Air compressor advice ?

[hankj]

Bob,

I'd go 7.5 hp minimum. Check out Tractor Supply. There's one in Yuba City, but there's gotta be one in Chico someplace?

As for running the compressor on the same branch circuit as a welder, I'd say no. The welder circuit can be derated for duty cycle, but the compressor needs to be on a 125% circuit. Even though it does cycle, at high air usage it can run all of the time.

Hope to get a chance to visit your new digs!

Hank

[alha]

If noise is going to be an issue, I would seriously take a close look at the Eaton models. I was at their facility last year when I picked up my parts, and they had an (I believe) 10 hp model running in their shop, 3 cylinder, running at a fairly low RPM, and I couldn't believe how quiet it was (quiet for an air compressor, that is). He was on the phone 10-15' away and could carry on a conversation. As I haven't finished my shop, I can't give you 1st hand experience on mine, but from what I saw at his place, I was mighty impressed. Check them out, I think you won't be disappointed. And yes, bigger is better

3 phase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/EATON...spagenameZWDVW

single phase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/10-HP-Single-Pha...spagenameZWDVW

[Portable Welder]

Definately go dual stage, You can hook up an automotive exhaust to air intake that will quiet it down by approx. 30%
Definately run the compressor on its own circuit and install a disconnect at ground level so you can shut it off at night incase you blow a line, you dont want it to run all night.

7-1/2 HP is about the max HP you can run off single phase, in my welding shop I have a 5 HP Dual stage that will run my air tools and light sandblasting, If you were a body shop where you would be running a couple orbital sanders continuously I would recommend the 7-1/2 HP

I just ordered a new ingersorand for my new welding rig today, I found northern tools had the best price.

[Anti-GMAW]

All this talk about compresors has got me thinking "what about rig compressors". Any advice?

[90blackcrx]

Definately go dual stage, You can hook up an automotive exhaust to air intake that will quiet it down by approx. 30%
Definately run the compressor on its own circuit and install a disconnect at ground level so you can shut it off at night incase you blow a line, you dont want it to run all night.

7-1/2 HP is about the max HP you can run off single phase, in my welding shop I have a 5 HP Dual stage that will run my air tools and light sandblasting, If you were a body shop where you would be running a couple orbital sanders continuously I would recommend the 7-1/2 HP

I just ordered a new ingersorand for my new welding rig today, I found northern tools had the best price.

That sounds more what I want, 10hp is to much. It has to be single phase, cause I can only imagine what 3 phase would cost to set up. 5hp sounds ideal really.

Not my electrician asked me if I knew about my air compressor, or the one I was thinking about. He was telling me some require and electric start, some don't come with this and of course would cost more to setup cause he would have to buy it.

Do these units come with it ?

[Portable Welder]

90Blackcrx, I'm not sure what you are asking about, If what your asking about is wheather it will come with start up capacitors those are connected to the motor.

Anti-GMAW, I've had a Ingersorand compressor sitting on top of my truck rolling down the highway since 1999, I bought the one with a honda motor on it.
This compressor has started every time for me except 2-3 times over the years when it has been down around zero degrees F.

Other than that it has been a great compressor, what I do now is start it up in the shop before I leave if I know I'm going to need it or hook up a tube to the exhaust of the welder and run it over to the intake of the compressor.

[Rvannatta]

Definately go dual stage, You can hook up an automotive exhaust to air intake that will quiet it down by approx. 30%
Definately run the compressor on its own circuit and install a disconnect at ground level so you can shut it off at night incase you blow a line, you dont want it to run all night.

7-1/2 HP is about the max HP you can run off single phase, in my welding shop I have a 5 HP Dual stage that will run my air tools and light sandblasting, If you were a body shop where you would be running a couple orbital sanders continuously I would recommend the 7-1/2 HP

I just ordered a new ingersorand for my new welding rig today, I found northern tools had the best price.

I very much agree that the dual stage is a better deal but it depends in part what you are doing. We have both kinds around our shops, and the single stage ones are just the pits for running an impact wrench. they will barely produce the pressure you need and drop below it before kicking on.

The 2 stage ones seem much better at maintaining predictible pressure.
IF your usage is running a chipping hammer it probably doesn't matter, but if you want to turn a 1" drive impact wrench dual stage is the only way to go.

[Rvannatta]

All this talk about compresors has got me thinking "what about rig compressors". Any advice?

We are pretty proud of the rig compressor solution that we fashioned almost by accident. We had a gas engine drive IR compressor with a dump valve unloader (implying it was designed to run all the time) and unload by dumping the excess air. We put a big diesel welder on the rig, and put an electric
motor on the compressor which runs in the background off the welder.
Like the gas engine it never shuts down (except manually) so you don't have to worry about it trying to start at the wrong time (and overloading the system). This lets the extra cost of the diesel engine welder drive the compressor in a trouble free manner for a pile of money less than buying an AIR PAK while saving the greif of having 2 engines running to get something done.

[Portable Welder]

Ravanta, if I understand you right you plug your compressor into the welders auxilary power, That is a good Idea and I'd use it except for when I'm air arcing off the trail blazer I need all the power I can get and there wouldnt be enouph auxillary power left in that event.

[90blackcrx]

I know some of you might not like this idea, but for the amount we will use it, I'm really liking this one

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+%26+Inflators

[Rvannatta]

Ravanta, if I understand you right you plug your compressor into the welders auxilary power, That is a good Idea and I'd use it except for when I'm air arcing off the trail blazer I need all the power I can get and there wouldnt be enouph auxillary power left in that event.

You are absolutely correct, which is also precisely the reason I did not buy a trailblazer. The blue boys can't get it through their head that a LOT of AC power is useful on welding machines, which is why I reluctantly bought
a Vantage 400 which offers 17KW or so of 3 phase AC power, and I run both the compressor and the plasma cutter on 3 phase. When air arcing,
you of course cannot run the AIR ARC flat out wide open. Of course on the Vantage 400 that would be 500 amps. Instead you need to back off
the amperage to 300-350 amps to leave space for the compressor load.
Lincoln conveniently has a charge printed on the front panel of the welder
that tells you what is left for the welder if you draw various AC loads.
For example with 20 amps 3 phase draw, you have 300 amps for the welder.
as I recall my 5 hp 3 phase motor on the compressor is stickered for a max draw of 17 amps under full load. ( make sure it never starts while i'm using theh welder). this makes me fairly smug in believing that I can crank
the air arc up to something just above 300 amps, and expect everything to work.

[Portable Welder]

Ravanta, I agree with you about having alot of auxillary power, I get on jobs where I need to take my iron worker with me which works fine of both My Pipe Pro that is on my truck and the Trailblazer that is on mr foremans truck.

Im curiouse however as to how good my Dynasty 300 DX will work off the 12,000 watts of power that my Pipe pro puts out.

It will give me 50 amps single phase 220V that wont let me max the machine out but should let me do maybe 3/16"

I havent tried it yet just guessing.

[Anti-GMAW]

We are pretty proud of the rig compressor solution that we fashioned almost by accident. We had a gas engine drive IR compressor with a dump valve unloader (implying it was designed to run all the time) and unload by dumping the excess air. We put a big diesel welder on the rig, and put an electric
motor on the compressor which runs in the background off the welder.
Like the gas engine it never shuts down (except manually) so you don't have to worry about it trying to start at the wrong time (and overloading the system). This lets the extra cost of the diesel engine welder drive the compressor in a trouble free manner for a pile of money less than buying an AIR PAK while saving the greif of having 2 engines running to get something done.

If it wern't for the fact that I want to get a trailblazer that would be a pretty good Idea. What about screw compressors?

[90blackcrx]

89Db, you better like wearing earplugs,

Can you find any specs on IR though, I couldn't .