Select right type of air compressor

We are a fire, water, smoke restoration company. We use the cans of compressed air to clean electronics, appliances, and other hard to reach areas where smoke and dust has accumulated.

Can you suggest the size of small portable compressor that would best work for us. I am considering one for each of our trucks.

Susan

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Bill says...

Howdy Susan.

First off, I'd pick an oil-less compressor, to eliminate the potential for compressor oil to slip downstream from the compressor onto your electrical equipment.

Second, I'd make sure that I had a desiccant in-line dryer before the blow gun, to strip any moisture from the air before it blew onto a computer board or some such.

Then, what power supply will you have? If you are carting the compressor into a home from the truck, then 120 VAC will work, assuming the home / building you are restoring will have power available.

You can, then, probably get away with a 1/2 - 1 HP or so, 1 or 2 gallon tank, DIY type air compressor.

Ensure that it has a regulator and air filter at the discharge port.

The regulator (these are usually included) is to lower the pressure to the point where your blow gun does the job adequately without too much pressure to possibly cause damage.

The air filter to take free water out of the compressed air as it leaves the tank.

Again, just before the gun, install an in-line desiccant dryer to take out water moisture, and you are good to go.

Cheers,

Bill