How To Choose an Air Compressor for Your Auto Repair Shop

How To Choose an Air Compressor for Your Auto Repair Shop

Many of the most essential tools in your auto shop require an air compressor to function. There are many different sizes of air compressors to fit the needs of unique businesses, so how do you choose the best one for you? If you’re wondering how to choose an air compressor for your auto repair shop, we have tips that can help you decide.

The Basics

The first thing you’ll need to know when beginning your search for the perfect shop air compressor is the unit measurement of standard cubic feet per minute or SCFM. This airflow measurement will show up on both the air compressor unit and your tools and indicates the flow rate of gas under standard conditions of pressure and temperature.

Another number you’ll see is the cubic feet per minute or CFM. This is different than SCFM because it’s measured with a pressurized air supply, rather than standard conditions. For most tools, this is measured at 90 PSI. This number will be lower than the SCFM and will be the most important number to consider when searching for your air compressor, as it will tell you how much of the total air the tool will be using.

PSI is the measure for pressure and stands for pounds per square inch. Most of your equipment will need 90 PSI to work efficiently, though there are exceptions.

Total Number of CFM

Now that the units are out of the way, it’s time to calculate how much CFM you use from your tools at any given time. Pick the busiest time for your shop and consider how many air tools will be used at once, including air-powered car lifts. Each tool’s manual should list its CFM, which you will then add together with the rest of your tools and equipment’s CFMs. When considering how to choose an air compressor for your auto repair shop, the horsepower of the air compressor should be slightly higher than the total CFM on a busy day.

Remember that it’s unlikely every air tool in your shop will be running at once, so you may only need to prepare for the busiest scenario.

Volume in an Air Compressor

Your air compressor will list a gallon amount that will determine the volume of compressed air that it will hold at a time. The higher the volume, the longer you’ll be able to run tools uninterrupted. If you run tools such as grinders and cut-off tools, you’ll want a higher volume.

Consider Your Shop’s Electricity

Large air compressors can wreak havoc on your auto shop’s electric bill. Have an electrician determine how much power you have access to in the shop. Pick an air compressor with the correct voltage and with horsepower closest to 1.5x your total CFM to avoid overcharging your electric bill.

At Tooldom, we have all the mechanic air tools you’ll need for your auto shop. Contact us if you need help matching tools to your air compressor’s output.