How to make a homemade compressor for home. Powerful do-it-yourself compressor

For painting a car, as a rule, a device for spraying paint is used. This is an air compressor and a spray gun connected to it. If you are planning such equipment for your garage, you can make a compressor with your own hands or purchase a factory model.

It is quite obvious that it is much easier to buy a finished product. This entails less labor costs. However, self-production is a significant financial savings. In addition, experts say that a home-made powerful electric compressor for a car with a relay and a receiver can be much more efficient and more durable than a serial product. Below we will talk about how to make a compressor for painting a car under a voltage of 220V on your own.

Do-it-yourself compressor for painting cars

Obviously, for work we will need to collect certain materials. So, in order to assemble a homemade 220V air compressor for painting a car, we need the following parts:

manometer;
gearbox with oil and moisture protection filter;
relay for pressure control;
cleaning filter for gasoline engines;
cross for water with a thread inside;
threaded adapters;
clamps;
motor;
receiver;
engine oil;
220V voltage switch;

Materials for a homemade compressor

brass tubes;
oil resistant hose;
wooden plank;
syringe;
rust remover;
studs, nuts, washers;
sealant, fum tape;
enamel for metal;
saw or file
furniture wheels;
diesel engine filter.

Putting together this list is easy. Once we have everything we need, we can get to work.

Assembling the engine

We start work with the most important element - the engine, which will create the desired amount of air pressure. Here we can use the motor from an unnecessary refrigerator.

His device includes a relay, which will be needed in order to maintain a given amount of air pressure. Experts say that old Soviet models allow you to achieve higher pressure than new imported engines.

We remove the motor from the refrigerator, carefully clean it and treat it with a tool to avoid oxidation of the case. After that, it will be ready for painting.

Removing the refrigerator motor

Now you need to change the oil in the engine. Semi-synthetic is quite suitable for this - it is no worse than motor and has a lot of useful additives.

The motor has 3 tubes: 1 closed and 2 open, through which air circulates. In order to determine the inlet and outlet channels, we turn on the motor and remember where the air comes in and where it comes out from. The closed tube is used just to change the oil. Working with a file, we make a file in such a way as to avoid sawdust from entering the tube. We break the end, remove the oil and pour in a new one, using a syringe for this purpose.

To seal the channel after changing the oil, we select a screw of a suitable section, wind a hermetic tape around it and screw it tightly into the tube.

We mount the motor together with the relay on a thick board, which will play the role of a foundation. We choose the position in which it was in the refrigerator. This is necessary because the start relay is extremely sensitive to how it is placed. It has, as a rule, the corresponding marking - stick to the correct location in order for the relay to work stably and correctly.

We mount the motor on the prepared board

The air reservoir is a necessary element that is necessarily included in the compressor device. It must be designed for a certain amount of pressure in order for the device to work correctly. We can use as a receiver, old containers from ten-liter fire extinguishers - they are durable and airtight.

Instead of a starting valve, we screw a threaded adapter onto the receiver - for tightness we use a special FUM tape. If the future receiver has pockets of rust, it is imperative to get rid of them by grinding and processing with special tools. In order to eliminate pockets of corrosion inside, pour the product and shake well. After we put the water cross with the use of sealant. We can assume that the homemade receiver is ready.

We use an old fire extinguisher as a reservoir for compressed air

Assembling the device

We attach the receiver from the fire extinguisher together with the motor to the base of a thick board. We use nuts, washers and studs as means of fixation. The receiver must be vertical. To fasten it, we take three plywood sheets, in one of them we make a hole for the balloon. We attach the remaining two sheets to a wooden base and a plywood sheet that holds a homemade receiver. At the bottom of the wooden base we wind the wheels of furniture fittings for better maneuverability of the mechanism.

We put a rubber hose on the compressor inlet pipe, to which we connect a cleaning filter for gasoline engines. Additional clamps will not be needed, since the air inlet pressure is relatively low. To avoid the presence of moisture and oil particles in the air stream, we install an oil-drier filter for diesel engines at the outlet. Here, the pressure value will already be quite high, so special clamps with screw fasteners should be used for additional fastening.

The diagram below shows how a homemade car compressor is assembled for painting a car.

Scheme of a compressor for painting a car

Next, we connect the filter for cleaning from oil and moisture to the inlet of the gearbox, which we will need to decouple the pressure in the engine and cylinder. We carry out the connection on the water cross on the left or right side. On the opposite side of the cross, we put a pressure gauge to control the level of pressure in the cylinder. We mount a relay for adjustment on the upper end of the cross. All joints are sealed with sealant.

With the help of a relay, we can supply the pressure we need to the receiver, while ensuring the stepwise operation of the mechanism. The relay is configured with two springs, one of which sets the upper pressure limit, and the second - the lower one. One contact is connected to the supercharger, the second is switched with the zero phase of the network. The second mains input of the supercharger is connected by means of a toggle switch to the mains phase. The toggle switch will make it possible to turn the device on and off from the power supply without removing the plug from the outlet. We solder and isolate all electrical contacts. After painting, our homemade car compressor will be ready for testing.

Homemade compressor for painting a car

We test and set up a homemade compressor for painting cars

For testing, we connect the spray gun to the outlet. We put the toggle switch in the off position and plug the plug into an electrical outlet. Set the relay regulator to the smallest value and turn on the toggle switch. We use a manometer for control. We make sure that the relay opens the network properly at the right moments. Using water with detergent, we check how tight all hoses and connections are.

Next, we release the container from compressed air - after the pressure drops to a certain level, the relay should turn on the motor. If everything works fine, you can try to use the machine to paint a suitable object. We look at the quality and make sure that the device works stably, and it can be used to work with a car.

Or a workshop.

For assembly we need:

1. Compressor from the refrigerator.

If you remove it from the refrigerator, cut off 30 centimeters of copper tube, we will need it later.
2. Receiver.

It is a durable container for compressed air. You can make it from an empty freon cylinder, which is used to fill air conditioners. The easiest way to find it is to contact any car service that provides refueling services for car air conditioners. They throw away empty bottles.

A red, 50 liter propane tank is also suitable as a receiver. You can buy it on Avito for 500 rubles.

Next, we need spare parts from a purchased compressor. You can find them at any major hardware store in the power tool section.

3. Pressure switch.
4. Pressure regulator.
5. Rapid adapter.
6. Safety valve 10 bar.
7. Pressure gauge from 10 to 12 bar.
8. Dehumidifier.
9. Four small wheels.

10. Small things. To facilitate the search for parts, we turn to any plumbing store, we purchase everything according to the list.

All parts will need to be connected according to the diagram.

For the reliability and tightness of threaded connections, it is advisable to use a special adhesive sealant.

An important part of our compressor is the air filter.

A very good solution would be to use a gasoline filter from the classics.

We also buy a vacuum hose from the auto shop.

The platform on which the compressor and receiver will be mounted will be made of plywood or chipboard.

We fix the receiver with a steel tape.

Let's start assembling.

We drill three holes in the receiver with a diameter of 10 mm.

Sandpaper cleaning the place for welding, weld the nipple to the holes.
Attach the purchased wheels to plywood.
We will fix the receiver on the resulting trolley.
The compressor from the refrigerator is fixed with self-tapping screws.
We put our gasoline filter on the intake port of the compressor.
We will make the connection through a piece of vacuum hose.

We put a flexible hose on the retracting end of the compressor.
The hose should be cut off in place. Fastening to the branch pipe is made on a worm clamp.

Now we assemble the automation unit.

We screw the pressure switch, safety valve, pressure gauge, pressure regulator into the hole.
Connect the rapid adapter to the pressure regulator.

The final step is to connect the elements of plumbing.

And we attach to them a pre-assembled automation unit.

A piece of copper tubing. Its function is to relieve pressure.
After the compressor pumps air into the receiver, the pressure switch opens the valve through which the pressure in the discharge system is relieved.

This is done in order to facilitate the start of the compressor, since it will not start under pressure.

We fix the tube at the very end. To do this, you need to expand one end of the tube as in the figure. This can be done with a steel ball and a hammer.

And connect the extended end to the pressure switch.

Connect the other end to the fitting through a vacuum hose.

Our compressor is ready, but in order to have enough for the work performed in the garage, an option was provided to connect an additional receiver through an oxygen hose.

To do this, in addition to the above, you need to buy:
Two 50 liter propane tanks.

15 meters of oxygen hose.

Quick-release hose adapter for connecting pneumatic tools.

Tee for combining cylinders.

Two 1/2 ball valves, 3 1/2 fittings, 1/2 tee, worm-type clamps.

Putting it all together, you get a real, big compressor.

Like any mechanism, such a compressor is endowed with pluses and minuses.

Pros.

First, the assembly cost is 5500 rubles. Approximately 2 times cheaper than a compressor of the same volume.
The second is the noise from work, because it makes no noise louder than a refrigerator.

Third, and perhaps most important, is reliability. Since the reliability of Soviet refrigerators is beyond doubt, which means that it will last a very long time.

As for the automation of the compressor, it all depends on your choice. After all, the price of the same pressure switch starts at 500 and ends at 3000 rubles.

4. High maintainability. After all, in the event of a breakdown, there will be no problems with spare parts.

Now about the cons.

Almost all motorists who make something every day in their garage understand perfectly well that with tools and components in their hands, you can always create something you need.

In the same way, it is possible to create a whole compressor for painting a car from a conventional compressor for a Soviet-style refrigerator.

That's just how to do it in technical terms, and in what order?

Therefore, due to the frequently asked questions of beginner self-taught masters, in this article you will learn how to make such a compressor on your own and from manual materials.

Which compressor to choose (factory or homemade)

The main criterion that should be followed when choosing a station for painting is a uniform distribution of air, without foreign particles.

If such impurities come across, then the coating will be with small defects - graininess, shagreen, cavities. At the same time, streaks and stains can form due to these particles, so it is best to entrust the painting to a branded air compressor, but there is only one catch - such a device is too expensive, which many motorists cannot afford.

You can save money and at the same time create a functional model by creating functional equipment, which is described in many videos and articles.

You will only have to spend your precious time studying the material, and then creating equipment that must be of at least high quality.

The model presented by the factory or homemade does not play a role, because the principle of its operation is the same and it consists in creating excessive pressure. That's just the method of air injection is completely different - it can be extracted manually or mechanically.

In the second case, this is a significantly higher cost of funds, the manual method is economical, but time-consuming, requiring constant monitoring.

Automatic inflation does not consume your strength, but the product requires periodic maintenance, which is worth only the process of changing the oil for the compressor.

This is the only way to achieve uniform air supply and distribution. After studying the theory, you realize how easy it is to make a compressor station that will work well, while it does not take much time.

We collect the compressor unit from improvised means -

If you decide to create equipment for painting your own car, then you should stock up on certain materials for this:

The reverse function will require a car camera;
For the supercharger function, you will need a pump with a pressure gauge;
chamber nipple;
Repair kit and awl.

When all the components are prepared, you can begin to create a compressor station. To check how tight the chamber is, it is necessary to pump it.

If the problem still exists, then it can be solved in two ways - by gluing or by vulcanizing with raw rubber. In the resulting reverse, it is necessary to make a hole for supplying compressed air so that it comes out evenly.

A special nipple is placed in the hole for this. The repair kit will serve for the implementation of additional fasteners of the fitting. To check the uniformity of the air supply, it is enough to unscrew the nipple. Native nipple allows you to get rid of excessive pressure.

The level of pressure is determined during operation, when the paint is sprayed. If the enamel on the metal lies evenly, then the installation is functioning. At the end of the procedure, it is worth determining the pressure indicators, for this it is enough to spray paint on the body of your car.

If the enamel lies without tubercles, then the device is functioning efficiently. In addition, pressure indicators can be monitored using a special device - a pressure gauge. But, its indicator after pressing the aerator should not be chaotic.

As you can see, special tools and knowledge are not required to create such a compressor. At the same time, repairing and painting a car in this way is more effective than using a spray can.

Remember that neither dust nor water should get into the car chamber. Otherwise, you will have to re-paint the car.

If this installation is used correctly and with the use of all knowledge, then it will last a long time, and if you also automate the pumping of air, then the process itself will go quickly.

Alternative to a professional device (compressor from the refrigerator)

Home-made compressor devices serve much longer than the presented time, even in comparison with installations of domestic and foreign production.

This is quite natural, because creating it with our own hands, we do everything for ourselves at the highest level. Therefore, people even thought about how to create a compressor from a refrigerator, which will be on a par with the installations of popular companies.

But to create it, you should stock up on such components as a pressure gauge, a relay, rubber adapters, an oil and moisture separator, a fuel filter, a gearbox, a motor, a switch, a hose, clamps, brass tubes, but also little things - nuts, paint, wheels from furniture.

Creating the mechanism itself

Buying a compressor from an old refrigerator from the Soviet era can simplify the whole procedure. This will not pull too much on the budget, while there is already a compressor start relay.

Foreign competitors are inferior to this model, because they are not able to develop such a high pressure. But the Soviets cope with this task.

After removing the execution unit, it is advisable to clean the compressor from layers of rust. To avoid the oxidation process in the future, it is worth using a rust converter.

It turns out that the working motor housing is ready for the painting process.

Installation scheme

The preparatory process is completed, now you can change the oil. Since the refrigerator is old and it is unlikely that it underwent constant maintenance, it is worth updating this point.

Since the system was always located far from external influences, maintenance work was justifiably not carried out there. For this procedure, expensive oil is not required, semi-synthetic is enough.

At the same time, it is not worse in terms of the presented characteristics of any compressor oil and has many additives used with benefit.

Inspecting the compressor, you will find 3 tubes, one of them is already soldered, but the rest are free. Open are used for air inlet and outlet. To understand how air will circulate, it is worth connecting the power to the compressor.

Write down for yourself which of the holes draws in air and which releases it. But the sealed tube must be opened, it will serve as an opening for changing the oil.

The file is necessary for the implementation of the tube file, while making sure that the chips do not get inside the compressor. To determine how much oil is already there, drain it into a container. With the subsequent replacement, you will already know how much it will have to be poured.

Then we take a spitz and fill it with semi-synthetics, but this time expect that the volume should be twice as much as it has already been drained. When the container is filled with oil, it is worth turning off the engine lubrication system; for this, a screw is used, which is pre-formed with a fum tape and placed simply in the tube.

Do not be alarmed if drops of oil periodically appear from the outlet air tube. This situation is not so difficult to resolve, find an oil and moisture separator for a home-made installation.

The preliminary work is over, only now you can proceed to the direct assembly of the installation. And they start with strengthening the engine, it is best to choose a wooden base for this and in such a position that it is on the frame.

It is worth noting that this part is very sensitive to position, so follow the instructions on the top cover, where the arrow is drawn. Accuracy is important in this matter, because the correctness of the mode change directly depends on the correct installation.

Where is compressed air located?

A cylinder capable of withstanding high pressure is a container from a fire extinguisher. At the same time, they have high strength indicators and can be used as attachments.

If we take as a basis the OU-10 fire extinguisher, which holds 10 liters, then we should count on a pressure of 15 MPa. We unscrew the locking and starting device, instead of which we install an adapter. If you have identified traces of rust, then these places should be treated without fail with a rust converter.

Externally, it is not difficult to remove it, but it is more difficult to clean it internally. But the easiest way is to pour the converter itself into the cylinder and shake it well so that all the walls are saturated with it.

When the cleaning is done, the water cross is screwed in and we can assume that we have already prepared two working parts of a self-made compressor design.

Carrying out the installation of parts

Earlier it was already stipulated that a wooden board is suitable for fixing the engine and the fire extinguisher body, it is also even easier to store working parts.

In terms of mounting the engine, threaded studs and washers will serve, just think in advance about making holes. Plywood is required to fix the receiver vertically.

A recess is made in it for a cylinder, the second and third are fixed to the main board using self-tapping screws and hold the receiver. To give the design maneuverability, you should screw the wheels from the furniture to the base.

To prevent dust from entering the system, its protection should be considered - the use of a coarse gasoline filter can be considered an excellent option. With its help, the function of an air intake will be easily performed.

Since the pressure indicators are low at the opening with the inlet of the compressor equipment, it will not be necessary to increase it.

After creating an inlet filter for the installation work on the compressor, do not forget to install an oil / moisture separator at the end to avoid water droplets in the future. Since the outlet pressure is high, you will need car clamps.

The oil-moisture separator is connected to the inlet of the reducer and the pressure outlet of the supercharger. To control the balloon pressure, the pressure gauge itself should also be screwed in on the right side, where the outlet is located on the opposite side.

To control pressure and power at 220v, a relay is installed for adjustment. As an actuator, many masters recommend using PM5 (RDM5).

This device responds to work, if the pressure drops, then the compressor turns on, if it rises, then the device is pumped out completely.

To set the proper pressure, the springs on the relay are used. The large spring is responsible for the minimum indicator, but the small one for the maximum, thereby setting the framework for the operation and shutdown of the self-made compressor installation.

In fact, PM5 are ordinary two-pin switches. One contact will be needed to connect to the zero of the 220 V network, and the second to combine with the supercharger.

A toggler is needed to disconnect from the network from it and save yourself from constant running around in the direction of the outlet. All connected wires must be insulated for safety reasons. When these works are carried out, you can paint over the installation and check it.

Pressure regulation

When the design is assembled, it is quite natural to check it. We connect the last components - an airbrush or an air gun and connect the installation to the network.

We check the operation of the relay, how well it will cope with turning off the engine, and monitor the pressure with a pressure gauge. If everything works properly, proceed to the leak test.

The easiest way to do this is to use soapy water. When the tightness is checked, we bleed the air from the chamber. The compressor starts when the pressure drops below the minimum limit. Only after checking all the systems and bringing them into working condition, you can proceed to the procedure for painting parts.

For painting, you only need to determine the pressure and not load yourself with pre-treatment of the metal. To carry out painting with a uniform layer, it is necessary to experiment and determine atmospheric indicators in this way.

It is important to use the supercharger as little as possible. Each motorist will deal with the components and begin to manufacture an automobile compressor.

You can choose different production options, but the use of starting the navigator, automatic pressure control is a more complex design, but its use is one and a real pleasure.

In this case, you do not have to take time to control the receiver, which will open up more opportunities, and you can start painting a car, a fence or even a gate.

Routine maintenance is a mandatory procedure in order to extend the life of your homemade compressor.

To change the oil - drain or fill it, you can use a regular syringe. Replacement of filters is carried out only if necessary, when the speed of filling the reservoir chamber is reduced.

Connecting components of the compressor

When it is decided which compressor to choose and reverse, it is worth considering the issue of combining them. At the same moment, it is worth determining how the air will flow to the airbrush. The unit that is mounted to the receiver is responsible for the distribution of air.

The main thing is that these components are compatible with each other. The pressure switch is responsible for turning the compressor off and on. Although RDM-5 is used for water supply systems, it is ideal for our case - for a relay.

The bottom line is that the connection element fits the external inch thread. To find out what pressure is in the receiver, you must use a pressure gauge and first consider the size that is suitable for the connection. We apply pressure to the air preparation unit and adjust it within 10 atmospheres, at this stage it is necessary to attach the oil separator filter.

The pressure gauge allows you to check the pressure, and the filter allows you to prevent the ingress of oil particles from the receiver. Elbows, tees and even fittings are the next components that will have to be prepared for installation. To understand the exact number, you need to think over the scheme, choose an inch as the size.

After resolving the issue with adapters, it is important to consider the moment of installation of the structure, most often chipboard boards are used for this. The design of your station should be maneuverable, because it will have to be moved around the workshop, in order to simplify your work, you should attach roller legs to it.

You won't have to invent here for a long time, just visit the furniture store, where there are a lot of such furniture wheels. To save space in your workshop, you can build a two-story structure. But here it is better to stock up on large bolts to fix the structure. To make it easier to prepare for this step, make a list of required items.

Assembling a semi-professional air blower

The assembly begins with the removal of the fire extinguisher twist and the installation of the transition device. After removing the fire extinguisher valve, install the adapter there.

Four components are immediately installed on a durable hose - a reducer, a pressure switch and an adapter.

The next step will be fixing the wheels to be installed on a chipboard sheet. Since the design is planned on two levels, it is necessary to make holes for the studs where the fire extinguisher will be placed.

The accumulator is easier to assemble, because there are brackets on both sides. The lower part is fixed to the base, and the top is used to install home-made equipment.

To reduce vibration when installing the compressor, silicone gaskets are used. The hose connects the outlet and the inlet of the air preparation.

The next step will be the connection work. Jumper, protective elements - all this needs to be thought out.

The entire connection chain is carried out through the relay and the switch, assuming that the entire connection goes according to the scheme: the phase wire goes to the switch, the next connection is the relay terminal. To carry out grounding on the relay, a special wire is wound up.

Which is better: buy or make a compressor yourself?

Compressor equipment on the market is represented by a large assortment. Piston components, vibration units, screw stations - all these are components that are used in other areas.

If you wish, you can not waste your time creating the installation, it is presented at any point of sale of auto parts or on specialized sites.

Such an extensive range greatly complicates the choice of the desired product. But if you decide to purchase a station, in this matter you should be guided by technical indicators, cost and reviews of those who have already managed to evaluate it.

If you are chasing warranty periods, then you should pay attention to the models of popular brands. Expensive products should be purchased if you are professionally engaged in repair work.

Products that do not have a name and status can let you down, so it’s better to spend money once and not take risks in this matter again. Many manufacturers of budget options save on constituent components.

As a result, you will encounter frequent breakdowns and replacement of parts, while warranty repairs will take a long time. Therefore, many motorists are well aware that a do-it-yourself installation is sometimes more reliable than a factory one.

Such products with technical indicators win. For example, the components of a home-made device for painting a car last much longer - compressors from refrigerators can work for decades, a fire extinguisher also has an enormous margin of safety.

You can always improve the performance of your compressor yourself, everything is in your hands, but you can’t experiment like that with a factory device.

Garage neighbors will probably get it when they see a well-made and well-thought-out device.

It is not necessary to buy a compressor for painting work or pumping wheels - you can make it yourself from used parts and assemblies taken from old equipment.

We will tell you about the designs that are assembled from improvised materials.

In order to make a compressor from used parts and assemblies, you need to be well prepared: study the diagram, find it on the farm or buy some parts. Consider several possible options for self-designing an air compressor.

Air compressor from refrigerator and fire extinguisher parts

This unit runs almost silently. Consider the scheme of the future design and make a list of the necessary components and parts.

1 - tube for filling oil; 2 - starting relay; 3 - compressor; 4 - copper tubes; 5 - hoses; 6 - diesel filter; 7 - gasoline filter; 8 - air inlet; 9 - pressure switch; 10 - cross; 11 - safety valve; 12 - tee; 13 - receiver from a fire extinguisher; 14 - pressure reducer with pressure gauge; 15 - moisture-oil trap; 16 - pneumosocket

Necessary parts, materials and tools

The main elements are taken: a motor-compressor from a refrigerator (preferably made in the USSR) and a fire extinguisher cylinder, which will be used as a receiver. If they are not available, then you can look for a compressor from a non-working refrigerator in repair shops or at metal collection points. A fire extinguisher can be purchased on the secondary market or attracted to the search for acquaintances who at work may have decommissioned OHP, ORP, DU for 10 liters. The fire extinguisher must be safely emptied.

In addition, you will need:

pressure gauge (as for a pump, water heater);
diesel filter;
filter for gasoline engine;
pressure switch;
electric toggle switch;
pressure regulator (reducer) with pressure gauge;
reinforced hose;
water outlets, tees, adapters, fittings + clamps, hardware;
materials for creating a frame - metal or wood + furniture wheels;
safety valve (to relieve excess pressure);
self-locking air inlet (for connecting, for example, to an airbrush).

Another viable receiver came from an automobile tubeless wheel. Extremely budget, although not very productive model.

Wheel receiver

About this experience, we suggest you watch a video from the author of the design.

The compressor can be used in a wide variety of applications − for tire inflation, airbrushing, painting spare parts etc. With the 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 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. As for the homemade compressor, 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 home-made compressor is very low, because we take the main components from old equipment, 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 are good because you can add some details to them, for example, a large receiver, so you can significantly increase the power of the device.
The factory compressor is a 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: Overview of chargers for finger-type batteries

Most 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 pick up all the fasteners along 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 you start making your own, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary materials and tools.

We offer you to watch a video with a detailed description of the process of one of the manufacturing options

Read also: We select oil for the air compressor

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 tools, 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 pipe, 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 is almost 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 spare 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: We repair Resant voltage stabilizers with our own hands

Maintenance of our homemade device is a 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 is present, as a rule, 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

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