Quiet Air Compressor

[Richard G.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

Of course stay away from the oil-less compressors. They are all just big speakers.
Slow is good, large cylinders and not much speed equals less noise.
To keep costs low you will be looking for a belt driven piston compressor.
My friend has a 15HP rated compressor he is running a 5hp on. Of course it is slowed down from the maximum design speed but its as good as piston compressors come-by for noise. The large compressors come up occasionally and and are usually 3phase. They sell for less as few are capable of dealing with the converters or motor changes. My friend just put a new 5 hp 220 motor on his.
Fiberglass insulation is not the best sound deadener. Double layers of sheetrock with an air space will do more.
Some of the materials used for sound reduction would likely work wonders. Even if you just put a small enclosure around the compressor head only you would be amazed at the decibel reduction.
Best of luck on your project.
Rick

[Mark E.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

I have a 20-year old 2-stage 5HP 60 gallon upright. Works well but sounds like I'm standing next to a jackhammer.

I did two things: 1) Placed a rubber truck mudflap under it; 2) Bought a quiet 3 gallon pancake compressor for $30.

Now, 2/3 of the time the 3 gallon is sufficient- tires, blowing off dust, air brush work. Plus I can bring it to the work.

The remaining times I need the big compressor, it now sounds like a jackhammer in the next room.

[Gary R.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

I am liking the EMAX 5 hp and asked on GF if anyone has one. Like some of you I have a small 2hp sears which is a noisy oil less model but will be good for small jobs. The blast cabinet will need the 5hp. I just was grinding and polishing a posi case but using a 50hp screw so no issues there.

[Richard G.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

I looked up the Emax compressor. Quoting them below;

The Whisper dissipates compressor intake noise by channeling the intake air through a series of baffle plates and pre-filter media within the silencer cabinet. As a result, the piston intake noise is trapped and dissipated within the silencer structure.

It appears to be an add-on bolted to the side of the compressor. This is the first one of these I have seen. Corvette owners can all envision the noise from the intake of a compressor. Just most of ours have 8 cylinders not one! I think you would be happy with it. I would also add the rubber mounts or mat under the compressor like Mark suggested.

[Gary R.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

Thanks Rich
I will see if I can still track one down to see. I have some time in getting one too, I won't be wiring my shop till the end of Dec or into Jan.

[Randy R.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

Pipe the air inlet to the outside. This will reduce the noise. Cold air (below about 55 deg F) does not have a lot of moisture in it even at high relative humidity. I live close to the Canadian border and have never had a problem with moisture in the lines and the inlet piped outside. A moisture problem is more likely during high summer humidity.

[Gary R.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

Randy,
How is the noise outside? I don't want to annoy anyone around me as well. I have a small loft overhead that might be better to plumb it to.

[Randy R.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

There is some noise outside. Mufflers are available. Don't attach it to the roof structure. The roof will act like a sounding board.
Randy

[Cecil L.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

You might want to check out Eaton Compressors. I have no experience with them but have been interested in this one.

https://www.eatoncompressor.com/industrial-series-5-10-hp/industrial-5hp-2-stage-single-phase-80-gallon-vertical-air-compressor

[Richard G.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

I looked at the Eaton page the Cecil posted the link to.
USA manufactured! Quite technology.
Pump RPM 800. I noticed the pump RPM is not always listed in the specifications.
One has to note the motor FLA, full load amps, (this one is 24) which is what a real 5 hp draws.
Watch for motors that list the amp draw as (SP) special. Translated it means; I especially don't what you to know what it is.
Also note this is powered by a 4 poll motor that runs at a nominal 1800rpm.
Less expensive compressors use a 2 poll motors that runs at 3600rpm.
Worth a look as the price point is good for this quality of compressor.
Rick

[Michael L.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

I have a Quincy 23 CFM at 175psi 80 gal 7.5 hp 1 phase. It is not terribly loud, but I have it in a large shop and I'm never very close to it. When I had it at the house I put it outside in a little lean-to that I put up behind the garage. I poured the slab myself and finished it in two weekends. Not that hard to do and worked well. ZERO noise in the garage. I ventilated it well to help with heat. As for the neighbors, it was hard to hear when the compressor was running even when you were outside but when I drained the tank, well that's another story.

[Gary R.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

You might want to check out Eaton Compressors. I have no experience with them but have been interested in this one.
https://www.eatoncompressor.com/indu...air-compressor

I have seen those and they appear to be the same as the EMAX? Not sure what the differences are between them but the youtube videos on them are in the same showroom and by the same guy? I don't think this one is the silent series with the intake muffler box.

[Paul Y.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

I have seen those and they appear to be the same as the EMAX? Not sure what the differences are between them but the youtube videos on them are in the same showroom and by the same guy? I don't think this one is the silent series with the intake muffler box.

20 years ago I put mine behind my shop in the lean to garden shed still mounted on the pallet that it came on. I can hear that it is running from in the shop but that is all. It also does not make a lot of noise outside the garden shed for the neighbors. There is plenty of room for ventilation and cooling and after 20 years it seems to be working well. It is just a hobby compressor so it does not get used as much as a commercial one but I sometimes forget to shut it off of days or weeks at a time. I am very glad that I had a garden shed behind my shop to utilize as a noisy compressor gets old pretty fast in the old shops. The shop is insulated but the garden lean to is not. Paul

[Richard G.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

When I was single I had my compressor in the garage attached to the house. I had a detached shop and ran the air line underground into the shop.
When I was in the shop I really couldn't even hear the compressor unless the shop was quite and no one was speaking. Well that worked great till I got married. I managed to delay the compressor move that was the best I could do. However I could fill the tires in garage after that without hearing the compressor running in the shop. such is life.......

[Gary R.]

Re: Quiet Air Compressor

Just got this email from Eastwood, anyone have one, going to buy one , any thoughts good or bad? I primarily need it to blast steering boxes and trailing arm parts. Larger parts like a differential I just bring to a blast shop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glw_vgREzO4