Air compressors - a comparison table of 16 models of 3hp 15A types on the market
I've made a comparison of quite a few of the 3 horsepower portable air compressors on the market. Basically, I wanted to compare the compressors you can use on a 15A single-phase circuit.
Whaddya want it for? Everything, of course. Sandblasting, spraypainting, air tools. I want it all. Who doesn't? Yeah, not inflating truck tires, so all the models I looked at have single stage pumps. While I may have to pause during jobs to keep below the duty cycle and not overheat the compressor head, which I can accept, basically I want the most air at a decent pressure that I can get on a 15A plug. Given that the price difference between el cheapo and recognised manufacturers is about $400 (a range from $1100 to $1500 for this size compressor), looking on average at a budget of $1300 to $1400 seems like a good place to start. For spending less, maybe rather than going el cheapo 15A, maybe you'd instead go down to the 10A compressors. Some of these like the Pilot K17SD are definitely worth looking at. But if you've got a 15A supply, it seems to me you might as well get the budget together for just that bit extra capacity, for things like sandblasting and spray painting large jobs (cars) where you want to spray in longer bursts to help avoid flash-off problems on your lacquer. For sure these 15A 3hp compressors, even with a 100L tank, won't give you 20hp 500L compressor nirvana, but for a single-phase shed setup it's the best you're gonna get.
Below is the Excel table I made from crawling the web, looking at specs and photos and talking to the odd sales rep. As a result of the comparison, at this stage I'm leaning toward the Pilot compressors, either the TM series using the Fiac compressor pumps from Italy (higher FAD, lower duty cycle) or the K series using the venerable Chinook pumps also from Italy (higher duty cycle, lower FAD). Or else one of the models that use the Taiwanese-made Fusheng pump, also venerable and built like a Soviet tank. A Taiwanese Puma pump could be ok too. I'm less keen on the ones using the Chinese N75 and various totally nondescript generic type pumps, but they do come in at a tempting low price. There's probably others out there in this category, but I had to stop somewhere. So this is the list.
So if you've got a 3hp air compressor, what's your opinion? Tell me what I should look at.
Air Compressors - portable 3hp 240V 15A single-stage reciprocating piston types compared
Last update: 12 July 2018
Brand |
Pilotair |
Pilotair |
Pilotair |
Airmac |
Airmac |
Pulford |
Puma |
Peerless |
Westair |
Lincoln |
Hafco |
McMillan |
SP Tools |
SP Tools |
Ferrua |
IronAir |
Model |
TM420SDi |
TM420SDL |
K17/15L |
T17 |
T20 |
T300S1 |
P20 |
P17 |
WE18/54 |
L17 |
Super 16 |
C16 |
SP17 |
SP18 |
B3800150CM3 |
LB1890S3 |
Drive type |
V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
Dual V-belt |
Dual V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
single V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
V-belt |
Pump material |
cast iron, alloy head |
cast iron, alloy head |
cast iron, alloy head |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron |
cast iron, alloy head |
cast iron |
Pump displacement |
14.6 cfm / 416 lpm |
14.6 cfm / 416 lpm |
14.8 / 419 lpm |
13.8 cfm / 390 lpm |
16.5 cfm / 468 lpm |
16.5 cfm / 468 lpm |
14.8 cfm / 420 lpm |
- |
15.1 cfm / 427 lpm |
345 lpm |
16 cfm / 453 lpm |
16 cfm / 453 lpm |
- |
- |
13.8 cfm / 390 lpm |
- |
Free Air Delivery |
11.9 cfm / 339 lpm |
11.9 cfm / 339 lpm |
9.8 / 279 lpm |
9.9 cfm / 280 lpm |
10.8 cfm / 305 lpm |
10.8 cfm / 306 lpm |
11.3 cfm / 320 lpm |
320 lpm @100psi |
11.3 cfm / 320 lpm |
320 lpm |
11.6 cfm / 328 lpm |
11.6 cfm / 328 lpm |
275 lpm |
309 lpm |
- |
11.3 cfm / 320 lpm |
FAD testing standard |
AS4637 |
AS4637 |
AS4637 |
AS4637 |
AS4637 |
AS4637 |
AS4637 |
100 psi |
- |
100 psi |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Pump type |
2 cyl inline Fiac |
2 cyl inline Fiac |
2 cyl inline Chinook K17 |
3 cyl Fusheng TA-65 |
3 cyl Fusheng TA-65 |
3 cyl Fusheng TA-65 |
3 cyl Puma PG30 |
2 cyl inline 'N75' |
2 cyl inline 'N75' |
2 cyl inline 'N75' |
3 cyl 'C16' generic W |
3 cyl 'C16' generic W |
2 cyl, generic V |
3 cyl, generic W |
2 cyl Nuair B3800 |
3 cyl, generic W |
Pump speed |
- |
- |
1100 rpm |
815 rpm |
990 rpm |
980 rpm |
880 rpm |
963 rpm |
- |
963 rpm |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1100 rpm |
- |
Max. Pressure |
1000 kPa / 145 psi |
1000 kPa / 145 psi |
1000 kPa / 145 psi |
1000 kPa / 145 psi |
1000 kPa / 145 psi |
950 kPa |
900 kPa / 130 psi |
1000 kPa / 145 psi |
827 kPa / 120 psi |
1000 kPa / 145 psi |
827 kPa / 120 psi |
115 psi |
1034 kPa /150 psi |
1034 kPa / 150 psi |
145 psi |
- |
Receiver tank |
50 L |
100 L |
100 L |
70 L |
100 L |
100 L |
75 L |
55 L |
54 L |
54 L |
60 L |
58 L |
50 L |
60 L |
150 L |
90 L |
Motor |
2.2kW / 3hp Teco |
2.2kW / 3hp Teco |
2.25 kW / 3.0 hp Teco |
2.2kW / 3.0hp Teco |
2.4kW / 3.2hp Teco |
2.4 kW |
2.4kW / 3.2hp |
2.4kW / 3.2hp |
2.2kW / 3hp |
3.2 hp |
2.25kW / 3hp |
3 hp Teco |
2.23kW / 3.0hp |
2.23kW / 3.0hp |
2.2 kW / 3 hp |
2.23kW / 3.0hp |
Filter regulator |
no |
no |
no |
yes |
yes |
- |
yes |
ET-250 |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Pressure switch |
NEMA (Italian) |
NEMA (Italian) |
NEMA (Italian) |
Condor |
Condor |
Condor MDR4 |
yes |
yes |
Condor |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Size L x W x H (mm) |
990 x 400 x 740 |
1150 x 490 x 890 |
1100 x 490 x 920 |
1080 x 410 x 780 |
1060 x 430 x 820 |
1165 x 388 x 980 |
1130 x 450 x 790 |
1050 x 430 x 770 |
940 x 430 x 840 |
1090 x 450 x 780 |
1000 x 400 x 740 |
1200 x 600 x 900 |
- |
- |
770 x 340 x 670 |
1055 x 440 x 1102 |
Weight |
80 kg |
90 kg |
90 kg |
90 kg |
102 kg |
120 kg |
103 kg |
85 kg |
80 kg |
79 kg |
84 kg |
95 kg |
- |
- |
44kg |
- |
Noise level |
- |
- |
75 dB |
77 dB |
79 dB |
- |
75 dB |
- |
75 dB |
- |
- |
|
- |
- |
97 dB |
- |
Origin |
Italy |
Australia |
Italy / Aust |
Taiwan |
Taiwan |
Taiwan? |
Taiwan |
China |
China? |
China |
China |
China / Australia |
China? |
China? |
Italy / China? |
China? |
Warranty |
3 yr pump, 1 yr else |
3 yr pump, 1 yr else |
3 yr pump, 1 yr else |
2 yr pump 1 yr motor |
2 yr pump 1 yr motor |
- |
1 yr pump/motor |
5 yr pump 1 yr motor |
3 yr pump 1 yr motor |
5 yr pump |
1 yr |
3 yr pump 1 yr motor |
1 yr (3yr pump?) |
1 yr (3yr pump?) |
1 yr |
2yr pump 1 yr motor |
Price (inc gst) |
$1,210 |
$1,386 |
$1,388 |
$1,399 |
$1,549 |
- |
$1,349 |
$1,399 |
- |
$1,149 |
$1,089 |
$1,195 |
$1,160 |
$1,350 |
$1,099 |
$899 |
Price source |
Hafco |
Hafco |
Hafco |
Glenco |
Glenco |
Pulford |
Glenco |
Gasweld |
Westair |
Sydney Tools |
Hafco |
Ublast |
Austech Ind. |
Austech Ind. |
Sydney Tools |
Total Tools |
Table notes:
1. FAD is supposed to be quoted according to AS 4637—2006 Measurement of pump displacement and free air delivery of a reciprocating air compressor package), i.e. test gauge pressure is in range 600-800kPa. This is noted where known, but not all compressors necessarily use this standard.
2. Peerless P17 is a rebranded JY air compressor model P17, made by Taixing Jing Yuan Industry Trade Co. (China).
3. Westair WE18/54 uses a N75 compressor pump probably from Taixing Jing Yuan Industry Trade Co. (China), seems very similar overall to Peerless P17. Lincoln L17 also from same source, says it uses JY Co's C5 pump but photo shows a JY N75 pump.
4. Hafco Super16 is a rebranded McMillan C16.
5. Pilot Air K and TM series tanks have extra ports that are useful for linking an extra receiver or powering a plumbed workshop air piping system (like this: http://www.farmingahead.com.au/wp-co...f9df9f.pdf.pdf). Some other brands may have an extra port, but Chinese cheapies are not likely to.
[PS: To import this Excel table to BB code, I used the online copy-paste table converter at https://theenemy.dk/table/ -- it took a bit of web hunting to find a way to do it]