handle. It might be OK if both motors are 15A/7.5A 120/240V and they are run in a 240V setup (hopefully in parallel). Still, if the ~20cfm claim is based on adding up the specs for each pump then we are likely looking at well over 15A @ 240V. So the switch might fuse in the on state.

Don't get me wrong, this might be a good value if the price is right and you only want the motors and pumps... or if this is a gift for someone you hate... and isn't smart.