Compressor electrical and autodrain question

Thanks, pretty coherent thoughts.

Do these switches sell at home depot and such?

I've picked them up from Menards as well as Home Depot, I'd imagine Lowes would have them also. Sometimes you have to look at the shelves pretty close to find them though.

Paul

Wrong. The breaker protects your HOUSE. If wires short and start drawing enough current to heat up and maybe burn your house down, the breaker pops. You should be thinking about a motor starter. It doesn't have to be a mag switch, could be a definite purpose contactor, but whatever, it should have overloads in it that protect your motor. Search ebay on Square D motor starters or magnetic switches or contactors, stuff like that. A little 3 hp motor can run with a NEMA size 1 no problem, they don't cost much used.

GWE

I've got a bunch of brand new Bryant switches identical to number B330AN on page 33 of the .pdf someone else pointed to. $12 each + shipping if you, or anyone else, is interested.

Amazing how many responsesthis ignoramous fellow gets to the simplest questions, isn't it ???

Horrible Freight sells autodrain kits. If you can find a timer, I can send you a solenoid and air manifold that will pipe up to your tank.

Gunner

It's better to be a red person in a blue state than a blue person in a red state. As a red person, if your blue neighbors turn into a mob at least you have a gun to protect yourself. As a blue person, your only hope is to appease the red mob with herbal tea and marinated tofu.

(Phil Garding)

They make Quad breakers for SquareD Homeline. Part# HOMT2020230 or HOMT2020240 would give you the two 20A single poles for the 120V outlets and one 2-pole (240v) 30A or 40A for the compressor.

Using Quads, there's lots of room left in that panel... ;-)

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Since you have an industrial quality compressor why not do and industrial style installation. That would be a disconnect box for killing the power connected with flexible conduit from the main to the compressor. As far as an autodrain check Graingers, as suggested, or McMaster-Carr. Those things are usually set for every 5 or 10 minutes to dump the water. You might also consider a refrigerated air dryer and a coalescing filter because you will never get the water out by simply draining the storage tank.

Ill check in the morning..I may have some 20 amp ones. If I do..Ill send you one free.

Gunner

It's better to be a red person in a blue state than a blue person in a red state. As a red person, if your blue neighbors turn into a mob at least you have a gun to protect yourself. As a blue person, your only hope is to appease the red mob with herbal tea and marinated tofu.

(Phil Garding)

Probably so. It will say on the box either motor rated or it will give a maximum horsepower rating, something like "x HP at 277 volts.

I saved your post. I will go to Menards to spend their rebate certificate, if I do not find a switch there, I will write you.

After a night of good sleep, I decided to do exactly that.

The bad thing is, I could have bought a great military surplus air dryer for not much, from the military, just a month ago, but I did not feel a need for it.

How much would a good (read reliable) auto drain and a adequately sized drier set me back?

Thank you, I will definitely buy one. Would it sell at "home improvement stores"? I saw it on some web stores for $25.

Thank you!

You do not need an air dryer, unless you are painting. Graingers auto drain, item number 4KT04, $56.80 Greg

I would google around "used equipment dealers" because they usually have all sizes and prices. If you can't find one, let me know where you are located and I should be able to dig one up. I have a lot of contacts in that business.You will need to know the SCFM of your unit to size it correctly....Also, you might be able to get them to throw a fused knife switch in the deal for your disconnect......good luck, Ross

I suspect he *will* need a dryer. You will notice he has this posted also on a metalworking NG. If you don't dry the air properly, you will get water out of your air guns and water into any machine tools you connect. That was the biggest destructive force I saw in the machine tool trade. Here's the deal. When you compress air the moiture becomes steam. Steam cannot be filtered out so you need to bring the temperature down of the air so it can be filtered out. And that is the basic test of an air dryer...grab both the incoming and outgoing lines and you should see a noticable temperature difference. The device you recommend would be fine after the dryer......take care, Ross

You see, I do not know the CFM of this unit. It has a big honest 3 HP Baldor industrial motor. 16 amps, 220V. Dual cylinder pump. Any idea what is the CFM?

I tried it today, it goes up to 140 PSI, then down to 100 PSI and recharges again.

A Curtis 3 HP *appears* to be 11 SCFM. So any dryer that size or larger should be sufficient. Here is a link to their site