DIY full size air compressor - am I mad?

[tapkaJohnD]

This thread remonded me to empty the reservoir of the comoressor in my workshop - I can't have done it for years!
And Lo! Two litres of water came out!
But not a tinge of rust, because I spray WD40 into the air intake now and then.

Probably not good if I used it to paint with, but otherwise. good idea?

John

[alabbasi]

tapkaJohnD said:

This thread remonded me to empty the reservoir of the comoressor in my workshop - I can't have done it for years!
And Lo! Two litres of water came out!
But not a tinge of rust, because I spray WD40 into the air intake now and then.

Probably not good if I used it to paint with, but otherwise. good idea?

John

Just screw in an elbow with a ball valve in so that it's easier to drain. Those little drian plugs are such a pain to use which is why nobody drains tanks and yes, you'll ruin many paint jobs with this compressor.

[LunarOne]

LunarOne said:

Novexx said:

The leak from below the pressure switch is coming from the unloader valve (Condor EV3 or EV3i), the valve will be fooked & require replacement.

The unloader valve is (well, should be) closed while the motor is running & open when it's not, it unloads pressure from the pump side to allow an easier start for the motor when it starts with a semi charged receiver.

Thank you! Now I know what it is, I've ordered a replacement for a few pounds.

The new unloader valve (Condor EV3) arrived in the mail today and to give myself a break from wrapping presents, I've fitted it and at the same time replaced the rusty pressure gauge with the new one which had been sitting on my kitchen counter for the last six weeks. Fired up the compressor and it filled all the way to just under 11 bar. Thanks again for your help Novex.

[Novexx]

LunarOne said:

Thanks again for your help Novex.

Pleasure!

[J Chitty]

https://www.ffx.co.uk/product/Get/Sealey-Sac1903B-...
Bought one of these and never looked back!
Smaller home/hobby one was doing my head in with noise and lack of CFM for nibblers air hammers etc

[LunarOne]

J Chitty said:

https://www.ffx.co.uk/product/Get/Sealey-Sac1903B-...
Bought one of these and never looked back!
Smaller home/hobby one was doing my head in with noise and lack of CFM for nibblers air hammers etc

£775 huh? I guess I should add up the cost of the bits I've bought for my "free" Sainsbury's 150L surplus compressor. Does your Sealey unit include a pressure regulator/filter?

From memory:
£180 for the single-phase soft start motor
£40 for the PCL air filter/regulator
£25 for the Condor 10A relay
£20 for a 3-leg puller, so I could remove the pulley from the original 3-phase motor
£15 for the anti-vibration feet
£10 for the large outlet ball valve
£5 for two small ball valves (used one to close off the water drain)
£8 for the new pressure relief safety valve
£8 for the replacement unloader valve

Grand total of £311, which is about 1/3rd the price of a new unit. But the new ones don't come with a regulator, and the puller is a tool I should have owned anyway, so if I take off £60 that comes to £250 spent on the compressor itself to make it work. I'm pretty pleased with that outcome and it seems to work just fine on my domestic 13A 240V supply. I might be able to get about £100 for the 3hp 3-phase motor if I were inclined to list it on eBay or Gumtree. But I'm loathe to ask for money for something I can't test so I may as well let it sit in the corner of the garage gathering dust.

Next task for my home workshop - replace my crappy modern bench vice with a vintage 4-6" Record bench vice. I just need to find one at a good price. And longer term an engineering lathe, but without 3-phase power my options seem very limited.

[dhutch]

LunarOne said:

From memory:
£180 for the single-phase soft start motor
£40 for the PCL air filter/regulator
£25 for the Condor 10A relay
£15 for the anti-vibration feet
£10 for the large outlet ball valve
£5 for two small ball valves (used one to close off the water drain)
£8 for the new pressure relief safety valve
£8 for the replacement unloader valve

Grand total of £311, take off £60 that comes to £250 spent on the compressor itself to make it work. I'm pretty pleased with that outcome.

I might be able to get about £100 for the 3hp 3-phase motor if I were inclined to list it on eBay or Gumtree. But I'm loathe to ask for money for something I can't test so...

Sounds a good little project.

List the motor on FB, untested, buy collect. Or take it to the tip. I'm bad for hording, but save yourself the space!


Daniel