Garage Talk (Air Compressor's Specifically)

[SuperWade2]

Well, I measured some of the 60 Gal tanks @ Home Depot and don't think I'm going to have space for a 60 anyhow... 30 is more likely what I'm going to be able to fit. So the need for 220 is probably reduced as there are some 30ish gal tanks that are 110, but I'm still holding out for a good deal on craigslist.

[HOrnbrod]

Eagle, I didn't mean for him to use the split breaker for the 230v. I was just saying you can pull two 15 or 20 amp breakers out and replace them with one Split to make room for the 30 or 40 amp double pole breaker.

 

He means use two half-size 110V breakers in a standard 1" slot to free up slots for the double pole 220V compressor breaker. And Wade, if you go with the 30 gal. compressor, I'd still get one with a 220V motor and two stage compressor if you can afford it. Much more efficient.

[Eagle]

Eagle, I didn't mean for him to use the split breaker for the 230v. I was just saying you can pull two 15 or 20 amp breakers out and replace them with one Split to make room for the 30 or 40 amp double pole breaker.

Gotcha.

 

10-4

[pingpong]

I have a Craftsman 30 gal with the 6hp motor. It does ok running air tools, but is woefully under powered for any air grinding or sanding. Heck I have to stop sometimes using it with my 60% duty cycle plasma that runs at 60 PSI. Granted it is an older air compressor. I want one of them fancy dual stage IR ones with as Eagle pointed out has dual cylinders and oil pump :D ... When I get it. I will plumb my garage for air and mount the air compressor outside in a lil shed like thingy.... keep in mind air compressors are loud

[Eagle]

Don't get fixated on the tank size and overlook the compressor. The compressor is what ultimately determines whether or not you can run your tools. A single cylinder compressor is NOT going to keep up with things like die grinders and sand blasters that basically run continuously. A larger tank will allow you longer "bursts" -- but a wimpy compressor takes even longer to refill a large tank than it does a small tank, which means you have more down time between slightly longer segments of actual work.

 

Just like in car racing there's no substitute for horsepower, in compressors there's no substitute for CFM.

 

Also, do not be fooled by horsepower "ratings." As I posted above, back when I bought my compressor they hadn't yet gotten into "rated" horsepower or "developed" horsepower -- they just listed horsepower. My 3-hp 2-cylinder compressor was THE largest available that would run on 115-volts. Period. Today you see "5-hp" and "6-hp" compressors for 115 volts, but if you read the fine print, they say something like "5 hp rated, 2 hp developed" or some nonsense like that. All it means is, 'We're not lying to you we're just not telling you the truth."

 

Buy the compressor you need to do the work you'll be doing, and make it fit somewhere. If you don't, you'll forever be kicking yourself in the wazooskus. The only statistic that really counts is the SCFM the compressor puts out. If that's not higher than the requirement of the most air-hungry tool you plan to use, at the pressure the tool needs -- don't even bother.