Preparing for Ingersoll-Rand SS3L3 delivery

[dwm]

I'm moving in March (and currently in a rental), so had to come up with a temporary setup for the compressor.

I built a rolling platform for the compressor so I can move it. Fingers crossed that it's big enough and that the dimensioned drawing I got from IR support is correct with respect to mounting holes. I don't have room for a larger platform, so if it's not stable enough I'll cargo-strap the compressor to the wall. Platform is a piece of .75" birch plywood sandwiched to a piece of .75" oak plywood with wood glue and 28 #12x1.25" wood screws (from the bottom, not seen in pics). Trimmed with .75"x1.5" poplar. Four coats of spar urethane; I don't care what it looks like, only that it's essentially impervious to water. Casters are 4" rated for 400 lbs each; two fixed, two swiveling with brakes. Hole in center is 4.5" diameter, which permits my Parker 06D1NA self-activating drain with room to screw it on (and off when it needs servicing).



1/2"-20 stainless steel hex head cap screws, nylon-insert locknuts, and neoprene-backed stainless washers. 1/2" thick 55A durometer fabric-reinforced neoprene pads to go between the compressor feet and the platform (hopefully reduce vibration transmission to the floor).



Parker 06D1NA drain for tank.



1/2" air hoses (one to compressor, one to hose reel), Polyconn aluminum air manifold with a Prevost safety coupler in one of the 4 ports (other ports are plugged for now), regulator, filter, and black iron drip leg cable-tied to pegboard to make it easy to take with me in March.



I can't wait for the compressor to arrive. Fingers crossed that the liftgate driver will help me get it from the pallet to my rolling platform.

[dsan]

Very nice setup.

[Romanova]

Where did you end up ordering the compressor from?

[mrholeshot]

Thats sweet!!!

[dwm]

Originally Posted by Romanova

Where did you end up ordering the compressor from?

Northern (http://www.northerntool.com). They generally have the best prices on IR compressors and the drop shipping is free (well, freight shipping is free; there's a fee added for liftgate delivery).

[scott37300]

I would make sure to have some "gifts" for the driver to help persuade him to help you. I would imaging the compressor will come bolted to a pallet which will take some time to get the packaging undone and ready to lift to your platform. Also I know some companies won't let the drivers help with certain things because if they get hurt on company time the company is responsible.

Hopefully it works out for you and looks like a nice platform.

[dwm]

Originally Posted by scott37300

I would make sure to have some "gifts" for the driver to help persuade him to help you. I would imaging the compressor will come bolted to a pallet which will take some time to get the packaging undone and ready to lift to your platform. Also I know some companies won't let the drivers help with certain things because if they get hurt on company time the company is responsible.

Yes, I tip the driver $40 or so if they're willing to help me for 10 to 15 minutes. Beyond that I don't ask for help; they're on a schedule. I also won't ask one to do something I wouldn't do myself, and I'm not a big nor young guy.

Hopefully it works out for you and looks like a nice platform.

Thanks!

[Romanova]

Please advise how the delivery ends up going!

[KLars1]

Can you explain how the Parker 06D1NA self-activating drain works?

Nice platform and setup, it is clear you put some thought and time into it.

[dwm]

Originally Posted by KLars1

Can you explain how the Parker 06D1NA self-activating drain works?

Sure. It's a simple float type. Roughly 5 PSI will keep the valve in the bottom closed, until there's enough water in it to push the float up, which will open the valve in the bottom until the water level allows it to close again. Sort of the opposite of the float valve in your toilet (which closes a valve instead of opening a valve). It's good for up to 250 PSI. Typically used on drip legs (there's a similar one going on my drip leg), but they work fine on tanks too. That is, if you have the clearance. With the SS3L3 compressor on the ground, this type of drain isn't an option. It is an option on a portable if you're willing to put bigger wheels on it. I may do that on my portable, in part because larger wheels might be going on it anyway to make it easier to roll across my yard when going from the deatched garage to the attached garage (steep hill, opposite side of house).

I've never been a big fan of the electric timer-based automatics for home use. My compressor doesn't see enough continuous use to warrant draining some air every hour or less, and the compressor cycling every hour or less in the middle of the night (if I forget to turn it off) is kinda unfriendly. There are zero-loss types, but they cost more than I want to spend for a home compressor. The better option for home with low clearance is the type that uses a pilot tube to open the valve every time your compressor cycles. That's what is on my portable. I'd do the same on the SS3L3, except I plan to move in March and I don't want fragile 1/8" copper tubing running from the discharge tube all the way down the to tank drain if I'm going to be muscling the thing around. It's not a big deal on my portable because it's a horizontal and the drain is at the same end as the discharge tube (the thin tube that relieves pressure from the pump cylinder for easier starting). Harbor Freight sells a kit of this type for $10, but the hardware is low-quality and the plastic tubing has a tendency to pop off from heat (compressed air is hot). However, the Harbor Freight one can be made pretty robust if you're careful installing it and replace the plastic tubing with copper, use good fittings, etc. Personally, I'd rather get 4919K13 fro McMaster-Carr and buy my own fittings and pipe. Better valve than the Harbor Freight one and it won't fall apart when you put some oomph on the fittings. I think someone did a write-up on the Harbor Freight one though, to give you an idea... yep:

http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/compressor/

Originally Posted by KLars1

Nice platform and setup, it is clear you put some thought and time into it.

Thanks! Didn't take me much time to build, but I did put some thought into it before I started assembling it.

[dwm]

The compressor arrived today, in pristine condition.

However, it arrived unannounced. The shipping company never called me, and given the initial lead time, I wasn't expecting it until next week. I could have just rejected the delivery, but decided to accept it (off of the tractor trailer, which meant we had to roll it up my driveway on a handtruck). Funny... I got up this morning, checked my personal email and saw I had just received the notification that it had been shipped. I then went to the kitchen to make coffee and saw the tractor trailer in front of the house. I snickered, "Damn, that's FAST!"

The other glitch... the dimensioned drawing that Ingersoll-Rand sent me was incorrect. By a lot. There are only 3 legs, not 4, and they're on an arc much larger than 17". I'm assuming they sent me an older drawing and there's since been a redesign. -1 for Ingersoll-Rand email support.

I've got the compressor sitting on my platform (that's how I got it into my garage), but I'm either going to build a new rolling platform (not a big deal) or set it on a simpler non-rolling platform and relegate my rolling platform to being an odd, fancy-looking piano dolly with a round hole in the middle. I'm sure as hell glad I didn't put 4 anchors in the concrete, else I'd have been much more irked about the incorrect drawing.

I didn't have too much trouble getting the compressor off of the pallet and into my platform by myself. I put my platform against the pallet, chocked its wheels, then used a 1/8" piece of black delrin sheet I had in my scrap bin to make it easy to slide the compressor. It's not ridiculously heavy if you're careful. For reference, I'm about 170 lbs., 5'8" tall and have a desk job.

I should be going through the start-up procedure tomorrow.

[dwm]

Just to update...

I drilled new holes in the platform to handle the 3 legs versus the 4 legs shown in the diagram sent by Ingersoll-Rand support. I then mounted the compressor on it. I didn't have any trouble rolling the compressor on the platform from the basement into the attached garage (my attached garage is a single-bay that leads right into the basement via another single-bay garage door... awesome for bringing the summer car right into the basement for winter projects).

Compressor is running the start-up period as I type this. It's stable and quiet on the platform. If I had to do it again, I'd probably make it just a tiny bit bigger, 26"x26" plywood instead of 24"x24". I don't anticipate any problems with my current one, though I'm not sure how well it'll do when I move (it'll be cargo strapped snugly for sure).

Anyway, for anyone thinking they can't deal with a vertical stationary because they can't move it around... you can if you put it on a rolling platform. No reason the platform couldn't also accomodate being bolted to the floor. With the two sheets of 3/4" hardwood plywood, I have no reason to believe such a platform wouldn't accomodate a heavier compressor (say a 2430L5).

One thing I don't like about the SS3L3... the pump cooling is largely ineffective. I anticipated this and am planning to add a 240V electric fan and I'll build my own shroud for it. In the interim I'm going to build a small shroud to keep the air going by the pump head instead of away from it.

[joey1158]

I can't thank you enough for all of the information you have posted regarding this IR SS3L3 machine. I myself have just ordered one for the addition to my current garage and am trying to ascertain the wiring requirements. In checking the web I ran across this site and your post. Very, very informative. Since I've only just ordered the compressor (Northern Tools) it is supposed to take about three weeks to receive it. Can't wait, although the addition has yet to be completed. Not sure of my exact procedure for installing. Your rolling platform sounds good but I'm thinking I've no need for moving the beast once installed. Was particularly curious about the automatic drain you've installed. I've not see much in the way of this type of information but obviously attention needs to be paid for draining so your description has proven valuable to say the least. Now I must do more research before I can settle on my method. Having the compressor bolted to the concrete floor seems the best way to go but this will give limited space for draining. Am considering installing some right angle tubing to extend the draining away from the base center. Not sure yet. . .
Again, thank you for your sooooo helpful information.
Joe

[dwm]

For what it's worth, if I were building the platform today I'd use these leveling casters. $100 for a 4-pack. Click the picture for the details.

[joey1158]

dwm: what size breaker/wire did you put the compressor on? Do you have a subpanel in your work area or are you just running from the main breaker? Have you completed that 240v fan you mentioned? Thanx

[dwm]

Originally Posted by joey1158

dwm: what size breaker/wire did you put the compressor on? Do you have a subpanel in your work area or are you just running from the main breaker? Have you completed that 240v fan you mentioned? Thanx

I already had a breaker box with dual 60A breakers where the compressor was going, and an outlet right next to it. All I had to do was make a cord. I bought 10' of 3-conductor stranded AWG12 from Lowe's, and a plug. I used about 4' of it.

Original owner had a lot of the right things built into this house. I've even got a firehose in the attached garage (and the well pump will deliver an ungodly amount of water to it; I just had to test it because I had never seen one in a home ).

Remember, the breakers are to protect the permanent wiring. You'd be fine with a dual 30A breaker in terms of what the compressor will draw. If you're doing new wiring, I'd aim for 60A capacity from your new box to the main panel, assuming you've got 200A service at the main panel. The additional copper isn't going to bump the cost appreciably. You won't need it for the compressor, obviously, but it'll give you the option of updating the box later if you want more 240V off of that box and/or some 120V breakers in that box. In my previous home, I had a 60A subpanel installed in the garage and then rewired my lights and outlets to 15A and 20A breakers in the new subpanel. Wasn't too bad pulling new wire to the outlets (previous outlets and wiring was for 15A), and saved me trips to the basement to reset breakers if I tripped one while working in the garage. Of course I never had tripping problems afterward since those circuits were dedicated to the garage and the outlets were on the 20A breakers.

[joey1158]

Thanks again sir for the info. I'm setting up for a 125A sub in the addition to the garage. I was thinking (reading) that for a 30A setup to the compressor, #10AWG is required. It really can be somewhat confusing doing the research for installing a compressor of this size because there are differing opinions as to what's needed. I also had read that NOT using a plug but wiring direct to, say, a cut off switch would be best. All of the 240V equipment being used in the woodshop is on 20A 240V breakers and this includes a vacuum system, 8" planer and my tablesaw. None of these pull the kind of amps this compressor does (22A from what I've read) so this will be the only item that will need it's own 30A. In fact both the 1.5hp Delta vacuum system and the table saw are on the same circuit but as I said, at that voltage there's not so much amperage to be concerned. Never have had a breaker trip either. PPPPPP, eh. Very interesting and informative reading what your approach has been. A firehouse in the garage. . . .wow!
thanx

[chevydriver37]

DWM, you're gonna love this compressor. I bought mine from Northern Tool 8-9 years ago and have used it continually. It's on a 20A breaker, direct-wire. While it's not as hefty as a double-stage, it handles the abuse I give it very well. I refurb boats, and use Dynabrade sanders/grinders. No issues. Point here is that you don't have to have a huge shop-like compressor to use professional grade air tools.

It cycles more than the bigger compressors, but heck, for the $520 bucks I paid for it, I feel I got a deal. I did, though, go with high-flow connectors/couplers and a 3/8 hose. My IR 3/8" impact notices the biggest difference with the high-flow connectors.

Keep 'er drained of water and the oil level up and it'll last forever!

[930dreamer]

Congrats on the air compressor, any pics?

[dwm]

Joey, I haven't measured the current draw of the SS3L3, but I'm sure it's less than 22A continuous. 1HP = 746 watts, hence 3HP = 2238 watts. 2238 watts / 240V = 9.3 amps. Plate on the compressor says 16.6 amps, which I assume is start-up current. I know that my cord stays at ambient (I looked at it with a Fluke thermal imaging camera I borrowed from work). If you desperately want to know exact current, I'll borrow a current loop probe for my oscilloscope.

I probably would have direct-wired if I weren't planning to move soon. I assume you're planting roots (you wouldn't be adding an addition and buying new tools if you weren't ), so direct wiring is good. I have to admit that I do like being able to move the compressor easily when needed. I'm tight on space in the attached garage (it's a single bay but very deep).

Oh, the 230V fan... I haven't done it yet, but I did fabricate a deflector out of some scrap fiberglass angle and G-10. A lot of the air from the fan blades on the pulley was going far to the right of the pump head, my deflector helps keep it flowing past the pump head. There are two holes on the pumps platform that made it easy (no mods to the compressor itself). Sorry for the fuzziness, but here's a picture. Electrical grade fiberglass angle is red, the G-10 is the black shiny sheet.