Scored On An Air Compressor!

-
64 SRT8 Dart

64 SRT8 Dart

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
2,340
Reaction score
91
Location
Colorado Springs,Colorado
I posted a couple weeks ago about wanting to wire in a 240/30amp in my garage for a decent air compressor.

Well, yesterday I was going to a friends house to borrow his chainsaw. He has had an air compressor sitting outside for the last year and a half next to his shed that another friend was storing there. The other friend was going to come pick it up yesterday but when he got there he said he was just going to put it in storage as he didn't need it. My friend then texted me and asked if I was still interested in buying a compressor and I'm like, "well yeah."

He then said his friend wanted to sell that one and said I could pick it up for $50!!

It's a Coleman Powermate Black Max 60gal/6hp compressor!!
It still had wiring on it from the rental he originally pulled it from so we just plugged the wires in to a 240 outlet in his garage. It fired right up!!

Got it home and will do some cleanup on it but, good deal I'd say!
 
I'm not wearing any clothes right now, and I'm drunk as ****, but I'm really happy for you regardless, nice score!
 
Great score. Now spend some money on a short-flexible line, some galvanized pipe and fittings. I have 50 feet of galvanized 1" pipe running from a flexible connection from the compressor to the wall-mounted pipe which zig-zags slowly upwards to the ceiling 25 feet away It then has a section of pipe running straight down to the floor with a ball valve to drain any water that condenses in the pipe. I then run a short section of pipe located about midway in that down pipe pointing upward to a water/oil trap.

Air comes out of the compressor hot/warm and cools in the metal pipe. By the time the air gets to the water/oil separator, it is cool and as dry as a popcorn fart. In fact, I've never drained any water out of it. The down pipe at the beginning and sometimes even at the end of the hard lines always have water in them.
 
jbc426 said:
Great score. Now spend some money on a short-flexible line, some galvanized pipe and fittings. I have 50 feet of galvanized 1" pipe running from a flexible connection from the compressor to the wall-mounted pipe which zig-zags slowly upwards to the ceiling 25 feet away It then has a section of pipe running straight down to the floor with a ball valve to drain any water that condenses in the pipe. I then run a short section of pipe located about midway in that down pipe pointing upward to a water/oil trap.

Air comes out of the compressor hot/warm and cools in the metal pipe. By the time the air gets to the water/oil separator, it is cool and as dry as a popcorn fart. In fact, I've never drained any water out of it. The down pipe at the beginning and sometimes even at the end of the hard lines always have water in them.
Click to expand...

Can you post a pic of this setup?
 
A couple pics of the thing. I'm going to tear it down and replace the aluminum lines with copper as well as seals as you can see they are leaking. Will also blast and paint some of the pieces as the surface rust really bugs me. :)
Also, as you can see in the last pic, the wires have gotten hot enough to start melting the insulation. Not sure what would cause that other than he didn't have it wired with the correct amp breaker or it's not the right type of wire.

IMG_3011.JPG


IMG_3012.JPG


IMG_3013.JPG


IMG_3014.JPG


IMG_3015.JPG


IMG_3016.JPG
 
When Coleman was still a viable company I use to do warranty work on all their generators and compressors. I picked up one like that from a customer after a couple warranty jobs, Last of which was a complete replacement. Problem wasn't colemans but the customers since he had it in his dry cleaning business in the boiler room where is was regularly north of 160 degrees. Aluminum pumps just don't like that kind of abuse. After the last failure he went to a cast iron pump and gave me the old compressor. A $5 part and the unit has served me well for the last 15 years. The wires were probably just a poor connection allowing them to get hot. When you put it in place mount it on some rubber. An old tire cut up works well. The fair better in the long run with some vibration dampening. The oils on it is probably not seals leaking as mist that escapes the pump vent and tends to settle over the unit and draw dirt. Just be sure to swap the compressor oil about once a year and regularly drain the excess water out of the tank. Before you put it in place it is a good idea to pull the drain from the bottom, install a 90 and short piece of pipe and then the drain. Makes doing the chore much easier.
 
64 SRT8 Dart said:
A couple pics of the thing. I'm going to tear it down and replace the aluminum lines with copper as well as seals as you can see they are leaking. Will also blast and paint some of the pieces as the surface rust really bugs me. :)
Also, as you can see in the last pic, the wires have gotten hot enough to start melting the insulation. Not sure what would cause that other than he didn't have it wired with the correct amp breaker or it's not the right type of wire.

View attachment 1715021111

View attachment 1715021112

View attachment 1715021113

View attachment 1715021114

View attachment 1715021115

View attachment 1715021116
Click to expand...
dang man - you got THAT for $50!!? you DID score!!!
 
plumkrazee70 said:
Can you post a pic of this setup?
Click to expand...

Here you go. You can also see that I swapped in a longer copper coil to connect the output of the pump to the tank of the compressor. I stapled a section of foam to the wall to help dampen the sound.

The galvanized pipe cools the hot air, which allows the water vapor trapped in it to condense inside the pipe and flow down hill to the ball valves to be drained. Every once in a while, there will be a bit of moisture that drains out of the downpipe near the door in picture 2. I've never had moisture in the water trap, which is located about mid-pipe. Water would have to travel up that short length of pipe to the trap, regulator and output fittings.

Compressor pic1.JPG


Compressor pic2.JPG
 
I had one for years and was trouble free. It got a little long in the tooth running my Bead Cabinet but it was nothing a little patience couldn't cure..... Super quiet. Get that oil changed and enjoy.... It has the CFM to run most body tools within reason....

JW
 
Sand blasted some of the parts today at work. The flywheel, belt cover and brackets. Will post pics soon. Will paint the flywheel cast iron gray and the rest of the stuff gloss black.

Edit: Just ordered a new belt, transfer tube, the small tube to the switch, pressure gauge, and felt air filter.

I guess this will be my air compressor restoration thread, lol.
 
Last edited:
Since you scored a deal on the Compressor start looking for a Dryer. I grabbed a IR unit when I had my business and ran a Compressor 12 hours 6 days a week basically. It seemed like a joke when I installed my lines in the shop because it was comprised of Home Depot hose and probably 500ft. of it. I ran enough Cast Iron line to cool the air before the crap hose connection lol and never had a problem with failure but did have crazy amounts of water in the lines. The IR cured the problem. I found my Dryer at a closed manufacturing business on Clist and paid 50.00 for it and have seen deals on them since mine. It will take that compressor to a whole new level....

JW
 
jbc426 said:
I looped it from mid wall and back with 3 turns all the way up to the ceiling and then dropped down with a drain seen in the pic by the door.
Click to expand...

I see. Nice. I was gonna go with 45' of 3/4" I'll have to check to see if how much 1" runs in price.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top