Air compressors need a lot of time and patience to work well for us – that goes for the best of the best, too! However, the amount of time it can take for a compressor to pump up and work can vary from system to system. And we understand that time is of the essence – is there any way you can really make your air compressor work more efficiently?
Yes – you can make your air compressor more efficient by checking your filters, your air cleanliness, and your ongoing pressure levels. Of course, there are stacks of other hacks you can try along the way, too!
In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the different ways through which you can make your air compressor fill faster, and generally operate more efficiently. Even if you’ve just bought a new compressor and it’s connected up fresh out of the box – it’s worth keeping these tips in mind!
Why make an air compressor fill faster?
Why not? That’s pretty much the short answer to this question! The more efficient your air compressor works, the quicker you can complete your projects. If you’ve got a particularly large job to hand or have limited time, you’re going to need your air compressor to start working at peak performance.
Think of ‘hacking’ your air compressor to be much like tuning a car engine. Your compressor should already be doing a great job (whether it’s one of the best small air compressors or on the larger side), providing it’s built by a reputable brand. However, there are always things you can tap into and unlock to help enhance its performance.
On the alternative side, you may have been running your air compressor for a while now, and instead of wanting to buy a new model outright, you want to make the most of your money. Again – why not?
Why is my air compressor taking so long to fill up?
There are a few reasons for slow fill and pump time, and that’s often due to filter muffling, sealing problems, or even issues with the valves and connections within your tank. Ultimately, before you start looking at ways to ‘hack’ your air compressor so it’s working at its best, you should do a good check over to make sure that everything’s in place and in good working order.
Just as you’d need to make sure that you break in an air compressor before you use it for the first time, it’s only understandable that you should check for damage and disrepair before you ‘enhance’ it. Take it from us – it’s going to be a waste of time and effort if you try any of the below and there’s an internal problem!
Four ways to make your air compressor fill faster
If your air compressor is slowing down or hardly working to its full potential, here are four quick tips you can try to help it fill up and start working that little bit faster.
Clean up the air
Believe it or not, dirty air is slower to fill and process for most air compressors. That’s because various contaminants, like dust and debris, will need to filter through your compression system before it can actually use the pure air itself. Essentially, it’s giving your air compressor more work to do.
By working in clean air, you stand more chance of your air compressor filling up faster. This means perhaps working alongside a HEPA air scrubber, which actively removes dust from your space. Too much dust can be hazardous to your health in any case – so keeping the air clean has double the benefit.
Check your air filter
In some air compressors for garage use or even for industrial purposes, internal filters can act as mufflers. This is normally in place to reduce noise during operation. We’d never suggest removing the air filter entirely, no matter how much it muffles the airflow – but you can consider changing it out to something a little thinner.
A thinner air filter may create more noise, but it will also stand to improve the amount of clean air that travels into your air compressors. Providing you protect your ears during compression, this is a viable option for giving your compressor a much-needed speed boost.
Cool down your air
This tip is fairly simple – air compressors take more time to work through warm air than they do cool. Therefore, the cooler the air, the faster your air compressor will fill up and run.
This isn’t always so easy to control, of course, which means you will probably need to consider working in an area that’s cooler than the rest of your home or work space. It’s another reason why running an air compressor in the garage makes perfect sense!
Keep pressure high
By this, we mean you should keep a close eye on any pressure drops. Air compressors can and will lose pressure if they have to pump air through long connections, or if there are simply too many extra attachments and components in the way. Therefore, you may wish to simplify your setup, and therefore reduce the risk of pressure dropping.
The more consistent the pressure in your air compressor, the more efficient and effective it will be at filling up and essentially doing its job. Of course, safety first – always make sure you keep your pressure levels consistent and below the upper limits recommended by your manufacturer. These may differ wildly from model to model, so always read the instruction manual.
How to further boost the efficiency of your air compressor
There are a handful of other tips to keep in mind if you want your air compressor to be more efficient at filling up and running in general.
Some of these tips involve actually rethinking your current setup. For example, any connection hoses you have in place will likely hamper your filling efficiency if they are too narrow in diameter. Choose wider diameter hosing and you’ll likely see a marked difference in how quickly your compressor can turn things around.
Shorter air hoses, too, may work wonders. That’s because the air intake has a shorter distance to travel – therefore filling up your tank quicker. You can also consider setting up auxiliary tanks to connect along the way so that your air compressor doesn’t lose any momentum on the route.
You should also make sure to keep maintaining and checking over your air compressor. Things as simple as avoiding leaving your air compressor full, keeping it lubricated, and checking for leaks and internal wear can all help to improve its longevity. The better care you provide for your air compressor, the more efficient it is likely to be over time.
Will compressor size make a difference?
In many cases, larger air compressors can be slower and less efficient than their smaller counterparts. That’s because the bigger the tank, the more there is to fill – and generally, we’ve found the best small air compressors to work much quicker in practice.
That said, smaller air compressors have reduced capacities and can’t handle as much as heavy-duty models. Therefore, if you are only just starting to look for the perfect compressor, this is something to keep in balance.
Conclusion
Over time, air compressors can wear down and can even lose efficiency or filling power. That said, there are still a few tricks you can try to boost your machine’s capabilities.
Before you try any of the above, again – always make sure to check for internal damage or problems in the sealing that may need your attention or repair first.