Air compressor: Oil or Oil-less?

[valley]

What is your opinion about Oil lubricated or Oil less compressors?
Can an Oil-less compressor last as long as an Oil lubed compressor?

Thankyou Richard

 

[Alan L.]

After much research I just purchased an oiled compressor on the basis that it should last longer and is not as loud as oilless. Having said that, I have an small oilless compressor that is still kicking after 10 years. It is so loud I can' stand it.

 

[k0ua]

I have an oil-less compressor. They are loud, no make that really loud! and don't last as long, they are cheaper, and ok for the average homeowner, but if you use a lot of air tools, probably better to invest in an oil model. my 2 centavos

James K0UA

 

[gengine]

Make that three of us that are against the oil less compressors. They said it. Lots of noise, and I mean lots of noise. The oil lubricated compressors are noisy but you can still have a conversation. They also last a lot longer. I've got an old oiled compressor my dad bought new in '83 for his cabinet shop that has seen 3 new tanks. I keep rusting them out even with the weekly water drains. I can only get an oil less one to last three years or so. One was a 35 gallon tank, the others were pancake compressors.

 

[Bird]

The oilless compressors work just fine, but as others have said, they tend to be very loud. I was told by a technician who works on both at a dealer that sells both, but mostly oiled compressors that under normal conditions an oilless will have about one-tenth the lifespan of an oiled compressor. I frequently run my oiled compressor continuously for quite a long time, but you must not do that with an oilless or you'll shorten it's life even more. I tried using a 30 gallon horizontal Craftsman (by DeVilbiss) oilless in the mid-90s and had to rebuild it about every 6 to 8 months. The only good news is that parts are fairly cheap, it's easy to rebuild one, and I can do that in less than an hour; probably less than a half hour.:laughing:

I've told people in the past that there are two reasons for that nice housing or cover over the oilless. One is because if you could see what's under there you wouldn't buy it and two is for that housing to keep you from getting hurt when it tries to throw parts at you.:laughing: If you think they're loud when running normally, wait until you hear what they sound like with parts flying around inside and cracking that housing.:licking:

But for occasional use, and to never leave it running more than 10 minutes maximum, they aren't too bad.

 

[JDgreen227]

Have a 3/4 hp, Craftsman oil-less compressor going on 21 years old now, still works great. But the ONLY thing it gets used for is tire inflation. PERIOD.

For real jobs, like running an air wrench or nailer, I'd choose an oiler every time, got a C-H that is still running strong after 20 years, but it is only used about a dozen times a year.

So much depends on what you want to use your compressor for. For just inflation, oil-less cannot be beat, but for sustained operation with big PSI requirements, oiled cannot be beat.

 

[crash325]

have 2 old compressors to restore. Both are oiled types, 1 vertical twin and a V twin. V twin has about a 50 gallon tank and a 220v motor. All the wiring has been screwed up. Plan - 1 wire the motor direct to make sure it runs. Then try to figure out the pressure switch. Plug a bunch of holes (threaded) in the tank, install pressure gauge.

Other 1, had a 2 HP motor and it stalled out in about 10 minuets. No idea what the pressure was as the gauge is broken. Guess it needs a 3 HP 220V motor.

Again wiring is messed up on both, extra holes in tanks and gauges not working.

All good suggestions welcome. :thumbsup:

 

[techwrtr2]

I have an oil-less compressor. They are loud, no make that really loud! and don't last as long, they are cheaper, and ok for the average homeowner, but if you use a lot of air tools, probably better to invest in an oil model. my 2 centavos

James K0UA

I have an oil-less compressor. If I were still doing body work as a hobby, I would be dumping that piece of junk for a much larger oiled design. I bought it in a pinch while in the middle of a project and didn't have any money to buy what I really needed.

 

[2manyrocks]

The one advantage of oil less is in an application like where the compressor will be sitting on a pitched roof. An oil compressor would need to sit on the ground and use more hose--which is probably better anyway.

 

[PILOON]

The one advantage of oil less is in an application like where the compressor will be sitting on a pitched roof. An oil compressor would need to sit on the ground and use more hose--which is probably better anyway.

More hose would be like a larger tank and the compressor would cycle less, in fact many user manuals suggest longer hoses rather than using extension cords.

 

[LMan1967]

Ive had both....won't get anything but an oiled compressor from here on out. Its not even close.

 

[JDgreen227]

More hose would be like a larger tank and the compressor would cycle less, in fact many user manuals suggest longer hoses rather than using extension cords.

EVERY manual I have seen for compressors calls for "more hose, less cord"

 

[Bird]

I hadn't thought about using one on a pitched roof. When we were full time RVers, I carried a 1/2 hp, 2 gallon tank, oilless DeVilbiss in the motorhome, rarely used but could air up tires, especially when we had bicycles, and even blow a little dust or dirt out of something, but it really didn't have the volume for using an air blow gun much.

And now my 30 gallon upright oiled compressor is considered to be a "portable" but it hasn't been moved in over 5 years. I do have three 50' air hoses, so I never need to move the compressor.

 

[dodge man]

If it needs to be portable, I'm not sure it matters that much. If it can be in a fixed location, oiled is the way to go. I had a portable oil-less, and it didn't last that long, but I overworked it. I now have a standup oiled, and I don't miss it being portable like I though I would.

 

[Richard]

it's easy to rebuild one

That is... unless you have it apart...well, sort of apart... and get curious as to the innards (piston) and plug it in such that the motor takes off slamming the piston into various parts and smashing the compressor cylinder, sending parts of it flying across the room.

It's only a wives tale that I've heard about however, I did one day take a severely damaged compressor to the dump... don't ask me why. I'm sure that I would never do the above

 

[Richard]

Oh... and I replaced it with an oiled.... been a happy camper since :thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

:laughing:Richard, I guess I was lucky to learn the way I did. The first time my 30 gallon Craftsman oilless failed, it was still under warranty. Now it had a plate on the side showing that it was made by DeVilbiss and there was a factory authorized DeVilbiss service center closer than the Sears Service Center so I took it there. The guy almost completely disassembled it, showing me how all the way, and showed me the broken reed valve. But then he told me that if he fixed it, he would have to charge me a little over a hundred dollars. He said Sears buys them cheaper from DeVilbiss by agreeing to do any warranty work themselves, so DeVilbiss would not reimburse him for doing it. But he put it all back together and didn't charge me anything.

So I load it up and away I go to the Sears Service Center. They said they'd be glad to fix it under warranty, but the guy who does that work is on vacation this week, so it'll be about 10 days. I told them that I knew what was needed and if they'd just give me the parts (about $13 worth) I'd fix it myself, and they did that. After that, whenever it broke, I just went to Sears and bought the parts I needed and they always had the parts in stock.:laughing: I suspect they knew they'd need them.

And, of course, when I got ready to buy a decent compressor, I didn't do any shopping around; I just went to that DeVilbiss service center and bought my Puma 60 gallon compressor from him.:laughing:

 

[RobertN]

OIL-LESS? THEY ARE REALLY REALLY LOUD. I HAVE A LARGE ON(60GAL UPRIGHT 5HP). IT HAS WORKED GREAT FOR TEN YEARS NOW.

A FEW TIMES i HAVE FORGET TO TURN IT OFF, AND IT HAS CYCLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. WAKES EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE UP.

EXCEPT FOR THE REALLY REALLY LOUD PART, IT HAS WORKED FINE.

My previous 2hp 20 gallon Sanborn worked great for years till the tank rusted out. It was pretty quiet, with the twin cylinder oil type compressor.

BUT, THIS OIL-LESS COMPRESSOR HAS LASTED PRETTY WELL.

 

[k0ua]

OIL-LESS? THEY ARE REALLY REALLY LOUD. I HAVE A LARGE ON(60GAL UPRIGHT 5HP). IT HAS WORKED GREAT FOR TEN YEARS NOW.

A FEW TIMES i HAVE FORGET TO TURN IT OFF, AND IT HAS CYCLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. WAKES EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE UP.

EXCEPT FOR THE REALLY REALLY LOUD PART, IT HAS WORKED FINE.

My previous 2hp 20 gallon Sanborn worked great for years till the tank rusted out. It was pretty quiet, with the twin cylinder oil type compressor.

BUT, THIS OIL-LESS COMPRESSOR HAS LASTED PRETTY WELL.

WHAT? HUH? COULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK UP? MY OIL-LESS COMPRESSOR IS RUNNING..

 

[RobertN]

Unless you use larger wire gauge extension cords, yes you will burn up your compressor motor. Bad stuff to run electric motors on long small gauge extension cords... IR drops will kill them.

EVERY manual I have seen for compressors calls for "more hose, less cord"