[jcclark]

Tip of the day-clip on fan.
You know, the little cheap fans that have a clip on them to
mount antwhere. Get one for when it's hot and situate it to
blow on your compressor cylinders. Really helps it to stay
cooler and that means less water and better for compressor too.

[bloverby]

My belt driven compressor has fan blades molded into the large pulley attached to the compressor pump. No need for another fan.

[adtkart]

bloverby... Have you ever tried touching the compressor pump in the summer when it has been running in the summer? They may have fans on the pumps, most do, but they still get quite warm. Additional cooling in the summer will make a difference.

Aaron

[oldred]

An extra fan a hot day can make a tremendous difference in compressor pump head temperature. Heat is one of a compressor's worst enemies and anything you can do to lower temperature is going result in longer pump life and drier air.

[bloverby]

So you are saying that the huge fan that is already on my compressor that will blow a hat off my head while walking by it and was designed by the manufacturer for the very purpose of cooling the pump is an insufficient amount of cooling? And that I should add a "little cheap fan that has a clip on it" that will barely move any air in order to be able to paint? I have touched my compressor while running, it is going to be hot no matter how much air you blow on it, its compressing air. Is the clip on fan going to let me touch it while running? How many of you guys with bodyshops are adding "little cheap fans that have a clip on them" to your compressors? Bottom line I don't have a problem with my setup and therefore have no reason to change it. We are talking about "little cheap fans that have a clip on them" right?

[TheBasementHotRod]

Originally Posted by bloverby

So you are saying that the huge fan that is already on my compressor that will blow a hat off my head while walking by it and was designed by the manufacturer for the very purpose of cooling the pump is an insufficient amount of cooling? And that I should add a "little cheap fan that has a clip on it" that will barely move any air in order to be able to paint? I have touched my compressor while running, it is going to be hot no matter how much air you blow on it, its compressing air. Is the clip on fan going to let me touch it while running? How many of you guys with bodyshops are adding "little cheap fans that have a clip on them" to your compressors? Bottom line I don't have a problem with my setup and therefore have no reason to change it. We are talking about "little cheap fans that have a clip on them" right?

I am glad you have such a nice compressor...

I however have a Sanborn 5hp 60 gal single stage 'el' cheapo with lots of miles...
I have a large fan hanging over my compressor and it makes a difference.
When using a D.A. or grinder or other high consumption tool for a little while, it will get so hot I can smell oil burning.... Guess what... A fan helps! I no longer smell oil burning....

If your compressor is good enough that you don't need a fan, his tip isn't for you.....Not everyone has a top notch adequately sized compressor, I bet many of the people reading this forum have much less than I do and work their smaller compressors just as hard as I do...
Please don't get on a guy's case for sharing his personal experience...

[MARTINSR]

One of the most important things you can do for your compressor is give it plenty of air around it. A compressor stuffed in the corner like must of us do is not going to stay nearly as cool as one with a lot of air movement around it. And for goodness sakes, if you can put it outside to get fresh air instead of the paint and bondo dust filled air in the shop, do it.

Brian

[bloverby]

TheBasementHotRod wrote: I have a large fan hanging over my compressor and it makes a difference.

This post is in regards to a "little cheap fan with a clip on it"
is it not?

Martinsr wrote: One of the most important things you can do for your compressor is give it plenty of air around it. A compressor stuffed in the corner like must of us do is not going to stay nearly as cool as one with a lot of air movement around it. And for goodness sakes, if you can put it outside to get fresh air instead of the paint and bondo dust filled air in the shop, do it.

Couldn't agree more. Good info.

[bloverby]

I'll go ahead and nip this in the bud. I am just giving jc a small dose of his own medicine. Him doing this sort of thing to others is what prompted me to ever post anything on any forum in the first place. Its all in fun. No harm done. I thought he may find it amusing. Seriously, blowing a fan on something definetly isn't going to hurt a darn thing so if it floats your boat to do it go ahead and do so. I don't find it necessary with my setup. Merry x-mas everybody.

[jcclark]

Thanks Bloverby, I did find it amusing

About the fan, The fan runs all the time so it's running when the
compressor needs it most, right after the compressor shuts off.
Like a car engine, right after it shuts off is when the compressor
gets really hot. During the off cycle the fan really cools it down.

[oldred]

I use a small squirrel cage blower on my Quincy two stage that I use in my home garage and it makes a real difference in pump temps. This would be of even more benefit on a single stage pump since they tend to run hotter anyway especially when someone is using one at or near max performance. In high demand situations it usually does not have near enough time to cool between cycles with only the pulley fan so even a small fan will make a huge difference due to cooling during the idle cycle and is highly recommended.

[ken_c]

Originally Posted by oldred

This would be of even more benefit on a single stage pump since they tend to run hotter anyway especially when someone is using one at or near max performance.

Is this true? I can see what you're saying but remembering high school physics
PV/T =constant.
So a compressor pressurising air to 175psi should give hotter AIR and by conduction a hotter compressor than a single stage going to 115psi.
I expect what I'm saying is too simplified to be true and I certainly see what you're saying about the single stage unit cycling more often but.......hmmmm....

[BarryK]

The best test was when in FL as some of you are.
The compressor was outside under a overhang and on paint days had a walmart floor fan mounted on a perch about four feet from comressor, it worked great, amasing what a $15 fan will do.

[shine]

well it get hot as a red head here in central texas in summer. almost too hot to paint. i have a plastic 55 gal barrel with a coil in it. i fill it with well water everyday and it really helps cool the air before it gets to the moisture traps. my compressor is outside in the shade so it gets a good sw breeze on it all day. an extra fan cant hurt i suppose.