Compressor Shopping

Delivered to door . now go and ask wife . honey please . and I won't buy anymore jeeps

 

I was in the same boat as you Focker - but I was looking at the least expensive Champion (I like the green color) which was then about $1500. Champion® 5HP 2-Stage 60-Gal Air Compressor

When my current compressor went on sale and was in stock at my local Lowes, I changed my mind. It's been enough, so far. I figured it was enough of a savings that I could take a chance on it being inadequate, especially since I had owned no compressor of any kind before that.

 

Well somebody had to step up and end this thread. This ought to do it.

 

Waiting for pictures of the happy couple ...

 

Thanks!

 

There are a lot of expensive options for piping. What I ended up doing with mine is going cheap and just buying some USA rubber hoses and running them. It took 5 min and they are not permanent. My compressor is an older HF single stage 60 gallon job. Its not the best, its loud and it probably doesn't run the rated CFM, but it does run a pressure pot or impact wrenches all day when I need it to.

 

Meh - I'm not convinced the permanence of pipe is such a burden. I used iron pipe, and am happy with it. Black iron pipe is not expensive, it's modular, and you can move it around if you need to. I would definitely go with a rigid installation in your case, where the installation site is quite permanent.

You need some kind of flexible hose to the tank, to isolate the machine's vibration. You can design the piping system to cool and help separate water from the air. Rubber hose would be ok, but iron pipe of the proper design clearly helps, as evidenced by the water that comes out of the drop when I purge it. If you are interested, details later when you are thinking about installation.

Suggest you also plumb an ellbow, long nipple and ball valve into the bottom of the tank, for easy purging of the condensate. My routine - switch off, close outlet, purge tank, purge piping drop. Usually the compressor stays at pressure so well that the motor will not start when I next need it.

 

All I have to add is, since you are mounting it outside, be very vigilant of condensation in the tank and outside lines over the winter.