Compressor from the refrigerator with their own. Do-it-yourself compressors from the refrigerator - an algorithm of actions and all about home-made compressors

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

With the help of improvised tools and a standard set of household tools, any householder can assemble a homemade air compressor from the refrigerator. The scope of such a device is quite wide and justifies the expenditure of effort and money for its manufacture:

• Air compressor for airbrushing and painting.
• Electric pump for inflating car tires.
• Power source for pneumatic tools.
• Air pump for purging complex mechanisms during their repair.

Homemade air compressor from the refrigerator

The range of possibilities, power, durability and reliability of a home-made compressed air generation system assembled on the basis of a compressor from an old refrigerator depends on the correct design and installation of its elements.

Compressor selection problem

Compressor from an old refrigerator

The assembly of a functional and reliable device begins with the choice of its main part - the compressor. It is available in any household refrigerator, acts as a pump for pumping refrigerant and is a single unit in a sealed metal shell, from the outside of which a relay is attached to start it. To solve the problem, any similar motor in good condition is suitable. Further selection and configuration of all additional structural elements is determined by the shape and characteristics of a particular device.

Compressor search

If there is no old and unnecessary refrigerator at hand, then there is always the opportunity to purchase a dismantled unit in the market for used tools and spare parts. There you can buy a workable version for 100-150 rubles.

Do-it-yourself compressor dismantling from the refrigerator

Do-it-yourself compressor dismantling from the refrigerator

Removing the device from the refrigerator can be done with ordinary wrenches and screwdrivers. It is better to bite the air supply and outlet tubes, and not saw them off, so as not to clog the mechanics of the apparatus. The standard start relay is also dismantled.

Features of refrigerators and their compressors

The capabilities and characteristics of the compressor chosen as the basis for the future compressed air supply mechanism should be taken into account. There are the following options:

• The simplest solution is motors operating in a linear fashion.
• Inverter motors.

Both options are suitable for work, but their features should be taken into account. Linear sets are designed for constant speed. Therefore, they are better suited for creating a compressor apparatus. Converter options are designed for variable speed, which must be reduced depending on the signal from the temperature sensor.

Health check

Checking the operation of the compressor from the refrigerator

In order to check the operability of the unit, you must first ring it with an electronic resistance meter, and then connect it to the network:

• Each input contact is tested. Usually there are 3 of them on the block, configured for a standard relay connector.
• The contact with the maximum resistance refers to the starting mechanism of the electric motor (approximately 20-40 ohms)
• A contact with a resistance of 10-15 ohms refers to a winding that provides an operating mode (the wire on its winding is thicker).
• The third contact is phase.

For a test connection, voltage is applied to the working and phase contacts, after which the working and starting contacts are briefly closed. The device should create a stable sound timbre when turned on, and an air flow should come out of the outlet tube.

Development of a compressor station scheme

Preparation of equipment for a homemade compressor station

When developing a diagram of a compressor station and compiling a list of additional equipment for it, the planned scope should be taken into account. The larger the receiver and the pressure in it, the wider the possibilities of homemade products. The standard scheme includes the following parts and mechanisms:

• Electronic pressure sensor. It turns off the engine when the specified pressure parameters in the receiver are reached.
• Manometer for measuring the degree of air compression.
• Safety valve.
• Air dryer at the outlet of the receiver.
• Air filter for installation on the inlet pipe of the compressor unit.
• Filter for cleaning the air jet under pressure from oil.
• Switch button.
• Wires, high pressure hoses and fittings with the required configuration.
• High pressure cylinder for the receiver.
• A ball valve that shuts off the air supply to the consumer at the outlet of the system.

Ways to purchase equipment

An old refrigerator compressor can be bought inexpensively on the used tool market

Most of the parts for the compressor station are easiest to buy at a plumbing store. There are specialized sites where all parts, without exception, can be ordered in a few clicks. The necessary equipment can be purchased much cheaper in the used tools market. It is acceptable to use cheap fuel filters, but with the help of an ordinary fitting and a metal sponge for washing dishes, you can quickly make a more reliable filter for coarse cleaning of air from oil, which is installed on the outlet tube of the engine block.

Receiver problem

Homemade welded receiver

Cylinders for home-made compressor equipment cannot be found on sale. For this purpose, cylinders of various purposes and capacities are converted under the receiver:

• Propane and methane cylinders.
• Fire extinguishers.
• Cylinders for storing compressed air, carbon dioxide, oxygen and others.
• Homemade welded structures.

Attention: When using home-made cases for the receiver, it is necessary to take into account the degree of risk and explosion hazard of such a device.

The simplest option is a medium diameter steel pipe with sealed plugs. At least 3 pass nodes must be present in the receiver case:

• Compressed air inlet from compressor.
• Outlet.
• The unit for draining condensate from the cylinder, which should be located at the lowest point.

When using steel cylinders, the inlet and outlet pipes are welded by welding. The case must withstand more than 10 atmospheres.

Preparation and connection of the compressor from the refrigerator for use in a compressor installation

When connecting the compressor unit, you can leave the same circuit that was originally provided - through the start relay. It is possible to connect the wires of a pressure sensor to this relay, which will interrupt the circuit after reaching the calculated pressure parameters in the receiver. Additional conveniences are the equipment of all system by the push-button switch and the LED indicator of work. You can change the oil in the unit before connecting. Old oil is designed to work with freon. Special air compressor oil will protect the electric motor from overheating and premature failure.

Installing the air filter on the air intake

Installing a fuel filter on the compressor inlet pipe from the refrigerator to clean the air flow

To fit on the inlet tube of the air filter, the simplest option of which is a plastic fuel filter, you can use either a soft rubber hose or a metal elbow fitting with a threaded connection. The connecting soft tube, stretched over the plastic tip of the filter and the copper inlet, is easiest to crimp with a metal tightening clamp.

Installation of the oil cleaning device

The air stream coming from the block contains a significant amount of oil, which can be filtered using a homemade cutter. A drainage hole with a tap should be provided in its body, through which it can be cleaned. Between the oil separator and the compressor unit, it is allowed to install a cooling coil made of a metal tube.

Main line with measuring and control equipment

Preparation for assembly of the line with control and measuring equipment for the compressor station

All control and measuring devices are easiest to place on one highway. This will require ordinary metal tees from a plumbing store. On a single platform there is a system shutdown sensor when the operating pressure is reached, a pressure gauge, a device for cleaning air from condensate accumulating in the receiver and a safety valve, with which you can quickly dump excess air from the cylinder. A control ball valve can be placed at the outlet of the line. The main block is connected to the accumulative cylinder either through its regular inlet, or using a makeshift inlet on its body.

Instrumentation connection problem

If the diameters of the installation instrumentation do not correspond to the dimensions of the available fitting, then in this case all instruments can be mounted using plugs in which holes of the required size are drilled and threads are cut with the appropriate pitch. Threaded connections are sealed with fum tape.

High pressure rubber tubing problem

Oxygen hoses with thick walls are one of the most affordable materials for connecting all parts of the compressor apparatus. But it should be borne in mind that the air stream at the exit from the engine compartment will contain a large amount of oil that destroys rubber. For this reason, it is preferable to use metal (copper or steel) pipes.

Maintenance of a compressor from a DIY refrigerator

Maintenance of a homemade compressor station should be carried out taking into account the features of its configuration. It is necessary to periodically check the performance and tightness of all components. Violation of the tightness of locking devices is easy to detect if a pressure measuring device is installed, which will immediately show its rapid loss. The performance of the pressure sensor can be easily checked using a pressure gauge, the readings of which can be recorded at the time of a regular system shutdown after the air tank is filled. You should also regularly drain condensate and oil from filters and cylinders.

Recently, compressors have gained popularity among tinkerers. They are made on the basis of almost any engine, calculating the power of the base unit depending on the number of consumers. For home workshops, do-it-yourself self-made compressor units are in demand.
Compressors from refrigerators often remain operational after the breakdown or obsolescence of the refrigerator itself. They are weak, but unpretentious in work. And many masters make quite worthy home-made installations from them. Let's see how we can do it ourselves.

Details and materials

• 11 kg propane tank;
• 1/2" Female Coupling with Plug;
• Metal plates, width - 3-4 cm, thickness - 2-4 mm;
• Two wheels with mounting platform;
• Refrigeration compressor from the refrigerator;
• 1/4" adapter;
• Brass check valve connector;
• ¼ inch copper pipe connector - 2 pcs;
• Compressor pressure control equipment;
• Bolts, screws, nuts, fumlenta.

• welding inverter;
• Screwdriver or drill;
• Milling cutters for metal with titanium coating;
• Turbine or drill with abrasive nozzles;
• Metal brush;
• Roller for copper tubes;
• Adjustable wrenches, pliers.

  Assembling the compressor

  Step one - prepare the receiver

  Rinse an empty propane tank thoroughly with water. It is very important to remove all residues of the explosive gas mixture in this way.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  In the end hole of the cylinder, we overlap the adapter by 1/4 inch. We scald it from all sides by welding, and muffle it with a screw.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  We put the receiver on wheels and support. To do this, we take pieces of metal plates, bend them at an angle and weld them onto the body from the bottom side. We weld wheels with a mounting platform to the corners. In front of the receiver we mount the support bracket.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  Step two - mount the compressor

  On top of the receiver, we expose the mounting frames for the compressor from metal plates. We check their position with a bubble level, and scald. We sit the compressor on the clamping bolts through rubber shock-absorbing pads. For this type of compressor, only one outlet will be involved, through which air is forced into the receiver. The other two, sucking in air, will remain intact.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  Step three - we fix the check valve and the adapter to the equipment

  We select a cutter for metal that is suitable for the diameter, and make a hole in the housing for the coupling with a screwdriver or drill. If there are protruding forms on the coupling body, we grind them with a drill (you can use a regular electric emery or a grinder with a grinding disk for this).
  

  

  
  

  

  
  We expose the coupling into the hole and scald it around the circumference. Its internal thread must correspond in pitch and diameter to the seat thread on the check valve.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  We use a brass check valve for small compressors. We plug the pressure relief outlet with a suitable bolt, since a bleed valve is already provided on the adjusting assembly.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  To install a pressure switch or pressure switch with all the control equipment, we mount another 1/4 inch adapter. We make a hole for it in the center of the receiver, not far from the compressor.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  We twist the check valve with an adapter 1/2 inch.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  We connect the outlet of the compressor cylinder and the check valve with a copper tube. To do this, we flare the ends of the copper tubes with a special tool, and connect them with brass threaded adapters. We tighten the connection with adjustable wrenches.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  Step four - install the control equipment

  The control equipment assembly consists of a pressure switch (pressure switch) with a control sensor, a safety valve or a pressure relief valve, an adapter-coupling with an external thread and several taps and pressure gauges.
  

  

  
  First of all, we mount the pressure switch. It must be slightly raised to the level of the compressor. We use an extension-coupling with an external thread, and we twist the relay through the sealing tape.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  Through the adapter, we install a pressure control sensor with pressure gauges. We complete the assembly with a pressure relief valve and two taps for the hose outlets.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  Step five - connect the electrician

  We disassemble the pressure switch housing with a screwdriver, opening access to the contacts. We bring a 3-core cable to the contact group, and distribute each of the wires according to the connection diagram (including grounding).
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  Similarly, we make the supply cable, equipped with a plug for a power outlet. Screw the relay cover back into place.
  

  

  
  

  

  Step Six - Refinement and Trial Run

  To carry the compressor unit, we attach a special handle to the compressor frames. We make it from scraps of a profile square and round pipe. We fasten it to the clamping bolts and paint it in the color of the compressor.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  We connect the installation to a 220 V network, and check its performance. According to the author, to obtain a pressure of 90 psi or 6 atm, this compressor needs 10 minutes. With the help of an adjusting sensor, the inclusion of the compressor after a pressure drop is also regulated from a certain indicator displayed on the pressure gauge. In my case, the author set up the installation so that the compressor turns on again from 60 psi or 4 atm.
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  The last step is to change the oil. This is an important part of the maintenance of such installations, because they do not provide an inspection window. And without oil, such machines can work for a very short time.
  We unscrew the drain bolt at the bottom of the compressor, and drain the waste into a bottle. Turning the compressor on its side, fill in a little clean oil, and screw the plug back on. Now everything is in order, you can use our compressor unit!
  

  

an article about the use of an old refrigerator compressor for use in an airbrush.

So chapter one: prey.
Typically, in our latitudes, the habitat of wild or feral compressors is rather small, although exceptions occur. Most often they can be found near trash cans in the yards of houses or in basements where all sorts of rubbish is stored. Usually they are tightly screwed to a large white box, which is called a refrigerator in the common people, and beer is stored in it. Hunting a wild compressor with your bare hands will not work, it will not be given to you just like that. In the meantime, you will run after weapons, a wild compressor may well become a home, but already a stranger.

You must have a special set of weapons with you - pliers, flat and cross screwdrivers, 2 keys for 12X14. If you find a large white box, you need to carefully examine it, usually the compressor is hidden in its lower part at the back. If the compressor is found and you have the necessary set of weapons, you can start mining.

The extraction of a compressor is a simple process, but you need to approach it carefully and carefully, otherwise there may be problems later. The first thing to do is to bite off the copper tubes that go to the cooling grate with pliers or side cutters, with an allowance of at least 10 cm, or better - to the maximum, then the extra tubes will come in handy (on some types of compressors, a metal plate with embossed numbers is attached to the tubes - don't throw it away, it might come in handy too). And you have to bite off the tubes! In no case should you cut, the chips will definitely get inside, then your compressor can get very sick and die. When biting off, the tubes will flatten out, you can not be afraid of this, and it will help not to spill oil during transportation.

At this stage, I can recommend pouring a drop of oil from the compressor onto a piece of clean paper and looking at it for the presence of metal particles. If silver dust particles are noticed in the oil, you can go no further, and honor the blessed memory of the deceased unit with a minute of silence.

The second and most important thing is that the compressor consists not only of a piece of iron, it has another and very important organ - a starting relay. The relay looks like a small black (sometimes white) box, screwed separately next to the compressor with screws, wires go into and out of it. It is necessary to carefully unscrew the relay from the refrigerator, and in the same way carefully disconnect the connector that goes from the relay to the compressor body (this applies to old pots, for other types of compressors the relay may be non-removable). The incoming 2 wires will most likely have to be cut off, they still do not go straight to the plug. There is one more important point - you need to remember or mark in what position the relay was screwed, where is the top and bottom, it happens and is signed, but not always. Why is it important - more on that below.

And finally, the third - with the help of 2 keys for 12, we unscrew the compressor carcass from the refrigerator. It is usually screwed on with 4 bolts and nuts, through rubber gaskets. It is advisable to take all this set of fasteners and rubber bands with you, it can be useful in the subsequent preparation for work.

Chapter two: preparation (domestication).

So, you just got your compressor, smeared with dirt and oil, with scratched and pulled to the knees hands, tired but satisfied, finally reached his house. Now you can start preparing the compressor for work. The first thing to do is a test run. We dress the relay connector on the contacts in the compressor housing. We orient and temporarily fix the relay on a horizontal surface, you can even glue it with tape. The main thing is to fix the relay as it was in the refrigerator, it works on the trailer of gravity and heating of the plates. If you orient it incorrectly, or simply throw it on weight, it will not work correctly, and this can be fatal for both the relay and the compressor motor windings.

Carefully and with the help of electrical tape, we fasten a temporary wire with a plug to the wires entering the relay. I strongly recommend wrapping the place of twisting with electrical tape, your safety and life depend on it. There are so few modellers, let's cherish them and ourselves. Flattened tubes need to be compressed with pliers, they will diverge to the sides and free the passage of air.

When everything is ready and fixed - you can stick the plug into the outlet. Usually this is accompanied by a small spark and pop, the load is still considerable. If everything is in order, the compressor should turn on and rumble quietly. Air should come out of the tube, you need to mark which of them is “inhaling” and which is “exhaling”. You don’t need to drive for a long time, the main thing is to make sure that the assembly is working. If it is out of order and the compressor does not start, or it starts and turns off after a while, it's not good. For a small survey, you need to be friends with electrical engineering and a tester. If you are not friends with these things, I do not recommend poking around further.

Well, if you are friends or have an idea - we will continue. It is necessary to remove the relay connector from the compressor and ring the motor windings. They should ring with little resistance to each other in any combination. If one of the windings does not ring, we are holding the body of the dead unit in our hands. If you call, then you need to inspect and clean the relay. Carefully open the box, and clean the contacts with fine sandpaper. The main thing is not to bend or break them off, you don’t need to rub too hard.

Then we collect everything back, fix it as expected and try to turn it on again. If it doesn’t start or turns off again - alas, no luck ... (This is provided that the relay is native and came with this compressor. An emergency shutdown can also occur due to the fact that the motor is more powerful than the one for which the relay is designed, then you have to look for another relay, and the plate on the tube will help with this.) However, let's not talk about sad things, we hope that everything worked.

Now you have to assemble your unit into a more adapted and compact device. Of course, I do not pretend to be the truth, everyone has their own capabilities and means to achieve this goal, but I will outline my approach to assembling the entire device. To do this, you need to visit the nearest auto parts store, car market or stall with spare parts. There you need to buy:
A liter of engine oil to replace, 10w40 or other mineral or semi-synthetic. usually a liter is the minimum container, but if you're lucky - there is a draft, 500 grams is enough. At worst, you can lubricate all the creaky hinges in the house.
A rubber reinforced oil and petrol resistant tube, about a meter long and 4 mm in inner diameter.
Metal clamps, 6 pcs. They must be tried on with a freshly bought rubber tube. They should be slightly larger.
PVC pipe for windshield washers. They are translucent, there are also reinforced ones, but we don’t need them. The length must be chosen depending on the location of the compressor and the comfort of work, but not less than 2 meters.
2 fine filters - one for gasoline, the second for diesel fuel. They are visually different - for gasoline there is a paper accordion inside, for a diesel engine there is a synthetic mesh inside.
A tube of oil and petrol resistant silicone sealant, thick consistency and gray color is better, more liquid and black worse.

After acquiring all this, you need to direct your feet to the nearest hardware store. In it you must purchase:
Cord with a plug at the end, for powering the compressor into the network. At least 1.5 meters long, preferably double insulated.
Single-gang light switch in a closed housing, for external mounting.
Furniture wood screws 3.5 x 16 or 3x16.

Now all this heap must be combined together, and we will get the coveted unit.

The first and most important point of preparation, on which the further operation and durability of the compressor depends, is an oil change. A lot of copies were broken about this, it is necessary to change, it is not necessary which oil to pour and which not.

There may be many opinions, but the correct one is mine! In order to avoid later empty questions like "but it works well for me on sunflower!", I will write down my point of view at this point.

Pure "spindle" (freon, compressor - whatever it was called) oil is poured inside the compressor at the factory. In fact, it is mineral. It does not contain any additives, because the compressor in the refrigerator operates in a closed and airless (oxygen-free) space, and is not exposed to any influence of the external environment.When we start using it for our purposes, the situation changes dramatically.The oil begins to be affected by atmospheric oxygen, dust microparticles, moisture, etc. Mineral oil quickly becomes clogged and oxidized, losing its properties.This leads to strong heating of the compressor during operation, noise, wear of the piston system and, in the end, to jamming. And this despite the fact that there was enough oil. Moreover, due to the low binding and wetting properties of mineral oil, it will intensively fly to the outlet, clogging air vapor and reducing the operating level in the compressor.

Automotive (motor) oil is devoid of most of these problems, primarily due to the content of additives in it that compensate or completely eliminate bad factors that affect the quality and durability of the oil. Moreover, it is designed for much more severe operating conditions than those that will be in your compressor. For example, I use 10w40 motor semi-synthetics, because it remains after changing the oil in my car. You can use both mineral and semi-synthetic oils with other indices, but I do not recommend using synthetic oils. Firstly, they are much more expensive, and secondly, they are more liquid and less durable.

I hope that I wrote convincingly, although of course there will be unbelievers who will stubbornly fill in any oil that comes to hand, well, and a flag to them.

Let's return to our iron friend. Here there is some technical point, namely, what type of compressor fell into your hands. Visually, they are divided into 2 main types - a cylinder and a pot (reminiscent of a night vase covered with a convex lid). The first ones are almost extinct, they were used in very old types of refrigerators, they ceased to be produced at the end of the 70s. But if you managed to get this type of compressor alive - you are very lucky. They can give much more pressure at the outlet. Most often, it is the second type of compressors that falls into the hands - pots.

The main difference for us at this stage is where to change the oil. In cylinders, most often a huge bolt is screwed on the side of the body, it closes the filler neck. You need to unscrew it with a wrench, drain the old oil from the compressor into some kind of disposable container. It is advisable to measure how much of this oil was. Depending on the type of cylinder, they must be filled with from 300 to 500 grams of oil. Then carefully screw the bolt back, preferably smearing it with oil and petrol resistant sealant.

The pot is a little more difficult. 3 tubes usually stick out of it - inhale, exhale and a sealed filler tube. It is advisable to change the oil through it. To do this, we need to open this tube, you can cut a little with a needle file in a circle below the flattened place, but in no case cut through. Then, along the incision, the tube must be broken and completely broken off, swaying to the sides. The burr formed along the edge should be lightly beaten with a hammer. Then simply drain the oil from the pot, tilting it towards the tubes, into any disposable container. Remember - after draining the oil, the compressor should not be turned on in any case!

You will have to fill the compressor with a syringe, gradually pouring oil into the filler tube, you can put on a rubber tube in the form of an impromptu funnel. Oil in a pot requires about 250-350 grams. After refueling, the tube must be muffled, otherwise the air will leave through it (or vice versa - enter past the filter, depending on the type of compressor). Of course, you can flatten it, but this is not convenient, because then the oil will have to be changed. I recommend screwing in a small self-tapping screw of a suitable diameter, under the head of which there will be a rubber washer-gasket.

As in the case of oil, there are desperate or lazy comrades who will try to feed the compressor with oil on the go, adding it to the suction tube - I strongly do not recommend doing this. Firstly, it is desirable to change the oil all at once, and turning on the compressor with drained oil means killing it. Secondly - there is such a phenomenon in piston devices - water hammer. This is when liquid enters the space above the piston, in a volume greater than the volume of the compression chamber allows. Liquids, as we know, are almost incompressible, and the compressor motor will try to do it. As a result, we can get the destruction of the piston system. I hope that I have convinced myself of this.

And so we will continue. Now we will put everything together, according to the above scheme.

This scheme is intended for single action airbrushes, such as our beloved "Eton" - it is also Belarusian, or double action airbrushes converted to single action.

Of course, you can connect it all and leave it on the weight, but this design will constantly break and fall apart. I think if you spend a little effort and combine everything on some platform or in a case, it will be more reliable and bring more pleasure from work. I do not pretend to standardize, but my type of assembly absolutely does not require the use of machines, welding or special tools. All materials are also available, and their cost is low. For the simplest and most reliable result, you can assemble the structure on a sheet of plywood or chipboard. The dimensions of this sheet mainly depend on the type of receiver selected or mined. The receiver is needed for at least two functions - it smooths out the air pressure pulsations that are inevitable during compressor operation, and serves as a trap for vapors and oil droplets. For inexpensive single-action airbrushes, which include the widespread "Eton" - he is also a Belarusian, a large-capacity receiver is absolutely not needed, a volume of about 1-2 liters is enough.

As practice shows, almost any hermetically sealed container is used as a receiver - from plastic bottles for drinks and beer to industrial receivers from trucks and equipment. In my opinion, it is somewhat unsafe to use plastic bottles, and even more so glass ones, these materials do not have good mechanical strength, and even a slight pressure in the receiver can break it if damaged and cause injury. Of course, you can also use such things as a cylinder from a fire extinguisher, but this somewhat enlarges and makes the whole structure heavier.

The most optimal containers for the receiver are small food canisters for water made of translucent white polyethylene, or, as in my example, an expansion tank from a Zhiguli. The polyethylene from which these containers are made is quite thick and viscous, is not afraid of mechanical damage from fallen small objects and retains its properties for quite a long time. Even if a gap occurs, it does not give fragments or scraps of material. For those who do not want to use such materials under pressure, I can advise you to take a closer look at small welded metal canisters for fuel, with a volume of 5 liters.

It is quite simple to adapt a canister or tank for a receiver - you need to take 2 tubes, for example, copper ones, cut off from the compressor, each about 15 cm long. Do not forget that the compressor should have pipes at least 10 cm long. 2 holes are drilled in the lid of the canister, into which these tubes should fit tightly. Then, from the inside of the lid, the place where the tubes enter is filled with epoxy resin, it is not necessary to fill it completely, you still need to leave room for screwing the neck. When everything dries, you need to lubricate the neck and cork with sealant and tighten tightly. At this point, it is important to place the tubes correctly - their tips should not be next to each other, and the outgoing tube should be higher than the incoming one (as in the diagram).

Now that everything is prepared, you can figure out what size plywood sheet you need. It is not worth assembling it tightly, it will be more difficult to maintain, and the compressor must have some space around for airflow and cooling. In my case, a piece of 30x40 cm was enough. Plywood should be taken with a thickness of at least 9 mm, a fiberboard sheet - 15 mm. Trimming the corners and processing with a rough sandpaper is already a taste. But splinters in the fingers will not bring pleasure.

At the corners of the sheet on its future lower part, it is necessary to fix the legs with screws, rubber or, for example, corks from plastic bottles (a good reason to take 4 "one and a half" beers). The main thing is not to screw through to the floor or table with screws. The legs are necessary to reduce noise during the operation of the compressor, prevent it from “creeping away” from its place, and scratching the floor is also unpleasant.

Next, 4 holes are drilled for mounting the compressor, I hope you didn’t forget to take the bolts with you? Perhaps, when using a thick sheet of plywood or chipboard, the length of standard bolts may not be enough, then you will have to buy longer ones complete with nuts, in a hardware or auto store.

The hardest part is fixing the receiver. It must be installed first, so that the rest of the unit does not interfere later. Piercing through the receiver with fasteners is not worth it, here you need a creative approach - for example, use a rubber tube or strip, durable fabric or leather, perforated tape for packing heavy loads, etc. One edge of the fastening tape is screwed to the plywood with a screw, thrown over the receiver and screwed tightly on the other side.

The compressor is bolted, preferably with tubes, to the edge of the plywood sheet, so it will be easier to change the oil in the future. When screwing, it is advisable to lubricate the threads of the bolts with sealant, so that they will not subsequently be unscrewed due to vibrations. Next to it, we screw the starting relay with screws, orienting it correctly. Next - a light switch, we attach a relay and a power cord to its contacts. It is advisable to fasten the cord itself with a collar or eyelet to a sheet of plywood, so it will not break out of the switch.

When the electrical part is finished, we proceed to the installation of the rest of the pneumatic system. At the compressor inlet, using a piece of rubber tube and 2 clamps, we fix a fine filter for gasoline. Perhaps this detail will seem superfluous to someone, but it's not expensive, and all kinds of dust will not get inside the compressor, then it can no longer be removed from there. The main thing in all subsequent operations is not to fill this filter with oil, it will lose its properties from this. Next, with a piece of rubber tube and 2 clamps, we connect the compressor outlet to the receiver inlet. Care must be taken not to break the tubes from the cover. At the outlet of the receiver, we also pull a rubber tube with 2 clamps, we fix the filter for diesel fuel. This filter can be filled with silica gel, then it will perform 2 functions - a moisture trap and an adapter for fixing rubber and vinyl chloride tubes. Of course, you can do without it, pull the vinyl chloride tube directly onto the receiver outlet, but such a connection will not be completely tight and durable, the hose will break off from a smooth copper tube.

The PVC tube is usually smaller in diameter than the filter and airbrush fitting, does not stretch very well, and is quite difficult to fit. To do this, there is a little trick - the tip of the tube is immersed in solvent 647 for several minutes. Not deep, more than 5 mm is not worth it, otherwise it will be too flexible, and there will be no stop for fitting it onto the fitting. It is advisable to fix the filter and the PVC tube on a sheet of plywood, so it will not hang out and loosen the receiver tubes.

Well, that's practically all. You can turn it on, listen to the air hiss. It’s just not worth rushing into work right away if silicone sealant was used - it needs to dry for a couple of days.

Chapter Three: Exploitation.
There is nothing complicated here. The main thing when operating the compressor is to prevent it from overheating. Usually the compressor heats up to a temperature of 40-45C for 25-30 minutes of continuous operation. It’s not worth working longer, this can already have a bad effect on its resource and the quality of work.

During further operation, it may be necessary to adjust the air pressure. For example, some types of compressors can produce much more air than is needed for an airbrush, or this is due to painting moments. In this case, the compressor will create unnecessarily high pressure in the pipes, filters and receiver, and the compressor itself will work with overload and heat up quickly. In this case, we need a reducer. Most importantly, the gearbox in this system must be installed at the INPUT of the compressor, if it is installed at the outlet, this will also cause the compressor to be overloaded and quickly heat up.

By installing a reducer at the inlet, we limit the amount of air passing through the compressor, thereby regulating the pressure. The simplest and most affordable reducer is calibrated tubes, which can be fixed at the filter inlet through a rubber tube, for example, from fountain pen refills, or thick needles from syringes. You can drill yourself with different drills. Or you can visit the nearest pet store, in the products for the aquarium you can find very suitable small faucets and reducers. And in terms of landing diameters, they are just worth a penny. Unlike calibrated tubes, they will allow you to adjust the pressure within certain limits in the course of work.

Chapter Four: Service.

Maintenance of the compressor is not difficult, although for this you will have to partially remove some parts. Of course, you can not service the unit at all, but believe me - it will answer the same.

The service includes:
Change of oil.
Replacement of filters.
Draining accumulated oil from the receiver.

Oil, no matter how good it is, still loses its properties over time and becomes contaminated. In the compressor, regardless of the mode and amount of time of its operation, it is advisable to change the oil at least once a year.

To do this, it is necessary to remove all tubes from it, unscrew the plug - screw from the filling tube, and tilt the compressor to pour all the oil out of it. Remember - after that you can not turn it on in any case! Further, as with the first oil change, pour the required amount of oil inside with a syringe. While the tubes are removed, you can at the same time remove the old filters, pour out the accumulated oil from the receiver. Do not pour this oil back into the compressor.

Then install all new filters in place, return the tubes back to the compressor. Metal clamps help a lot with this, they allow you to repeatedly carry out such operations.

Well, that's all, good job. I think the additional questions that have arisen can be resolved on the forum.

When the refrigerator breaks down, a person prefers to immediately send it to a landfill and purchase a new unit for freezing food. The compressor from the refrigerator should still be left, because this part of the household appliance can be useful to a person. You can use the compressor from the refrigerator to inflate tires, to pump out water, and even in airbrushing this tool will come in handy. But before discussing the nuances of using the unit, it still needs to be mined. To do this, you need to find a unit that looks like a large black bowler hat at the bottom of the refrigerator. Next, unscrew the bolts and nuts with which the part is attached to the refrigerator itself. Using a hacksaw, the compressor must be sawn off from the refrigerator radiator. Now it remains only to check the functionality of the compressor. To do this, it is connected to the network, and if the part starts to make characteristic sounds, then it works.

The extracted compressor from the refrigerator can be used to repair other large household appliances. So, for example, if a person’s compressor failed on another refrigerator, the part can be safely replaced and the equipment can continue to be used. However, often craftsmen find completely different areas for the use of this unit. So, for example, very often the compressor is used in garages for pumping tires and pumping oil. But before you start using it, you will have to install a special receiver. The receiver itself is required in order for the unit to work normally and smoothly, without overloading the network too much. Also, this nuance should be observed so that during operation, the compressor does not splash oil. The receiver should be fixed on the compressor tubes, additionally checking the strength of the connection. After that, you can proceed to the operation of the compressor for your own purposes.

The old refrigerator compressor finds its widest application in the garage. It has already been mentioned above that the technique can be used to inflate tires, due to the fact that the compressor itself is able to distill air. To inflate tires, the unit only needs to be plugged into an outlet and connected to the bus. It’s just that you can pump up no more than two tires in this way, since the compressor from the refrigerator works rather slowly, but at the same time it can noticeably overload the network. The compressor from the refrigerator has enough pressure to inflate car tires. In order to inflate a bicycle wheel, you can use, for example, a part from an air conditioner. Another area of ​​​​application for a compressor in a garage is to pump out excess oil. Here you need to unscrew the oil filter, and use the compressor to pump out the required amount of oil. The process itself usually takes no more than 2-3 minutes, but the oil level must be monitored all the time.

One of the most popular uses for an old compressor is for airbrushing purposes. The art of airbrushing involves the use of a special apparatus for drawing a picture within the framework of a special technique. The compressor will just become such a unit, and quite powerful. To assemble the airbrush, you will need an old compressor, a receiver, a rubber tube, fine filters, a vinyl chloride tube, mounting clamps and furniture screws. Before starting the assembly of the airbrush, it is necessary to replace the oil in the compressor with a simple car, as this will positively affect the operation of the equipment. Next, you should connect the receiver, connect the start relay and the filling tube to the compressor. The petrol filter should be mounted on the compressor itself, the diesel one on the receiver. By connecting the entire structure using the existing tubes, you can connect the airbrush to the network and use it to create original drawings.

It is also possible to effectively use an old compressor for pumping water from a water supply system. For example, when replacing or repairing a water pipe, it is often difficult to pump out all the liquid from the pipes, and this complicates all further actions. That is why experts recommend using a compressor. To create a water pumping system, you will need a simple, glass bottle, two suction tubes and liquid in a special container. One suction tube must be connected to the compressor, leaving the other end in the bottle. After that, it is recommended to close the bottle itself to create a vacuum. The second tube should also be taken into the bottle, and its end should be left in a container of water. In fact, the water pumping unit is ready, and you can start using it. With the help of another hole on the compressor, you can safely pump out liquid from the water supply system, significantly facilitating the repair process for yourself

All of the listed ways of using the compressor are real, but, of course, they should be resorted to only with special technical knowledge. If the person himself has a poor idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat a compressor looks like and how to create a tire inflation unit from it, then it is better not to work with this part of the refrigerator. On the Internet you can find many instructions for converting a compressor for a variety of purposes, and here it is very important to consider the scope of the unit. Also, when working with it, it is necessary to observe safety precautions, making sure that the network is not under too much voltage. An old and rusty compressor can serve a person for a long time. That is why, if the owner of the refrigerator does not plan to use it, it is better to immediately give the equipment for recycling, where the old compressor will definitely find its application in various fields.