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  1. #1
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    Default Shopping for a new air compressor

    My air compressor has died, probably for the best as it was sure to explode on me some day soon otherwise. Got it for free 30 years ago as it had fallen over and cracked the cast iron crankcase, I welded it up and it has been deafening me and the neighbours ever since, one replacement motor and one pressure switch in that time, can't complain too much. I'm after advice / experiences on a decent compressor that will run off a 240v supply, won't deafen me and is not made in china. General workshop use, some spray painting. I came across the Renegade brand made in Qld, wondering if anyone has any experience with them?

  2. #2
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    When you say some spray painting, how long does it take to paint the item and how often, this is a deciding factor as it's the one item that can use a lot of air.
    I have a Peerless belt drive, can't remember what model, its too small really for what I need, which is blowing off and pumping up tyres, which takes about 3 starts of the comp to do 4 tyres, from around 20 PSI to 40 PSI.
    Have found a listing of the Peerless which has a guide to help find the right compressor.

    https://www.peerlessproducts.com.au/...ht-compressor/

    HTH
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Running from a 240V supply limits you to using a 15A GPO and a 3HP motor.

    The very best a 3HP can theoretically deliver is about 12 CFM (340 L/min).
    Any manufacture claiming more than this is defying the Law of the conservation of energy.
    In practice its usual less than this ie 270-300 L/min.

    This may not be enough for extended sessions or large areas of spray painting.
    If you are happy to spray for a minute and then wait till the compressor recharges then it should be OK.

    4HP theoretically delivers 16 CFM but a 4HP really requires a 20A GPO.

  4. #4
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    I don't do stuff like spray painting very often however like so much of the stuff I do, when I do it, it tends to be sizeable jobs where little handyman equipment won't cut it. I only have one 20a circuit in the shed but that shouldn't be a problem, I guess I'm not likely to need the welder and the compressor at the same time.
    It looks like in the Peerless range I'd be looking at a P17 or maybe P14. Keen to hear recommendations for other brands.

    It would be great to be able to run a small sandblasting cabinet (wish list item), would this be viable with 320lpm / 12cfm?

  5. #5
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    While I haven't bought one, I've always liked the specs and quality of the P17.

  6. #6
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    I have the older model of one of these (130l tank instead of the 150).
    It keeps up with my blast cabinet, and both HVLP and suction paint sprayers.
    Its not Aus made though.
    Its more efficient, so more free air delivery, it’s quieter (can have a conversation a metre away from it while is running without yelling).
    I bought mine back in 2012, I’ve had no issues with it
    https://sydneytools.com.au/product/c...air-compressor

  7. #7
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    Regardless of what compressor you end up with Pete, IMO more stored air is always better!
    Keep an eye out for an additional decent sized receiver and feed the compressor into that via a check valve.
    Apart from giving you a larger buffer for doing high volume jobs, and easy air for duster gun etc without having to run the compressor, a larger receiver means the air gets a chance to cool down more and release more water.

    Steve

  8. #8
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    The flip side to that is the compressor runs longer, gets hotter, and puts more water into the air

  9. #9
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    I haven’t done any objective testing, but logically that doesn’t make sense to me.
    The total amount of water in the compressed air would be a product of the volume and humidity of the intake air.
    From there it’s a closed system regardless of the temperature isn’t it?

    Steve

  10. #10
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by OxxAndBert View Post
    I haven’t done any objective testing, but logically that doesn’t make sense to me.
    The total amount of water in the compressed air would be a product of the volume and humidity of the intake air.
    From there it’s a closed system regardless of the temperature isn’t it?
    That assumes all the water in the compressed air stays in the air.
    However, as soon as the compressor stops, the air/tank starts to cool and some water starts to condense out into the bottom of the tank.
    At this stage the amount of water in the air is determined by the temperature of the air/tank.
    If the compressor runs for longer it gets hotter and takes longer to cool down air/tank so more water stays in the air for longer, which will come through into compressed air lines.

    The other thing to consider is the majority of wear occurs when the system is working hardest and hottest which happens near the end of recharge cycles.
    If a compressor is run continuously or near continuously then you just have to accept its going to run hot all this time and accept the associated wear, so using a larger receiver doesn't add to this wear. Industrial/better quality compressors also allow for this but lower end machines may not.

    Now let's look at intermittent use.
    A compressor/motor with a x Litre receiver will not not experience as much overall heat exposure as the same compressor with 2x Litre receiver
    You might say, hang on, but the 2x Litre receiver only triggers half as often.
    Sure, but the critical factor is the total time x temp spent at the highest temperatures
    A intermittent use compressor with a small receiver never gets to as high a temperature or stays at its highest temperature as long, as the same compressor with a larger receiver.
    An analogy could be running a ICE for a minute at max rpm once every 20 minutes, or running at max rpm for 2 minutes once every 40 minutes. Which produces the greatest heat and wear?

    There are some ways around this like improving cooling options but on small compressor it's harder than it seems.

  11. #11
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    Looks like my desire to not buy from china is going to be impossible, they all appear to be either completely or partially made there. There's a few tool retailers in my work patch, I'll try and pay some visits tomorrow if I get a chance. The 'chicago air' hush 70 https://sydneytools.com.au/product/c...air-compressor appears to offer good specs for my application. To find a dealer for Peerless I've had to fill in an online form and wait for them to contact me, this is a bit offputting but we'll see what happens.

    I saw a youtube thing where a bloke had set up his workshop with 3 smaller compressors that could all be switched from the same pressure switch, plumbed to isolate or combine the tanks, so he could tailor supply to demand depending on what he was using at the time, looked like a clever arrangement for someone like me who today might want to blow out a chainsaw carby and tomorrow might want to spray paint a tractor.

  12. #12
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    If you chase up the Renegade brand it is the House brand for Trade Tools. Theres a U tube where the founder tells about making the compressors out the back of the first Trade tools building-after hours circa 1989.
    Some of pics showed compressors with Red Clisby V pumps, meaning they can't have been too nasty back then.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEn_My2ndD8

    and a current utube of the latest offerings.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hh8PdIi7t0

    Note the comments section of this video it is encouraging.

    From the other bits of advertising blurb they are now saying the compressors are made here in Oz from selected components.
    That in itself would be enough to move me to purchase something nearly fully Aussie made.

    As for the other renegade tools-who knows.

    I hope it helps

    Grahame

  13. #13
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    https://sydneytools.com.au/product/c...air-compressor

    The hundred with the third power unit and larger receiver is currently the same price as the seventy you linked above.

    Sydney tools also stock Pilot Air (Pilot is an Aus company but not sure if they manufacture the compressors or just assemble them) and Fendi which I believe are Italian made components. If I was looking at a recip compressor I would be seriously considering the 150L 12CFM Fendi that Sydney Tools stock.

  14. #14
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by racingtadpole View Post
    https://sydneytools.com.au/product/c...air-compressor
    The hundred with the third power unit and larger receiver is currently the same price as the seventy you linked above.
    Sydney tools also stock Pilot Air (Pilot is an Aus company but not sure if they manufacture the compressors or just assemble them)
    When I checked a few years back it turned out they were just assembling them from Asian made components. Still a good product though. I'd buy one in my Clisby died.

    and Fendi which I believe are Italian made components. If I was looking at a recip compressor I would be seriously considering the 150L 12CFM Fendi that Sydney Tools stock.
    Italian made doesn't mean much. My Italian Cousin makes electric motors and stamps made in Italy on them but the components are made in Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

  15. #15
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    I had a look at the renegade website last night, the guy talks about wellding up tanks after hours in their shop years ago, these days they are 'assembled right here in Queensland' by which I can only assume they mean 'we bolt the chinese motor and the chinese pump onto the chinese tank'. Peerless seem to be the same. It's got very hard not to finance chinese expansionism now that we have starved our local manufacturers to death.
    The Fendi looks good, I'll try and get into Sydney Tools tomorrow and have a look at the 3-headed Xhicago Air (was that a typo or a freudian slip?) and the Fendi.

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