Quiet air compressors...

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axolotl81

axolotl81

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Threads
12
Messages
150
Location
Elk Grove, Ca.
I finally moved into my new house and am ready to start buying some power tools. I want to start with an air compressor and was wondering which air compressors you use at home mainly because I don't want to disturb my baby if he's sleeping when I need to use the compressor. His room is above the garage. I also don't want to disturb my neighbors too badly.
Looking for a vertical tank with at least a 20+ gallon tank, 120 or 240 volt is fine, portable is fine, and I shouldn't have to yell over it.

Thanks for your advice,
Clint
 
The oilless compressors are definitely an order of magnitude noisier than the oiled compressors. But even an oiled compressor isn't silent. Although, dental and medical compressors are known for being top notch.
 
Generally, the belt drive oil lubricated compressors are much quieter than oiless compressors, but you'll pay 2x as much for them. But if noise is important to you, it's worth it.

However I have 2 older model Craftsman Pro direct drive oil-less 2 stage compressors that are surprisingly quiet. Not as quiet as the oil lubricated compressor my father has, but close. I think the difference is the belt driven ones turn at a slower rate, so it sounds quieter. Either way, I can stand next to them and talk without yelling, and I don't get a headache when working right next to them in a small garage. I've used the normal (cheaper) compressors and I couldn't stand working next to it.

I believe all the Craftsman Pro line has changed to oil lubricated. I think the Craftsman compressors were made by Devilbliss, but I heard maybe the newer models are IR or Campbell Hausfeld. But they're all pretty similar. You can go into any Sears and have them run it for you to compare.

If you really want to cut the noise, some people build little insulated sheds either inside or outside the garage to surround their compressor, or run the intake outside the garage to somewhere else less intrusive. That cuts the noise quite a bit. I placed mine behind some shelves, that helps deflect the noise to make it tolerable. It enough that I can't hear the compressor running from inside the house 30 ft away
 
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I had the same issue. I live in a townhouse in the city. Seems like you could hear my oil-less craftsman from 10 doors down and the house felt like it was vibrating on the inside. I searched high and low on Craigslist for an older pressure lubed one with no luck. I finally went to some of the industrial air compressor dealers in my area and they had a great selection of older ones that they had taken out of customers' places and they eventually sold me a quincy with a brand new motor starter and new 3hp baldor motor. Even delivered it and helped me hook it up for an even $1k. It's an older model, but those old Quincy's will last until my kids need it and even then parts will probably still be available.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
I picked up an older Emglo wheel-barrow style compressor wired for 110v a year ago. I was pleasently surprised at how quiet it is, and how handy it is being able to roll it around the yard for different jobs.
 
I've got a 7.5 hp 240V Devilbiss, a monster with an 80 gal tank. But it is quite quiet actually. I mounted mine outside of my shop, and build a room around it. I bolted the 4 feet of my compressor to 2 4x4's about 3 feet long. I laid gravel and 2'x2' cement pads under it. My thoughts were the wooden feet absorb some of the vibration, making it quieter. I can stand right next to it running and talk on the phone. If you insulate the walls around it, your neighbours should be ok.
 
Thanks for the advice. I think I will try to find an air compressor wholesaler in my area and just see what they have. I like the idea of building a shed around it which I may do. Thanks again.

Clint
 
Forgot to mention that when I bought the quincy, they hooked it up in their shop and let me put it through its paces. With it on, I called my wife while standing 3 ft away and i asked if she could hear me, she said "yes" and i said "sold". Plus the best part is they gave me a 90 day full warranty. If they couldn't fix it, they would give me full credit towards the compressor of my choice- new or used.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
Sounds good. Maybe I will look into a quincy. I guess the main thing is just have the shop fire one up for me to see if I like it. Thanks guys.
 
There are a couple options to take an oiled compressor and make it a little less noisy. Check YouTube for ideas about intake silencers and remote intakes. A lot of compressors have an air filter attached directly to the pump head. A PVC expansion chamber between the filter and the head makes a difference.
 
Thanks Heirloom. I didn't even know you can quiet down a compressor like that. Cool idea. I will definitely look on youtube for some ideas.
 
I thought of doing a thread on this, but here is a couple of pics of my installation. The electrical drops straight through the wall behind the motor. The reason for the highly elevated air line is twofold. It keeps all the stuff high on the interior wall, out of the way. I go away for months sometimes, and this way any condensation in the line drains back into the tank with gravity, helps keep the lines drier. The exterior air line is a custom hydraulic hose, no issues with vibration being a soft hose.

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I like the idea of placing the compressor in a shed to keep the sound down. I actually have a hot tub in the backyard that came with the house. I never planned on keeping it, so I can use the 240v hook up thats already set up for the hot tub. And its in my backyard out of sight. The only thing would be to figure out how to run the air lines for such a long distance (if thats even a good idea).
 
You can buy air line kits. I will finish my shop with copper pipe, cause I like copper. I don't know how far you're going, does it freeze where you live? Other wise just bury it 6" down and start glueing lengths. From past experience, a compressor running occassionally is a hell of a lot quieter than a hot tub at 2 am!!
 
HAHA. Thats true, a hot tub on at 2 am should be fairly loud. I can probably run the air line low along the walls until I find a great spot to run the air lines through.
 
I used to run a giant 80 gallon, dual stage, 160 PSI, 5 HP compressor that ran off a 30 AMP 220 outlet. It was so loud that when it kicked on in my garage, I would run for ear muffs. There was no way that you could talk on the phone and a few times it cycled on in the middle of the night and woke the dead.

I got tired of painting cars and doing sand blasting at home, so I took it down a notch.

Now, I run a 2 HP single stage Ingersoll Rand unit. Was expensive but still pumps up to 135 psi and is very quite. Has 100 percent duty cycle. You can talk on the phone no problem while it runs.

I also have a similar CH unit

Very pleased.

Instead of having the one super large compressor, I now have two small heavy duty units. When I need a lot of air, I run both of them. 98 percent of the time, I just use one.

http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Ran...Wheeled-Compressor/dp/B000E27JW6/?tag=ihco-20

or

http://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausfeld-VT6271-Oil-Lubricated-Horizontal/dp/B00081AKME/?tag=ihco-20
 
kulangot said:
I used to run a giant 80 gallon, dual stage, 160 PSI, 5 HP compressor that ran off a 30 AMP 220 outlet. It was so loud that when it kicked on in my garage, I would run for ear muffs. There was no way that you could talk on the phone and a few times it cycled on in the middle of the night and woke the dead.

I got tired of painting cars and doing sand blasting at home, so I took it down a notch.

Now, I run a 2 HP single stage Ingersoll Rand unit. Was expensive but still pumps up to 135 psi and is very quite. Has 100 percent duty cycle. You can talk on the phone no problem while it runs.

I also have a similar CH unit

Very pleased.

Instead of having the one super large compressor, I now have two small heavy duty units. When I need a lot of air, I run both of them. 98 percent of the time, I just use one.

http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Ran...Wheeled-Compressor/dp/B000E27JW6/?tag=ihco-20

or

http://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausfeld-VT6271-Oil-Lubricated-Horizontal/dp/B00081AKME/?tag=ihco-20
Click to expand...

Which do you like better between the 2?
 
I'd say they are about the same. The IR might be made slightly better.

Both have similar motors and pumps with only slight differences.

There is a new IR with a twin cyl pump but I have not heard it run.
 
cruiserpilot, your compressor install is nice!

The "Remove Before Flight" tag is a good touch!
 
Thanks, I go away for long periods of time and the wife will in fact check and maintain the car tires when I'm away, so I put that there to help her find it. I use the second line on the left only for my plasma cutter so that hose has minimum amount of potential moisture in it. I also have a welding plug instead of a permanent install so I can switch in the welder without overloading the circuit.
 
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