47-59 Compressor suggestions

[NorCalGal]

Hey everyone, I’m looking for some honest advice on a new compressor. For the last 20 years I have been using a sanborn 60 gal single stage 5hp single phase 220. It has fallen short for what I need. I have been looking at ingersol rand, Bel air, quincy and others 2 stage,5hp, 220 ,1phase with 60-80 gal tank. So my question is will the 2 stage 5 hp be enough to easily keep up with painting? Most are rated at around 13-16 cfm @ 90lbs. If I go with a 7.5 hp 2 stage it will for sure keep up but the price jumps from about $1100 to $2100 is it worth it?

[dsraven]

I have an ingersol rand 80 gal 5 hp 2 stage compressor running on 220. after I bought it and used it for a bit I found out it is made in china and ingersol considers them a throw away or basically disposable head unit. it is a ts5 head if you wanna look it up anyway, it keeps up with my small sandblaster but not at full pressure. no problems keeping up when painting with a hvlp devilbiss gun. I wanted to take the head off and decarbonize the valves etc but no parts are actually in stock. I will have to make some gaskets I guess.
when you are looking one thing to check is the availability of parts. simply ask the question if the top end gaskets, valve parts and possibly a ring set are in stock anywhere. when you purchase get a complete parts breakdown diagram. try to buy a compressor with a head unit that is really common. even chat up a compressor repair tech guy and see what is common and has parts available.
when purchased, one idea is to install an air intake that gets air from outside the shop. less noise in the shop and less dirt in the air filter. I put my intake in the attic of my shop and used 3" pvc pipe through the drywall with an airbox and filter from an s10. in stock cheap at most parts stores. for winter the compressor draws cool air which is able to be compressor better due to the density compared to warm shop air. the cool air also helps cool the compressor head. I used a flexible rubber vent tube from that pvc supply pipe to connect to the compressor. since the TS5 head has a pipe thread to accept the air filter that was easy to adapt. I used a pipe nipple that fit the head and welded a smooth chevy serpentine belt pulley to that. the pulley center hole, with the bearing removed, was the perfect size to fit the nipple on the inside and the flexible rubber vent hose, used to connect to the pcv air supply, on the outside diameter.
-check the power supply to the shop to ensure you have an adequate wire gauge for the compressor start up draw plus the other loads in the shop
-check the electrical panel to ensure you have adequate panel size and main breaker size for the same reasons
-ensure you have a nice flat, level, solid surface area to place the compressor. think about some sort of vibration absorbing material to mount it on. I used a double thick platform of treated 3/4 plywood with rubber between the compressor feet and the plywood. then bolted it all together. it doesn't make a lot of noise and also doesn't tend to wanna walk around while running. if I need to move the compressor I simply disconnect the air intake, unplug the compressor and disconnect the air line to the shop piping. then use a dolly to slip under the plywood to move the compressor over. not like I would wanna go far but I can move it myself.

[NorCalGal]

Thank you sir, I will look into the head units and part availabilty.

[mr48chev]

The local Coastal farm and ranch store sells this Quincy along with some others. Said to be US made. https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com...ncy%20-%20QT54

The price seems to be all over the place from 1200 to 1600 depending on who is selling it.

[NorCalGal]

That’s one of the compressors on my list. I have read the reviews and done some comparison on that website. Seem like made in America only means it assembled here.

[8man]

Jan, I got the Polar Air 80 gallon, single phase 220, 5 hp, that says it puts out 19 SCFM at 100 psi. I've been using it on my old clam shell blast cabinet and the compressor doesn't run continuously and seems to keep up just fine. Hope this helps. If you want more info, let me know.

[dsraven]

kina 2 ways to look at the compressor keeps up. really, for continuos use, if the compressor keeps running but also keeps up to continuous draw then it is saving power because the start up draw is more than the run draw (just me guessing there) and the start up is harder on the motor that continuous use.
anyway, who knows how to figure that out because our shop use is varied from project to project. I would say figure out the biggest draw you would have for air and get a compressor that will keep up. if it is something like sandblasting that you will do a single or possibly a couple of times, maybe you just wanna contract that job out and save the mess, wear and tear and the need for the larger compressor.
if spraying with a hvlp gun it will likely use less air than you think, compared to the old higher pressure siphon guns. for spraying it is also important to size the air lines correctly along with the quick connects so you actually get the flow and pressure you need at the gun without a variance when you stop/start spraying. if you set the gun pressure at 10 psi at the gun when spraying and then when you stop spraying the pressure at the gun goes up, spikes, then that is an indicator that your lines/quick connects are undersized.
will you be running some shop air lines as well? if so, have you thought of using pex water lines? no corrosion, easy connections and they hold the 120 lb pressure.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by NorCalGal

That’s one of the compressors on my list. I have read the reviews and done some comparison on that website. Seem like made in America only means it assembled here.

I think you are going to find that with a lot of them unless you pay serious money.

You might want to check with Grainger, They have branches in West Sacramento and Citrus heights and that could save you shipping over ordering something and having it shipped.

They have compressors at a lot of price ranges but I have had good luck with their Speedaire products in the past. Here is one but they have several choices. https://www.grainger.com/product/SPE...ltItems_35WC40

Being able to go into one of their branches and look and ask questions is always good.

[Father&son56project]

NorCalGal: I realize that you have been doing research and have some candidates in mind, but I’ll pass on a suggestion. Maybe 12 years ago I needed a compressor and I was decidedly unhappy with the bogus claims being made by the compressor manufacturers and sales people. I was using one of the “5 hp” compressors from a bigbox store, and it was clearly being rated well above what it really was. This was borne out when a good number of manufacturers were slapped with fines for the fraudulent ratings they advertised. Keep in mind that I was not looking at high end units, just the common stuff sold to most hobbyists. I did some research and located a compressor technician who removed old units and refurbished them for resale. Here is what I ended up with:










I recall spending something like $500 Canadian for the unit (Ingersol Rand), and then spending another one or two hundred on switches and wires (dedicated 40 amp, 220v line). This unit came out of some automotive garage and is the best tool I ever bought. We can run 2 air lines at the same time, and never run out of air. If you look at the pic you will get an idea of the size of that electric motor (my cell phone is there for scale), and note that the motor has 2 giant lifting hooks built into it! It's extra work to hunt something like this down, but worth every minute of the time spent.

Just food for thought!

Stephan

[roll_the_dice]

I bought a 2 stage 7.5HP 8- gallon Champion in 2019. I love this compressor... when it's running it catches up before I finish using the tool which was key for me.

This was right after I received it before I hooked it up.

[1project2many]

I have a kluge... I ended up with an 8hp 220V single stage motor that's rated at hp constant (not peak) powering a four cylinder single stage full lubrication General compressor designed to work on low pressure sprinkler systems. All of this fills a 60 gallon tank. The time to bring pressure from 90 to 120 psi is a little long, but it's easily able to keep up with an air grinder or cutoff wheel and maintain 90 psi. It's not exactly what I want but it's been working like a dog for 8 years and MADE IN USA is cast into it in 3/4 inch tall letters.

[NorCalGal]

Thanks everyone, lots of good info here!

[dsraven]

Are you more prone to stand up vs horizontal? I like vertical due to floor space plus easier to drain condensation.

[NorCalGal]

Yes, upright.

[mick53]

I have Rockworth 60 gal? 5hp single phase 220 on a dedicated circuit. I added a 40? gal Kobalt 110v with wheels inline. I also added high flow fittings. The Kobalt kicks on at 125 psi and the Rockworth kicks on at 115 psi. I have no problem sandblasting with it or air grinders. The high flow fittings made a world of difference. It's nice that when I don't need massive amounts of air only the 110v runs and it's "portable".

[BIGglaSS]

Buy the best compressor you can afford within your budget. A used high quality compressor may be cheaper than a new "budget" compressor.

A true 5hp, 2 stage 60 gallon is the minimum for painting anything larger than a couple fenders. A perfectly efficient compressor will run approximately maximum 4 CFM per HP. To find true 5 hp, read the amp plate on the motor. A real 5 hp motor will draw about 23 amps. Cheap box store 5hp (peak) compressors will be rated around 13-15 amps.

Cheap compressors will will have a small bore / stroke, spin the pump at a high RPM (1500) to compensate to create more CFM. They are loud, run hotter, possibly have oil ring blow by, and suffer premature wear due to high RPM. Also a 3450 rpm motor costs less than a 1750 rpm motor. The QT-54 would fall into this category.

The best compressors will have a true 5hp Baldor or Leeson 1750 rpm motor, and run the pump around 750-1000 rpm (give or take). These compressors are $2000-2500 new. The QT-5 would be in this category.

If you can afford the 7.5hp, that would be great. But at $2100, I don't think you'd be getting the best quality. Which one were you looking at? I'd take a high quality 5hp 80 gallon before spending money on the 7.5 hp.

I prefer Champion. They are super simple, efficient, reliable, easy to work on, and parts are readily available. I have a R-15 Champion pump (built in 1973). Running 700 rpm with a 5 hp Baldor motor, 60 gallon tank. Puts out 15 CFM. No problems painting.

Champion R-15 pumps are on all their 3 to 7.5 hp compressors. The price varies by tank size and motor. You can get into a 5hp Champion for about $2k new.

In the end, the $1300 Quincy will get the job done. It really comes down to budget. Spend double, and you will get a higher quality, quieter, longer lasting unit.

[NorCalGal]

Thanks BiGglaSS that is the best info yet, precisely what I wanted to know.