The Ultimate Air Compressor Buying Guide

Tank Size Vs Portability:

Bigger tank size will allow you to operate multiple air tools at once and for a longer period before the pressure drops to refill more air. However, with the larger tanks, the compressors can be quite heavy and bulking making it hard to maneuver. A smaller tank will not let you operate as long as it stores less air but will offer more movability or portability as it can be equipped with rubber wheels which makes it a lot easier to move around.  

Electric Vs Petrol Compressors: 

A petrol compressor would be best to be used outdoor or when it is being moved from various worksites where they lack electrical power. However, it is advised to be unsafe to operate a petrol compressor in an enclosed area for safety reasons. 

An electric motor compressor is usually what the majority of industries opt for due to it being slightly cheaper and require less maintenance. Electric Compressors come in single phase or 3-phase, it is important to check out what sort of power supply you have access to. With that said, if you can run a 3-phase machine, it is advised to do so as they are a lot more efficient and go through the same maintaining processes. 

Free Air Delivery (CFM) 

Free air delivery measures the volume of air that is produced by a compressor, it is often measured in CFM. If you have many air tools and you plan to operate multiple tools at once, you will need to add up the CFM requirements from the air tools and make sure your compressor free air delivery equal or surpasses it. Any FAD ratings from compressors sold by Revolution Industrials are accurate according to Australia Standard. 

Compressor PSI: 

Different compressors will have a different level of PSI. PSI determines how powerful is the air being produced. If an air tool has a requirement of 150PSI, your compressor has to pressurise at least 150 PSI for it to work. However, it is important to make sure your air tools are not operated with an excessively high PSI as it can damage your air tools. This problem can be fixed with a pressure regulator. 

Compressor Duty Cycle: 

Duty Cycle is the ratio between when your compressor is operated compare to when it is in the resting/cooling phase. To ensure a compressor is well looked after and prolong its life, it would be best to not let operate more than 60% of the time. If you find your compressor runs out of air too fast and it is being overworked to refill the air then you should look into a bigger tank compressor.