Oil or oil-free air compressor

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pauls340

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Last year I replaced my 23 yr old Craftsman compressor with a vertical Harbor Freight POS Central Pneumatic oil lube unit, 21 gallon. Besides being the loudest compressor i've ever heard, it spits oil everywhere. I've tried every level of oil short of running it with no oil. What am i doing wrong?
 
We have the HF motor on our compressor and it is loud but it dont spit oil?

In fact inhave a spare motor sittin in the box beacuse it was on sale and in a open box... got if for almost nothing and couldn't pass on it.

Not sure why yours spits oil?

Where is it spitting out of?
 
Too bad everyone can't buy a QTV580E Quincy.
 
Put a bigger muffler on it or make one. In take filter side. Run a long hose to it put the filter container away from the compressor. Like putting your cars muffler at the rear of the car. The farther from the valve, the more effective it is.
 
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Put a bigger muffler on it or make one.
I have a HF Horizontal oil lubed-VERY loud compared to the probably 30 year old Cambell Hausfeld it replaced. Have had over a year now. Guess I never really though about where the noise is coming from. Might try this...
 
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Find an old Champion compressor and put a set of valves in it.

Oil-less air compressors usually aren't as durable for long term use. The teflon rings get too hot with a high duty cycle.
 
Break in the new Air Compressor as follows: a. Turn the Power Switch off and unplug the unit. Insert a male coupler (sold separately) into the female Quick Coupler and fully open all regulators and valves. b. Plug in the Power Cord. c. Turn the Power Switch ON. d. Let the unit run for 30 minutes. Air will expel freely through the Coupler. (copied from the manual)
This break-in period is very important, it's printed in the manual, a must do for direct drive compressors.
 
I have always had oiled belt driven compressors. Break in is the key like Dicer posted. I had a 21 gallon HF compressor never really had a problem except it is loud, got ten years out of it. No idea why yours is spiting oil. I Just replaced it with a husky, yes quieter but longer to build up. Run from the oiless, never had any luck with them
 
Champion, Quincy or Jenny/Emglo oil type compressor.... don't waste time on oilless…. if money allows go for an Atlas/Copco or a (are these guys still in business?) Saylor-Beall....
 
One thing I noticed about my oil less (power fist) is it noisier and takes forever to get started with building air pressure especially if the garage is a bit cool inside, my old one a emglo which I still have in the other garage pumps air quickly cold or warm. One garage is heated and one isn't so that's why I originally switched them. I may have to put them back!
 
Once I bought an oiled compressor, I will never go back to oil-free unless it's a small pancake style and I have no choice. Oil-free compressors don't last as long and are annoyingly loud. The compressor is often times the heart of your shop, so don't skimp and do it right the first time. I have always had US made Campbell-Hausfeld compressors, but I got lucky and scored a great deal on a Quincy QT-7.5. It's hands down the best compressor I've ever owned.
 
Once I bought an oiled compressor, I will never go back to oil-free unless it's a small pancake style and I have no choice. Oil-free compressors don't last as long and are annoyingly loud. The compressor is often times the heart of your shop, so don't skimp and do it right the first time. I have always had US made Campbell-Hausfeld compressors, but I got lucky and scored a great deal on a Quincy QT-7.5. It's hands down the best compressor I've ever owned.
The Quincy QT's are top notch. I sold them for many years.
 
Champion, Quincy or Jenny/Emglo oil type compressor.... don't waste time on oilless…. if money allows go for an Atlas/Copco or a (are these guys still in business?) Saylor-Beall....
Ingersoll Rand makes good compressors as well.
 
Last year I replaced my 23 yr old Craftsman compressor with a vertical Harbor Freight POS Central Pneumatic oil lube unit, 21 gallon. Besides being the loudest compressor i've ever heard, it spits oil everywhere. I've tried every level of oil short of running it with no oil. What am i doing wrong?
Send that Chinese piece of crap back and get a real belt driven shop compressor with an oil sump. Just remember to change the oil and you'll be fine.
 
QT is the compressor series
V is verticle
5 is 5 horsepower
80 is 80 gallon tank
E is electric
Do they all use the Baldor motor still? Do you think a 60 gallon would be good for a paint gun?
 
I think they do. That Qt might be a old number but I bet they have something comparable.
I was looking at them for a while and QT is still available.
Do you think a 60 gallon would be good for a paint gun?
 
I’ve been running a “puma” v-twin pump that I think is Chinese, not sure. A guy at work gave me the pump and motor. I made it come on when my other compressor starts up, now I can use the blast cabinet all day and it maintains 100lbs. It has worked well for several years.
 
Too bad everyone can't buy a QTV580E Quincy.

Im a Campbell Hausfeld kinda Guy myself. About 15 years ago I bought a 220v retail version for $400. While hooking it up, I had issues with the control module. Called CH, and the Support Guy on the other end was awesome. He determined the issue, then said, "let me send you our Commercial Compressor instead". Free shipping to my location, and they took the defective one away. I ended up with a BRAND NEW 80 GA Commercial compressor for the cost of a retail, refurbished POS... It was an $800 Compressor the time!!

Been a work horse ever since, and Ive been a CH Fan ever since as well.
 
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Im a Campbell Hausfeld kinda Guy myself. About 15 years ago I bought a 220v retail version for $400. While hooking it up, I had issues with the control module. Called CH, and the Support Guy on the other end was awesome. He determined the issue, then said, "let me send you our Commercial Compressor instead". Free shipping to my location, and they took the defective one away. I ended up with a BRAND NEW 80 GA Commercial compressor for the cost of a retail, refurbished POS... It was an $800 Compressor the time!!

Been a work horse ever since, and Ive been a CH Fan ever since as well.
I have 26 gallon Campbell Hausfeld now going on 18 years, good unit. It can’t keep up with my Dynabrades and I need the room, so sadly it’s got to go .
 
I think I had the same 21 gallon gallon you had. I finally got sick of it. The noise was terrible, I could not run it except during the day and that was with the garage door closed, the neighbor across the street told me it was too loud and for some reason it did not lube the piston and it froze twice on me. So a buddy had a tank laying around that was fairly big and took up too much room.
I took it off his hands, bought the compressor from Harbor Freight. I was using a 5hp gas motor, I had lying. But I got tired of climbing a ladder to check and refill the gas. So I bought a 5hp 220 vac motor, and it is so much quieter than the 21 gallon, its amazing.
The other advantage is I could paint my car without waiting for the compressor to refill.

The picture is the new build and on the left is the 21 gallon. I think this picture shows the gas engine, before I replaced it
If memory serves, I think I spent less than $500. I think it is at least 90 gallons

20170326_163913[1].jpg
 
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