Automotive compressor which is better with your own hands. How to make a compressor from a refrigerator with your own hands

The usefulness of the compressor when performing various works in a workshop or garage is undeniable. This unit has long ceased to be the property of construction teams and departmental vehicle fleets. Here's a quick list of what you can do with a compressor:

Painting works
Sandblasting any material
Blowing out debris from hard-to-reach cavities of units
Territory cleaning
Tire fitting
Working with pneumatic tools.

An air compressor can be purchased at the store. Moreover, kits of any power and performance are offered.

However, such equipment is not cheap: if you do not plan to make a profit from it, buying it simply to facilitate manual labor may seem inappropriate. Therefore, many home craftsmen are trying to make a compressor with their own hands.

Important! High pressure air is a source of increased danger. A frivolous approach to assembling or using improvised equipment can result in serious injury.

The easiest (and relatively safe) homemade compressor can be built from a common car accessory. It will be about a ready-made electrical appliance - a compressor for pumping wheels.

It would seem, where to apply it, except for its intended purpose? The design features do not allow the supply of large volumes of air per unit of time.

This parameter deserves a separate explanation:

The compressor has two important characteristics:

Power

Ability to create high pressure without additional load on the engine.

Automotive units have complete order with this. You can safely build up pressure up to 5-6 atmospheres. True, pumping up a wheel to a typical 2.5-3 units takes a good ten minutes (at zero initial pressure). During this time, inexpensive devices can simply overheat, so breaks are required.

This is due to the low performance of car compressors.

Performance

The ability to deliver a certain volume of air per unit of time. The higher it is, the faster the container is filled, and the more intense the flow from the nozzle with direct use of compressed air.

To combine these qualities, a large volume of the piston group of the unit is required, and a powerful engine with high rpm. Plus, it is necessary to ensure the cooling of the cylinders, otherwise the compressor will overheat and jam. Such devices exist; even turbines can be used as a working unit.

But the cost of the equipment does not allow it to be used in large quantities, especially in everyday life.

Simply put- either power or performance. How to get out of the vicious circle? Use a storage tank - a receiver. In industrial designs, this is a steel cylinder that is slowly filled with a powerful, but not very efficient compressor.

Homemade low-power compressor from an electric motor from a toy. A simple solution to a pressing problem. Such a compressor is quite suitable for supplying air to the aquarium. How to do it yourself in detail in the steps in this video.

When sufficient pressure has been built up, a sufficiently large volume of air can be supplied from the receiver in a short time. Then it is necessary to wait until the compressor regains pressure.
This is how all units work, including those installed on vehicles with pneumatic brakes.

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

In the same way, you can create a whole compressor for painting a car from an ordinary compressor for a Soviet-style refrigerator.

But how to do it technically, and in what order?

Therefore, due to the frequently asked questions of novice 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 uniform air distribution, without foreign particles.

If such impurities are found, then the coating will be with small defects - granularity, shagreen, caverns. At the same time, due to these particles, streaks and stains can form, so it is best to entrust the painting to a branded air compressor, only there is 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 just have to spend your precious time studying the material, and then creating equipment, which should be at least of high quality.

The model presented by the plant or home-made does not matter, because the principle of its operation is the same and it consists in creating unnecessary pressure. But the method of air injection is completely different - it can be obtained manually or mechanically.

In the second case, this is a much higher cost of funds, the manual method is economical, but laborious, requiring constant monitoring.

Automatic inflation does not waste your energy, but the product requires periodic maintenance, which is only worth 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 will realize how easy it is to make a compressor station that will work well without taking a lot of time.

We collect the compressor unit from available tools -

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

Reverse function requires a car camera;
A pump with a pressure gauge is required for the blower function;
Chamber nipple;
Repair kit and awl.

When all the components are prepared, you can start creating the compressor station. To check how tight the chamber is, it is necessary to pump it up.

If the problem still exists, then it can be solved in two ways - by gluing or vulcanization with raw rubber. In the resulting reverse, you need to make a hole for the compressed air supply 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 for the union. To check the uniformity of the air supply, it is enough to unscrew the nipple. The native nipple allows you to get rid of excess pressure.

The pressure level is determined during operation when paint is sprayed. If the enamel is evenly applied to the metal, then the installation functions. 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 bumps, it means that 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 camera. Otherwise, you will have to re-paint the car.

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

Alternative to a professional device (compressor from the refrigerator)

Self-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, the people even thought about how to create a compressor from a refrigerator, which would 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-moisture separator, fuel filters, a gearbox, a motor, a switch, a hose, clamps, brass pipes, but also on little things - nuts, paint, furniture wheels.

Creation of the mechanism itself

The whole procedure can be simplified by buying a compressor from an old refrigerator from the Soviet era. It won't pull too much on the budget, and there is already a compressor start relay.

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

After removing the executive unit, it is advisable to clean the compressor from rust layers. 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 diagram

The preparatory process is complete, 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 moment.

Since the system was always far away from external influences, maintenance work was justifiably not performed there. To carry out this procedure, you do not need expensive oil, semi-synthetic oil is enough.

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

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

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 a hole for changing the oil.

The file is necessary to cut the tube, and be sure to make sure that the chips do not get inside the compressor. To determine how much oil is already there, we drain it into a container. With the subsequent replacement, you will already know how much it will have to pour.

Then we take the spitz and fill in the semisynthetics, 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 stopping the engine lubrication system; for this, a screw is used, which is preformed with a fum tape and is simply placed 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-moisture separator for a homemade installation.

The preliminary work is over, but 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 so that it is on the frame.

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

Where is the 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 the OU-10 fire extinguisher, which holds 10 liters, as a basis, then you should count on a pressure of 15 MPa. We unscrew the locking and starting device, instead of which we install the adapter. If you find traces of rust, then it is imperative to treat these places with a rust converter.

It is not difficult to remove it externally, but it is more difficult to carry out internal cleaning. 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 plumbing cross is screwed in and we can assume that we have already prepared two working parts of the homemade 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 body of the fire extinguisher, it is also even easier to store working parts.

In terms of mounting the engine, threaded rods and washers will serve, just think in advance about making the holes. You will need plywood to fix the receiver vertically.

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

So that dust does not end up in the system, you should think about its protection - an excellent option can be considered the use of a filter for coarse gasoline. With its help, the air intake function will be easily performed.

Since the pressure readings are low at the inlet to the compressor equipment, there is no need to increase it.

Once you have created an inlet filter for installation work on the compressor, be sure to install an oil-moisture separator at the end to avoid water droplets in the future. Since the outlet pressure readings are high, automotive clamps will be needed.

The oil-water separating filter is connected to the inlet of the gearbox and the outlet of the compressor by pressure. To check the cylinder pressure, the pressure gauge itself should be screwed in on the right side, where the outlet is located on the opposite side.

To control the pressure and power supply at 220V, a relay is installed for regulation. Many craftsmen recommend using PM5 (RDM5) as an actuating mechanism.

This device reacts to work, if the pressure drops, then the compressor turns on, if it rises, then the device will be pumped out completely.

The springs on the relay are used to set the correct pressure. The large spring is responsible for the minimum indicator, but the small spring is responsible for the maximum, thereby setting the framework for the operation and shutdown of the homemade compressor installation.

In fact, the PM5 is a conventional two-pin switch. One contact is needed to connect to the zero of the 220 V network, and the second to combine with the supercharger.

The tubler is needed to disconnect from the network from it and save yourself from the constant running around in the direction of the outlet. All connected wires should be insulated for safety. When these works are completed, you can paint over the installation and check it.

Pressure regulation

Once the structure is assembled, it is only natural to check it. We connect the last components - a spray gun or a pneumatic gun and connect the unit to the network.

We check the operation of the relay, how much it can cope with shutting down the engine, and monitor the pressure using a pressure gauge. If everything is working properly, proceed to the tightness test.

The easiest way to do this is to use a soapy solution. 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 order can you begin the procedure for painting parts.

For painting, you just need to determine the pressure and do not load yourself with pre-treatment of the metal. In order to paint with a uniform layer, it is necessary to experiment in this way and determine the atmospheric indicators.

It is important to use the blower as little as possible. Each car enthusiast will deal with the constituent parts and start manufacturing a car compressor.

You can choose from 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.

At the same time, you do not have to devote time to control the receiver, which will open up more possibilities, and you can start painting a car, a fence or even a gate.

Routine maintenance is a mandatory procedure in order to extend the operation 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 when necessary, when the speed of filling the tank chamber is reduced.

Compressor binders

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

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

The bottom line is that the connection element is suitable for an external inch thread. To find out what is the pressure in the receiver, you need to use a pressure gauge and pre-think about the size that is suitable for the connection. We supply pressure to the air preparation unit and adjust it within 10 atmospheres, at this stage it is necessary to attach an oil separator filter.

A pressure gauge allows you to check the pressure, and a filter prevents oil particles from entering the receiver. Bends, tees, and even fittings are the next components that will need to be prepared for installation. To understand the exact number, you need to think over the scheme, choose the inch as the size.

After solving the issue with adapters, it is important to think over the moment of installation of the structure, most often chipboard plates 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, it is worth attaching roller legs to it.

It won't take long to invent here, just visit the furniture shop, where there are a lot of such wheels from furniture. To save space in your workshop, you can build a two-story structure. Only 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 the required parts.

Assembling the semi-professional air blower

The assembly begins with the removal of the twist of the fire extinguisher and the installation of the adapter. Having removed the valve of the fire extinguisher, we install the adapter there.

On a durable hose, four components are installed at once - a reducer, a pressure switch and an adapter.

The next step will be to fix the wheels for installation on a chipboard sheet. Since the structure 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 upper one serves to install homemade equipment.

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

The next stage 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 relay terminal goes next to the connection. To carry out grounding, a special wire is wound on the relay.

Which is better: buy or make a compressor yourself?

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

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 assortment significantly complicates the selection of the required product. But if you decide to purchase a station, in this matter you should be guided by the technical indicators, cost and reviews of those who have already evaluated it.

If you are chasing warranty periods, then you should pay attention to the models of popular brands. Expensive products are worth purchasing if you are doing repair work on a professional level.

Products that do not have a name and status can let you down, so it is better to spend money once and no longer take risks in this matter. Many manufacturers of budget options save on 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 self-assembled installation is sometimes more reliable than a factory one.

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

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

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

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

It is quite obvious that buying a finished product is much easier. This entails less labor costs. However, making it yourself 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 tell you how to make a compressor for painting a car under a voltage of 220V yourself.

Compressor for painting a car with your own hands

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

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

Materials for a homemade compressor

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

Putting together this list is easy. After everything you need is assembled, we can get to work.

We collect the engine

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

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

We take the motor out of the refrigerator, carefully clean it and treat it with a means 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. For this, a semi-synthetic one is quite suitable - it is no worse than a motor one 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 enters and where it comes out from. The closed tube is used just to change the oil. When working with a file, we make a cut in such a way as to avoid sawdust getting into 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 an airtight tape on it and screw it tightly into the tube.

We fasten the motor together with the relay on a thick board, which will play the role of the 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. As a rule, there is a corresponding marking on it - adhere to the correct position in order for the relay to work stably and correctly.

We attach the motor to 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 pressure value for the device to work correctly. We can use old containers from ten-liter fire extinguishers as a receiver - they are durable and hermetically sealed.

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 foci of rust, it is imperative to get rid of them by grinding and processing with special means. In order to eliminate the centers of corrosion inside, fill in the product and shake well. After that, we put a plumbing cross using a sealant. We can assume that the homemade receiver is ready.

We use the 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 made of a thick board. We use nuts, washers and pins as fixing means. The receiver must be placed vertically. To fasten it, we take three plywood sheets, in one of them we make a hole for a cylinder. We attach the other two sheets to a wooden base and a plywood sheet that holds a homemade receiver. We wind the wheels of furniture fittings at the bottom of the wooden base for better maneuverability of the mechanism.

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

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

Compressor scheme for painting a car

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

With the help of the relay, we will be able to supply the pressure we need to the receiver, while ensuring the stepwise operation of the mechanism. The relay is adjusted by 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 commutated to the zero phase of the network. We connect the second mains input of the blower with a toggle switch to the mains phase. The toggle switch will make it possible to turn on and off the device from the power supply without removing the plug from the socket. We carry out soldering and insulate all electrical contacts. After painting, our homemade auto compressor will be ready for testing.

Homemade compressor for car painting

We test and set up a homemade compressor for painting a car

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 pressure gauge for control. We make sure that the relay properly opens the network at the right moments. Using water and 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 must turn on the motor. If everything works fine, you can try to use the apparatus to paint a suitable object. We look at the quality and make sure that the device works stably and can be used to work with a car.

A compressor can be very useful in many different areas of life. Perhaps you need a device for quick inflation of car tires, or you have decided to do airbrushing, but you do not have the right equipment, and you don’t want to buy it. You can solve this problem by making a compressor yourself. We will talk about how to do this and what is needed for this.

Make or buy

Before you learn how to make a compressor with your own hands, you need to figure out how and what tasks a homemade option can solve, and how to handle them with a unit purchased in a store. In this regard, more and more depends on the direction for which you need a compressor. If you need it for a simple tire inflation, then you can use a homemade one.

It's another matter if you are drawn to creativity. It doesn't have to be airbrushing to stumble over the disadvantages of the home option. The point is that painting requires a uniform and uniform air flow. It should be free of debris and other small particles.

If these conditions are not met, it will be possible to get grainy paint or other types of defects as a result. This is what you should think about in the first place when you see photos of homemade compressors.

To all of the above, you can also add non-uniform stains and streaks, which will be a problem even when painting a bicycle frame, let alone the details of the car.

Regardless, both types of compressors are structured about the same in terms of basics. In any case, you need a reservoir in which the air is under high pressure. It can be generated by manual injection, or it can appear from mechanical stress.

If the first option is cheaper to implement, then it should be borne in mind that it will be much more difficult to work, because you will constantly need to monitor the pressure level inside the compressor.

In case the compressor is equipped with additional automation, all you need to do is add oil or change it from time to time. The result of the operation of such a device will be a constant and uniform air supply, which can play a very important role for you.

Training

So we come to the step-by-step instructions for assembling a compressor at home. If we talk about its advantages, then first of all it is worth remembering the volume of work, because such a unit will work much quieter than the factory version. To do this, you will need to hermetically connect all the components, but this work is worth the effort.

What can you make a compressor yourself from?

To get started, you need something that can replace the receiver. A simple car camera works well for this. Next, you will need to find a simple pump on which a pressure gauge is installed. It is needed to increase the air pressure inside the chamber. To this we add a simple awl, a repair kit for the wheel and a simple nipple for the camera.

First of all, you need to make sure that the chamber is still sealed and does not allow air to pass through. If it turns out that she is not coping with her tasks, in conditions of increased pressure, the consequences can be serious.

If during the inspection you find air leaks, then the chamber needs to be sealed, and this is best done by vulcanization.

Since our camera will act as a receiver, we will need to make another hole in it, for which we need a simple awl. You will need to glue the nipple into it, which I mentioned earlier. It will be used to draw air into the chamber.

For correct installation of the nipple, the kit is a good fit, which is indicated in the list of necessary parts. Then we unscrew the nipple and check how the air moves.

A do-it-yourself mini compressor is made according to the same principle, you just need to take a smaller chamber, for which you need a smaller pump. Such an installation will have lower productivity, but it will have a certain compactness.

Peculiarities

After everything that has been done previously, you need to install a drain valve on the nipple that was originally on the camera. It is necessary to relieve pressure if it rises too high. In order to check the operability of the device not only by direct use, it will not be superfluous to install an additional pressure gauge.

Otherwise, if you are going to paint, you will need to first conduct a test run, then look at the uniformity of the enamel or simple paint, and only then start working. This is not very convenient and can be quite expensive depending on the price of the materials.

It is important to know that when checking the pressure level with a pressure gauge, its needle should not twitch. If this happens, the entire structure must be checked, as this is a signal that the air flow is not uniform.

In fact, the idea of homemade compressors and the manufacture of one does not require any superpowers. Naturally, you will need straight hands, basic skills in working with different instruments, and, most importantly, the desire to do all this. If you need a compressor for professional needs, then it is better to turn to ready-made solutions.

There are many reviews that homemade compressors work more reliably and at the same time are more durable. It is important to understand that this depends primarily on who made this unit, and the materials that were used to create it are no less important.

If you want to work in your garage or shed as a hobby, then you have enough free time to do it - why not.

Diy compressor photos

The compressor can be used in a wide variety of applications - for tire inflation, airbrushing, painting of spare parts etc. Having the necessary tools and certain technical knowledge, it is quite possible to independently manufacture this unit on the basis of a conventional refrigerator. A home-made compressor gives about 7 atmospheres, which is quite enough for an ordinary garage workshop, so many are increasingly thinking about how such a compressor can be made? Do-it-yourself compressor from the refrigerator 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 components.

Before trying to make ours out of an old refrigerator, you need to compare these two options, i.e. sold in specialty stores and our homemade version. Total can be distinguished a few main differences in between:

In the design of a factory compressor, there is 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 indicators, etc. are already installed. In the compressor from the refrigerator, you will have to install the adjustment equipment yourself, taking into account all the features.
Despite the fact that most of the 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, keeping track of the time by the clock. Homemade compressors are mainly equipped with a protective relay that turns off the engine if there is a risk of overheating.
In some factory models, there may be no lubricant at all. Of course, their service life is small, but there are no various exhaust emissions. This circumstance is very important, especially if the spray gun behaves rather capriciously, not tolerating various impurities. As for home-made compressors, there is plenty of this oil. By the way, you need to pay attention to which one to pour - synthetics are very poorly combined with ordinary ones, 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 the factory compressors, they are more noisy, so it can only be used outside the home.
The cost of making a homemade compressor is very low, because we take the main components from old equipment, and the adjustment equipment will cost us one thousand rubles. As for the factory compressor, this is not the case.
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.
A factory compressor is a complete technical device, so any improvisation with it is impossible. With a self-made unit, you can do almost everything - take some parts out of the body, or hide everything in one box, and attach a handle on top for ease of transportation.
You can install a fan on a homemade compressor so that it cools the device from the outside.

Read also: Review of chargers for finger 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 - 18 to 43 C.
Subtropical - 18 to 38 C.

However, combined modes are more common, having different ranges.

So a homemade compressor can be much more efficient than factory, in terms of work with air.

On the video, a version of a homemade compressor for pumping wheels

Dismantling work

To make a homemade compressor from a refrigerator, you need to do some initial preparation. It consists in certain dismantling works, i.e. we just need to remove the compressor from the refrigerator itself. It is located at the back of the refrigerator, at the bottom of it. To remove it, we need an elementary set of tools: pliers, spanners and two screwdrivers (plus and minus).

The compressor is located between the tubes that are connected to the cooling system. These tubes must be bitten off with pliers, but never sawed off with a hacksaw. The fact is that with this method, small chips are inevitably formed, which can get inside the compensator.

Then we move on to removing the starting relay - this is an ordinary black box, with wires sticking out of it. We unscrew the fasteners, then bite off the wires that lead to the plug. We must not forget to mark the top and bottom of the starting relay - this will be useful to us in the future. By the way, we also take all the fasteners together with the unit itself.

Functional check

After we removed the compressor, it is necessary check its performance.

The fact is that we are removing the device from the old refrigerator, so we need to make sure that our unit is still "alive". So, we flatten the tubes with pliers - this is necessary so that the air flow passes through them. Next, we need to put the starting relay in the position in which it stood in the refrigerator structure. 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 screw a piece of wire with a plug. It is better to wrap the junction with electrical tape to eliminate the risk of electric shock. We plug the device into an outlet. If you did everything correctly, then the compressor will work, and air will flow from its pipes. By the way, it is necessary to mark from which tube the air flow comes out, and which one it goes to.

Step-by-step instruction

Before starting to do it yourself, 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 an 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 the old fire extinguisher, or weld the body from sheet metal and pipes.
Various hoses. In this case, the length of one hose should 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.
The accompanying toolkit, i.e. screwdrivers, pliers, drills, etc.
In addition, we need a regular wooden board, which will be the basis of the entire structure. We attach the compressor to it using ordinary self-tapping screws. The fastening should be carried out exactly in the same position that it occupied in the structure 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 dimensions of the outlet pipes. We insert the tubes, after which we fill everything with epoxy resin. The inlet tube, into which the air enters, should be located so that from its end to the bottom of the receiver it is about 200 mm. The outlet tube should be submerged 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 body. We insert it, and then we brew it. Only then we screw the pressure gauge into this nut, after which the work is finished. 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 few photos and videos of his work on the Internet, for example, it is shown how it is used in airbrushing and for painting various parts, so the expediency of its manufacture is quite obvious. Finally, we need to add a few extra touches to our device.

You need 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 slide onto the fitting. We put the other end of the hose on the inlet of our device. In this case, the filter will protect against dust getting into the case. The second 10 cm hose should be used to connect 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 needs to be put on the diesel filter, and the other end should be inserted into the outlet of the receiver. At the same time, the free filter nozzle will be further 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 quite difficult to say unequivocally what 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 better 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 consist of replacing diesel and gasoline filters, as well as changing the oil in the device. Compressors usually have three copper pipes. We used two of them earlier, and the third remained untouched. It is the shortest and sealed at the end. So, the oil is drained through it. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the sealed part, and then drain the processing, pouring 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 personally- whether it makes sense to mess with it or not.

The repair will consist in ringing the relay, as well as changing the oil in the device. If the manipulations carried out did not help, then there is absolutely no need to come up with something else. It is best to throw away the old device and then make a new one. Moreover, the issue price is no more than 1000-1500 rubles.

Conclusion

Basically, we figured out how to make a compressor from a refrigerator.

The expediency of its manufacture is difficult to overestimate, because with the help of this device it is possible to carry out various works on airbrushing, inflation of tires, painting of various components and other works that require pressure.

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 order are presented 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