Anyone here use a small air compressor instead of compressed cans? I'm thinking about getting a compressor to save money in the long run. I would like to know how loud they get, or how long it takes for them to get compressed/stay compressed. Thanks.
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Air compressor
- Thread starter Rel1c
- Start date
Using an air compressor is great and just about any of them should work for your purposes. The most important thing is to remember is you have to drain them periodically because they actually collect moisture from the air over time. You definately don't want to risk spraying water into your computers.
I use a Husky brand 1 gallon air compressor from Home Depot. I can't remember how much it cost. I think it was $79 - $100. It was worth it though. My computer gets caked with dust, and I have to blow it out on a monthly basis so the air flow isn't compromised.
The Husky is pretty quiet for an air compressor, but that's not saying much. It's still loud enough where you'll have to raise your voice to have a conversation. It doesn't matter much to me, since I just bring my computer out to the garage when I want to blow it out. Just be sure you use common sense when using an air compressor. Drain it frequently, and do not blow directly on any componants that could fly off (i.e. capacitors.).
The Husky is pretty quiet for an air compressor, but that's not saying much. It's still loud enough where you'll have to raise your voice to have a conversation. It doesn't matter much to me, since I just bring my computer out to the garage when I want to blow it out. Just be sure you use common sense when using an air compressor. Drain it frequently, and do not blow directly on any componants that could fly off (i.e. capacitors.).
ronenvelarde
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2004
- Messages
- 146
Compressors are loud. Very loud. What are you actually going to do with it? Clean? Dont! Too much moisture. You would have to get a drier which is going to cost you a couple hundred dollars for a decent one. You will be spraying water in your case.A very small amount but it will damage it. Thats the reason for compressed cans. I believe they have a chemical that dries as soon as it hits air. How often do you really have to clean anyway.
motithejrt
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2004
- Messages
- 203
Do what I do. I either am getting my wheels rotated on my car or getting an oil change. Take your PC with you and ask them if you can use their compressor. While they are working on your car, use there bad ass compressor to clean things up.
How long it takes to fill and empty depends on a lot of variables; such as how big the tank is and how powerful the motor is, then; what pressure you are spraying at (You can vary it so you don't blow things apart), and how long you are spraying for. Mine takes about 2 mins to fill, and spraying at about 30psi, it takes around 3 mins before it clicks on again.
They are definatly a useful machine to have around though - You can just blow air with them, you can spray-paint, die-grind (like a dremel on steroids), drill, undo bolts... it's pretty much limited to how much money you want to spend on accessories.
Spray painting using a gun takes a fair bit of practice, as you have to get the air pressure, fliud flow, and spray pattern all right, but when you conquer it, the results are certainly worth it! You'd be amazed just how many things you can paint
Unless you live in a really humid area, you shouldn't have any problems with moisture in what you are spraying, just make sure you drain the tank regularly. If you do, investigate an inline water trap. I don't know the cost of these as it's very dry in my part of New Zealand.
Have fun
They are definatly a useful machine to have around though - You can just blow air with them, you can spray-paint, die-grind (like a dremel on steroids), drill, undo bolts... it's pretty much limited to how much money you want to spend on accessories.
Spray painting using a gun takes a fair bit of practice, as you have to get the air pressure, fliud flow, and spray pattern all right, but when you conquer it, the results are certainly worth it! You'd be amazed just how many things you can paint
Unless you live in a really humid area, you shouldn't have any problems with moisture in what you are spraying, just make sure you drain the tank regularly. If you do, investigate an inline water trap. I don't know the cost of these as it's very dry in my part of New Zealand.
Have fun
Compressor = too loud and expensive.
Get a good small data vacuum that can blow out or suction (the stuff out (prefer) you don't want to move the dirt from one crevice to another. )
This is what I do: I blow out the crevices I cannot reach with the vaccum then i vaccum them out.
Get a good small data vacuum that can blow out or suction
(the stuff out (prefer) you don't want to move the dirt from one crevice to another. ) This is what I do: I blow out the crevices I cannot reach with the vaccum then i vaccum them out.
I've used a 70 ci/4500 psi Crossfire tank (regulated down to reasonable levels) and a remote hose from my paintball equipment, to blow out the dust from my case. It's relatively loud, but I only use it in quick bursts. As a side benefit, there's no moisture in the tank (moisture would kill an electronic paintball marker pretty quick, so paintball compressors have moisture traps on them).
I have been using my Dad's air compressor on computers for years... it's fairly large. I empty all the air out every time I use it. When I turn it on, I give it a couple sprays on the ground, and a little water comes out, after that it seems fine. Been doing it that way for years on probably 5 different computers. Never had a problem with moisture ruining anything.
JEEVES/whohasmyname?
Gawd
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2004
- Messages
- 696
I used to work alot with compresors at my last job, and i would just like to say I would never use those things on anything electronic. This one guy who worked there thought he would be nice and clean out my cd player i had up there (sawdust is bad for electronics too) and used the air hose. That thing screwed my cd player all up and i was never able to use the cd part again. If I were you, I wouldnt be such a cheap ass and just buy the $4 can of dust off every other month. It is better than having to replace a 200 dollar part when that one bit of moisture hits it. Air compresors are to random, you could do everything in the world but all it takes is one little drop of that nasty ass water to fubar a pc.
JEEVES
JEEVES
bigbadgreen
Gawd
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2003
- Messages
- 680
get a compressor, the inline moisture traps aren't as expensive as some poeple here seem to think. Moisture isn't even a huge issue, also make sure you have some sort of psi regulator. that way you won't be blasting so much air, either an inline one or one on the actual compressor. A compressor isn't just handy for cleaning pc's it's handy for lots of other things, especially for case modding. with enough practice people will be paying you to paint their cases so thay can have those l33t paintjobs like in all the mags.
cut and pasted from kmstools.com/pages/compressorguide
"When you compress air it gets hot, and when it cools water condenses out of it. The harder you work your compressor the hotter it will get and the more moisture problems you will have. Sometimes the best way to solve moisture problems is to get a bigger compressor so it doesnt have to work as hard and get so hot. The humidity in the air can also cause you to have inconsistent moisture problems. A common moisture trap provides a low spot for water to collect but its designed to collect droplets of water not water vapor so if the air is hot it will carry moisture through and then the water vapour will condense in the hose. The trick is to get the air as cool as
possible before it gets to the moisture trap because if it cools after the trap, more moisture will condense out. In a body shop or industrial application you will usually use refrigerated air dryers to cool the air and remove the moisture.
Desiccant dryers are another effective way to remove moisture. They use silica gel to absorb moisture from the air and when its saturated you can either replace it or heat it to dry it out. If you have a smaller system you may get by with a well thought out plumbing system. Copper or aluminum pipe wont rust and both dissipate heat well and if you use a larger size it works like a bigger radiator and cools the air even better. But, you must remember to mount the moisture trap at the end of the pipe as far from the compressor and as close to the equipment as possible. Now you can buy modular plumbing systems made of extruded aluminum which slip together easily and are excellent for dissipating the heat.
A common misconception is that youll reduce the water in your air lines by draining your tank often. It is important to drain your tank to prevent rust, but the water in the bottom of your tank isnt likely to get into your air lines. As a matter of fact, if you were to fill your tank half full with cold water, the air would cool, moisture would condense out and you would have dryer air in your lines. That doesnt mean that you should put water in your tank, but you should do everything you can to cool the air before it gets to your moisture trap"
from my research a decent moisture trap, if one doesn't come with your compressor to begin with, runs about $30-$40
cut and pasted from kmstools.com/pages/compressorguide
"When you compress air it gets hot, and when it cools water condenses out of it. The harder you work your compressor the hotter it will get and the more moisture problems you will have. Sometimes the best way to solve moisture problems is to get a bigger compressor so it doesnt have to work as hard and get so hot. The humidity in the air can also cause you to have inconsistent moisture problems. A common moisture trap provides a low spot for water to collect but its designed to collect droplets of water not water vapor so if the air is hot it will carry moisture through and then the water vapour will condense in the hose. The trick is to get the air as cool as
possible before it gets to the moisture trap because if it cools after the trap, more moisture will condense out. In a body shop or industrial application you will usually use refrigerated air dryers to cool the air and remove the moisture.
Desiccant dryers are another effective way to remove moisture. They use silica gel to absorb moisture from the air and when its saturated you can either replace it or heat it to dry it out. If you have a smaller system you may get by with a well thought out plumbing system. Copper or aluminum pipe wont rust and both dissipate heat well and if you use a larger size it works like a bigger radiator and cools the air even better. But, you must remember to mount the moisture trap at the end of the pipe as far from the compressor and as close to the equipment as possible. Now you can buy modular plumbing systems made of extruded aluminum which slip together easily and are excellent for dissipating the heat.
A common misconception is that youll reduce the water in your air lines by draining your tank often. It is important to drain your tank to prevent rust, but the water in the bottom of your tank isnt likely to get into your air lines. As a matter of fact, if you were to fill your tank half full with cold water, the air would cool, moisture would condense out and you would have dryer air in your lines. That doesnt mean that you should put water in your tank, but you should do everything you can to cool the air before it gets to your moisture trap"
from my research a decent moisture trap, if one doesn't come with your compressor to begin with, runs about $30-$40
^^^^ means that the bigger the better, right?
I just sprayed mine again and I got about a 20 gallon one or something....and moisture seems like the last thing that would come spraying up out of there. I never thought about that before, but i guess it makes sense that there must be water in the air.
I just sprayed mine again and I got about a 20 gallon one or something....and moisture seems like the last thing that would come spraying up out of there. I never thought about that before, but i guess it makes sense that there must be water in the air.
i have a coleman mate thing that i've been using for about 3 years to clean out my computers before i go to lans. moisture? psh, new parts these days the moisture probably won't even affect the parts (think laptop with spillage, you take it apart and let it dry for 48 hours, most of the time it works again). i think people are just way to superstitious about the whole thing. I have air power tools with it, and been thinking of getting into painting (but those tools are HELLA expensive). i've got a 2gallon tanke (not enought for painting bty) but it has a regulator on it. I could buy a 5 gallon tank and just store more air in there for painting or whatever... digressing.
i think air compressors are a good idea, mine was 100 dollars, and i find uses for it all the time. 100 psi is not going to knock stuff off of your board... i wouldn't be concerned about water or pressure to much, havn't had a problem in 2 years, doubting a large one will arrive due to it. think:
25 cans = 1 air compressor.
i think air compressors are a good idea, mine was 100 dollars, and i find uses for it all the time. 100 psi is not going to knock stuff off of your board... i wouldn't be concerned about water or pressure to much, havn't had a problem in 2 years, doubting a large one will arrive due to it. think:
25 cans = 1 air compressor.