Compressor Accessories

Compressor Accessories; What's out there in terms of accessories for a new compressor? These pages are here to help you determine if a particular feature or gadget is what you need to add when you are looking to buy a new air compressor.

Some manufacturers show as standard items what other firms list as accessories. Some of these add-ons you really must have, some you might not need for your particular compressor.

Accessories are listed in alphabetical order.

Access Ports

Access points to your compressor's innards aren't necessarily an accessory, but if the compressor you have selected is an enclosed unit, ensure that you've access to all the components that require regular maintenance for ease of change out.

It doesn't hurt to have the compressor dealer demonstrate the process as well.

By the same token, if you are building an enclosure for your air compressor to reduce sound levels and to prevent unauthorized access to it, make sure you install adequately sized access doors for your regular and emergency maintenance.

Aftercooler

The compressor will generate heat. Depending on the size of your air compressor, it could generate quite a lot of heat.

An aftercooler, integrated with the compressor, will solve some of those heat issues by cooling the hot compressed air (and ridding it of much of the water load) before that air gets to your tools and equipment.

Here is more info on heat related water problems.

Aftercoolers can be electrically operated, or water driven. Here is more information on aftercoolers.

Auto Drains

An auto drain is a compressor tank accessory that is, in my opinion, a "must have" for air compressors that are used regularly.

Here is much more information on auto drains.

Automatic Tensioner For belt driven air compressors, a slipping drive belt will cost you considerably in lost energy to drive the compressor motor, as much of the energy used to cycle the belt will be lost as the belt slides through rather than turns the compressor drive sheave.

An automatic belt tensioner will help alleviate that concern and improve the overall efficiency of your unit. This will save you money!

"Beefed Up" Air Ends

Air ends are the drive parts of the compressor that contain bushings or bearings that allow component rotation.

In doing your research before you buy, you'll note that there is a real concern about the longevity of the bearings at the air-end of rotary screw compressors.

This issue of "air end reliability" is referred to so frequently in compressor literature and on compressor manufacturer's websites, that you want to be sure to discuss air-end feature of their units with each manufacturer. How do they address the air end reliability of their compressors?

Belt Guard

It is hard to believe that a company would sell a compressor with a belt drive, and not ensure that there were enough belt guards to meet reasonable safety requirements.

Do yourself a favor and make sure that if the compressor you select is belt driven, that the belt drive is shielded. If you can get to the belt while it's moving, you can expect that sometime, someone else will, with potentially serious results.

Control Panel

A pretty broad topic, compressor control panels. If there is a control panel with your new compressor, you'll want to know exactly what is controlled by that compressor panel.

Some control issues (but by no means all) are:

• Is the compressor variable speed to react to downstream demand?
• Can the panel control more than one compressor so that a back-up unit only fires up on demand?
• Does the panel display operating temperature, with alarms if there's a condition on the compressor that's a cause for concern?
• Will it 'flag' regular maintenance?
• Is there control logic in the panel, and if so, what PLC is used?
• Is the PLC language one that you can learn, have a technician modify or correct, or is it unique to the vendor?
• When there is a fault on the compressor (and yes, eventually there will be) what information does the panel provide to help you diagnose and fix that fault?

I can't possibly list every item a compressor control panel could oversee. You need to spend time with your compressor vendor to be sure you understand the details of any control panel on your compressor.

Air Dryers

Some compressor manufacturers offer "packages" with their air compressor, including aftercooler and air dryers.

To better understand why compressed air dryers are needed, here is information on what causes compressor water, and if you follow the links, information on various dryers for compressed air.