Homemade compressor units based on a standard compressor from a refrigerator are far from a new phenomenon. In order to obtain equipment that is close to professional, they are modernized, supplemented with various auxiliary elements - sensors, relays, pressure gauges, receivers, etc. However, most often they settle on budget options, one of which we want to bring to your attention today.
The principle of operation of the compressor device from the refrigerator
A standard refrigerator compressor is a compressor unit without a storage tank, which is enclosed in a metal casing. Two copper tubes extend from it, through which air is sucked in and released out under pressure. The electrical connection diagram practically does not change, since it is ready-made.Air filters are mounted on the inlet and outlet pipes, followed by an oxygen hose with an adapter for the consumer.
Compressor Assembly Resources
Materials:
- Refrigerator compressor;
- Connection cable with plug;
- Car air filter – 2 pcs;
- Oxygen hose for pipes;
- Spiral oxygen hose with quick-release adapters;
- Air gun for inflating wheels;
- Clamps, wires.
Tool: knife, screwdriver, pliers.
Assembling a compressor unit
The compressor from the refrigerator is equipped with a start relay, to which the thermostat is initially connected. It is not involved in this assembly, so it must be disconnected by first marking the contacts on the starting relay and closing them with a piece of insulated wire.
We select an oxygen hose according to the diameter of the pipe, and install an air filter at the compressor inlet. One of its plastic air intake pipes can be cut off, leaving a hole free. The connection can be made without clamps, since this element of our installation is not under pressure.
The pipe for it should not be made long. We cut it off with a knife and install the filter by hand. To prevent the copper tubes of the compressor from being on the same line and interfering with each other, they can be bent in different directions.
Next we attach the second air filter to the outlet. If necessary, the copper pipe can be shortened to accommodate it using wire cutters.
As the author’s own practice has shown, even with relatively low pressure, such an assembly cannot do without clamps. We place them on the pipes and tighten the connection. The author plugged the second copper pipe coming out of the compressor with a self-tapping screw and electrical tape.
We attach a small piece of oxygen hose to the air filter, and connect a spiral hose for compressor work. This can also be done through a quick-release adapter.
Now you can connect an air gun to inflate the wheels to the spiral hose and check the functionality of our installation. To avoid excess pressure in the hoses and filter, you can crimp the trigger of the air gun with a nylon tie.
As you can see, the author of the homemade product managed to obtain a working pressure of about 3 atm, which is quite enough for quickly inflating wheels in the garage. By the way, such an installation can be used for a wide variety of work, for example, for painting with a spray gun.
Conclusion
The weak point of this compressor unit is the plastic air filters. At a pressure of several atmospheres, their body swells greatly, and they can simply burst. Therefore, this version of their application is conditional and is not final. The installation itself is completely worthy of trust and the closest attention from not only car enthusiasts, but also those who simply love to make things with their own hands. Have a nice day, everyone!
