Air compressor question....

Bryan A. · #1 03-15-2006, 07:03 PM

I happen to be in posession of two air compressors. One 1.5 HP and 12 gallon tank. The other 3HP and 12 gallon tank. What do you guys think about making up a manifold out of black pipe and hooking them together. The pressure switches should shut them off at around 100psi right? I am sick of wating for the compressor to pump up while working. This should yield more capacity and I happen to have access to both. For a few fittings that should atleast double my capacity. Any opinions or suggestions would be apreciated.

#2 03-15-2006, 08:06 PM

Should work but it'll be twice as loud. Have you considered looking in a pawn shop or resale/fleamarket for a larger unit that will more suit or needs? Good luck.

paulfurnari · #3 03-15-2006, 08:42 PM

What are using it for that causes you to use so much air? If your spraying you should use an HVLP system with a turbine. There is less overspray, use less paint, and no compressor.-PF

hermco · #4 03-15-2006, 09:18 PM

The motor HP fills the tank. I would connect the two tanks and use the 3 HP motor to fill. You will then have a 24 gal tank with a 3 HP motor. It will take about twice as long to fill but you will end up with more cubic feet of compressed air. You cannot run any type of high cfm (cubic feet per minute) air tool besides a spray gun,nail gun or similar low cfm tool without at least an 80 gal tank and 5 hp motor. If you are trying to run air sanders you need to spend the $s on a bigger compressor.

Bryan A. · #5 03-15-2006, 09:57 PM

Just trying to make do with what I got for now. Mainly using die grinders for fabrication purposes, not so much constant use like sanding. I just happen to have the two compressors so I think I will try it. Does anyone think it will be a safety hazard. Thanks guys.

hermco · #6 03-15-2006, 10:32 PM

A die grinder uses a lot of air. I use them with a diamond wheel to trim my fiberglass parts. I think that as long as you connect the two tanks together and use the 3 HP motor to fill and set the regulator so as to not exceed the psi rating on the tanks you will have doubled the capacity.
Just my 2 cents!

mpwitte · #7 03-16-2006, 01:45 PM

Bryan,

Don't over engineer it. Just rig up a T fitting at the compressor outlets and connect them with a short piece of 1/2" air hose. You can even use standard quick couples. For limited use, it will work just fine. Adjust the auto switches to stage them so the larger one handles most of the load and the smaller one pulls in only if the pressure starts to drop too low.

You want to avoid connecting a hard pipe to any compressor if you can.

Mike.

alarie · #8 03-17-2006, 09:30 AM

We run 2 compressors in my shop and there are no problems doing what you suggest. We have a 7.5 HP and 15 HP hooked together, so we have a backup if necessary, but they are both on line and both motors run when demand is high (sometimes 4 air sanders running). As noted by others, the extra tank capacity will help, stage the motors so they come on at different pressures, and let it rip. We have them hard connected, but they are bolted to the floor. Keep the hoses big for connection if you do it that way.

I agree that if you really want to sand/grind, you need 80 gal and at least 7.5 HP to push it.

Good luck, but you should have no problems.
Peter

Bryan A. · #9 03-17-2006, 10:10 AM

Here is what I came up with, the beauty is it was made with parts on hand.

warthog5 · #10 03-17-2006, 06:31 PM

I have a 5hp 60gal that I wore out over the year's. I now have a 80gal 5hp and I have the 60gal tank setup so I I can open 2 ballvalves and bring the 60gal online with the 80gal. The motor and compressor on the 60gal has been disconnected.

I even installed an hour meter on this one.