An air compressor is a device that sprays paint. It is commonly used in workshops and garages for car painting or wheel inflation. You can buy such equipment in a specialized store or make it yourself. Unlike factory models, DIY equipment can be more efficient and last much longer. In addition, in terms of financial costs, self-production will be cheaper.

Using an accessory from a car, you can make a compressor of a simple design. This is a finished electrical appliance - wheel inflation machine. The compressor has two positive properties:

  • Power. The device is able to create high pressure up to 5-6 atmospheres, without unnecessary load on the engine. This is the main advantage automotive devices. But it will take about 10 minutes to pump the wheels. Therefore, work is done intermittently, otherwise cheap devices may overheat during this time. The reason is the low performance of automotive compressors.
  • Performance. For a unit of time, the device is able to give out air quickly and in large quantities. Thanks to the high performance, the container fills up faster, and the direct use of compressed air makes the flow from the nozzle stronger.

High-speed engine and a device with a volumetric piston system will help to combine power and performance. In order for the equipment not to stop during overheating, it is necessary to create additional cooling of the cylinders. Sometimes turbines are used for the working unit. In everyday life, the frequent use of simple devices is not resorted to because of their high cost. In order not to choose between power and performance, use a receiver.

The receiver is a storage tank. For industrial appliances a steel cylinder is used as a receiver. A fairly powerful, but not very productive compressor slowly fills the tank. In a short period of time, a volumetric air flow can be supplied from the receiver, but only when sufficient pressure appears. After supplying air, it must restore pressure. All devices work on this principle. For a compressor with low power, an electric motor from a toy is suitable. Such a device is often used to supply air to an aquarium.

Functional homemade compressor

Unlike devices that are made of car accessories, the compressor from the refrigerator runs continuously. This is due to good power and performance. In addition, the quality is not worse than the factory models. And if it is possible to get components for free, then it will take a minimum of funds to manufacture such a device. The device is designed for painting and blowing, tire fitting works, perfectly ensures the operation of pneumatic tools. For the manufacture of a compressor for voltage 220 V you will need the following details:

  1. Motor-compressor from an old refrigerator.
  2. Tees, oil filling tube, hoses, fittings, pneumo inlets.
  3. Reducer that will monitor the pressure.
  4. Two manometers.
  5. Receiver. For this, a fire extinguisher or gas bottle, which must be completely empty. You can weld a homemade container made of sheet iron and a thick pipe.
  6. Air filter.
  7. Oil.
  8. Emergency valve.
  9. Start relay and pressure switch.
  10. Paint for metal.
  11. Fum tape, hacksaw and motor oil.
  12. Key and syringe.

The assembly of the compressor consists of several stages:

High Power Compressor

If the previous version of the compressor is not powerful enough for you, then there are devices with more high pressure and great performance. An internal combustion engine is used here as a compressor, the crankshaft of which begins to work not from the combustion of fuel, but from the reverse process. At the same time, the piston group of the apparatus has a large margin of safety. An electric motor with a power of 3 kW or more is used as a drive, which can be purchased at a low cost. Or use a working motor by removing the ignition and intake system, exhaust, starter group and gearbox.

This device is capable of creating pressure with a force of 10 atmospheres. Very noisy.

Medium Power Air Compressor

From a gas bottle or fire extinguisher an air compressor of medium power is being created. To do this, they connect an old fire extinguisher (cylinder) and a powerful auto-compressor for pumping wheels. When making the device yourself, the following rules must be observed:

  • A container with mechanical damage and corrosive deposits must not be used.
  • The design must be well fixed.
  • Be sure to make a steel crate. This is necessary if the receiver accidentally breaks.
  • It is necessary to provide for a pressure reserve. If you plan to increase the pressure to 5 atmospheres, then its strength should be from 10 atmospheres.
  • In order for the compressor to automatically turn off when the pressure reaches its maximum, an emergency shutdown sensor is installed. Or you should install a mechanical valve that, if necessary, will make an emergency pressure relief.
  • Do not leave the high-pressure apparatus for a long time if it is used in rare cases. To maintain tightness, 0.5 atmospheres is enough.

Do not neglect safety: do not forget about the installation of emergency sensors. An inflated wheel will simply burst, and if a steel cylinder explodes, you can get severe injuries.

Making a compressor with your own hands is easy. Its design can be simple or complex, the main thing is what it is intended for and how much money you are willing to spend on its manufacture. But do not forget that the device must meet the requirements of technical safety.

The compressor can be used in a wide variety of applications − for tire inflation, airbrushing, painting spare parts etc. Possessing necessary tools and certain technical knowledge, it is quite possible to independently manufacture this unit based on a conventional refrigerator. A homemade compressor gives about 7 atmospheres, which is quite enough for an ordinary garage workshop, so many people are increasingly thinking about how to make such a compressor? Do-it-yourself refrigerator compressor it will turn out to be quite quiet and, most importantly, cheap at its cost.

On average, the manufacture of this unit will require about one thousand rubles for all accessories.

Before trying to make ours out of an old refrigerator, you need to compare these two options, i.e. , sold in specialized stores, and our homemade version. In total it is possible to distinguish a few major differences between them:

  • The design of the factory compressor has an electric motor that transmits torque to the working chamber through a belt drive. Concerning homemade compressor, then it consists of a housing and the engine itself, without belts.
  • In the factory version, automatic pressure relief systems, inlet and outlet filters, pressure gauges, etc. are already installed. In the compressor from the refrigerator, you will have to install the adjusting equipment yourself, taking into account all the features.
  • Despite the fact that most factory compressors are equipped with automatic systems, this feature is not implemented in some budget models. In other words, these units will have to be turned off on their own, marking the time by the clock. Homemade compressors are mainly equipped with a protective relay that turns off the engine when there is a risk of overheating.
  • In some factory models, any lubrication may be completely absent. Of course, they have a small motor resource, but there are no various exhausts. This circumstance is very important, especially if the spray gun behaves rather capriciously, not tolerating various impurities. As for homemade compressors, there is plenty of this oil. By the way, you need to pay attention to which one to fill in - synthetics are very poorly combined with the usual, so you do not need to pour everything that is horrible.
  • The main feature of a homemade compressor is that it works very quietly, especially if you put all the tubes on it correctly, observing tightness. As for factory compressors, they behave more noisily, so its use is only possible outside the home.
  • The cost of manufacturing a homemade compressor is very low, because we take the main components from old technology, and the control equipment will cost us one thousand rubles. As for the factory compressor, the situation is different.
  • It is not possible to make any technical changes to the factory compressor. In other words, if the unit is not powerful enough, then it can only be used as a pump for, no more. Homemade options the good thing is that you can add some details to them, for example, a large receiver, so you can significantly increase the power of the device.
  • Factory compressor are complete technical device, so any improvisation with it is impossible. With a home-made unit, you can do almost everything - take some parts out of the case, or hide everything in one box, and attach a handle on top for easy transportation.
  • You can install a fan on a homemade compressor so that it cools the device from the outside.

Read also: Let's study the device and principle of operation of a piston compressor

Majority refrigeration compressors have some limitations in terms of their work. There are several modes in total:

  • Normal - 16 to 32 C.
  • Subnormal - 10 to 32 C.
  • Tropical - from 18 to 43 C.
  • Subtropical - from 18 to 38 C.

However, combined modes are more common, having a different range.

Thus, a homemade compressor can be much more efficient than factory, in terms of working with air.

In the video, a version of a home-made compressor for pumping wheels

Dismantling works

To make a homemade compressor from the refrigerator, you need to make initial preparations. It consists in certain dismantling works, i.e. we just need to remove the compressor from the refrigerator itself. It is located behind the refrigerator, in its lower part. To remove, we need an elementary set of tools: pliers, box wrenches and two screwdrivers (plus and minus).

The compressor is located between the tubes that are connected to the cooling system. These tubes must be cut off with pliers, but in no case should they be sawn off with a hacksaw. The fact is that with this method, small chips are inevitably formed, which can get inside the compensator.

Then we proceed to the removal of the starting relay - this is an ordinary black box, with wires sticking out of it. We unscrew the fasteners, then we bite the wires that lead to the plug. We must not forget to mark the top and bottom of the starting relay - this will come in handy in the future. By the way, we also take away all the fasteners together with the unit itself.

Health check

After we removed the compressor, it is necessary check its performance.

The fact is that we are removing the device from an old refrigerator, so we need to make sure that our unit is still “alive”. So, we flatten the tubes with pliers - this is necessary in order for air flow to pass through them. Next, we need to put the starting relay in the position in which it stood in the design of the refrigerator. This is very important, because if the position is incorrect, there is a risk of damage to the device, as well as failure of the compressor winding.

There are wires on the relay case to which you need to fasten a piece of wire with a plug. It is better to wrap the junction with electrical tape to eliminate the risk of electric shock. Plug in the device. If you did everything right, then the compressor will work, and air will come out of its tubes. By the way, it is necessary to mark which tube the air flow comes out of, and which one it goes into.

Step-by-step instruction

Before proceeding to self-manufacturing, you need to make sure you have everything necessary materials and tools.

We invite you to watch the video detailed description process of one of the manufacturing options

Read also: We make a semi-automatic welding machine with our own hands

In addition to the compressor itself, which we previously removed from the refrigerator, we need:

  • Receiver. In this case, you can use the body of an old fire extinguisher, or weld the body of sheet metal and pipe.
  • Various hoses. At the same time, the length of one hose must be at least 600 mm, and the other two - about 100 mm. In this case, you can take the hoses from the car.
  • Various Consumables- gasoline and diesel filters, wire, clamps, pressure gauge and epoxy.
  • Related toolkit, i.e. screwdrivers, pliers, drills, etc.
  • In addition, we need an ordinary wooden board, which will be the basis of the whole structure. We attach the compressor to it using ordinary screws. Fastening should be carried out exactly in the same position that he occupied in the design of the refrigerator.

We take any plastic container of a suitable volume (from 3 liters or more). In the upper part, you need to drill a couple of holes for the size of the outlet tubes. We insert the tubes, after which we fill everything with epoxy. The inlet tube, into which air enters, must be located in such a way that there is about 200 mm from its end to the bottom of the receiver. The outlet tube must be immersed ten centimeters inward.

This is a description of a plastic receiver, but for greater tightness, it is best to make a receiver in an iron case. In this case, there is no need to fill everything with resin, and the hoses are simply welded. In addition, only a pressure gauge can be installed on an iron receiver.

To install it, you need to drill a hole for the nut on the receiver case. We insert it, and then brew it. Only then we screw the pressure gauge into this nut, after which the work is completed. Now we attach the receiver to our base with a wire. The scheme will be something like this:

Our homemade unit practically ready.

There are quite a lot of photos and videos of its work on the Internet, for example, it is shown how it is used in airbrushing and for painting various parts, so the expediency of its manufacture is quite obvious. Finally, we need to add a few extra touches to our device.

It is necessary to take one of the hoses, which is ten centimeters long, and put it on the filter. If this is difficult, you can slightly heat the end of the hose to make it easier to put on the fitting. We put the second end of the hose on the inlet of our device. In this case, the filter will protect against dust entering the case. The second 10 cm hose must be connected to the inlet of the receiver and the outlet of the compressor. In this case, it is better to tighten the joints with clamps. Our third hose must be put on the diesel filter, and the other end must be inserted into the outlet of the receiver. At the same time, the free filter fitting will later be connected to various equipment for airbrushing, a spray gun for painting, etc.

Another video on the topic

Some technical data and service features

It is rather difficult to say unambiguously what kind of pressure this or that compressor will show. Much depends on the specific brand and the operational life of the device itself. By the way, old units show even higher performance than modern ones.

Read also: Overview of Huter generators

Service of our homemade device- this is very important point in operation.

The main work will be to replace diesel and gasoline filters, as well as to change the oil in the device. The design of the compressors, as a rule, has three copper tubes. We used two of them earlier, and the third remained untouched. It is the shortest and soldered at the end. So, the oil is drained through it. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the soldered part, and then drain the processing. Filling is done through it.

Does the compressor need to be repaired?

As for the repair of the resulting device, then here everyone decides for himself- whether it makes sense to mess with it or not.

The repair will consist of ringing the relay, as well as changing the oil in the device. If the manipulations did not help, then there is absolutely no need to invent something else. It is best to throw out the used device, and then make a new one. Moreover, the issue price is no more than 1000-1500 rubles.

Conclusion

In principle, we figured out how to make a compressor from a refrigerator.

It is difficult to overestimate the expediency of its manufacture, because with the help of this device it is possible to perform various works on airbrushing, tire inflation, painting various components and other works that require pressure force.

An additional advantage is that such a device can be used at home, because it makes little noise. In fact, this is the same refrigerator, only without unnecessary body parts.
Compressors recommended for ordering are listed below:

Description and characteristics

CALIBER KMK-800/9

Compressor type - piston oil

Engine type - electric

Power - 800 W

Max. compressor capacity - 110 l/min

Min. pressure - 0.2 bar

Max. pressure - 8 bar

Receiver volume - 9 l

Drive (type) - direct

A homemade compressor from the refrigerator is most often used in tandem with an airbrush or spray gun, as it works almost silently, takes up little space and creates sufficient air pressure. It is also suitable for inflating the wheels of the car. Next, we will tell you how to make a compressor with your own hands.

Materials and tools for a homemade refrigerator compressor

Compressor. The motor from the old refrigerator is called the compressor, it is the central element of our product. You can see how it looks in the photo: details different models may differ, but are generally similar to each other. The compressor is supplied with a start relay (a black box attached to the side), from which a power cord with a plug comes out.

Receiver. The container into which air will be pumped by the compressor. Options are possible here: any tightly closed container with a volume of 3 to 10 liters made of iron or plastic is suitable. It can be an empty fire extinguisher, small tanks, various receivers from trucks, canisters from construction fluids.

Hoses. You will need three pieces of hose. Two are 10 cm long and one is 30-70 cm, depending on the shape of the receiver and the intended fastening. It is convenient to use fuel hoses in a car, as they will connect to car filters.

You will also need one hose or tube to connect the finished home-made compressor from the refrigerator to the air consumer itself. Here the length, the material depends on the specific needs. If you will be using the compressor with the airbrush, any thin polyvinyl hose (or the one that came with the airbrush) will do. When using the compressor outdoors, it is better to look for a thicker hose.

  • Clamps. 5 pieces, size 16 or 20 mm.
  • Tubes. Two pieces - copper or iron, with a diameter of 6 mm or others - the main thing is that the hoses fit.
  • One is 10 cm long, the second is 20-50, depending on the size of the receiver, more details below.
  • Automotive fuel filters. One petrol and one diesel.
  • Manometer (optional).
  • Epoxy resin if a plastic receiver is used.
  • Piece wooden board(the basis). The size depends on the size of the receiver and the motor. They should be placed side by side on the board.
  • Steel tape or wire. Needed to secure the receiver.
  • Wood screws.

Tools:

  • sharp knife
  • Screwdriver
  • Drill
  • Pliers.
  • Metal file (optional).

How to make a compressor with your own hands

Now directly about how to make a compressor with your own hands.

Three tubes come out of the compressor from the refrigerator: two open and one short, sealed. Plug the compressor into a power outlet and run your finger near the outlets of the tubes. The one from which air blows will be the exit, and the one that draws in will be the entrance. Remember which one is which, and unplug the compressor from the outlet. Cut two tubes with a metal file, leaving 10 cm or more to make it convenient to connect the hoses. You can bite off with pliers, but you need to make sure that the sawdust does not get inside the tubes. Next, we mount the compressor on the base board, screwing the legs with self-tapping screws (you can use bolts, it’s more reliable). Important: we fix the compressor in the same position in which it was fixed in the refrigerator. The fact is that the starting relay on the motor works due to the forces of gravity, on the relay case there is an arrow pointing up. Having fixed the compressor, we pass to the receiver.

We make a receiver. Option if you have a plastic container. We drill two holes in the lid for our tubes. We insert them there, as shown in the figure, and fasten them with epoxy. From above we leave the ends 2-4 cm long. Now about the length of the tubes. Short (10 cm) will be the day off. The second will be the input, we make it as large as possible so that it does not reach a few centimeters to the bottom of the receiver. This is done in order to space the inlet and outlet holes inside the receiver as much as possible for greater air mixing.

If you have an iron receiver, we do the same, but do not glue the tubes, but solder or weld them. You can also weld the nuts, and then screw the fittings under the hoses into them.

The pressure gauge can only be installed in a metal receiver. To do this, we drill in any convenient location there is a hole on the receiver and solder a pressure gauge in it. A more preferable option: we weld a nut onto the hole and screw the pressure gauge into the nut already. So in case of failure of the pressure gauge, you can easily replace it.

Now we take a piece of hose (10 cm) and put it on the gasoline filter. If you use hoses for gasoline, then there should be no problems, if you use polyvinyl pipes, you may have to heat it with a match or hold it in boiling water so that it fits on the filter fitting. We put the other end of the hose on the compressor inlet tube. This inlet filter is needed to filter out dust. Here, the use of clamps on the joints is not necessary, since there is no pressure here.

We take the second piece of hose and connect it to the outlet tube on the compressor with the inlet on the receiver. We put clamps at the junctions.

Now we put the third section of the hose (10 cm) at one end on the outlet pipe of the receiver, and put the other end on the diesel filter. We put on clamps. An arrow is drawn on the filters (diesel and gasoline), indicating the correct direction of movement through the air filter. Connect both filters correctly. The diesel filter at the outlet is needed to filter water from the air.

We put our working hose on the outlet fitting of the diesel filter, which goes directly to the airbrush, spray gun, etc.

On the underside of the base board, we fasten rubber legs or glue felt pads for furniture. If this is not done, the compressor may scratch the floor during operation - it vibrates. The level of vibration and noise depends on the model of the refrigerator compressor you have obtained. Motors from imported refrigerators are almost inaudible, Soviet ones are also quiet, but there are exceptions.

The pressure generated also depends on the model. Ancient motors are more powerful. Most Soviet compressors are capable of pumping pressure up to 2-2.5 bar. The compressor in the photo creates a pressure of 3.5 bar.

Maintenance of a homemade compressor from the refrigerator

Compressor maintenance consists of changing both filters regularly and draining the collected oil in the receiver. But the main factor affecting the life of the compressor is the frequency of oil changes. The first time it is better to change it before assembling the compressor. There is a third sealed tube on the motor. We cut off the soldered end from it and drain the oil from it by turning the motor over. It will pour out about a glass of oil. Now, with a syringe, fill in fresh engine oil through the same tube, a little more than the amount that was drained.

After, in order not to solder the drain tube, we twist the bolt into it right size. At the next oil change, just unscrew the bolt.


The compressor is used for self-service car, including painting, tire inflation, air supply to pneumatic tools and other repair work. Make a compressor for painting a car - economically profitable solution which does not require significant financial investments.

Principle of operation

Based on the principle of operation, there are Various types equipment, but it is based on one technology - the air supplied by the engine is transferred to the tank and, accumulating, reaches advanced level pressure indicator. As soon as the pressure reaches a critical point, excess air is removed using the bleed valve. Thus, compressors work by maintaining pressure at a certain level.

The most important condition is a constant indicator of the pressure level in the compressors used to paint the car. However, regardless of the functionality of the tool, this parameter is key, and therefore the manufacturing technology and materials used are selected depending on the required pressure. On the Internet, you can find many different assembly videos of any compressor, however, there are very few of the most popular options.

We assemble quickly and easily

One of the most available options The compressor for paint work is a tool made from an automobile chamber on wheels. She is the receiver. You must also have the following materials and tools:

  1. The nipple of another car camera.
  2. Car pump with pressure gauge.
  3. Consumables for working with rubber.
  4. A set of automotive tools.

The chamber must be intact, since the main function of the receiver is the accumulation of air. An automobile pump acts as a supercharger in the device. We assemble the compressor with careful observance of all necessary actions.

First of all, you need to make a hole in the chamber and glue the nipple in this place. Thus, the “native” nipple will serve to force air into the chamber, and the new one to supply air to the atomizer. Next, you need to adjust the pressure using a monometer, selecting the optimal indicator in the process.

To simplify the work for the manufacture of a compressor for painting a car, you must follow the following recommendations:

  1. To prevent fluctuations during air supply, it is necessary to secure the chamber carefully.
  2. Do not fill the chamber with loose materials, as this leads to clogging of the channels, which means that the paint is mixed with them.

Compressor with receiver

This option is much more complex in design than the previous one. Such a tool is already semi-professional, which means that in order to assemble a compressor, you need a larger number of tools and material. An important element of such equipment is a do-it-yourself refrigerator compressor. It should be borne in mind that the compressor of an old refrigerator may lose its sealing, which means that its functionality is reduced. In such cases, it is necessary to take care of changing the oil. This procedure is performed as follows:

  1. File and break off the tube on the side of the compressor.
  2. Pour the oil inside using a syringe.
  3. Plug the tube with a screw with a rubber gasket.

In order to compensate for the abundant evaporation of oil, it is necessary to install an oil and moisture separator filter at the inlet to the receiver, which will prevent foreign liquids from entering the paint.

After that, it is necessary to drill a hole for the adapter and install it using, for example, cold welding. The outlet is fitted with an automotive air filter to prevent dirt and liquids from entering.

Once the pre-assembly is over, you can assemble the compressor:

  1. Fasteners are screwed onto the separator filter and installed with one side on a reinforced oil-resistant hose, and the other side on the compressor tube.
  2. All connections are clamped with clamps, and the threads are sealed with fum tape.
  3. Screw the cast iron lid backed with a rubber gasket.
  4. Install a toggle switch, pressure switch, reducer, pressure gauge and connect all the wires.

At the end of the assembly, the compressor must be adjusted and tested. It is certainly more difficult to make such a tool yourself, however, its functionality is much more extensive. For ease of use, furniture wheels can be installed on the compressor.

The most common faults

  1. The receiver does not maintain the set pressure level when the power is turned off. This is possible if there is a leak in the system and it can be detected using a soap solution on the following most vulnerable points:
  • highway;
  • piston valve;
  • pressure relief valve on the receiver.

If a leak is detected on the compressed air line, this malfunction can be eliminated with a simple electrical tape and sealant. If the valve is faulty, the valve must be replaced.

  1. The engine does not respond to starting. First of all, you need to make sure that the source of electricity and the integrity of the cable are in good condition, as well as evaluate the quality of contact connections and fuses. Incorrect receiver pressure settings can also affect instrument performance. To diagnose this malfunction, it is necessary to bleed the air from the reservoir and try to start the engine.
  2. No injection. The first cause of such damage may be damage to the electricity network. It is also possible that the pressure in the receiver is too high.
  3. Compressor overheating. This situation is possible with increased temperature regime and when the voltage drops in the network, as well as when the tool is used for a long time.
  4. At the exit, the air contains water. As a rule, the reasons for this phenomenon are as follows:
  • The collected water in the receiver has reached a critical level
  • inlet filter contamination:
  • increased room humidity.


Undoubtedly, self assembly compressor is a complex and time-consuming process, but the benefits are undeniable. It is worth noting that and Maintenance such a tool is much simpler and cheaper. Painting a car with your own hands using such a compressor will also be much cheaper than in any car repair shop. Do-it-yourself paint compressor for a car - will last a long time with proper assembly and operation.

To make a compressor yourself, you will need a refrigerator, more precisely, just one part of it. Often such a device is used together with a spray gun or an airbrush.

It makes almost no noise during its operation, has small size while creating quite a lot of pressure. Such a unit is also suitable for inflating automobile wheels.

What will we need?
1. The motor installed in the old refrigerator is the compressor. In general, all models are quite similar, if there is a difference between them, then it is not significant.


The black box attached to the side is the relay from which comes the power cable with plug.

2. The container into which the compressor will pump air is the receiver. For such purposes, any hermetically sealed iron or plastic 3-10-liter container is suitable. Alternatively, you can use a fire extinguisher, a tank from a truck, a small cistern or a can of building fluids.

receiver

3. For the manufacture of the compressor, you will need three hoses: a pair of 10 cm and one 30-70 cm long (depending on the features of the receiver). Automotive hoses are ideal, as they will be connected to their own, “native” filters.

4. Another hose or tube is required to connect the compressor to the air consumer. The material of the product, as well as its length, are determined by specific needs. If you plan to use the compressor with an airbrush, a thin polyvinyl hose will also work. The one that comes with the airbrush can also be used. If you plan to use the compressor outdoors, it is better to find a thicker hose.

To make a compressor, you will also need:

Clamps (5 pcs. 16 or 20 mm each);
Copper or iron 6 mm tubes, one at a time (the diameter may be larger, the main thing is that hoses fit on them). The length of the first tube is 10 cm, the second is 20-50 cm;
One filter per car (diesel and fuel);
Epoxy resin, soldering iron, welding machine;
Pressure gauge (optional);
Base for the receiver and motor (a wooden board of the appropriate size will do);
Steel tape;
self-tapping screws;
The next set of tools: screwdriver, drill, pliers, knife, metal file.

Making a refrigerator compressor

There are three tubes at the compressor outlet: sealed (the one that is shorter) and the other two are open. You need to figure out which one is the input and which one is the output. To do this, slide your finger over the inlets of the tubes, after connecting the compressor to the network. The one that blows out the air is the exit, the one that draws it in is the entrance. Unplug the compressor and note the position of the inlet and outlet.

Saw off a couple of tubes with a metal file, leaving at least 10 cm for easy connection of hoses. Alternatively, you can try to bite off the necessary part of the tubes with pliers. Most importantly, make sure that sawdust does not get inside.

Now the compressor needs to be fixed on a wooden base by screwing its legs with self-tapping screws. For a more secure fixation, we recommend using bolts. You need to fix the compressor in exactly the same position as it was done in the refrigerator. The fact is that the relay functions under the influence of gravity. After fixing the compressor on a wooden base, you can go directly to the receiver.

If a plastic container is used as a receiver, drill two holes in its lid for installing tubes and insert them there. Secure the tubes using epoxy resin. Leave outside (on top of the lid) 2-4 cm of tubing. Use a 10 cm tube as the outlet tube.

The second should be much longer and practically reach the bottom of the receiver. It is necessary to keep the inlet and outlet as far apart as possible - this will ensure the best mixing of air in the receiver itself.
For a metal receiver, you need to do the same, with the only difference being that the tubes need to be soldered or welded. Nuts can also be welded, and then hose fittings must be screwed into them.

The pressure gauge is installed only in the iron receiver.

Just drill a hole in it and solder (weld on) the pressure gauge. However, it will be more convenient to weld a nut into the hole, and screw the pressure gauge into it. So, if it breaks, it can be easily replaced with a new one.

Now you need to fix the receiver on a wooden base. Attach with steel tape, positioning directly next to the motor. Use self-tapping screws for this.

We go further - we put on a 10-centimeter hose on the gasoline filter. With the appropriate hoses (for a gasoline filter), there will be no difficulties, but polyvinyl pipes may have to be heated in order for them to fit on the filter. This can be done with a lit match or by holding them a little in boiling water. The other end of the hose must be put on the compressor inlet pipe. An inlet filter is required to filter dust. In this case, it is not necessary to use clamps on the connections: there is completely no pressure here.

Another piece of hose is needed to connect the "inlet" of the compressor to the "outlet" of the receiver. On their connections you need to put clamps.

We put one end of a 10-centimeter piece of hose on the outlet pipe of the receiver, the other on the diesel filter. Each of the filters has an arrow indicating the direction in which the air moves through them, so there will be no difficulty in connecting them correctly. The diesel filter, which is installed at the outlet, is necessary to filter water from the air.

The working hose connected to the airbrush must be put on the outlet fitting of the diesel filter.

Bottom on wooden base the rubber feet must be screwed on. Alternatively, felt linings can also be glued on. Otherwise, the vibrating compressor will scratch the floor during operation. The degree of vibration, as well as the noise emitted by the device, depends on the chosen model: those installed in imported refrigerators are practically silent, domestic ones are also relatively quiet, however, there are exceptions among them.

The pressure that the finished device will create also depends on its model. The older the motor, the higher its power. So, the good old Soviet compressors give out up to 2-2.5 bar, and some up to 3.5 bar.

Maintenance

The filters installed in the compressor need to be replaced frequently. Oil accumulating in the receiver must also be drained. Keep in mind that a key factor that affects the life of a homemade compressor is the regularity of oil changes. It is better to make the first replacement before assembling the device.

There is also a third tube on the motor, it is sealed. It is necessary to cut off its soldered end, turn the motor over and pour out the oil (a glass will be typed somewhere). Using a syringe, pour fresh engine oil into the tube, it should be a little more than what you just drained.

In order not to solder the tube through which you drained (filled) the oil again, simply screw a bolt into it, which can be easily unscrewed at the next oil change.


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