Air compressor question
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Fergus Falls, MN
Air compressor question
I want to get a big compressor but I don't really have the room in my shop. I was thinking about putting it in the unheated part of my garage and running pipe to the heated side. That way I can plug in a hose and go. Will it work in in sub freezing tempatures in the winter time? I live in Minnesota and -25 to -35 for night time winter temps is not that uncommon.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 792
Likes: 3
From: Sandy Run SC
My guess would be that it would not be the best. I think that after you ran it and it heated and cooled down it is like a car engine and a small amount of moisture would condense inside. That would freeze and cause trouble at those temps. Just my thought, nothing to back me up. I thought at those temps you would need a crankcase heater even in you car engine. I live in the south so I am not familar with extreme cold. That would be anything under 20F for me.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
I have my compressor in a shed, just out side of the shop. Air lines are run to various quick disconnects around the shop. Very, very handy. No problems down to 10* F.
Insulate the shed. As long as your air feed line, from the compressor goes down hill into the shop and your water trap is inside the shop, and you drained the tank when finished for the day, there wouldn't be anything to freeze. Since compressing air creates heat, the compressor itself would probably create enough heat to prevent freezing while in use.
Good luck
Insulate the shed. As long as your air feed line, from the compressor goes down hill into the shop and your water trap is inside the shop, and you drained the tank when finished for the day, there wouldn't be anything to freeze. Since compressing air creates heat, the compressor itself would probably create enough heat to prevent freezing while in use.
Good luck
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 3
From: Sapulpa OK
First consult your owners manual but be careful what weight oil you use. In the winter i would use a 5 wt. Most compressors are splash lubricated and normal compressor oil will not splash at much below 30°. And condensate freezing can be a problem. Drain your tank often.
