Advice re buying a new compressor

[buckers]

I need to get a bigger compressor.
It needs to be single phase
It will be housed in a large framed box outside the house
It needs to be as quiet as poss so as not to annoy any neighbours
It will be used all day, but the majority of the time, just for airbrushing, therefore, hardly any loading on it at all, BUT, when called for, must be able to power a mini gun (about 4 cfm), and air fed mask (about 7cfm). This will be it's max load for maybe 10 mins at a time, once a day.

I currently use a Clarke Warrior for the gun, and a Bambi for the airbrush, but since getting the mask, the loading has gone up obviously.

I know screw compressors are the quietest, but they seem to have low cfm's!

I'm going to see this one today. Anyone got any thoughts or recomendations

Budget up to £1k

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110880681861?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619#ht_962wt_1059

 

[rtbcomp]

In the blurb says runs off an "ordinary plug". The label on the machine says "30 Amp supply only."

 

[GrahamGKD]

In the blurb says runs off an "ordinary plug". The label on the machine says "30 Amp supply only."

Well spotted - it does seem to have a 13A plug fitted?

I expect all will be explained if you chat to them. I bought a Hydrovane from those people without problem.

 

[Premiershipman]

I think you are going to struggle to get all your requirements met, housing outside if you put it in a soundproof box with airflow through then that will quieten it down.

Most standard compressors are up at about 90Db+ and whilst screw compressors are quiet, decent ones are a fortune !!

I have a 150L ABAC that I use for plasma cutting, inflating car tyres etc and unless you are using things that are really air hungry you could use something similar or maybe get a 200l.

Are you wanting to keep the compressor outside due to restricted space inside ? As you could get a vertical compressor which you could have inside to not annoy neighbours.

Thorite do the 150L vertical abac for about £800 including free delivery - http://secure.thorite.co.uk/prodtype.asp?CAT_ID=2130

Shady

 

[tigler]

With a £1k budget it's Hydrovane. Most screw types will be 3 phase.

 

[buckers]

Thanks for your comments guys..........

In the blurb says runs off an "ordinary plug". The label on the machine says "30 Amp supply only."

There seems to be some confusion here........when showed the machine in the premises, it was NOT the one in the pic, but a a V piston model, which indeed , did run off a 13A plug, and was pretty quiet. I was also shown a model which looked remarkably similar to the one in the photo, just for comparison, but was told the V piston model was better. (same price)

I bought a Hydrovane from those people without problem.

The guy seemed very genuine and obviously knew his stuff. His workshops had compressors all over the place, ready to go out, and/or demo.

Are you wanting to keep the compressor outside due to restricted space inside ? As you could get a vertical compressor which you could have inside to not annoy neighbours.

Yes, for space, but mainly cos I will be spraying inside, and need both fresh air for that, and my air fed mask. I appreciate I could feed an indoor compressor from outside though.

With a £1k budget it's Hydrovane. Most screw types will be 3 phase.

I've looked into Hydrovane briefly, but they don't seem to delivery enough cfm

 

[tigler]

The 502 with a 2.2 KW motor is 8 cfm, is that enough ?

 

[buckers]

The 502 with a 2.2 KW motor is 8 cfm, is that enough ?

I am told (by several sources) it isn't.

The airmask is 7 cfm, and the mini gun is 4 cfm, which by my maths, is 11 cfm, although I'm sure it may not be as simple as that.

My current Warrior delivers just under 9, and that was struggling a bit, but I do appreciate that there's no real comparison between stuff like the 502, and Clarke stuff, which to be fair, has served me well, albeit noisily.

 

[tigler]

That is a problem for the Hydrovane range then. It jumps from 2.2 kw to 4 kw.
Just did a bit of digging around on screw units and this is A/ the cheapest and B/ the only single phase unit I could find. Still outside your budget though.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3HP-Quiet...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item1c271731d9
If you can't stretch to it then you are left with piston compressors, which to a varying extent, are all noisy. So you would need to silence the enclosure and maybe use intake silencers, which is where much of the noise is emitted.

 

[rtbcomp]

That looks an interesting unit.

He says "£ 1375 and free delivery anywhere in the UK ( there is no vat applied to any company registered outside Ireland with a registered vat number)"

Does he mean that VAT will be applied to non-registered companies, or such companies will have the VAT knocked off the already VAT inclusive price? I would assume the latter but it may be as well to check.

 

[buckers]

Just did a bit of digging around on screw units and this is A/ the cheapest and B/ the only single phase unit I could find. Still outside your budget though.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3HP-Quiet...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item1c271731d9

That does look interesting, and I'm curious about the Vat aspect. Doesn't give a cfm rating though!

 

[rtbcomp]

There's a bit of blurb about the cfm in the questions section.

 

[rtbcomp]

The motor mounting looks a bit precarious too.

 

[tigler]

Hydrovanes use the same method though, so it probably looks worse than it is.

 

[buckers]

There's a bit of blurb about the cfm in the questions section.

Thanks for that, hadn't seen it.

The motor mounting looks a bit precarious too.

TBH, that wouldn't bother me, as I intend to stick it outside adjacent to the workshop, and build a vented "shed/box" round it for further sound/weather insulation. It would hardly ever be touched.

Is 2580 rpm considered to be a slow running speed?

 

[tigler]

Is 2580 rpm considered to be a slow running speed?

For a rotary screw running speed isn't an issue, there are no out of balance forces, surface speeds are low and they are pressure lubricated. It's reciprocating or piston compressors where speed is an issue.

A screw unit of that power and for that price is unique in this country, as far as I can determine. There are 3hp single phase units in the US but at almost $5000 !!

Check that VAT thing out and if it does turn out to be the delivered price I would try to stretch the budget !

 

[rtbcomp]

I'd be very tempted too.

This machine seems to be one of kind, perhaps other manufacturers will produce similar units and maybe in a few years they'll be commonplace. I can see piston units going out of favour as the authorities get more and more paranoid about noise.

 

[tigler]

Agreed. Volume is the key, no pun inteneded !! If screw units were produced in the same quanitity as piston units the price would easily fall to the level where we could all have one in the garage or workshop. Although I do still like a good old Ingersoll Rand T30, or, the Rolls Royce of pistons, Quincy, if I could afford to bring one into the UK !

 

[buckers]

Check that VAT thing out and if it does turn out to be the delivered price I would try to stretch the budget !

Thanks for your replies guys. I have emailed some questions to the seller, including the VAT component. Also re the 16A supply and whether my 13A mains supply is good enough. Will await his reply, (over the long weekend)

 

[buckers]

After having spoken to another Ebay purchaser of one of these compressors, it appears that if you provide a VAT number, you get it for £1375. He also stated that it was quiet, but couldn't run 2 guns when spraying a car, just one Iwata, (no further details known) -(which I don't need anyway).
Still awaiting reply off seller