My compressor is a Sears zero-maintenance, small shop type. 5 HP and 30 Gallons or something similar, 110V 20A

My question is about enclosing it. Can something like that be enclosed without hurting the compressor by getting it too hot? I've got it outside the garage already, and the hoses and power cord run through the wall into the garage. It's still noisey as heck and I would just like to box it up if it's OK to do so.

Also, how often do you guys drain the water out of the tank? I know at the shop we always drained the tank every day but that was obviously a much larger compressor.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

Paul, I have that same compressor but wired for 220 service. The noise is just one excuse for a two stage compressor if my lottery numbers come in. It seems to me, quieting it down without causing overheating and costing more than a two stage compressor a challenge. Putting it inside a small shed or building a vented outdoor closet would help, but costly. Placing an insulated cover over it would not be my choice for the reasons mentioned, but would quiet it down. I drain my 30 gal tank after every use. Long term moisture inside would result in rust damage same as our C-3 birdcage. This is just my opinion as I have also given it some thought.

 

You would have to provide some airflow around the unit because the cylinder gets hot and needs cooling. You could do this with a vented enclosure but that kind of defeats the purpose of keeping it quiet.

 

Harbor Freight sells an automatic drain kit for <$10. I have it installed on my compressor. For it to work, you have to bleed off the air when you are done working. When you next start it up, the moisture blows out.

 

Now theres an idea! The factory one is so hard to turn that I was going to pull it and replace it anyway!

 

I started out with a direct drive also but replaced it with a belt drive for noise reasons. Belt drives are much quieter and last just about forever. Have a look at the husky from home depot. Cast iron pump, beefy motor and belt drive.

 

I saw somewhere online that a guy built a rectangular box around his Craftsman compressor and lined it with egg-crate foam to dull the noise. Two sides of the box overlapped so the air could come in and out, but the sound waves did not have a direct path out of the box. Here is the link:
http://www.gregorieglass.com/HS_N.ht...ic%20Enclosure

This compressor is smaller than yours, but you could build one for just the top and attach it somehow.

As for the drainage, I put a small 2" straight pipe under my 60 gallon so that the moisture stays in that and not the tank.

 

I did exactly that. Here are some pics:


first with the door closed:


second with the door open:


the reason the compressor is so close to the door opening is because my shop vac is between it and the inner wall. That cabinet is deeper than the picture makes it look. BOTH units made way-too much noise (especially my shop vac). I insulated the interior walls too. Now just a quiet "hummm" noise.

If you look in the pics you'll see the long hose I have connected to the shop vac - coiled up along the back wall. I can reach the entire shop with it (barely though).

But you mentioned "heat" and I addressed that too. When using my compressor - I never run it all that hard, so when it turns on, it just refills the tank and I'm usually at a different point in my project - that I'm done using air for the moment. So, my application doesn't require a continually running air compressor. In the 10 years I've had this setup, I haven't had a single problem.

But, you need to consider what may happen when you are not at home... what if a hose blows, or a moderate leak occurs? The compressor would come on and stay on... possibly 24/7 - and it will overheat (in a totally enclosed cabinet like I have) and possibly cause a fire.

What I did was to wire the unit through a timer.


When I need air - I just spin the timer ****. When I'm done, it eventually times out and cuts off the AC voltage feed to the air compressor. So if a large leak happens when I'm not there, all that happens is the air reserve leaks out, but the motor never turns on.

This timer is one of those like you seen in hotels for the heat lamp in the bathroom. It's rated 240vac @ 20 amps and has worked perfectly for 10 years now.

My air pressure plumbing has no leaks; so when I need air to add a few pounds to a low tire, there's reserve already in the tank, and I don't even activate the timer.

I would never do this enclosure-thing with a unit that's used for a business... that's apt to run for serious lengths of time.


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Yes you can do it. We have our compressor room on the unheated loading dock at my shop. It has 3 compressors in it. Only 2 running at any given time. We installed an air intake for fresh air and put in a thermal switch hooked to an exhaust fan with louvered panel. Completed insulated walls. You cant hear a thing. Some days the compressors run non stop. 4 years like this and never a problem. Drain your compressors every single day. If you use it intermittently drain them after use so the water doesnt stay in holding tank.

 

here's mine...I put an 8X14 eve vent in either side for airflow and foam insul board (2 thicknesses) between the compressor and back of the storage unit. Then going through the storage unit and brick wall, there is very little noise transition...I gotta get one of those auto water bleeders though. Cool idea!