Lower Decibel Air Compressor
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New User
Joined: Jul 2003
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Lower Decibel Air Compressor
Fein makes a Shop Vac with vast improvement in sound level from a typical Vac. You can easily carry on a conversation with it running right next to you. Has anyone found an air compressor with a lower noise level than the typical 89 db rating of a Sears Craftsman or similar?
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
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Lower Decibel Air Compressor
Almost every manufacturer or distributor has belt drive units. The oilless compressors are usually cheapo units where the motor and pump are all joined together as a unit.
This is a belt driven unit:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...tegoryId=90143
This is a oilless unit:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...tegoryId=90143
This is a belt driven unit:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...tegoryId=90143
This is a oilless unit:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...tegoryId=90143
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Tottenham Ontario Canada
Lower Decibel Air Compressor
If the compressor is a stationary unit & you can plumb the air intake outside, you will cut down on the compressor noise considerably. Just make sure the piping is sized generously so you don't starve the compressor & if you use hose, make sure it's heavy enough wall so it doesn't suck flat in the vacuum.
If you really have too much time on your hands, you can crunch some numbers and build a small velocity stack for it. A buddy of mine did this. He didn't actually do any math, but he built an intake that both made the air compressor quieter and reduced it's recovery time. And it looked cool to have a small open-element air filter perched on top of the pipe.
Cheers,
Eric
If you really have too much time on your hands, you can crunch some numbers and build a small velocity stack for it. A buddy of mine did this. He didn't actually do any math, but he built an intake that both made the air compressor quieter and reduced it's recovery time. And it looked cool to have a small open-element air filter perched on top of the pipe.
Cheers,
Eric
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: East Coast
Lower Decibel Air Compressor
I agree. I have two craftsman compressors, my year old one is the oilless kind and I can't stand the noise, my other 20 year old one is belt drive and is downright quiet compaired to the new one. I don't think the new one will last 20 years, but I think the old one will last 20 more.
And if not, you can replace individual components.
And if not, you can replace individual components.
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Posting Legend
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Lower Decibel Air Compressor
Watch out for annoying the neighbors if you live in an urban environment and you put a compressor outside...
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2003
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Lower Decibel Air Compressor
I took a used Kenworth compressor pump, pulleyed it to a 1/2 hp motor ans mounted it in my garage rafters then ran a line and switch down to my tank ( an old LP tank ). Quietest compressor you will ever hear. Those truck ones are engineered to be quiet.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,157
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From: Central Kali
Lower Decibel Air Compressor
Important tip. The tank should be tested every so often. You can do this yourself by completely filling with water then using a grease gun to pressurize it. I don't remember the amount and I am not going to guess here. You can also get it done at a shop. I read a story about a guy that had a tank go. It blew a hole thru his wall. 
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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Lower Decibel Air Compressor
You are not testing for leaks with that test, you aree checking for structural integrity. Pressure testing is very important on an air tank. If a seam rusts out and splits the result can be just like a bomb explosion.
Other pressure tanks do not have the corrosion allowance that is built into an ASME certified tank design.
Other pressure tanks do not have the corrosion allowance that is built into an ASME certified tank design.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2003
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Lower Decibel Air Compressor
But you must realize, air tanks air designed to hold 300lbs of pressure. A grease gun can easily generate 3500lbs of pressure. I guess it could serve a purpose I've just never seen one do anything more than leak let alone explode like a bomb with only 150lbs of pressure and I have worked in a welding shop for 22 years now. I certainly wouldn't put more than 300 lbs with this test . I would rather see it come apart with water in it than air though.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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Lower Decibel Air Compressor
When a tank is pressure tested it is done with a gage and full of liquid. Even tho a grease gun can put out that kind of pressure you always watch the gage and bring it up to test pressure slowly. I do not know what the test pressure is for a given air tank tho. Some are designed for a lower working pressure than 300.
They do explode sometimes, there was a user in another thread here recently that said something about one blowing up somewhere. Usually they just die of pinhole rust thru leaks.
They do explode sometimes, there was a user in another thread here recently that said something about one blowing up somewhere. Usually they just die of pinhole rust thru leaks.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Penn Valley
Lower Decibel Air Compressor
The reason they don't generally explode is that once they pinhole, they no longer hold air and so they get junked. I have been around the block a few times where every action is scrutinized for OSHA violations and anything else that might cause anything more serious than a stubbed toe but I don't think I have ever seen a recommendation to hydro air tanks.
Birken
Birken