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Watford City, ND | I need to purchase an air compressor for a service truck i'm setting up.
What are the pros - cons of an electric vs gas motor driven air pump? I would also like to have a generator, to charge cordless grease gun and tool batteries with, so i'm at a bit of a crossroads -
John Deere or Mi-T-M Compressorator - 15 CFM 2-stage air pump with a 4500 watt generator all built as one unit - $2500
Or, buy a separate electric driven air compressor and generator. This would be a bit less money, $330 for a 3500 watt generator and then I could get an IR 8 gallon single stage (wheel barrow type) honda driven pump for $900 rated at 11 CFM.
For an electric option, I could pick up an electric Campbell Hausfield 20 gallon tank, and mount that on my truck, and for $350 I have 5 CFM @ 90 psi. Its a lot less air, but how much air does a guy need to blow off chaff and what not??
During harvest, I blow my combines off every morning, and could possibly pick up some cheap air tools to use. Mostly tires and blow gun is all I use it for though - is 5 CFM enough? Or is 11 CFM needed?
Its a difference of nearly $1500 - 1000 bucks, so I'm obviously looking at my options.
Thanks,
Owl |
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NE SD | The deere compressorator will do an ok job You will lose volume quickly on the wheelbarrow type but can get the job done 5cfm why bother. A leaf blower is better. A large tank will help a lot . |
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Texas | I have a 5.5 hp gas powered wheelbarrow style compressor. I think it is 10-11 cfm. I don't think I would want any less air for blowing things off. Sure you can blow things off with any amount of air but if it is something you do regularly you don't want to always be waiting for pressure to build up.
I also see this compressor as about as small as you want to effectively run air tools. Again a smaller unit will work but you will be doing a lot of waiting.
If this one ever craps out on me I might even look for a slightly larger unit. No way I would go smaller. |
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East central Indiana | I used an 12 cfm compressor for one season. Then bought a 30 cfm has powered. I won't go any smaller anymore. I have miller bobcat welder in the truck also.
Also for charging batteries don't use a generator. We blew up some batteries that way. I use a big power inverter that's only on when I turn it on. |
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North central IL. | I bought the one from john deere it is made by mi t m. and I'am glad I did it takes op less space in the truck, has more pressure, and more air then the smaller ones and the generator has a lot of uses. Also the Honda engine can't be beat. |
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Ohio | The_Owl - 7/13/2014 12:30
I need to purchase an air compressor for a service truck i'm setting up.
What are the pros - cons of an electric vs gas motor driven air pump? I would also like to have a generator, to charge cordless grease gun and tool batteries with, so i'm at a bit of a crossroads -
John Deere or Mi-T-M Compressorator - 15 CFM 2-stage air pump with a 4500 watt generator all built as one unit - $2500
Or, buy a separate electric driven air compressor and generator. This would be a bit less money, $330 for a 3500 watt generator and then I could get an IR 8 gallon single stage (wheel barrow type) honda driven pump for $900 rated at 11 CFM.
For an electric option, I could pick up an electric Campbell Hausfield 20 gallon tank, and mount that on my truck, and for $350 I have 5 CFM @ 90 psi. Its a lot less air, but how much air does a guy need to blow off chaff and what not??
During harvest, I blow my combines off every morning, and could possibly pick up some cheap air tools to use. Mostly tires and blow gun is all I use it for though - is 5 CFM enough? Or is 11 CFM needed?
Its a difference of nearly $1500 - 1000 bucks, so I'm obviously looking at my options.
Thanks,
Owl
If all your going to use the generator for is to charge cordless tool batteries why not just get an inverter and run it off the trucks battery. Seems like a waste to have a generator just for that. |
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The Delta | Vanair hyd driven rotary screw.. just put one on a freighliner m2 and cant be touched by our shop compressor. |
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Central, IA | I have a 12v cigarette lighter powered battery charger for my millwaukee tools in my pickup. I would go that route for charging batteries rather than a generator. I have a 12v air compressor that I want to mount under the hood for blowing up tires/small air uses. It is not a service truck by any means, just a well stocked pickup that will do 95% of my repairs without running to the shop for tools.
We also use a gas powered leaf blower to blow off the combines. |
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NESD | You remember the service truck I had? that was a 22 CFM hydraulic driven compressor and for blowing off a combine and running impact wrenches that was perfect, would not consider anything less to get the job done without waiting for the air to build up.
Also the 12 volt power inverter works well to charge cordless tool batteries, I have a 400 watt one in my pickup that powers my laptop and charges my cordless batteries and it works well, just hook it up so it is keyed on/off or it will kill the battery. |
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Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot | The compresserator combo's are neat, but are way overpriced for what they are. Unless space is a huge issue, it is cheaper to buy each a compressor and a generator. You can also buy what you want then, not just what came in the combo. Also, if one dies you can go get another and you can buy bigger/smaller/different brand, etc.
I've got one of the IR, and another brand X with the same Honda engine, wheelbarrow type compressors. They work good, are cheap and portable, etc. A little more air would be nice at times, IR has plenty of larger ones, but it will get the job done. A larger tank would help as much as anything, and would be easy to do on a truck. You could also use the trucks air (if so equipped), or daisy chain another cheap (electric) compressor in for those rare times you need more air. It will easily run air tools by itself though, no problem there. Only place it might be short is running a large air wand continuously for a long period of time. Personally, I like to take a break anyway and let the compressor catch up.
I do this a lot at my shop to run a 1/2" nozzle blowgun, I pull a pickup up and plug the gas powered compressor into the shop air, and together they will run a large nozzle continuously. |
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West TN | I have a wheel barrow type a/c on my service truck, but I also added an extra 12 gal tank under the truck bed in between the frame. It took a lot of web searching to find the tank that was the right dimensions and psi rated. With this tank hooked with the twin a/c tanks, gives me a lot me reserve air. |
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east central NE. | If it is a service truck , why not put a miller 3 phase 440 volt welder generator on it and use it to run a air compressor. With this you can run pivots , weld,have 110 ,220 and 440 for pivots. It isnt a service truck with out a welder and torch. |
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Mifflintown, PA | I would highly NOT recommend an electric compressor. (edit clarify 110/220v units after seeing comment on 440v generator!) We had 6500 watt generators that were unable to run some 2hp compressors. Also compressors that we did have running on generators could not keep up with any moderate demand and the starting capacitor was cycling too fast pushing the startup demand back to the generator and tripping breakers. Go engine driven especially for high cfm like blowing off equipment. Good size tank will help initially whem charged up but in the end it comes back to the pump cfm and duty cycle rate. Rotary screw engine or truck PTO is amazing but really jumps up the cost.
Others commented on charging batteries off generator as being a bad idea. If I recall correctly there was plenty of warnings about the output of the generator we used. Waveform was triangular if I believe.
Edited by diemfarms 7/13/2014 20:21
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oregon | I have not had much luck getting a generator to start any decent-sized air compressor motor. I think the guy said it takes 3 times the amps to start the motor turning. Anyhow, I ended up with a gas-powered compressor and I am very happy with it. I suggest you go that route. |
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Choosing an Air Compressor (Service Truck)
