Qunicy vs. IR vs. ? 15 hp air compressors?

[larboc]

Looking to buy a pair of 15hp 480v air compressors, pretty sure I want to spend a little more for pressure lube. Right now I'm leaning towards this: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...0485_200680485
Any reason to avoid quincy?

 

[heavytlc]

Not even in the same ballpark, but I have not had any issues QT-5 80 gallon. Best 2k range new air compressor I could find at the time. Its been installed for 5 years.

 

[heavytlc]

I don’t have a picture on my phone of the compressor but this was my answer to water removal on the cheap. I don’t spray enough paint to have refrigerated air. The whole shops is hard piped in 3/4” front to back and along the side wall.

 

[B-rock]

For the price of 2 of those compressors I would look at getting a Kobelco KNW 0 or 1. rotary screw compressors. They run Quiet and 24/7 run time is no problem. How much CFM are you needing? you can buy them used at industrial auctions.

 

[crisbee1]

Quincy 60 gal 5hp 2 stage, 4 years old and runs great it is inside and relatively quiet. oil comes out clean at changes. The chinese pressure on off switch failed almost immediately. Quincy sent a real compressor mechanic up to change it.

 

[subybaja]

I clicked on that link for a $6500 compressor, and got a popup for "$5 off your next order!!!".

 

[cj3a]

At 15hp I would start looking at a rotary screw with a VFD drive. I bought 2 40hp Quincy’s and they run smooth and quite. Tankless to a 250 gal receiver to a refrigerant dryer. They are working much better than the pistons set up they replaced.

 

[larboc]

At 15hp I would start looking at a rotary screw with a VFD drive. I bought 2 40hp Quincy’s and they run smooth and quite. Tankless to a 250 gal receiver to a refrigerant dryer. They are working much better than the pistons set up they replaced.

What's the advantage? I've always been told rotary is better but the only experience I have with one is a 100hp atlas copco with 55,000 hours on it. I've had to fix a few things on it. It seems like it runs unloaded a lot.

The hour rating for a pressure lube piston unit isn't all that different than the screws I'm looking at.

 

[cj3a]

Runs only as fast as needed to maintain pressure. Helps to keep your demand charges down on your electric bills. Quite and run with no vibration. Almost instant response when your demand increases. We never shut them off due to the manufacturing. At 9 months in the PM service seems minimal.

 

[cj3a]

We had a comp-air screw which was a pain in the ass compared to the Quincy. Gave me troubles and leaked like a Harley.

 

[evernoob]

I don’t have a picture on my phone of the compressor but this was my answer to water removal on the cheap. I don’t spray enough paint to have refrigerated air. The whole shops is hard piped in 3/4” front to back and along the side wall.

I guess those are looped at the top? Hey, it's just a big, expensive radiator. How did that come out less than if you just bought a radiator with a drain or used a car radiator?

 

[heavytlc]

I guess those are looped at the top? Hey, it's just a big, expensive radiator. How did that come out less than if you just bought a radiator with a drain or used a car radiator?

I have 60’+ of black pipe before the air hits the filters and water separators, 90’ before the first place that you could actually use air. That is to get as much water to drop out of the air and cool it down coming off the compressor. Cheap and easy enough to build. There is a drop with a drain at every air hose or quick connect. Ball valves at ever hose real and enough unions to reasonably service or add to any part. I tried to pull air from the top everywhere. There are water drops with ball valves at every drop. It is as close to a professional air line plumbing Job as we could do. Way overkill for my home shop considering I don’t do much these days. I added a few disconnects around the shop and one near the house side. It is nice to air up tires and work on junk with air tools with very little effort.
Yes there cooling is a 180 at the top with a drop and drain at each low spot. It is the best thing I could come up with. There is about 400’ of 3/4 black pipe maybe a bit more in the shop. 6 hose reels. I still have times that I can’t get air where I need it without an extra hose.

d.

 

[larboc]

I guess those are looped at the top? Hey, it's just a big, expensive radiator. How did that come out less than if you just bought a radiator with a drain or used a car radiator?

A car radiator at 175psi? I can't see that working well.

I like the idea, I might have swung for copper (not really much more expensive than black pipe) because I'm sick of getting sand blasted by rusty air lines.


For accounting reasons I need to keep the total bill under $25k, and I need to replace two compressors with two compressors. The existing feeds are 60 amps and 30 amps and I need to re-use them. I've had it with repairing and working on the two compressors that are there now breaking down, I eventually need to get something in the 500-750 cfm range that can be used/less reliable but I have a chance to buy new and dependeble for base air loads and I'm going to do my best to make the $$$ and amps go as far as possible for us.

What are everyones thoughts on changing up my plans to a rotary screw TAS and one of the recips in the OP. I need at least one recip because we air up semi-truck tires and the 125psi of a rotary screw sucks for that.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...9964_200659964

 

[subybaja]

A car radiator at 175psi? I can't see that working well.

Radiator, no, but an oil cooler works fine. I've got one on my 30 gallon at home, 60 gallon at work, and here's one from GarageJournal. (dunno what would work at your scale!)

 

[Ummduh]

I need at least one recip because we air up semi-truck tires and the 125psi of a rotary screw sucks for that.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...9964_200659964

We have 5 Gardner-Denver screw compressors here at work that run their tails off.

As for needing more pressure, you could put an air booster in where you need more pressure.

https://www.smcusa.com/products/VBA-A-Booster-Regulator~160707

We have a few of these and they've been reliable.

 

[Firstram]

Oil coolers make great after coolers. I run a Hayden 1299 and water separation before the tank on my 7.5hp Gardner Denver. With a 600 CFM fan, the cooled air temp is is down to 10°F above ambient.

 

[cj3a]

The old setup was a 5hp recp and a 15hp screw. It got to be such a pain in the ass with break downs. Make them change the service and run two of the same size units that auto switch on failure. The 250 gal receiver vertical acts like a air separator. Also the Wilkerson regulators suck ass. They always end up leaking. I swapped them out with SMC.