Old Air Compressor

A few years back I picked up a large air
compressor from an old shop that was closing
down, and I'm trying to find info on what I
have.

There are no tags on either the compressor
pump or on the electric motor. I was told the
motor is 3 phase.

As the pictures show, both the pump and motor
are big 'ol things! Dr Pepper can added to show
scale.

Anyone have any ideas of how many HP this
motor would be? Or does anyone recognize the
compressor pump and have info on it such as
make, HP requirements, RPM, etc.?

I'd like to get this setup working
again(possibly with a new motor, although we
have a 3 phase line running 150ft from the shop
so that's a possibility). My main concern is
that the cost be less than what going and
buying a good new 80 gallon 2 stage compressor would run.

Here's a closer pic of the compressor pump. Again, Dr Pepper can added to show size.

Some ideas to get you started on your search-
try Speedaire/Dayton/Grainger- maybe model 1WD21?

When I was given a similar compressor several years ago and needed to get parts for it, I found a distributor here in the east (Pittsburgh) who was very helpful;
Kruman Equipment Co.
3000 Penn Ave.

Thanks! It sure does look similar to the Speedaire model you mentioned when I looked it up. The info on those says either a 5 or 7.5 horse motor.

No idea of hp or make, but I have a 5 hp 2 stage compressor that looks about your size. Where is the air line and check valve leaving the smaller cylinder?

Speedair parts..

http://www.mastertoolrepair.com/spe...e-two-stage-pump-parts-c-271_545_565_567.html

If that pump is good spend what it takes to power it you will be a happy man.. I mostly deal with IR/kellogg pumps they are EZ to repair... Those old pumps are continuations duty and I doubt for what it will cost to power it you will find a better NEW compressor...

What I got with this deal was kind of a bunch of parts- the pump and motor and two older vertical tanks that they had plumbed together with large copper line. None of it was hooked up or bolted together when I got it. In the pics, the pump and motor are just sitting on the platform of one of the tanks.

One of the two tanks has a date of 1951 on it and if I remember right the other is pretty close to that age as well. I don't think there's anyplace within 200 miles of here to get the tanks tested, so rather than risk having a bomb in my shop I will probably buy a new or newer used upright tank to mount the compressor pump and motor on.

It is probably sold by Grainger, but it is a Campbell Hausfeld pump, as are all (most?) Speedaire compressors.

I have a way to test the tanks your self. Fill with water then pressurize with a pressure washer to around 300psi if it holds the tanks will be good for 150psi air. If you want 200psi air go to 400psi water. Older tanks were made of thicker material.
Ypop

With a compressor that nice I would be checking CL and see if anyone has a good LP tank. Not huge, but good sized.

I was told that when they pressure test a tank, they fill it with water, then add air pressure. Water doesn't compress that much, so if tank splits, water will run out and no big bang. I have an air compressor built in the 40's. No big bang yet. Developed a pin hole leak, which I repaired with a screw and epoxy. That was 10 years ago. I'm really not worried that much about 130psi.

With a double belt pully the power required is at least 5 HP,perhaps more . Check the specs for the probable mfgr.

I hope you can identify the pump and motor you have and echo what others have said in that you probably cannot buy a better set up.

I just finished yesterday setting up my Dad's old compressor in my shop. The compressor originally was owned by my Granddad who was a mechanic. He passed it along to my dad who kept it in his home shop for as long as I can remember. I turn 57 next Friday. Dad was an autobody repairman and occasionally did work at home. Need a lot of air for sanders, painting, etc.. and the old compressor never failed. Oh, it sometimes needed to "catch up" while the paint got tacky enough for another coat but it never failed. It got a "new" second hand tank back in the 1970's after the original got a pinhole leak in it but other than that I know of no maintenance that has ever been done to it.

Yesterday when I fired her up she took off and pumped up. Not a speedster but dependable. Bet it has been almost 20 years since she pumped up where she cut herself off but you would have thought it was just yesterday.

The motor is a GE and runs off of 220 but the badge is not legible so I don't know the HP. I never have seen anything to identify the pump. But, yesterday, in watching her pump up I noticed on the pressure gauge, which is the original, United States Compressor Company. Even more astonishing I looked on the Internet and I found the schematics and that parts for her are still available. She apparently was built in the 1940's.

I hope you get yours running and have many years of service out of her.

Sorry it took so long to post.

The only good part about your "test" is the water will soften the blow when it goes. The thing is, when tanks are "hydroed" they also measure the tank for expansion and it has to be within tolerance. Your method could just stress the tank and let it blow the next time you fill it.

Took a look at the pump yesterday and saw it had this tag on it, I'd forgotten it was on there.

Also, one of the two horizontal tanks I got has the name "Wayne" on it, which I would bet was the original tank this compressor came on.

I tried doing an internet search to see if I could find anything for a postive ID from those tag numbers but didn't find anything. Didn't find much on Wayne compressors either.

Maybe someone reading has better resources and could ID the pump off of this tag???

Either way, thanks to everyone for their responses so far! I think even if I can't positively ID the pump, I'll probably be safe going with a good 7.5 horse motor.

The motor pulley will dictate the HP... By the looks of the one on the old motor 7.5 would be a safe bet...

http://www.mastertoolrepair.com/air-compressor-pump-parts-tf000021ptf-000021p-p-26500.html

Looks exactly like and is the same color as my early 60's Wayne. Don't know if Wayne actually made the pump or outsourced it.

Thanks Bret, My pump looks exactly like the
diagram Roger posted below(thanks Roger!) .

Bret, do you know what HP motor was on your
Wayne compressor? In Roger's link to the
diagram below, it included not only parts but a
complete replacement pump as well.

The replacement pump was called a "5HP" pump,
but it also noted that it was slightly
different in that the one in the diagram had
pressure oiling while the replacement was
splash.

I'm running a 5hp motor off a Grizzly 12" table saw on mine now. $50.00! Gotta love the Amish getting rid of good motors cheap.

You need a Baldor "industrial" constant duty cycle 5hp motor. You can get them off net for about $350. Can't beat them for quality/price. I would just go 220 as apposed to 3ph since you probably already have it in . Cost to get that 3ph to your shop might be hefty. You won't really know whether it's worth it or not without spinning it with something to make sure it pumps and doesn't have rods going out from lack of oil or other problems.

Thanks Bret and B-Maniac! Last question(maybe!)-
what RPM motor? I'd guess probably the 1725rpm
versus the 3450? I realize I will probably have to
get a new motor pulley since the one off my old 3
phase motor is likely a different shaft size.

(quoted from post at 15:00:55 10/19/14) Thanks Bret and B-Maniac! Last question(maybe!)-
what RPM motor? I'd guess probably the 1725rpm
versus the 3450? I realize I will probably have to
get a new motor pulley since the one off my old 3
phase motor is likely a different shaft size.

Click to expand...

Maybe you could build a phase convertor, a friend of mine did years ago when he ran a machine shop.

Thought about that, but from what I read they
are good for things like machine tools where
you can switch them on before you start the
tool. But on an air compressor which basically
starts and stops itself depending on demand
they aren't the ideal setup.

Dunno, that's just what I read, could be
wrong. From all the helpful info I've gotten
here, I think my best bet is to just buy the
appropriate single-phase motor and call it
good.

(quoted from post at 21:16:43 10/19/14) Thought about that, but from what I read they
are good for things like machine tools where
you can switch them on before you start the
tool. But on an air compressor which basically
starts and stops itself depending on demand
they aren't the ideal setup.

Dunno, that's just what I read, could be
wrong. From all the helpful info I've gotten
here, I think my best bet is to just buy the
appropriate single-phase motor and call it
good.

Click to expand...

here are my search results for Wayne compressors take a look at them you could call and talk to them. Oh and a good 2 stage pump delivering 23.5 cfm will use a 5hp 220 motor at 1700 rpm just fine and almost keep up with a good spray gun or bondo hog or straight line sander, with a 100 gal tank.