# Low Volt/Amp Air Compressor



## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Is anyone aware of an electrically powered air compressor that has a low surge start up? The best I could find the last time I looked was a 12.5 amp model at Walmart. I want to get a compressor for the barn, which is about 250 feet away from the house. There's 10 guage wire carrying the power, which helps, but a motor with a 10-11 amp starting requirement would provide a margin of safety.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Several things to consider. 
Get a very low HP unit or
Get a 230 volt unit or
Modify the discharge line from the compressor to the tank with a larger line and install a tee in that line. In the side inlet to the tee install a ball valve with teflon seal and manually vent the discharge line to atmosphere on start up or
You could put a hard start kit (kickstart) designed for an air conditioner or heat pump compressor on the air compressor motor.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

Installing your compressor closer to your source of electricity and piping out to your barn may also be a solution.
Also piping will give you more volume, causing less cycling of your compressor.
If you were to get a 220v compressor your startup amps will go down and also be more efficient. 3 phase will lower it even further. Some folks don't have access to 3 ph. in residential and rural areas though.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

You can aslo install a capacitor like they do with well pumps to make it "softer" starting.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Unless you have the head pressure completely vented you will not want for a soft start. Once the compressor starts to load the discharge line it becomes increasing difficult to get up and running. That is the reason for considering a hard start kit to kick the unit in the butt and to get up and running ASAP.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

my personal suggestion would be a gas air compressor , you will be amazed how hand they are and even with 8 gallon tanks they can run a impact wrench out in the field .
the problem with the low power electrics is one on that distance of wire the motor isnt going to last long at all . two they dont provide enough air to pop a tire back on the bead .
in the last year I spent over $700 on worthless electric air compressors .
porter cable and Ridgid top of the line contractor models . both shot craps after less than 50 hours of use the warrantees are basdically worthless .
my old colman gas compressor is 15 years old I did finally have to replace the engine (a 5 HP ) after nearly 5000 hours of abusive running and being left in the weather for 15 years. the replacement engine cost me $160 new with a two year no questions asked exchange policy. 
go with a gas if you can you wont regret it .
they have the same out put as a large garage upright model and will run more than 8 hours on a gallon of fuel .


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

As a prior employee of a major manufacturer of air compressors I can tell you that the whole bunch of the new design units under 5 HP that are made for the home consumer are junk. The specs are intentionally misleading and the components are from the lowest cost provider. The purpose of the small tanks is to circumvent the regulations for pressure vessels and the HP ratings are for the uninformed. I do not know of a single unit in the 5 HP rating and under that will deliver 4 CFM/HP. Each one of the motors on the home use units will have sp after the motor HP on the data plate. That means that the unit could delivery the HP if it had to for some duration. But since most 5 HP units have a 2 or 3 HP compressor connected to the 5HPsp motor they do not have to deliver the HP. These units are driven at about 20% faster RPM than optimum aslo in an attempt to yield a little more air. It is no wonder that they give poor performance and are short lived. If you want to determine if you are getting your monies worth divide the CFM by 4 and that will be the approximate HP of what you are buying instead of the misrepresented number displayed by the advertising. For decent performance buy a unit that is V belt driven and with the highest CFM per HP that you can find. PS...if you have a small piston designed compressor and it still has petroleum oil in it go now and convert it to synthetic. Use 15W50 if you cannot locate synthetic compressor oil. This conversion will save you a lot of headaches.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Well, it's a little more than I wanted to budget for, but does anyone have comments/experience on this model from Northern? Note, that it will be used primarily for impact wrenches and inflating tires (up to tractor size). It might be used to run a nailer on occasion too. 

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_290944_290944


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## Reptyle (Jul 28, 2005)

agmantoo said:


> As a prior employee of a major manufacturer of air compressors I can tell you that the whole bunch of the new design units under 5 HP that are made for the home consumer are junk. The specs are intentionally misleading and the components are from the lowest cost provider. The purpose of the small tanks is to circumvent the regulations for pressure vessels and the HP ratings are for the uninformed. I do not know of a single unit in the 5 HP rating and under that will deliver 4 CFM/HP. Each one of the motors on the home use units will have sp after the motor HP on the data plate. That means that the unit could delivery the HP if it had to for some duration. But since most 5 HP units have a 2 or 3 HP compressor connected to the 5HPsp motor they do not have to deliver the HP. These units are driven at about 20% faster RPM than optimum aslo in an attempt to yield a little more air. It is no wonder that they give poor performance and are short lived. If you want to determine if you are getting your monies worth divide the CFM by 4 and that will be the approximate HP of what you are buying instead of the misrepresented number displayed by the advertising. For decent performance buy a unit that is V belt driven and with the highest CFM per HP that you can find. PS...if you have a small piston designed compressor and it still has petroleum oil in it go now and convert it to synthetic. Use 15W50 if you cannot locate synthetic compressor oil. This conversion will save you a lot of headaches.


AGMANTOO, are the air compressors with the cast iron compressor, the oil type, a better buy than the oil less type? I'm thinking about getting an air comp. also and I was trying to see which is the best, mostly for home use.
Thanks

.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Reptyle absolutely the oil types are better and a belt drive is far better. Next someone will pop up and state they have had an airless that performs admirably, well trust me, they are lucky and the machine is an exception. Most of the beltless units only have a bearing on the outer end of the crankshaft. The motor bearings were not designed to take the motor load and the compressor load. Often the units will fail on the motor bearing as it was not designed to take the beating the crankshaft gives it as the unit pumps. If you can find an old design motor and belt driven unit mounted on a tank and that is running around 1200 RPM those will last a lifetime when on synthetic coolant. I was not the floor sweeper and I am speaking from experience. Not that the floor sweeper was not needed, he was. Everyone makes a contribution. He just did not have the exposure to what I had.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

Ramblin Wreck said:


> Well, it's a little more than I wanted to budget for, but does anyone have comments/experience on this model from Northern? Note, that it will be used primarily for impact wrenches and inflating tires (up to tractor size). It might be used to run a nailer on occasion too.
> 
> http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_290944_290944


Thats nearly the same compressor I have . They are tough as nails .
change the oil once in a while on the compressor and motor and they will do about anything you need to do . if you plan to paint put a 20gallon tank in the line


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