What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Anybody got an idea on this compressor?

Good one. Buy it and have fun. Keep it clean, drain regularly,watch the oil and you will easy get your money back after your project is completed.

added: it would be useful to modify drain valve a bit. Put a 90 degree elbow and couple of nipples with quick ball valve.
 
Last edited:
Make sure what you're getting

I was about to buy a "cast iron" model from Lowes, but when a magnet I took to the store with me didn't stick to the pump housing, I passed.
 
captainron said:
I was about to buy a "cast iron" model from Lowes, but when a magnet I took to the store with me didn't stick to the pump housing, I passed.
Click to expand...

So now you've got me checking mine (Kobalt from Lowes). It does say cast iron pump on it. It appears that the crankcase is possibly aluminum, as well as the cylinder head, as the magnet doesn't stick. The cylinder casing and fins are cast iron, as the magnet sticks all over. However, I've had this one for around four years; it did a great job of painting the plane, and still works fine.

L.Adamson
 
When I was shopping a few months ago the local Lowe's had a Kobalt branded one with better specs than the CH model, and it was cheaper. They also took 10% off because it was a 'floor model'....I didn't protest. I think the prices were $429 (before discount) vs $449 for the CH. The Lowe's had slightly higher CFM I believe and filled to 155psi. They had two of the Kobalt models on the floor, one was stamped Campbell Hausfeld, the other was stamped Sanborn (now bought out by CH). I read mostly bad things about the competitor made by Craftsman.

One thing to factor in with both of them is that unlike most other compressors in this price range, these do not come with a regulator.
 
L.Adamson said:
So now you've got me checking mine (Kobalt from Lowes). It does say cast iron pump on it. It appears that the crankcase is possibly aluminum, as well as the cylinder head, as the magnet doesn't stick. The cylinder casing and fins are cast iron, as the magnet sticks all over. However, I've had this one for around four years; it did a great job of painting the plane, and still works fine.

L.Adamson
Click to expand...

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with aluminum or more likely, mystery-metal pumps, but when they advertise "cast-iron pump" then it should be so! If Grainger says their compressor pumps are cast-iron, it's a safe bet that the entire pump is cast-iron! JMHO
 
FLYPTV said:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=102750-1126-VT6275&lpage=none

Building in the garage, needs to be quiet and cool. . . planning on a slow build.

Whats the opinion on this?
Click to expand...

I have this compressor. It has done me well. I was expecting it to be more quiet than it is. definably more quiet than an oil less. I can not hold a conversation with somebody when running in my two car garage. I also have a 20 gallon Sanborn which is very very quiet.
 
A significant amount of the noise is from the intake air. Move the intake through the wall by either purchasing an air filter kit ( Graingers, etc. ) or mount the one you have outside. The actual pumping noise is not all that great.
A plus side is you don't have to worry what the compressor is ingesting while painting.
 
Gary Bricker

Can you convert the motor to 120. Are you ok with 220. I like 220 because it doesn't draw as many amps.
 
Gary is right, but there's more

Gary Bricker said:
Can you convert the motor to 120. Are you ok with 220. I like 220 because it doesn't draw as many amps.
Click to expand...

Actually when you "convert" the motor to 220 by connecting the motor leads in a different configuration you will use (for all practical purposes) the same amount of power (=watts)!

For instance a motor wired for 110 volts draws 15 amps. When wired for 220 volts it will now "draw" about 7.5 amps. This sounds good and allows the use of smaller wire sizes. However, 220 is actually just two 110 hot legs. You'll "draw" 7.5 amps on EACH leg for a total of 15 amps. Your electric bill will be for all practical purposes identical.

I know, this seems to defy "Ohms Law" but it doesn't really.
On the 110 circuit you have only one hot leg and one neutral leg.
The neutral leg is just a path to ground. You pay for the 15 amps on the one hot leg.

Mark
 
I listed my 220 volt compressor on here a while back and I still have it. If somebody can tell me how to find the ad it would save me the trouble of recalling all the particulars. It puts out a ton of CFM and I'll sell it for a whole lot less than the $400 that new ones cost.
 
I bought a 60 gal compressor at Lowes. I'd be very carefull to understand what you are really buying.

I had trouble with mine, and the manufacturer NU Air USA (formally ABAC America) wouldn't do a thing to fix poor workmanship.

Check out my blog entry out before you buy, and understand who is the manufacturer.
 
Gary Bricker said:
Can you convert the motor to 120. Are you ok with 220. I like 220 because it doesn't draw as many amps.
Click to expand...

TRUE, But you buy your power by watts, so it's a wash.............:eek:

and then I read post 11................ oh well.........
 
Last edited:
Direct drive vs. belt drive

I've heard reports that direct drive compressors are significantly noisier than belt drive compressors. Mine's a belt drive and is quiet enough that when it's running in the basement, the slight thrumming that can be heard upstairs (2nd floor) doesn't wake the wife up.

However, running the rivet gun at 2:00am does wake the wife up. :eek:
 
like most good tools

spend a few dollars more and you'll never regret it!

ingersol rand ss3

its a "real" 100% duty rated compressor.

For the extra 150-200 bucks you'll never own another compressor.
 
RyanM said:
I bought a 60 gal compressor at Lowes. I'd be very carefull to understand what you are really buying.

I had trouble with mine, and the manufacturer NU Air USA (formally ABAC America) wouldn't do a thing to fix poor workmanship.

Check out my blog entry out before you buy, and understand who is the manufacturer.
Click to expand...

Won't Lowes help you out at all? Sadly in this age, there are few products that are made "like they used to". Cheap steel and iron of unknown origins, not properly heat-treated, shoddily assembled.......
It's either find industrial quality stuff at a much higher price, or accept the cheap stuff you know isn't going to last. I don't know what Lowes' return policy is, but some places are better than others ( Sears, Costco, etc.).
I bought a Craftsman Professional compressor that normally sells for $469 for $249 after all the floor model, Craftsman club, etc. discounts and am very happy with it. It's very quiet, can run on either 115 or 230 and seems to be holding up well. I have an accumulator (spare air tank) plumbed into the system so the compressor starts much less frequently.
BTW, this compressor's pump is all aluminum or mystery-metal construction.
 
An over the top assumption

RyanM said:
I bought a 60 gal compressor at Lowes. I'd be very carefull to understand what you are really buying.

I had trouble with mine, and the manufacturer NU Air USA (formally ABAC America) wouldn't do a thing to fix poor workmanship.

Check out my blog entry out before you buy, and understand who is the manufacturer.
Click to expand...

I just read your blog..................and you certainly seem to over generalize; by using statements such as the moral of of story-----------is that all compressors from Lowes are junk, and consist of poor workmanship. And that's especially over the top........when it only involves a pulley key that caused the damage.

Mine has given excellent service for around four years, and a friend has the same.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
220 versus 110 volts

220 versus 110 - 220 WILL save a little electricity because less heat is lost in the wiring. Having installed many motors, the same motor running 220 versus 110 always lasts longer with 220. Common sense dictates that using TWO wires to provide the required wattage will emit less heat (lost energy) than one wire containing the same load.

Second, if you plan to paint with an HVLP gun, the unit will prove adequate. If you plan to do a lot of bead blasting, you'll need patience or you can attach a second compressor (no tank) for those occasions where more cfm is needed. I wired a second compressor using a separate relay and electric source that's triggered off the compressor's on/off switch. 98% of the time, the low output second compressor was all we needed to build my 9A.

If you install the garage air lines properly (there's lots of designs on the internet), you will remove most of the water before it arrives at the water filters EVERY system should include. I paint in my shop and use all kinds of air tools. Plan to include water removal filters and all of your tools will last longer.

Barry
Tucson
 
L.Adamson said:
I just read your blog..................and you certainly seem to over generalize; by using statements such as the moral of of story-----------is that all compressors from Lowes are junk, and consist of poor workmanship. And that's especially over the top........when it only involves a pulley key that caused the damage.

Mine has given excellent service for around four years, and a friend has the same.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
Click to expand...

I'm glad you had better luck with yours than I did. Dollar per CFM, you can't beat the compressors at the lowes & home depot. BUT, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't buy one again. Personally, I'd rather have spent 2x as much as I did and buy something that will last 20-30 years (perhaps Ingersoll Rand or Qunicy), not two years. You are correct it was "only" a pulley key, but that key ruined the motor and pulley - It isn't just a $3 fix.

The biggest part of the problem with the compressors is the fact that even though it may be labeled Kobalt or Huskey it more than likely is manufactured by some other 3rd party, which may or may not be still in business - and that is who is going to support the warranty if something goes wrong. My warning to the original poster and others is to give them this insight, so they can see who really manufactured the compressor they are interested in purchasing.

I apologize if you do not like my communication style.
 
Mark Burns said:
Actually when you "convert" the motor to 220 by connecting the motor leads in a different configuration you will use (for all practical purposes) the same amount of power (=watts)!
Mark
Click to expand...

Yup. Shoulda stopped there. :D

For instance a motor wired for 110 volts draws 15 amps. When wired for 220 volts it will now "draw" about 7.5 amps. This sounds good and allows the use of smaller wire sizes. However, 220 is actually just two 110 hot legs. You'll "draw" 7.5 amps on EACH leg for a total of 15 amps. Your electric bill will be for all practical purposes identical.
Click to expand...

Not quite. The total is 7.5 amps. Period. Amperage through a series circuit is the same everywhere. The current path is from hot leg to hot leg, with no current in the neutral leg, as there would be with 110 volt circuits.
The electric bill will be identical, as you are charged for watts.

Just being fussy ... :rolleyes:
 
I like mine

I have the same model. Home Depot sells it under their Husky line as well. Ive had it almost a year and it works great so far. The pressure switch failed almost immediately after purchase, so I called up the 800 number at Campbell Hausfeld and they overnighted the part to me free of charge. It has worked like a champ since.

I did see the same model in Harbor Freight recently for 399 I believe. Looks like Campbell Hausfeld makes them and sells them to Home Depot, Lowes and Harbor Frieght.

I stuck mine inside the pantry in my garage, and I can hardly hear it when it cycles.
 
Yep

Ted Johns said:
Yup. Shoulda stopped there. :D



Not quite. The total is 7.5 amps. Period. Amperage through a series circuit is the same everywhere. The current path is from hot leg to hot leg, with no current in the neutral leg, as there would be with 110 volt circuits.
The electric bill will be identical, as you are charged for watts.

Just being fussy ... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Ted,
You are right. It is a series circuit! 7.5 amps total.

I stand corrected!
 
Putting Compressor outside garage

I didn`t read that anyone puts their compressor outside. I wanted to put mine outside the garage where I have 2 feet of roof overhang. Probably build a little plywood box with insulation around it for the neighbors. I live in California, and our temps get up to 115 degrees during the 3 summer month, but my garage isn`t air conditioned either.
Any opinions, or do I need to stay inside with it. I am thinking 60 Galons, so it doesn`t have to run continiously.

Christian
 
Fix it

Ryan,

Small consolation but you may be able to fix that compressor for a whole lot less than 400.

Take the parts to a machine shop for an estimate. They can weld or fill the keyway on both the pulley and the motor shaft and cut a new one. Or maybe cut a new one on the other side once it is filled. Cutting a keyway in a pulley takes a few minutes.

Just have them make sure the pulley center is not out of round or oversize. Take the motor off and if necessary, disassemble it so they can more easily get to the motor shaft if they need to.

If the pulley is small, it may be cheaper just to buy a new pulley. Try Tractor Supply.

I rebuilt an A/C from old oilless parts and a new pump and a dust collection system from scratch so I know it can be done.
Dave A.
 
Compressor Outside

Christian,
My 60 gal. 7.5HP compressor resides outside my shop. I didn't have the roof overhang that you speak of, but I poured a concrete pad and enclosed 2 sides and put a roof over it. It works fine here in SE Alabama. It gets pretty warm here too. ;) Never had a problem with it.
 
What he said...

...I have a tall compressor outside my hangar in order to avoid the noise. Built a lean-to roof over it and poured a slab...ten years now,

Best,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top