Compressors: which IR, changing the oil and draining the air Q's...

[Deuce Lee]

i was complaining on what small compressor to buy a month ago and i decided on a used but excellent shape Dewalt D55146 (http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-D55146-Gallon-Compressor-Wheels/dp/B000HZJLV2/ref=sr_1_7/002-0364698-3171208?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1190756107&sr=1-7)(4.5 gal, 5.2cfm, 200psi max) for $200 with a nice roll of hose...

anyways, i'm thinking about getting this IR SS5L5 (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00919261000P?vName=Tools&cName=Compressors+%26+Air+Tools&sName=Air+Compressors+%26+Inflators)(5hp, 60gal, 1 stage, ~$1,000) or IR TS4L5 (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00918298000P?vName=Tools&cName=Compressors+%26+Air+Tools&sName=Air+Compressors+%26+Inflators)(5hp, 60gal, 2 stage, ~$1,200) for the garage to do the heavy duty stuff...

a few questions:

1. Is the extra stage of the TS4L5 worth the extra $2-300 for an extra 500 life hrs of use and extra stage? (the SS5L5 has 18.1 CFM at 90psi and TS4L5 has 15.8 CFM at 90psi)

2. How often do you guys change the oil on these big bad boys? Its going to be in a dedicated garage for working on cars. I actually don't work on cars that often...maybe a couple times a month. I will actually do more tinting in that garage.

3. Is it ok to leave the air in there for a week or so (i may do minor work here and there and don't want to fully fill up the tank every time) or is it essential that i drain it after every use?

Thanks in advance...

[Jim Becker]

Both of those sound like very nice machines. (I own their smaller sister...the SS3L)

1) Can't say...these are both serious compressors. But 18.1 SCFM can drive a lot of different kind of tools that my compressor wouldn't be up to the task for and it appears, if you have the specs listed correctly, that its' the less expensive machine, too.

2) Probably not very often if you are not a constant user.

3) Buy an auto drain system and you can leave it charged "permanently". I only shut mine down if I'm going to be away for a period of time. The auto drain keeps it dry. (Mine is IR branded and I bought it off EBAY a few years ago for about $70, which was a very healthy discount off retail)

[Josiah Bartlett]

For the same HP rating:

Choose the single stage if you are running tools that take a lot of air (near compressor capacity), then the motor will have an easier time keeping up with your tool use.

Choose the two stage if you are running tools that don't take anywhere near the full capacity of the compressor and you don't want it to cycle on and off very often.

I picked up a used industrial Quincy off craigslist and I'm very happy with it. It runs nice and slow and quiet and it will outlast me. It has an actual oil pump rather than being splash-oiled.

Change the oil when it starts looking dirty, or anually, whichever is more often. This isn't a car engine, where combustion gasses pollute the oil. The only thing that will degrade the oil is moisture and particulate wear from the rings and bearings.

[Deuce Lee]

thanks a bunch guys

yeah it is strange that the single stage, and cheaper one has more cfm at 90psi...i've seen it on ebay for $800 new before too...so i'll try to see if i can catch that..

thanks!!!

[JayStPeter]

If you ever want to run an air sander for bodywork get the 2-stage. It's also better for sandblasting, especially large areas with a big unit. I've run a smaller parts blaster with my single stage and it was working, but had enough oomph for that. If I did it more often I'd need a 2-stage. If you're already looking at compressors in that price range, do a 2-stage.
I leave my compressor pressured up all the time, but not necessarily powered on. Water builds up when it runs, so I usually drain it the day after I used it a lot. If it doesn't run for a while there is minimal water in it. I change the oil every 6 months or so. Mine actually runs very little, the mfr provides a maintenance schedule based on hours, but I never make those hours within a 6-month period. With a small section of pipe attached to the oil drain, it only takes a few minutes to change it and no mess. I drain it into an empty quart bottle with the top cut off.

[Matt Meiser]

On my IR I probably have changed the oil 2 times since the orignal fill when I bought it about 4 years ago. First time was when we moved a little less than a year after I got it and then again at about 3 years. The oil still looked good, but mine lives a pretty easy life--probably less than 2 hours actual run time per month on average.

I have a disconnect switch wired into the power cord on mine. I just cut the cord and wired it to a 30A disconnect I bought on clearance at Lowes. I also wired a neon lamp so that it glows when the load side of the disconnect has power so that I remember to shut if off. Probably overkill but I rarely forget and leave it on.

I also have a valve to shut off the air to my piping. Between two hose reels, hoses, fittings, etc, it will drain down completely in a couple days if I don't close the valve.

For draining water,I have a cheapie Harbor Freight auto-drain which works off pressure change at the unloader valve. It works well. The IR valve Jim has is much better, but also costs 10x as much.

Even if you dont' buy an auto drain, buy some pipe and fittings to get the drain out from under the compressor where you can actually reach it. And use a 1/4 turn ball valve for quick operation.

[Deuce Lee]

If you ever want to run an air sander for bodywork get the 2-stage. It's also better for sandblasting, especially large areas with a big unit. I've run a smaller parts blaster with my single stage and it was working, but had enough oomph for that. If I did it more often I'd need a 2-stage. If you're already looking at compressors in that price range, do a 2-stage.
I leave my compressor pressured up all the time, but not necessarily powered on. Water builds up when it runs, so I usually drain it the day after I used it a lot. If it doesn't run for a while there is minimal water in it. I change the oil every 6 months or so. Mine actually runs very little, the mfr provides a maintenance schedule based on hours, but I never make those hours within a 6-month period. With a small section of pipe attached to the oil drain, it only takes a few minutes to change it and no mess. I drain it into an empty quart bottle with the top cut off.

thanks alot jay...

maybe you and others can quickly explain to me about what is truely the big advantage of a 2 stage over a 1 stage...

is it just that it can pump more air so there's more psi in the tank so there is more run time?

[Jack Hogoboom]

Jim,

Do you have the part number for your IR drain?

[Randy Denby]

Jim,

Do you have the part number for your IR drain?


Me too !!! And where would be a good place to buy this drain?
Thanks

[Matt Meiser]

There are a couple on Ebay right now. Search for item numbers 220154469602 and 270170091622. Both are model EDV-2000.

[JayStPeter]

thanks alot jay...

maybe you and others can quickly explain to me about what is truely the big advantage of a 2 stage over a 1 stage...

is it just that it can pump more air so there's more psi in the tank so there is more run time?

I didn't notice the CFM numbers when I wrote the response, I just assumed the 2-stage had better CFM ratings. In this case, the 2-stage is slower in CFM because it pressurizes the tank to 175psi while the 2 cylinder only pressurizes to 135psi. I really don't see a need for 175psi. The advantage is that the tank holds more air, so more reserve before it needs to run. The disadvantage is that if you're running a tool that will kill the air quickly, the faster it can resupply at the pressure you're using the better. Most mechanics tools run @90.
There aren't many single tools that use the quantities of air we're talking here anyway. So, either one for a single user. If you're going to have multiple users running impact wrenches, etc. you might want something even bigger :eek: . It's surprising how much air you use running an air ratchet on a long suspension bolt or really hammering a stuck exhaust bolt off with an impact wrench. My 10+ CFM compressor leaves me waiting every so often in these situations. Not so in my buddies garage who has the equivalent of the 2-stage you've listed.

Jay

[Deuce Lee]

u guys rock, can't thank enough...:)