The idea of ​​making an air compressor for working with an airbrush based on a refrigerator (hereinafter referred to as the “device”) came to mind a long time ago, but it took about a year to bring it to life.

The idea is attractive because this device gives low level noise (noise at the level of a regular refrigerator), allowing you to work late in the evening (early at night), since the use of an oil-free Chinese compressor, which produces 94 dB of noise, somehow became annoying.

First of all, to implement the idea, a compressor was required. This unit was purchased secondhand as part of a working Biryusa refrigerator. But then it turned out that the refrigerator itself was larger in volume than the one in the country house. Therefore, the “newly acquired” one went to the dacha, and the compressor unit itself was mercilessly removed from the “dacha”. Here it is necessary to add that the compressor was attached to the refrigerator by means of a suspension on springs to a rigid plate, so I decided to keep this design and use it entirely in the manufacture of the device.

Then an old OU-5 fire extinguisher was found in the garage, which later became a receiver.
Conceptually, it was assumed that this device would be stationary, so I decided to make a rigid spatial structure for it from corners (of which I collected exactly the required amount at the dacha).

With such a set of basic technical requirements and the actual production of the device began. The length of the device was determined by the size of the plate supporting the compressor. The width was chosen arbitrarily, taking into account the placement of the receiver, compressor and the rest of the body kit.
The device diagram is ordinary: compressor, filter, check valve, receiver, pressure switch, pressure regulator, filter, quick connector.
After cleaning the corners from rust and dirt, they were welded as carefully as possible using household welding at the dacha. After I made the frame, I tried on the receiver and marked the insertion point for the air inlet and the condensate drain point.

I drilled two holes in the receiver with a diameter of 9.00 mm and welded 1/2" threaded fittings. Then I roughly figured out how the receiver would be placed and welded supports to secure it. The receiver was placed at an angle of 5-10 degrees, to allow condensation to accumulate in one place. I did the same for attaching the compressor and ended up with a very heavy one (about 25 kg including the compressor and receiver) and powerful design. But this has its own plus - it is the complete absence of vibration, both on the body and on the concrete floor where he stands.

I changed the oil in the compressor without bothering too much about filling it with 250 g. Lukoil semi-synthetics 10 W-40. To replace it, I carefully opened the third (oil) tube in the compressor. He drained the honey through it and poured the honey through it. syringe (volume 20 ml). I screwed a self-tapping screw onto the sealant into the tube. I filled in 300 ml of oil.
The receiver was secured with two strips cut from scraps of roofing iron. Pieces of watering hose, cut lengthwise, were used as gaskets.
Next came the turn of the automation and air supply system. I decided not to throw away the original tee (separator) from the fire extinguisher, especially since the fire extinguisher itself uses tapered thread. Having disassembled the tee and removed the shut-off valve from it, I plugged the hole in the valve stem with a bolt, having previously cut the thread with a tap.
Now there are two “live” holes left in the tee - from safety valve and CO2 nebulizer tubes. A pressure switch, type RDM-5, was very easily screwed onto the safety valve fitting (removing it naturally). But I had to struggle with the hole for the spray tube. Not a single standard pipe thread fit this hole, therefore, after going through everything possible options, I had to go to the turner at the taxi depot. For 200 rubles, the turner made an adapter from a steel blank for a standard pipe thread 1/2". Well, then everything flowed like clockwork. Half a day of searching in stores and the necessary adapters, tees, pressure regulator, pressure gauge, check valve, automobile gasoline filters (VAZ 06, 09), and a fine filter were purchased for air, etc. I bought a pressure gauge with a “distinct” scale to make it easier to visually control the presence of air in the receiver. It should be noted that according to the passport the pressure switch is designed for operation on water, so I decided to play it safe and disassembled the relay and installed the working chamber on a sealant. Just in case, I painted the frame with oil paint that was on hand.

It took a total of two hours to assemble the device. All threaded connections connected using Tangit-Unilok plumbing thread. There is no point in describing what is screwed to what and in what sequence, because... Each device is manufactured individually and the assembly algorithm is determined by itself. The pressure switch was adjusted to turn off at 3.5 atm, turn on at 1.5 atm. No matter how hard I tried to reduce the value of the setpoint limits, nothing worked.

After assembly, I started pressing. Here my first disappointment awaited me. The pressure in the receiver decreased by approximately 0.5 kgf/cm2 per minute. I found leaks by washing. It turned out that it was leaking from under the fittings welded to the receiver (however, I am not a professional welder). A solution was found immediately - cold welding. After applying and letting it sit for 24 hours, I tried again. Holds pressure. HOORAY. But there is still a leak from the pressure regulator. “It goes away” about 0.1 kgf/cm2 in 20 minutes. I thought about it and decided not to “treat” the device anymore, since this loss of air can be neglected. Such pressure losses when painting are not important to me.

Test painting showed that there was no oil in the air, the paint applied smoothly, both acrylic and enamel. And the most important thing is silence when the device operates. Q.E.D.

The new device fits seamlessly under the table in the workshop. After a couple of days of testing, I decided to check for condensation in the receiver. When opening ball valve, 20 grams of oil were spat out with a whistle. This was the second disappointment. I thought about it and went to read literature. After reading various articles and thinking logically, I realized one thing: the compressor will spit out oil anyway, because in the refrigerator the system is closed, but in my device it is not. Therefore, I will periodically pour oil into it, approximately in the proportions “as much as I spit out, I poured in.” And people also write that the compressor is motor oil won't last long. Well, we'll wait and see.
Blown out with a new device

When a refrigerator breaks down, a person prefers to immediately send it to a landfill and purchase a new unit for freezing food. It’s still worth leaving the compressor from the refrigerator, because this part household appliance can be very useful to a person. You can use a refrigerator compressor to inflate tires, pump out water, and even use this tool in airbrushing. But before discussing the nuances of using the unit, you still need to get it. To do this, you need to find a unit that looks like a large black pot at the bottom of the refrigerator. Next, unscrew the bolts and nuts that secure the part to the refrigerator itself. Using a hacksaw, the compressor must be sawed off from the refrigerator radiator. Now all that remains is to check functionality compressor. To do this, it is connected to the network, and if the part begins to make characteristic sounds, then it is working.

The extracted compressor from the refrigerator can be used to repair other large-sized household appliances. So, for example, if a person’s compressor on another refrigerator fails, the part can be safely replaced and continued use of the equipment. However, craftsmen often find completely different areas for using this unit. For example, a compressor is very often used in garages to pump tires and pump out oil. But before you start using it, you will have to install a special receiver. The receiver itself is required for the unit to operate normally and uninterruptedly, without overloading the network. Also, this nuance should be observed so that during operation the compressor does not splash oil. The receiver should be secured to the compressor pipes, additionally checking the strength of the connection. After this, you can proceed to operating the compressor for your own purposes.

The old refrigerator compressor finds its widest application in the garage. It was already mentioned above that the technique can be used to inflate tires, due to the fact that the compressor itself is capable of distilling air. To inflate tires, the unit only needs to be plugged in and connected to the tire. But you can only inflate no more than two tires in this way, since the compressor from the refrigerator works quite slowly, but at the same time it can significantly overload the network. The refrigerator compressor has sufficient pressure to pump car tires. 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 oil filter, and use a compressor to pump out required quantity oils The process itself usually takes no more than 2-3 minutes, but you need to monitor the oil level 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 applying a design using a special technique. The compressor will become just such a unit, and quite powerful. To assemble the airbrush you will need old compressor, receiver, rubber tube, fine filters, vinyl chloride tube, mounting clamps and furniture screws. Before assembling the airbrush, it is necessary to replace the oil in the compressor with a simple car oil, as this will have a positive effect on the operation of the equipment. Next, you should connect the receiver, connect the start relay and the filling tube to the compressor. The gasoline filter should be attached to the compressor itself, the diesel filter to 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.

An old compressor can also be used effectively to pump water out of a water supply system. For example, when replacing or repairing a water supply system, it is often difficult to pump out all the liquid from the pipes, and this complicates all further actions. This 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 this, 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. Essentially, the water pumping unit is ready and you can start using it. With the help of one more hole on the compressor, you can easily pump out liquid from the water supply system, significantly making the repair process easier for yourself.

All of the above methods of using a compressor are real, but, of course, they should only be used if you have special technical knowledge. If a person himself has little idea of ​​what a compressor looks like and how to create a unit for inflating tires from it, then it is better not to start working 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 take into account the scope of application 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 send the equipment for recycling, where the old compressor will certainly find its use in various areas.

Currently, the industry offers some choice of compressors it produces. True, the assortment is not very large. And such units have a lot of disadvantages. Therefore, you might think that a homemade compressor from a refrigerator is completely devoid of such shortcomings. Well, it could very well be!

Materials for making a compressor

To make your own refrigerator compressor you will need nothing at all. But the main component of a homemade refrigeration compressor will be a unit from a conventional refrigerator.

In addition, you will need:

• Automotive air filter that can work at absolutely any pressure
• A bypass valve combined with a non-return valve, designed for a pressure of 6 atmospheres and usually used by plumbers
• Any synthetic hose that can withstand a pressure of 6 atmospheres
• Copper connecting tubes
• Make a storage cylinder called a receiver. Moreover, the volume of the receiver should be provided so that the larger it is, the less often the equipment will be put into operation

Remember that the accumulated air pressure in the receiver decreases as it is consumed. If the equipment will be used only for inflating tires, where the maximum permissible pressure should not exceed 3 atmospheres, then this is not very critical. But if the unit is designed to work with pneumatic tools, then this can be very critical.

Where to start?

And, as they say, we must start from the beginning. Namely, to make a tank. Its design should include 3 pipes:

• Day off
• Input
• Designed for draining condensate

Helpful Tips:

• When installing the compressor from the refrigerator with your own hands and the tank itself, the drain pipe should be located strictly below so that the condensate drains without problems. There may be a slight problem with the unit itself. That is, he sometimes “wants” to get rid of the oil. To prevent this from happening, the outlet pipe must be bent upward at a certain angle.

• By the way, the inlet pipe also needs to be bent upward in the same way, putting a rubber tube on it, the other end of which is connected to the air filter
• The bypass valve is necessary to prevent air from flowing in the opposite direction. In addition, when the pressure reaches maximum limits (more than 6 atmospheres), it will simply open and expel excess air
• As for the reliability of the unit, it is usually capable of producing at least 15 atmospheres, so there is no need to doubt its reliability. For safety reasons, it is recommended to screw in a shut-off valve at the outlet of the receiver, which can be Any will do plumbing. While the receiver is filling with air, the tap can be turned off. In fact, the design homemade receiver can be absolutely anyone and is limited solely by the imagination of the most home-grown “designer”

• As a storage tank (receiver), craftsmen usually use used receivers from the KAMAZ brake system, fortunately, it already has all the necessary fittings. If you can’t find an old KAMAZ receiver, you can make one from an old fire extinguisher. But know that in this case you will have to work hard to weld the fittings and pipes correctly
• Some are trying to stop using a large number of connecting tubes. However, such work is immediately doomed to failure. The best performance results were shown by oxygen hoses used in welding, but their weight is quite large, and a compressor with such pipes is not very convenient to use
• To start the finished assembled compressor into operation, you should provide a compressor starting relay and add a switch

• It is recommended to make the refrigeration compressor itself on a frame and only on rubber cushions. If possible, it is advisable to install a pressure gauge in series with the check valve to monitor the pressure. Although, in practice, craftsmen often act differently: they install a pneumatic pressure switch designed to disconnect the unit from the network. If such a valve is adjusted correctly, the unit will turn off at the lower and upper thresholds of the pressure value
• It’s also a good idea to provide an overheat shutdown relay so that accidental overheating of the equipment does not destroy fruitful results your work

What you get: general view of the compressor

In general, the diagram of a self-assembled and working compressor is planned as follows:

• The refrigeration compressor takes in outside air through the air filter and pipe.
• A bypass valve is installed at the end of the inlet hose
• There is also a control valve at the outlet of the tank.
• A hose ending with a pneumatic gun is connected to the control equipment itself.

In principle, making a refrigeration compressor with your own hands is cool. True, such work should begin only after all the necessary structural elements are already at hand.

The refrigerator has a reliable compressor, so you can work with it without fear. This is a single piston pump that creates overpressure. It compressed and moved hot refrigerant vapors when used for its intended purpose.

For this we need old refrigerator, approximately a thousand rubles per consumables, regulating devices, a little knowledge and desire.

Advantages and disadvantages of a homemade compressor

Each person decides for himself what he will do: buy ready-made or make it with his own hands.

1. The factory compressor operates on a belt drive, which allows it to work with high speed, does not require lubrication, is large in size. The belt must be protected from oil. Even if all operating conditions are met, belts quickly fail. Homemade - does not have a belt.
2. The factory device is equipped with a pressure relief system, which allows you to work from 4 to 10 hours per day, depending on the class of equipment. The system is capricious; in order to constantly maintain air pressure, an excessive amount of air is required due to the possibility of its loss along the pipeline line or when the filters are dirty. The pipeline must be large diameter, otherwise the risk of pressure drop increases. This makes the system cumbersome.
3. IN expensive models The pressure level, as well as the termination of its supply, is regulated by a pressure switch, in which the pressure difference is already set by the manufacturer. U budget options The automation is minimal, so you will have to time the time when the device is turned on and off using a clock.
4. The refrigerator contains a compressor without a regulator, so home version You will have to make a protective relay yourself, which will only operate when there is a risk of overheating.
5. The cost of self-made equipment is significantly lower and operates much quieter. The versatility of the home device is obvious: tire inflation, painting, airbrushing, and connecting pneumatic devices have become available.
6. As experience shows, it is not possible to make changes and additions to factory equipment. If the device is intended only to pump up tires, then you will not be able to increase its power. On a homemade one, you can install a large receiver, which will lead to an increase in power, equip it with a handle for ease of transportation, and provide it with an external fan for cooling.
7. A car pump runs on 12 Volts, while a home compressor runs on 220 V.

Stages of work

Making a compressor from a refrigerator with your own hands means following a sequence of steps:

1. Take pliers, a 12mm spanner, 2 screwdrivers - one for plus and one for minus. At the bottom of the rear panel, use pliers to cut through the tubes connecting the compressor to the cooling system. Unscrew the start relay, having previously marked the top and bottom sides on it. Disconnect the relay from the plug. We take all the fasteners with us.
2. Checking functionality: reconnect the relay, provide air access to the compressor through the tubes, connect to the network. If everything is done correctly, the device works. Air will flow into one tube and out of the other. Label these tubes.
3. Attach the compressor with self-tapping screws to a wooden board.
4. We take an old fire extinguisher, 1 hose 600 mm long, 2 others - 100 mm, fuel filter, clamps, pressure gauge, sealant. We already have a drill, a screwdriver, and pliers.
5. If there is no fire extinguisher, then we will make a plastic container. To do this, you need to take a container with a volume of more than 3 liters. Make 2 holes. Insert the inlet tube into 1 hole at a distance of 2 cm from the bottom of the container. We lower the outlet pipeline 10 cm deep. It is impossible to install a pressure gauge on a plastic tank.
6. If there is an iron tank, then the tubes can be fixed by welding. We install a pressure gauge on the iron receiver.
7. We fasten the receiver and compressor together.
8. Place a filter on a 10 cm long hose and attach the free end of the tube to the inlet of the constructed apparatus. We use another hose to connect the receiver inlet to the compressor outlet. We fix the joining places with clamps. A diesel filter is attached to the last hose, and its free end is inserted into the outlet of the receiver. If necessary, equipment can be attached to the remaining end of the tube to make airbrushing and painting available.

Let's look at the video “How to make a compressor from an old refrigerator with your own hands.”

Oil change

When you create a compressor from a refrigerator for painting with your own hands, you need to take into account all the nuances. The oil needs to be changed. The factory filled it with mineral, which a household refrigerator needs. This doesn't suit us. It has no additives, since the refrigerator is isolated from the outside world. When there is access to air, the composition oxidizes, becomes clogged, the equipment overheats and breaks down noisily. How is it replaced?

Scheme of action: find a tube with a sealed hole, open it, removing the sealed end of the hose. Drain the oil into a suitable container and fill in half a liter of new oil using a syringe. At the end of the procedure, the hole must be soldered.

Possible problems

We figured out what the old refrigerator is for, and the do-it-yourself procedure is clear to us. We need to discuss possible complications and malfunctions in the operation of the unit we created. Protect the equipment from overheating, as this may damage it.

Filters and oil will need to be replaced once a year.

Loading the compressor by more than 75% of capacity is contraindicated. But it is quite difficult to understand where the line is that cannot be crossed, to predict what pressure the compressor will show. It depends on when the refrigerator was released and what brand it is. On older models this figure will be better. Then for a comfortable quality work we only need to replace the consumable filters.

An old refrigerator will come in handy if you want to turn a compressor into a vacuum pump.

The most important thing to remember is that the equipment must be used for its intended purpose. Piston in 95% of modern refrigeration compressors has no rings, and without freon and closed system after 24 hours it jams. Its operating pattern is such that it can withstand pressures from 12 to 24 Bar due to weak valves. But you can use old models of Soviet cast iron compressors. We must remember about safety precautions.

Portable air compressor, low noise, consuming relatively little electricity - this is probably the dream of every owner of a private house, cottage, garage, or small business. Well, it’s quite possible to make a mobile compressed air installation yourself, for example, by taking part of the equipment from an old household refrigerator. Each refrigeration unit has a built-in compressor. If you remove this part and add accessories, you will get an air compressor from a refrigerator compressor.

Before deciding to implement an idea, it is advisable to decide exactly: is this idea really worth taking on? Let's look at a few important aspects to the topic in order to help future designers make the right decision:

1. not intended for use with air.
2. The compressor performance of domestic refrigerators is low.
3. To lubricate the mechanism of refrigeration compressors, special oil is required.

The corresponding conclusions follow from this. When working with air, the device will not be able to function for a long time without good cooling.

When a refrigeration compressor operates with freon, the housing is cooled due to other temperature parameters of the refrigerant.

Compression air mixture refrigeration compressor occurs under completely different temperature conditions, which will lead to an increase operating temperature by an order of magnitude. Ultimately, without good cooling, the compressor will simply burn out.

A burnt-out refrigerator compressor as a result of a violation of technological operating conditions. The same fate awaits the device that is supposed to be used in the project, if you do not use special means protection

The low performance of home refrigeration units is another factor limiting the use of such equipment for producing compressed air.

For example, to pump a 5-liter receiver to a pressure of 5-7 atm, it will take at least 15-20 minutes of operation of the refrigeration unit.

Meanwhile, this volume of air is not enough even to inflate a car tire or spray paint one wall in one sitting. small room garage.

Poor performance of the refrigerator system is common for such equipment. But under the air compression system, especially with great value flow rate, a high-performance system is required

Finally one more important factor– compressor oil. To lubricate the mechanism of refrigeration compressors, a special freon oil is used, the properties of which change dramatically in contact with air.

If you do not change the oil to another type of lubricant that is structurally friendly to air, after a certain time the compressor mechanism will simply “close up” due to rapid wear of parts.

DIY design

So, if, despite all the noted nuances, the decision is made to assemble from the refrigerator, you can proceed directly to action.

Approximately this design should result from the implementation of the conceived idea. By appearance no complaints. The device looks more than flawless and quite impressive

The first step is to collect all the necessary parts of the project equipment:

1. Air receiver.
2. Oil separator.
3. Differential pressure switch.
4. Copper tube.
5. Inlet air filter.
6. Shut-off control and control valves.

A compressed air cylinder from a KAMAZ vehicle is optimally suited for the air receiver. The five-liter capacity is suitable for a domestic environment overall dimensions and meets the requirements for pressure vessels.

It is best to equip a home compressor made from a refrigerator with one of the cylinders that are used on KAMAZ truck tractors. These vessels comply with Rostechnadzor standards
An oil separator design option that is recommended for use as part of the installation. For reliable operation systems require high-quality separation of oil from air

A differential pressure switch (for example, from the RT series) is used from among those used in industrial refrigeration units.

Copper tube is available in sufficient quantity in the design of the condenser of a domestic refrigerator. Its diameter matches the outlet pipe of the refrigerator compressor.

The air filter at the compressor inlet can be easily made from any suitable plastic container, placing a regular foam sponge inside. Shut-off control and control valves - valves, check valves, pressure gauges - can be bought in the store.

Air unit assembly

An air receiver (for example, an air cylinder from a KAMAZ vehicle) is mounted on a chassis made of a metal corner. Additionally, it is recommended to install a pair of wheels on the chassis for ease of movement, a support “leg” and a handle.

A platform for installing a refrigerator compressor and a bracket for mounting a differential pressure switch are fixed above the upper area of ​​the cylinder. An oil separator is attached to the side of the receiver, through a clamp and an outlet fitting.

DIY oil separator. For fastening, one clamp with a bracket is used on the left side of the separator, and the right part is attached to the fitting of the receiver inlet pipe

An air filter must be installed on the inlet pipe of the refrigerator compressor. An air filter is required to reduce the entry of foreign particles present in the air into the system.

Air filter easy to make from any plastic container by attaching it through an angle threaded transition to the inlet pipe.

Air filter on the inlet pipe of the unit. It’s easy to make one with your own hands from a suitable plastic containers. There is a foam sponge inside the filter housing

The outlet pipe of the compressor is connected through a compensation copper tube-heat exchanger to the inlet fitting of the separator (oil separator). The outlet pipe of the separator is connected to the receiver through an angle adapter.

A tee and (compressed air outlet) are installed at the outlet of the receiver. Through the tee taps, the receiver output is additionally communicated copper tubes with differential relay and pressure gauge. A safety valve is also installed there.

Electrical part and principle of operation

The electrical circuit diagram actually remains untouched, with the exception of minor changes. That is, the compressor from the refrigerator was powered from the AC mains through the starting relay, so this option is left unchanged.

Another question is that the circuit can be slightly modernized. For example, supplement it with a switch mounted on the case assembled installation. Still, this option is more convenient than periodically plugging and unplugging the plug from the socket every time you use the device in action.

This design does not provide a separate switch electrical supply. The compressor is connected to the network with a two-wire cord with a plug through the contact group of the pressure switch

Also, the voltage supply circuit to the compressor must be configured taking into account the inclusion of the contact group of the differential pressure switch.

Due to this configuration, the device will turn off immediately after reaching the set air pressure limit. That's all. The air compressor from the refrigerator can be considered done.

Some notes on the project

A fire extinguisher for a receiver for a home compressed air unit must be selected taking into account a three-fold pressure reserve. Powder OT canister is not the best choice

Fire extinguisher cylinders are often used as a receiver for homemade projects. Meanwhile, the containers of powder fire extinguishers have a low limit of the maximum permissible operating pressure (8-12 atm.).

In addition, such vessels are subject to mandatory inspection after a certain period of time by the relevant authorities. If you still take a fire extinguisher vessel under the receiver, then vessels from carbon dioxide systems can be considered an acceptable option.

Finally, the most important point. Such designs, in fact, should be registered with Rostechnadzor, since the assembly contains a vessel operating under a pressure of more than 0.07 MPa (operating pressure of the installation is 10 atm.).

Owners of unregistered homemade air compressors may well be held accountable (administrative and even criminal), as soon as something extraordinary happens during the operation of the equipment that threatens the life and health of people.

So you should think a thousand times before trying to assemble an air compressor from a refrigerator compressor with your own hands.

Practice assembling a compressed air installation

Tags: