Cheap air compressors

[mac]

I have a customer who ended up with one of those wonderful $499 Husky air compressors. The motor has died, which doesn't surprise me. The existing motor says it's a 7-1/2 hp turning at 3500 rpm. It's also a single phase one. I was thinking of putting a three phase motor on it that turns at 1750 rpm for three reasons. It would turn slower and so the actual compressor would last longer. Three phase is always better than single phase. And I already have one sitting on my shelf. Anyone see anything wrong with this?

 

[Earl Weiss]

I have a customer who ended up with one of those wonderful $499 Husky air compressors. The motor has died, which doesn't surprise me. The existing motor says it's a 7-1/2 hp turning at 3500 rpm. It's also a single phase one. I was thinking of putting a three phase motor on it that turns at 1750 rpm for three reasons. It would turn slower and so the actual compressor would last longer. Three phase is always better than single phase. And I already have one sitting on my shelf. Anyone see anything wrong with this?

Unless you are able to change pulley sizes, and I doubt the motor would handle it, yes the compressor operates at half speed which menas it needs to run twice as long to produce the same air volume.

 

[Red Baron]

I just replaced my Ingersoll Rand with a hoss of a compressor made by: http://www.industrialgold.com/

These guys make the compressors for the spray rigs we manufacture and you get a lot more compressor for your money. I had the local Ingersoll Rand distributor come out to rewire for the new compressor because it's 7.5 hp and needed #8 wire. They looked at my new one and said: "Man alive, that's 10 times the compressor well sell!" They explained that my IR needed 3400 RPM to develop 175 psi, whereas my new one needs half the RPM to develop 200 psi. It runs a lot less than the IR did.

Tell John that Kold King sent ya...he'll probably then charge you double. lol

 

[MEP001]

They explained that my IR needed 3400 RPM to develop 175 psi

They told you a flat-out lie. The only reason they use 3400 RPM motors is because they're cheaper.

 

[Red Baron]

They told you a flat-out lie. The only reason they use 3400 RPM motors is because they're cheaper.

I didn't word that very well. The IR dealer was essentially saying my compressor was a much heavier duty than the IR ones he sells.

 

[mac]

Thanks for your comments. It seems the compressor people have cheapened their products over the last 10 years or so. The 7-1/2 hp motor I'm replacing is no bigger than a 5 hp motor. Running the compressor at 3500 instead if 1750 seems to give more umph, but I think it's akin to Obamonomics. Once you look at it closely you see there's a lot of hype. I still run across compressore twenty years old that turn slowly and sound great.

 

[Jeff_L]

I use a Husky at one of my washes, they're disposable.

However, a year ago it died so I ran out and bought another one as a replacement. Then one day over the summer I got bored, still had the old one around, so I investigated it. The motor had simply quit turning and was throwing the breaker, so I figured something electrical must have been shorting out. There are a couple of capacitors on top of the motor, took off the metal housing for one and found one of the wire leads had rubbed against a sharp object and was cut, causing the short. Fixed that wire and it's off and running again.

Now I have a spare!

 

[pitzerwm]

Jeff L, what I did was to plumb the tanks in parallel, that way the compressor doesn't cycle as often.

 

[Elliott]

So what size Compressor would you say for a 4 bay SS? Those Industrial Gold's looked real nice. Thanks for any help.

 

[mac]

If you get the Ingersol Industrial Gold thru Grainger's they offer an extended warranty for a three year total. Make sure you get one with a three phase motor. Also check ebay. I've seen some good ones there at nice prices.

 

[soapy]

Air compressor companies make different grades of compressors. If you get the industrial version of Ingersol Rand you will have a good compressor. Be sure to buy at least a 2 stage compressor. I prefer Qunicy industrial comporssors.