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Air Compressor Brand Recommendations?

Bobcat

Bobcat

Je Suis Charlie Hebdo
Can anyone recommend a brand, or maybe more importantly NOT recommend a brand, based on experience? I intend on purchasing the largest 110VAC portable unit I can find, but want to avoid being tempted by the low prices of any dogs out there. My instinct says to avoid anything in Harbor Freight.
 
Bobcat said:
My instinct says to avoid anything in Harbor Freight.
Click to expand...

Damn good thought!

I have a 10 year old Campbell Hausfeld 110V pancake portable (5 gal) and a 15 year old Black Max/Sanborn (80 gal) 220V floor mounted and you won't get me to say anything bad about either one of them.
 
Ditto the Campbell Hausfeld remarks, here. I've had my 110v portable about 10 years and it still works like a charm. The only thing I've had to replace are the drain valves (once).
 
Sears Craftsman? I've got 2 of them. One is a small 1 gallon unit, the other is a 33 gallon upright. Both have been trouble free.
 
I have a 220 volt belt driven Craftsman that is 37 years old and just used it this weekend. It has a 30 gallon tank. I also own a Coleman powermate oil less that runs on 110 and has a 40 gallon tank. It is 12 years old and both have been trouble free. I make it a point to drain condensate regularly.
 
For hard continuous use, avoid the oilless unless you like annoying noise!i had a Campbel Hausfeld oilless that got used hard sporadically and it made me crazy! (er) I have a farmstore brand crankcase style and it's a joy to have in the shop.
Dittos on the CH brand and draining the tank regularly.
 
You beat me to it!

I got a 60gallon 5hp upright DeVilbis 8 or 10 years ago. It was a good price, I thought. Then when I turned it on, I understood why...

It is an oilless, and it is LOOOOOOUUUUUUD with a capital "L".

It has worked well though. Just don't stay in the garage when it cycles, unless you wear hearing protection.

I had a Sanborn that this replaced. It was 2hp, 20 gallon. It was a great compressor. Wired it for 220V; worked great for almost 20 years. It finally got a pinhole leak in the tank, because I did not drain it very often. Reason why, the drain petcock was a pain to access.

On this newer upright, the very first thing I did, was remove the factory drain, and plumb it out where it was easy to reach, and away from spider hiding places... Now I drain after every use. Wish I would have done that with the old compressor too.

Trakternut said:
For hard continuous use, avoid the oilless unless you like annoying noise!i had a Campbel Hausfeld oilless that got used hard sporadically and it made me crazy! (er) I have a farmstore brand crankcase style and it's a joy to have in the shop.
Dittos on the CH brand and draining the tank regularly.
Click to expand...
 
Since my compressor isn't used daily, I drain it weekly during the summer. Friday is "Drain Day", when I shut the switch off and drain the tank, leaving the drain open until Saturday, Sunday...whenever I use it again. I start the compressor with the drain still open to push the last of the water out, then close it.
In winter, when my shop is cold, I drain after each use or the drain collects enough moisture to freeze and not be able to drain.
 
33 gallon crafstman upright and a 4 gallon porter cable "double hotdog" for "mobile" apps -- both weigh a ton and run at about 87 decibels, but no problems with either.
 
Take a look at your PC "double hotdot" and see what it draws for amps, Eric, would ya?
I've got a 2500 watt gen and I would like a small compressor for mobility.
 
I plug it into a 20A circuit and it doesn't trip the breaker.
I think it's a nominal 15A.
I'll read the label when I get home.
My Craftsman 33 gal pulls about 27A when first kicking on.
 
My yamaha ISEB3000 will not start a craftsman 33gal at 8000ft elevation. empty or full. It has boost to 3750 watts on startup ofair compressor.
 
Trakternut said:
Take a look at your PC "double hotdot" and see what it draws for amps, Eric, would ya?
I've got a 2500 watt gen and I would like a small compressor for mobility.
Click to expand...

label on the side says 15A at 120V and 60Hz.
7.8 scfm @ 40psi and 5.8scfm @ 90 psi.
 
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