Need help choosing Air Compressor
#1
Need help choosing Air Compressor
I am in need of an air compressor to blow out my sprinkler lines, but am having trouble finding one with the following requirements:
Portable (preferably upright)
aprox. 10 CFM at 40 PSI (can only find 8.6 at sears and home depot)
120 volt
aprox. 5 or 6 HP and 25-30 Gal.
basically I was told I need a compressor with AT LEAST 10 CFM (anywhere from 10-25) to successfully blow out the lines. Was told I need to run compressor at 50 PSI or lower to avoid damaging the lines.
Will a compressor with 8.6 CFM do the job? I don't care if I need make 2 or more passes on each line, just want to be able to blow them out.
Thanks!!
Portable (preferably upright)
aprox. 10 CFM at 40 PSI (can only find 8.6 at sears and home depot)
120 volt
aprox. 5 or 6 HP and 25-30 Gal.
basically I was told I need a compressor with AT LEAST 10 CFM (anywhere from 10-25) to successfully blow out the lines. Was told I need to run compressor at 50 PSI or lower to avoid damaging the lines.
Will a compressor with 8.6 CFM do the job? I don't care if I need make 2 or more passes on each line, just want to be able to blow them out.
Thanks!!
#2
daronson:
I checked a catalogue that has compressors in the range you are looking for and all have the same 7 to 8 cfm@40 psi rating. The reason for this is the 100 psi that these units operate at can be used on a 15 amp 120 volt circuit.
The 8 cfm @ 40psi would be just fine for your needs.
If you check the rating on the sprinkler heads you may find that they can take much more that 50 psi.
What I would do is set the regulator to 50 psi untill air comes out of some nozzles and then reset the regulator to 100 psi and then blow it again.
As long as there is an open nozzle, the pressure in the line will be very low.
I have a couple of hundred feet of buried water line. I use 100 psi and then put in some environmently friendly anti-freeze for good measure.
Check this out as well.
www.jessstryker.com
I checked a catalogue that has compressors in the range you are looking for and all have the same 7 to 8 cfm@40 psi rating. The reason for this is the 100 psi that these units operate at can be used on a 15 amp 120 volt circuit.
The 8 cfm @ 40psi would be just fine for your needs.
If you check the rating on the sprinkler heads you may find that they can take much more that 50 psi.
What I would do is set the regulator to 50 psi untill air comes out of some nozzles and then reset the regulator to 100 psi and then blow it again.
As long as there is an open nozzle, the pressure in the line will be very low.
I have a couple of hundred feet of buried water line. I use 100 psi and then put in some environmently friendly anti-freeze for good measure.
Check this out as well.
www.jessstryker.com
#3
GregH,
Thanks for the advice. With all said, do you recommend any particular type of compressor? I understand the oil-free should be avoided. I will prob. buy one of the uprights at sears, but they have about 6 or 7 different models, but some don't list the CFM rating.
Thanks for the advice. With all said, do you recommend any particular type of compressor? I understand the oil-free should be avoided. I will prob. buy one of the uprights at sears, but they have about 6 or 7 different models, but some don't list the CFM rating.
#4
daronson:
You would be right to stay away from oilless.
Cast iron pumps are generally better.
Check out these discussions:
url]http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?threadid=91086&highlight=what+kind+of+compressor[/url]
http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...+of+compressor
http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...ht=compressors
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You would be right to stay away from oilless.
Cast iron pumps are generally better.
Check out these discussions:
url]http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?threadid=91086&highlight=what+kind+of+compressor[/url]
http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...+of+compressor
http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...ht=compressors
__________________