Air Compressor Installation Guide

Having made the decision to buy an air compressor, you need to go about installing it in the correct manner. This needs to be done safely and effectively to ensure that neither the air compressor itself or you come to any harm. Having spent your hard earned money, you don’t want to damage the air compressor that is going to be so handy to have around your home, garage or workplace.

Best of Machinery have compiled a list of the most important things for you to consider when installing your new air compressor so that you can get the most out of your machine and your machine can live on for the longest period of time with the least problems possible.

Where?

Deciding where to put your air compressor is one of the most important parts of the installation process. It must be installed within a clean, dry area that has ample ventilation to work well and not to cause damage to you, your home or to the machine itself. If an air compressor is kept in an environment opposite to this, that being a cold, damp and badly ventilated area, it is dangerous, the compressor will not be able to undertake its job effectively or safely, and it will be to the detriment of the air compressor itself.

Placing?

If you have chosen to buy a belt driven air compressor, then it is imperative that you place this with the belt facing a wall and not into an open space. Leave a gap of at least 30cm between the air compressor and the wall for increased safety.

Portable?

Decided to buy a portable air compressor? No problem at all. These are just as easy to install as standalone air compressors. All you must do to make sure that it is safe and works well is to lock the wheels when you have got it into the place that you desire so that it cannot move around, fall or cause any accidental damage through the vibrations caused when the motor is on. A lot of air compressors have their own in-built brakes, but if not, simply use blocks to keep the wheels in place and prevent the compressor from wandering.

Compliant?

Before you connect the compressor to the mains, you must check that you have a voltage of compressor that is compliant with your mains socket. We don’t want to fuse any circuits, cause any big bangs or worse, fires. We want to use the air compressor to make a positive impact and not to purely make an incredible mess!

The same applies to your house being compliant, too. Make sure that there is enough supply to be able to use your compressor safely. Ideally, you would have a power switch on the electrical unit which is the safest and recommended way to care for your compressor when it is not in use – simply turn the power switch off.

Valve

Fitting a valve to the tank outlet before you fit the hose is a great idea. This way you remain in control, prevent leaks and won’t run out of compressed air at the most vital time.

Accessories

You will want to attach the hose to the air compressor rather quickly – you want to get to work without delay. Make sure that the hose is longer than you require. You don’t want the hose getting taught, it should be slack, ideally by at least 1 meter if not two. This will prevent damage to the compressor itself, the hose, any objects you may be wanting to work on (e.g., your car), and also, if you were to trip over the hose, the give will stop you from falling over it and nor will it be ripped from its socket and broken. Buying a slack hose will save you money in the long run on costly repairs.

Set

Before you begin to use the compressor, set it to the correct setting. A simple point to mention, yes, but you would be surprised how often this is forgotten. If the pressure is too high for the compressor or for the job in hand, you will cause immediate and often irreparable damage. It’s very rare that any more than 30 PSI is needed to be able to complete most jobs at home effectively. This is the recommended level, but you must still be aware that if compressed air hits your skin, even when at a low pressure such as this, it can still cause painful skin damage.

Tools

It is always best to be prepared for any situation occurring before you start any job. Make sure you have a good standard tool kit, clean and ready to work with, easily accessible and in a sensible place. Make life as easy as you can for yourself.

Check

No matter how frequently you use your air compressor, you must get into the habit of always checking the oil level before you use it. All compressors vary as to their recommended oil levels so check what yours should be by consulting the user manual. Keeping the oil level at the recommended level will prevent damage occurring to the compressor, will increase the workability of the compressor and elongate the lifespan of your new gadget.

Get the Job Done

Once you have completed all of the above points, you are safe to use your air compressor to undertake the job at hand in a very thorough manner. Use your new air compressor to complete a wide array of jobs. We guarantee that you will be left wondering why you haven’t bought one before!