Gas Air Compressor Installation

I want to purchase a gas powered air compressor to use in my workshop and I am not sure where the best place to install it would be. Do you have any suggestions and advice on this subject? I have purchased an Ingersoll Rand 2475F13GH air compressor with a Honda engine. It has a horizontal tank and I want to permanently mount it to a slab.

With gas air compressors, one of the biggest dangers is carbon monoxide poisoning from the exhaust. So your safest bet is to install it outside of your shop. I would pour a concrete slab to mount it on and build a cover over it to protect it from the weather. Then pipe in the air to your shop. Do not mount it in a confined space or in your work area. Also, make sure there is at least 3 feet between the air compressor's engine and the wall or any other equipment. Proper ventilation is important to keep the unit running cool.

AIr Compressor Regulators

Regulating your pressure in your air compressor is made easy using a relatively simple device called an air compressor regulator. They provide controlled, consistent air pressure as required for specific pneumatic equipment when connected to the complete air compressor system. You can adjust the desired PSI simply by turning the T handle and dial in the desired pressure. This will allow you to adjust from 0 to 125 PSI very precisely. Some regulators are also double as filter/water separators as well.

Single and Two Stage Air Compressors

Many customers cannot decide between a single stage or a two stage air compressor for their auto shop. The big difference between the two is the PSI they produce. A single stage air compressor compresses air to a final pressure in one stroke. There is only one piston mounted on the unit and generally has an oversized belt wheel. They generally produce pressures between 70 PSI and 90 PSI with a maximum pressure of 135 PSI. This is fine to power most air tools you will work with. A two stage model compresses air to an intermediate pressure in the first stage, removes the heat of compression through an intercooler and then compresses air to a final pressure in the second stage. Two stage air compressors are more effecient and are generally used for pressures above 100 PSI. They have a maximum pressure of 175 PSI.

Air Compressor Selection Chart

If you are not sure what type of air compressor you need for your particular application, we have just added a handy selection chart to help you narrow down your choices. Air compressors are used anywhere from the home garage to a large industrial businesses. It can be a bit overwhelming trying to decide how much power you really need. All you need to use this chart is

1. Know what type of work your air compressor will used for
2. Your power requirements
3. How much PSI and CFM you need

With this information, you can see your different options and find the unit that fits your budget and needs.

Industrial Safety Supplies

Industrial safety supplies are critical to the safe operation of your industrial business and safety regulations are getting more and more strict every year. The modern workplace is full of dangers to your workers. In an auto shop, for example a brake lathe can throw out metal shavings and damage your eyes. An emergency eye wash station is invaluable in a situation like this. The mechanic can run to the eyewash shower and flush his eyes out. Also, wearing the proper safety equipment can prevent most minor injuries such as a metal shaving getting in your eyes. However, chemical splashes also happen frequently and safety glasses will not do much good. A splash of gasoline in the eyes and an eyewash station can save the day.

Air Compressors have a Long Past

Air compressor technology is much older than most people think. Compressed air has been used as a power source for centuries. One application for compressed air that was employed in the distant past was as a bellows. A bellows is a simple air compressor. The operator will squeeze the two handles together compressing the leather sack in between two paddles. This action would compress the air and shoot it out a nozzle on the end. This early air compressor was perfect for direction compressed air into a furnace in order to greatly increase the heat. This allowed for much hotter fires and better forging techniques. So the next time you see a modern air compressor in your local auto repair shop, remember that technology has been with us for a long time.

Moisture and Air Compressors

Moisture in you air compressor system is a serious problem that is overlooked by the vast majority of shops using compressed air to power their tools and equipment. Water and water vapor in your system reduces the life of your air tools and equipment over time. Also, present are other contaminants like rust, lubricant, dirt etc. These also are harmful to your air compressor and need to be removed. You should consider adding an aftercooler and a dryer to remove these harmful contaminants. An Aftercooler can bring your discharge air temperature close to within 20˚ to 50˚ of the ambient air temperature. This causes most of the moisture to condense into liquid form. Once moisture is in a liquid state, it can then be removed from the system and expelled.