Oil less compressors

th62

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I'm looking at buying a new compressor as mine is now 25 years old and a little small for my requirements now. I'd be looking at something with a 200lpm output and oil less.

Anybody have one, used one or has experience with them, pros and cons?
 
For home use, if you want oiless and quiet and not break the bank, look at California Air, they make a pretty nice machine, I would not buy one to run at max capacity for hours on end, but for home use within their capacity I think they are a fine machine. They are not in same category as the bargain stuff from HF and the big box stores. If you find yourself with an oil less machine and use it hard get a small muffin fan and mount it pointed at cylinder and head, keeps thing a lot cooler and will not add to noise.
 
I've had a 5hp for 15 years, still works fine. Have a bigger piston type. The big compressor makes more water - made a poor man air dryer which helps. The oil less types are loud. Depends what you are doing with it. Also have a small oil less pancake compressor for small nail guns - works great for that.
 
I would also suggest looking at a California Air compressor if you are looking for something quiet. They are built modular so you would need two compressors on one tank to get the output you require. Unfortunately oiless compressors are only good for around 2000-2500 hours, where an oil sump compressor will probably last 10X longer and be rebuildable. I have a Champion and am very happy with it, Quincy also makes a V4 economy upright compressor that generally gets very good reviews. I also have a Dewalt 27 Gal 200 PSI potable oiless compressor and it is way too loud. The Champion is a 175 PSI 2 stage compressor with an 80 Gallon tank.
https://www.ultraquietaircompressor...ltra-Quiet-Oil-Free-Compressor-CAT-20040C.htm
https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Quincy-2V41C60VC-Air-Compressor/p855.html
 
A buddy had an oilless years ago. Used it for airing up low tires, and very little more. It died, and he asked me to look at it. When I tore it down, I discovered how they 'work' with no oil- ball bearing for the crank to connecting rod joint, and zero, as in NO, wrist pin. Piston and con rod are one piece. The piston wobbles or tilts, following the angle of the conrod as it goes around with the crank. The 'rings', very loosely termed, looked like a piece of construction paper cupped around the top of the piston, and treated with some sort of lacquer? It screamed 'CHEAP' to me, and I have been advertising them as such since then. Personally, I would not spend $20 on one.
 
I thought the oil less compressors were quiet, they are advertised as quiet. Looking at them they appear to be a diaphragm pump, hence the smaller size??? Rather than being small some are rated at 330lpm.
 
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In my experience true oil less compressors are only meant for intermittent use why do you need an oil less unit? Get a proper compressor and set up a decent oil trap.
 
Many years ago I bought an oil-less. The best thing about it turned out to be how noisy it was. My wife hated it and forced me to buy a much quieter 5hp, 80gal vertical that has served me well for the last 20 years. An oil change and input airfilter change every so often being the only maintenance required. It is in the basement and plugged in 24x7x365. Don't notice when it is running any more than the washing machine next to it.

Well worth the investment.
 
Find an air tank and build one:
https://www.amazon.com/Baldor-L1430...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NV7HM17AB96WC5Z5J5VX or https://www.surpluscenter.com/Air-P...0-RPM-Leeson-Air-Compressor-Motor-10-2530.axd for even less.
and https://www.eatoncompressor.com/bare-pumps/18-cfm-air-compressor-pump.Cast iron cylinders, up to 50,000 hours life,5 yr warranty.
I did this and besides saving money you get the best motor(baldor) and compressor head. Slow moving so it is quiet and reduces wear. Put synthetic oil in the sump.
A 5 hp champion is about $2600, and comes with ODP no name electric motor.
 
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