1. Air compressor grades
Compressors come invarious grades based on capacity and applications. You need to be aware of them! Consumer grade compressors are for the house or a small garage workshop,and can handle low pressures, mostly using a single tool at a time. Contractor Grade compressors are portable, sometimes wheeled, or can be mounted on a cart or small vehicle and will enable use of small tools on work-sites, like nail-guns and road side repair tools. Commercial air compressors provide as teady supply of compressed air, are heavy duty, and have more detailedfeatures. These compressors can power multiple tools at higher pressure continuously and are used in industries, right from factory shop floors to oilrigs and ships.
2. Type of compressor: Single or two stages ?
Single-stage air compressors are low capacity and the smaller models can be moved manually. These are for applications like air brushing, for small shops and homes. They have varying capacities and may also include a small storage tank for compressed air in larger models.
Two-stage air compressors are for garages and manufacturing facilities and can provide enough power to simultaneously run several air tools. These models compress the air twice,have storage tanks, and are therefore priced higher.Tank sizes can go up to 200 gallons and beyond, and hold a lot of compressed air, which lets you reduce the input power consumption.
3. Capacity and delivery of the air compressor
Your air compressor’s capacity and delivery will depend on these factors:
PSI – Pounds per Square Inch: A higher PSI is more compressed air for a given tank size.
CFM –The amount of airdelivery possible in Cubic Feet per Minute. A higher CFM is more practical when the number of tools being used increase.
HP–The amount of power produced by the compressor motor. A higher horse power produces greater PSI.
Tank Size: A larger tank size will hold a higher PSI for longer durations of time. You must check these specifications carefully when comparing models.
4. Rotary screw or piston compressors?
Piston air compressor is most common in the automotive service industry,and will generally supply a lower air output delivery, as well as lower air quality. These also generate more noise and operate at higher temperatures. They may require more maintenance for a given duty cycle. They also consume comparatively more power for a given output. Choose a rotary screw compressor for more reliability, better quality air, lower energy cost and lesser maintenance. In the long run these will compensate forany additional costs.
5. Power source of the air compressor
Electric air compressors are very common,quieter and can be used where there is a regular electricity supply, and inplaces where ventilation is a consideration. However, they tend to be less powerful compared to fossil-fuel driven compressors, and have constraintsin outdoor use. Large capacity electricity driven air compressors will need a 400V or 3 phase supply transformer. These would, then, not be portable units.
A petrol engine drivenair compressor would belighter, quieter and less expensive to buy than its diesel driven counterpart,while providing more control over its engine. However they do not outputsimilar torque or power than an equally rated diesel alternative, and havehigher running costs including maintenance.
Diesel air compressors are movable, work in adverse weather conditions outdoors, and are more powerful and heavy duty. Their robust natureand lower fuel cost and maintenance compensate for the higher initial cost. The disadvantages are more noise and toxicity of exhaust fumes.
6. Choosing the right air compressor manufacturer and supplier
While there are many manufacturers, your new compressor will need to be reliable, and through its service life it requires good support to keep it functioning optimally.
Here the choice narrows down to a manufacturer with a long standing in the business and reliability of their machines. A good manufacturing process entails the use of higher quality materials, and greater attention to detail and design which payback the slightly increased initial cost in the designed service life of your compressor. Along with this, finding and entrusting shipping and local support to a dependable supplier takes additional worries off your back!
We know that purchasing the right compressed air system is no simple task. Therefore we have an online consulting team will support and help you choose and make decision. You can easily compare a host of air compressors before making that final buy. We also have experts ready to answer your questions so you can have assistance throughout your purchase journey. In fact our confidence in our air compressor experts is so high, we have a 100% money back guarantee!
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