Lets Talk Air Compressors

[dogmush]

Okay, you have me confused from the "intuitive" POV. I would have expected for just short bursts of air (topping off a car tire or whatever) you would want to use the smaller one. I'm sure it was in the manual or something, but on my little 2gal one, I always drain the air out before putting it away (condensation?). Are you leaving the big one pressurized?

No, I drain them.  I have an remote on the drain so I don't have to get under them and get full of rusty water.

I use the 29Gal one because it's quieter and less annoying.  It also puts out more air, so even though the tank is bigger, it's quicker to get to yard tractor tire amounts of air and pressure.  I can't overestimate the noise thing if you are going to be in the same building.

[dogmush]

This video doesn't really show it because of cell phone mics, but you can hear how when they are both running the 21 Gal pretty much drowns the 29 Gal out.  The belt drive pumps are just quieter.

FWIW my crappy Db meter says the 29 Gal runs at 85-86Db and the 21 Gal runs at 91-92Db.  (take those numbers with a grain of salt though, it's a HF sound meter.)

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

[Ben]

Thanks for the video. That is significantly quieter.

[Ben]

Well, I didn't get the 29 gallon today. My fault for not reading the incredibly small fine print, but those stupid 25% off super coupons have all kinds of restrictions, one of them being "no compressors". I guess I'll keep my eye out to see if it goes on sale at some point.

Since I needed something for at least tires and whatnot in the meantime, having left my Costco one in CA for my dad, I decided to roll the dice on the Fortress 2 gallon that they sell. It's supposed to be very quiet so we'll she how she does. At some point I'll get a larger one and go with Bob's "I need two compressors" plan. 

[dogmush]

"Two is one and one is none".

A little easy to carry compressor is always handy.  I saw that Fortress brand pop up, but don't know anything about it.

FWIW the coupon below is about as good as that 29Gal ever goes on sale for:

https://www.hfqpdb.com/best_coupon/2+HP%2C+29+GALLON+150+PSI+CAST+IRON+VERTICAL+AIR+COMPRESSOR

[Ben]

"Two is one and one is none".

A little easy to carry compressor is always handy.  I saw that Fortress brand pop up, but don't know anything about it.

FWIW the coupon below is about as good as that 29Gal ever goes on sale for:

https://www.hfqpdb.com/best_coupon/2+HP%2C+29+GALLON+150+PSI+CAST+IRON+VERTICAL+AIR+COMPRESSOR

Ugh, I guess there's an active coupon now.  I can never keep up with them. I reckon I'll wait until I have my first need for a big one, then get it  then. It really is a nice looking compressor.

On the Fortress, I did a little googling while I was in the store, and it seems to be pretty much a 5 star review item. The link below has a video, and the pancake they use for comparison sounds like my old 2 gallon. This one sounds noticeably quieter. I'm gonna take it off the truck in the next couple hours to fire it up and see for myself.

https://www.harborfreight.com/2-gallon-12-hp-135-psi-ultra-quiet-oil-free-professional-air-compressor-64688.html

[Ben]

Holy crap that thing is quiet. I'm doing the manual recommended 30min break in, letting it run in the garage, and it's honestly not much louder- maybe even quieter, than my heat pump. I could see guys who do interior painting really digging one of these.

[charby]

"Two is one and one is none".

My father gave me this after a project he was working on.

https://www.californiaairtools.com/ultra-quiet-series-of-air-compressor-contractor-grade/1-0-hp-air-compressors/cat-5510a/

It lives in my basement, super quiet and runs a brad nailer just fine.

[K Frame]

So, you went from "I'll wait until I actually have a need to get it" to "It's in my garage doing the break in right now!" in 3 hours?

That must have been one hell of an urgent need... 

[Ben]

So, you went from "I'll wait until I actually have a need to get it" to "It's in my garage doing the break in right now!" in 3 hours?

That must have been one hell of an urgent need... 

 

I was actually referring to the big one. I have a need for an air compressor now. :)

[RocketMan]

Well, I didn't get the 29 gallon today. My fault for not reading the incredibly small fine print, but those stupid 25% off super coupons have all kinds of restrictions, one of them being "no compressors".

HF started adding those restrictions a while back, making their super coupons essentially worthless.  They're only good for unbranded nickel and dime items for the most part.  Disappointing.

[K Frame]

"They're only good for unbranded nickel and dime items for the most part.  Disappointing."

Yep, had an employee tell me essentially that last time I was into one of their stores. I got the impression that the term she wanted to use for the coupons was... "sucker magnet."

Still bought a bunch of crap that I needed, though. Just not want I wanted.

[RocketMan]

There was a time when the HF coupons were not so limited.  I used them to purchase some big ticket items like a chipper/shredder and a gas powered post hole digger.  Too bad they have changed their policy.

[Ben]

Thread necro.

Well, it took this long before I finally broke down and bought the bigger compressor. The little Fortress was starting to annoy me on keeping up for stuff I needed longer trigger time on, like blowing out my tractor air filter, and I finally need to put air in the back tires of the tractor, so...

When this topic started, I had every intention of getting the 29 gallon Harbor Freight one, but since then with the Chinese infecting us with the beer virus, I guess we all decided we're not buying HF Chinese stuff anymore, so I spent $100 more today to get a USA DeWalt 30 gallon which was on sale at Tractor Supply. It's similar to the HF one, except 1.6HP instead of 2HP, and 0.5 less on the CFM. It looks well-built and the belt drive compressor is quiet. With the 1.6HP, I might be able to get away with using it at 15amp outlets if I move it around, though I have it placed in my shop at a 20 amp outlet.

So far my only nits to pick are that I'm not crazy about the pressure adjustment valve, and I HATE the location of the drain valve. There's literally like an inch between it and the ground. I had to put the compressor on blocks to get my hand in there to work the valve. I'll have to look into a remote like Dogmush mentions he has for his, because this is UNSAT.

Otherwise it looks good, but time will tell. :)

[zahc]

I actually finally just got over myself and bought a 5 gallon "quiet" compressor. So I'm sure it's going to be lame but I'm also sure that it will fit my space and my budget snd it will be better than no compressor at all.

[Jim147]

I have an 80 gallon in the shop. I have a portable twin tank contractor if I need to do something at the house. It over 100 yards and I don't have enough hose. Then I have a couple 12 volt that ride in the car an truck.

If I had to just have one it would be the 80 gallon and I would buy more hose.

[AZRedhawk44]

About a year and a half ago I got a Quincy 2HP 26 gallon belt drive cast iron unit.  It has been quite a beast.  I got it when my 19 gallon Husky Home Depot oil-less unit failed on me.

I drive rivnuts with it, or pull out the angle grinder or metal shears with it, and it keeps up.  Same with the plasma cutter.  I've never converted it to run on 240v, but it does monopolize a circuit on 120v.

I do have a cheap HF red compressor in the garage for menial tire pressure check stuff, but depending on the vehicle and how much air I need, it's actually faster to wheel the Quincy from the workshop to the garage, let it pressurize, and air up with it, rather than waiting for the little hot dog tank HF 2 gallon unit to do the same job.  For the Jeep's big tires, if they're below about 30psi, it's worth it to drag the Quincy over.  For the Subaru or the motorcycles, the HF is more convenient.

I converted the old 19 gallon Husky into an air reservoir tank, if I have any really long winded jobs I will pressurize 45 gallons.

That DeWalt looks identical to the Northern Tool house brand option in that size, as well as the Campbell-Hausfeld.  I was considering that design but noted that the Quincy has about a 30% higher CFM rating and could still run on 120v.  The Husky I had claimed a 4.1CFM rate and I was ALWAYS waiting on it, so a choice between 7.4 (Quincy) and 5.7 (Northstar/DeWalt/etc) came down to being willing to pay a bit more to be less annoyed by pump lag.

[zahc]

I used to have one of the 2gal HF noisemakers for filling up tires. I finally replaced it with this thing, which I bought for $40, and it's literally faster than the HF "compressor" was.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H3LP4LL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_O2CFFbJFR2R5K

[AZRedhawk44]

Yeah, the tiny HF stuff are barely better than toys, on par with the CFM flow of some of the 18v cordless compressors coming out nowadays.

I replaced my hot water heater this weekend, and just for shits and grins I wanted to yank the sacrificial anode from it to see what it looked like.  I had never checked one before and pretty sure this tank would have lasted longer had I been better about that, though it has lasted 9+ years anyways.  I figured it'd be a quick job for a 1/2" impact to get it out and tried the HF compressor first.  I had output at 100psi at the regulator but the impact sucked it out of air almost instantly and couldn't get enough oomph on the bolt to move it.  I had to roll the Quincy out.  Same psi at the regulator, but far longer sustain on the trigger.

Anode was nonexistent.  Just a nub.

[K Frame]

Did you replace your hot water heater with a cold water heater? 

I keep meaning to pull my anode... I put the water heater in 3 or so years ago... My guess is that it's now probably too late to get it broken loose without shattering the liner, so I may be done for.

[AZRedhawk44]

Did you replace your hot water heater with a cold water heater? 

Yeah, I guess it is redundant.  Or even more accurately described as a cold water heater.

Went from 4500w elements to 5500w, and 40gal to 50gal.  If it still can't keep up with our needs, I'll probably burn floppies under it for that extra boost.

[K Frame]

I'm single, but I've always installed 50-gallon water heaters. I want to be able to take a really long shower...

Generally the larger the water heater, the more efficient it is, as well, at least with electrics.

I really would like a gas water heater for its recovery time and its efficiency, but with no gas service and no where to put propane bottles, that's a problem.

[Ben]

I'm single, but I've always installed 50-gallon water heaters. I want to be able to take a really long shower...

Generally the larger the water heater, the more efficient it is, as well, at least with electrics.

I really would like a gas water heater for its recovery time and its efficiency, but with no gas service and no where to put propane bottles, that's a problem.

The electric water heater here is 80 gallons (former owners were Mormon). My understanding is that electric water heaters can last much longer than gas water heaters. This is my first electric heater.

[K Frame]

"My understanding is that electric water heaters can last much longer than gas water heaters."

In theory, yes, but ONLY if the sacrificial anode is changed out regularly, which virtually never happens.

In my experience, their longevity is comparable.

A lot of gas water heaters, at least in the past, didn't have anodes. They didn't really need them the same way electric models need them, but now that more gas water heaters have electrical hookups to control the gas valves and ignition (and exhaust of combustion gasses), it's a different story.

[zxcvbob]

I got my little Porter Cable compressor out a few days ago to help a neighbor air up a flat tire.  It was about 20 degrees out and when I tried to straighten out the hose it broke.  I knew it would probably do that if it was -20, but this wasn't all that cold (I was in shorts, flip flops, and a tee shirt with a thin down vest over it :D)  Rather than try to find a long rubber air hose and drag it out, I got the bicycle pump and used that.

I brought the broken hose in the house, and when it warmed up it was flexible again.  If I could crimp the fittings I might cut the broken ends off (both ends broke) and recrimp them to use in the summer.

I've ordered a 10 foot (would rather have a 15) 3/8" rubber air hose with 1/4" fittings.  Now I need type M couplers because the fittings on the old hose are crimped on, not threaded.  I'm taking the tire chuck with me to the store so I don't get the wrong kind.  Are genuine Milton fittings any better than Harbor Freight knock-offs?  I've also seen no-name fittings at Home Depot that looked good.