Direct or belt drive air compressor?

[exmoor dave]

I've gone and blown up sheep handler compressor......It may have been abit under spec'd

New one has to be a 10 bar jobby, which limits the choice abit.

Narrowed it down to a couple models

One is a direct drive V-twin

The other is a belt drive twin cylinder.


Is there much difference between the two types? Pros/cons?


The job it's needed for is quite demanding and often 4/5 hours working at a time.

Also is it worth going for a 100lt tank over a 50lt tank, for about 1/3 more money?

 

[Hard Graft]

Belt drive but what size was the pump and motor on the old one as it sounds as it was too small

Belt is quieter and if the pump or motor go they can be replaced Were direct is harder to get parts too

 

[exmoor dave]

Belt drive but what size was the pump and motor on the old one as it sounds as it was too small

Belt is quieter and if the pump or motor go they can be replaced Were direct is harder to get parts too

The old one was a upright tank, oil-less motor type, it wasnt very good full stop, very rattley, shook it's self to pieces.
10 bar max, 50lt tank, but only 8cfm when the minimum I needed was 12cfm......its just what I had around so used it.....it lasted over a year mind

 

[f0ster]

with the amount of hours you are running it you need to go for cfm rather than tank capacity, If it is having to supply on a continuous basis with out a break then pump size is more important to you. I have just got a direct V twin and it supplies air quite fast. not sure of the cfm.

 

[Courier]

What is your power supply, can you have 3 phase on the compressor ?
I would always go for twin belt drive if I had a choice,but do spend time making sure that the pulleys are in line and adequately tensioned. Keep a spare matched set on a peg near the compressor and if you haven't needed them before then change the belts every 29th of February.

With compressors bigger IS better both in cfm and receiver capacity - aim for a cfm of twice or at least 1.5 times the max requirement.

 

[bravheart]

Isn't it the free air delivery that's the important bit on a compressor spec.

 

[exmoor dave]

What is your power supply, can you have 3 phase on the compressor ?
I would always go for twin belt drive if I had a choice,but do spend time making sure that the pulleys are in line and adequately tensioned. Keep a spare matched set on a peg near the compressor and if you haven't needed them before then change the belts every 29th of February.

With compressors bigger IS better both in cfm and receiver capacity - aim for a cfm of twice or at least 1.5 times the max requirement.

No unfortunately just 240v.

In this case cfm and max working pressure (145 psi) and restart cut in (100 psi) are most important.........doesn't help much when a machine is advertised as 10 bar. .....then in the customer comments it's only a 8 bar

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

The old one was a upright tank, oil-less motor type, it wasnt very good full stop, very rattley, shook it's self to pieces.
10 bar max, 50lt tank, but only 8cfm when the minimum I needed was 12cfm......its just what I had around so used it.....it lasted over a year mind

An oil-less unit will not last on continuous duty cycle jobs. They're fine for small intermittent jobs or where space is tight.

Otherwise you need something heavier duty, a traditional oil lubricated, twin piston job, belt driven from a 3 or 4 hp motor (probably the most you'll be able to run on single phase) will be simple and tough - should be just enough air to meet your demand.

There's generally a tradeoff with pressure and volume for a given pump, you can have more of one but less of the other.

 

[bovrill]

Is it worth looking at a 2nd hand roadworks hydrovane? It'll probably be cheaper than a big workshop compressor, and they're designed to run all day.

 

[joe soapy]

Big compressor and small tank, add on a couple of --------- cylinders to give volumn.
That way you can have a quick tank full of air for small jobs or a high volumn for bigger jobs.
I find it frustrating to wait for pressure build up if i only want to pump up a ifor tyre

 

[bravheart]

Isn't it the free air delivery that's the important bit on a compressor spec.

Found this link might explain it a bit.
www.airsupplies.co.uk/cfm-explained

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Not sure what your budget is @exmoor dave?

If you need a big single-phase beast, this triple-piston cast iron pump 18 cfm Clarke XET19/200 would be one of the larger 4hp single phase units on the market for £470 + VAT. Need a big power supply though.

https://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-435404/clarke-xet19-200-o-l-air-compressor-230v.html

There are smaller 3hp models with lower capacity, for less money.

 

[mo!]

What about a Honda powered unit?

 

[exmoor dave]

Not sure what your budget is @exmoor dave?

If you need a big single-phase beast, this triple-piston cast iron pump 18 cfm Clarke XET19/200 would be one of the larger 4hp single phase units on the market for £470 + VAT. Need a big power supply though.

https://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-435404/clarke-xet19-200-o-l-air-compressor-230v.html

There are smaller 3hp models with lower capacity, for less money.

I was thinking £300, can get a belt driven 3hp 14cfm 90lt wolf air for that......will it last.....probably not.

Thanks for the link, there's a couple round the £400 mark that look suitable.
Think 100lt is really going to be tank size limit as I may have to move it around if I ever get round to using the sheep handler away from the yard.
Belt drive looks the way to go in terms of noise, bit of research suggests they aren't such a harsh noise.
3hp is going to the the limit on the motor as the yard buildings electric isn't very good.

 

[exmoor dave]

What about a Honda powered unit?

I'd rather stick to electric as I've got to have electric to the handler anyway

 

[joe soapy]

try the welder guy, jonathan, he does compressors , he might even throw in a plasma.
just had his jasic welder arrive, first try seems good

 

[Courier]

I was thinking £300, can get a belt driven 3hp 14cfm 90lt wolf air for that......will it last.....probably not.

Thanks for the link, there's a couple round the £400 mark that look suitable.
Think 100lt is really going to be tank size limit as I may have to move it around if I ever get round to using the sheep handler away from the yard.
Belt drive looks the way to go in terms of noise, bit of research suggests they aren't such a harsh noise.
3hp is going to the the limit on the motor as the yard buildings electric isn't very good.

If you are running this on an extension then make sure it is at least 2.5 mm2 to minimise voltage drop. If there is any way you could make it a ring main (2x2.5mm2) or a 4mm2 supply then so much the better. If it has trouble starting you may need an electrician to fit some sort of soft-start system [emoji848]

 

[Courier]

I was thinking £300, can get a belt driven 3hp 14cfm 90lt wolf air for that......will it last.....probably not.

Thanks for the link, there's a couple round the £400 mark that look suitable.
Think 100lt is really going to be tank size limit as I may have to move it around if I ever get round to using the sheep handler away from the yard.
Belt drive looks the way to go in terms of noise, bit of research suggests they aren't such a harsh noise.
3hp is going to the the limit on the motor as the yard buildings electric isn't very good.

If you are running this on an extension then make sure it is at least 2.5 mm2 to minimise voltage drop. If there is any way you could make it a ring main (2x2.5mm2) or a 4mm2 supply then so much the better. If it has trouble starting you may need an electrician to fit some sort of soft-start system [emoji848]

 

[exmoor dave]

If you are running this on an extension then make sure it is at least 2.5 mm2 to minimise voltage drop. If there is any way you could make it a ring main (2x2.5mm2) or a 4mm2 supply then so much the better. If it has trouble starting you may need an electrician to fit some sort of soft-start system [emoji848]

Will probably be on a 15m extension,
got a few 2.5mm leads about with RCDs.