Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

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BadDog
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by BadDog »

It's not much help, but I grabbed some pictures of what I have.

The first is the starter equipment as came with the compressor. You can also see the pressure dump, and part of my distribution manifold.

The second shows the AB switch I used to connect it to shop power. The manual is a momentary. Not particularly useful in this context, but I had it on hand...
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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compresso

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Ok, good comments. I did not know about the pressure relief apparatus attached to the switch. But, good news, I have one!

Also have the same starter assembly, with OEM heaters that Mad Dog depicts in his photos. So that’s all covered.

What I do want to do is add an on-off switch that prevents the compressor from staying charged continuously. E.g. disconnects the Power when I am not using it on a daily or weekly basis (frequent occurrence - not using it).

I found a diagram in the starter box that shows an optional remote power connection. So pursuing that as an external push button on/off power connection...rather than flip off the circuit breakers each time I want to power it up, or off...

Please let me know if there are possible unintended consequences !..

Thanks,
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Bill Shields
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Bill Shields »

My compressor is on a timer that expires after so-many-minutes (or hours) if I do not push a restart button.

The restart button is a simple door bell button on telephone cable. I have them scattered around my shop at each machine...and in the garage where there is an air hose for automotive utility operations.

The contractor is quite lound so that when it times out...I can hear it anywhere in the shop and simply reach out and 'ring the bell' to keep it going...for the next 30 minute cycle.

This is driven in a major part by a spouse who has never learned to use an off switch. And would start the compressor to inflate a tire and leave it running for 2 weeks.

All is driven by a simple omron flip flop plug in timer that drives the contactor coil to allow the compressor to start

Push a momentary contact button and the timer closes and counts down to zero.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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NP317
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by NP317 »

Glenn:
https://us.fscurtis.com/product/ct-series/

And in your second picture I see the pressure switch/electrical connections in the foreground on the air tank.
It looks very similar to mine.
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Good idea, Bill. As I noted in my thread here about a compressor timer, I like mine to be up to pressure at all times as I use it almost daily. I put together a timer that works in the other direction. The power stays on and the timer shuts off the compressor if it runs for more than 10 minutes. If that happens it has to be manually reset. Even my beadblast cabinet doesn't make the compressor run for that long at a time.

There is a photo of the timer unit here:
https://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vi ... 5&start=36
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Inspector
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Inspector »

On my 5hp Puma I have a magnetic contactor type switch to turn on/off power. It was about $100Can when I bought it.

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Bill Shields
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Bill Shields »

Hmmmm... understand your logic...however power prices around here are such that I do not have anything running unless I need it...especially with demand power pricing during peak periods.

Even a short compressor run carries the start up in rush current cost.

I am even doing away with my rotary phase converter that while very workable is costing me in excess of $75/month to have idling while I am working at the mill and the mill not running.

This coming from a guy who burns coal to heat his house ...sad but true
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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Glenn Brooks »

The compressor timer seems like a great idea. Also I’ve never had real shop air before. Only small, portable units that wake up the neighborhood at 3am when I accidentally left them plugged in. Hence, quite possible Iam solving a problem that no longer exists.

Also suspect I might make a lot greater use of air on a daily basis than before. Thinking air powered sander, grinder or chipper of some sort. Something to grind scale off cold rolled angle and strip old paint off sheet metal for sure. So thinking I will just run the circuit, get it wired up and running, see what happens.

Clearly my next task is to figure out what new tools to go buy. Liking this more and more. :D :D :D

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Glenn: I think my compressor is my most-used shop tool, and the air gun the most used air tool. You'll find you use yours more than you thought. As I wrote on the timer thread, my pump blew a rod bearing because an air hose popped while I was out for lunch and the pump ran for an unknown amount of time, up to three hours. The timer now prevents this.

Everyone: If you make a permanent installation and decide to pipe air around your shop, do NOT use PVC. I did that and when I pulled it out some years later when changing things around I dropped a piece on the floor and it shattered. I hate to think what would have happened if it had been hit while under pressure. You can get air-rated piping that is designed for this purpose. I put in copper because it was available but the proper plastic is easier to work with.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thanks Gregg,

Thinking about using black iron (pipe) for basic plumbing around the shop, as it’s commonly available. Although I noticed people using copper in some posts, also. This shop air business is definitely the next level of sophistication!

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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liveaboard
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by liveaboard »

Here's my little 1 HP compressor I got at an auction;
I've set it up so it's plugged into the air plumbing that runs through 3 sheds, but can also be unplugged and used as a portable.
Above is the electric box with timer relay, like Bill I have doorbell buttons in each shop.
The impulse signal is 24vac, so I could use some leftover telephone wire for that.

It was quite time consuming to set it all up, but I'm glad I finally did it. It's very satisfying to hit the button in the garage and have air to use.
The small tank fills fairly quickly. And empties fairly quickly too.

I used PEX water tubing, very stable stuff, pressure rating is good (12 bar, 180lbs), and it's easy to work with compared to metal.
Most plumbers are using unipipe now in Europe, and I think in the US too. If I had the tooling and fittings, I would use that instead.

The PEX and fittings don't leak, but the compressor does just a little, and the couplings aren't perfect either.

A potential problem with the timer is if it runs down and switches off while the motor is running, the pressure switch will stay in the 'on' position and the head won't be depressurized. If I were to reset the timer while the pressure is still up, bad things could happen to my compressor.
There are solutions to that, but I left it like this.
air compressor instation.jpg
There's an air regulator attached for painting, with a separate coupling. I change the whole system over to the low pressure outlet for spray painting and use the high pressure the rest of the time.
Russ Hanscom
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Re: Your thoughts on a replacement compressor

Post by Russ Hanscom »

Use galvanized, not black, pipe for air if you are using steel pipe. Any trace of moisture will rust the black pipe and fill the piping, and end uses, with rust flakes. Black is acceptable only if you have a good air dryer.
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