Some of you might have seen my other thread where I snagged a pretty nice compressor. I really want to take car of it and make it last....... I know TP sells lots of things but I'd prefer to grab stuff locally... What kind of oil do you run in yours? When replacing the air filter (looks like one for a Stromberg but it's a tad bigger), do you suggest the washable one? Would you treat it with something like you use on an ATV air filter? ANY other setup, maintenance suggestions? On my old one, I never did anything to it, just used it....
i think my compressor manufacturer recommends kendall synthetic compressor oil. i'd hit your local commercial compressor shop and they'll hook you up with some good stuff. if possible, i'd fab up a larger air filter for that big ****er(pun intended). on mine, i noticed the output starting to lag when the filter got dirty. i installed a 4" dia automotive filter i had around, it was a bit taller than the 4" filter that came with the compressor, so it raised the lid of the filter housing, kinda like the ol flipped air cleaner lid thing teenagers used to do to their first car! anyway it pumped up faster than ever before, with no filter, testing only of course, it was even quicker, so my next thing is to fab up a base for a 8 or 10" filter. maybe even 14. the big filters don't cost any more than the 4" ones and will last a lot longer and breathe much better with more surface area, a lot more bang for your buck. hot rod tricks work on tools too!
Jeff how big (HP) is the motor. It it single or 3 phase? My shop AC has a 5 HP motor on 240 single phase and takes a 30 amp breaker. Compressor is a 12 scfm unit. It'll take a lot of power to drive one that produces 25 scfm. You got that much power in your garage or even your house for that matter?
no, i really don't have the power out there yet......it's 7.5hp.....supposed to draw 29 amps...... my wife says when i plug it in, that the lights in the house almost go completely dark ...guess i had better quit until i get more juice..... i want to run a 200amp line to the house and a 100amp to the shop....i have about 50 amps out there now...
yeah, i noticed that my filter had probably never been changed......genny replacements from TP are expensive......i thought i could get by with one for a stromberg (washable) but they are a bit smaller... i like your idea of using a large automotive filter....i could take an old chevrolet filter housing, weld up the holes, and weld a NPT thread into it......put it in the upstairs of my garage to get most of the sound out of the shop..... i really don't want to put this compressor outside....if you put your hand over the intake of the compressor, you cut out about 80% of the sound......so i'm anxious to run the intake upstairs and see how it sounds....
You'll prolly have to have your service drop changed to your existing meter. Also have to change your breaker box in the house to 200 amp or the electric company (AEP?) won't increase your service drop. May want to consider putting a 200 amp service to the garage only with a separate meter. It sounds funny that a 2-1/2 HP (33%) increase in motor size will generate over double what my 5 horse does in scfm.
yeah, i've been putting off doing the new service drop from the pole....pain in the rear... i don't think that it's a 25 scfm rating...... EDIT: the one i linked to doesn't have the magnetic control or the baldor motor...they make them with both i think the compressor displaces....here's the link http://www.industrial-air-compressors.com/air-compressor-3-4.html i was going to pick up an old used quincy or other heavy industrial compressor...they sell pretty reasonable off of ebay......up around cleveland and columbus.....but, this one was just too new, had all the extras and had specs more on par with quincy's same size/hp/price
i picked up an old 250 chev 6 cyl breather today...i'm going to weld a steel coupling in the bottom......probably 1 1/2 and then reduce it to 1 1/4 or so thin plastic pipe, and mount the breather in the attic of my garage........it can pull air from up there and most of the intake sound will be up there too.... less air restriction and a LOT cheaper filters.....wally world, here i come!
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