Air compressor question

billybob535

CJ-6 Junkie
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Location
Shallotte NC
I am looking at buying a used air compressor. It has a gas engine on it and it is rated at 5.5 hp and 12CFM@100psi. I have never used a gas powered compressor. Does it have some sort of clutch that kicks out when the tank reaches the preset pressure or does it kill the motor somehow? It has 2 small tanks under it but I would hook it to a 50-60 gallon tank. Will a compressor like that be able to handle a 50-60 gallon tank?

I intend to run air tools with it for now but I may try and spray paint with it. Will this handle spraying paint?

Its a Titan TAC-2t if that help any.

Thanks

Bob
 
All compressors should have a pressure switch, that will stop the compressor from running, in some fashion. Usually a clutch on the compressor. The engine, will keep running, some will idle down, until the switch calls for the compressor to kick back in. Most will cycle between 90-120. There should be a pressure pop off valve, in the system, just to be sure nothing blows up. It will release the pressure at a higher setting; something like 130psi. Just depends on what the safety limit of the tanks are. One your looking at, is a high pressure/low volume, unit. IE> small tanks.
But that engine & output, I think, should work well on larger tanks. Air tools take a lot of volume,=large tank. Compressor may actually have to run less, once it gets that BIG tank filled.
 
Cool. Thanks for the info. I picked up the compressor used for $50 because it has a small hole in one of the tanks. I am going to have it welded up somewhere and I should be all set. I have a line on a used 50 gallon tank for it to feed.

Bob
 
I picked up a tank last night. Its a converted steel propane tank. Its like what you would run a gas grill off of but its about 3' tall. I think they used these on old campers. Is it ok to use these for compressed air @125 psi?
 
Cool thanks. I am going to start a new thread to see if I can find someone close by to weld up the tiny hole in the compressor tank and I will just use that until I am ready to paint.
 
I use a dual tank portable gas power compressor daily in my work van (fork lift tech)

some applications are a little long winded for it, but I make do ( get paid by the hour ) larger lug nuts and bolt loosening takes some doing, and many compressor cycles, but very few that I haven't been able to break loose.

I've had them running ( pumping ) so long the air hose and the blow gun wand are pretty damn hot to the touch and they still perform decently.

a few of our guys have fragged pumps, but they were older more worn and probably didn't keep check of the pump oil ( I think I'm the only tech that actually carries compressor oil on the van )
mine is just your basic Hitachi you buy at Lowe's with Honda engine ( a must as far as I'm concerned ) works well for my needs

as for running and pumping, if it's pumping to at least 125psi, and it goes to idle when it gets there, then start pumping again about 95psi, leave the unloader valve alone.

as you've found by now probably, the unloader bleeds air when engine is at idle, then opens throttle and closes to allow pump to refill tanks.

if working, it's pretty automatic and seamless, if not, it can be a PITA
should be a little flip lever on unloader to put engine to idle and bleed air, also allows you to start engine when tanks have pressure on them. ( flip straight for idle/bleed flip sideways for run/pump ) I've seen those broken off as well, kind of a pain to start engine when there is pressure on tanks and you can't unload.
 
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