Aldi compressor

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blueST

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

223 months

Thursday 26th February 2015
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Aldi have their cheap compressors back in next week. I thought I might pick one up to replace my crusty old 0.75hp Clarke one which is making a few unsavoury knocking noises these days.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thur-5-mar/p...

Before I do, just wanted to see if anyone has an opinion. Bear in mind that spending much more is not really on the cards, is there anything better for the money? I'm hoping that by going from 0.75hp to 3hp I'll be able to run an impact wrench.

It looks pretty much identical to this https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details... and this https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details... which are both substantially more expensive.

kambites

68,450 posts

228 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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Looks good value for the stats. Can't comment on the actual model in question.

Toilet Duck

1,350 posts

192 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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Is this the "normal" Aldi compressor? I bought one about a year ago but it was around £100. Do they sell two different "power" versions? I'm happy with the one I've got, except it's not man enough to run an impact gun.

Krikkit

27,003 posts

188 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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It does claim 2.2kW and 8 bar pressure, so if it meets those specs it can't be bad. Even so, it's only £20 cheaper than some of the SIP units you can buy.

mph1977

12,467 posts

175 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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Bobby Shaftoe said:
I've got the SIP branded version and it's marginal with Impact wrenches and the like, but to be honest any 3hp compressor from any manufacturer will be the same.
like anything to do with compressors their utility is a combination of the air delivery (volume/ time and pressure) of the compressor and the size and working pressure of the tank ...

andyiley

9,981 posts

159 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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It will certainly run an impact wrench, the question is for how long?

If it is the odd bolt occasionally, it most certainly will.

Also consider this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161081761511?_trksid=p20...

If all it is missing is the ability to do more, I have one & the torque will rip your arm off if you aren't ready for it.


Edited by andyiley on Friday 27th February 16:38

blueST

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

223 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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Hi, thanks for the feedback. think I might give it a go. My old compressor is probably on it's last legs, and at 4x the hp this one must surely be an improvement on that.

As for what I'll use the impact gun for. Mainly undoing seized/tight nuts that are a ball ache to do by hand. Wheelnuts, exhaust bolts, ball joints etc. do you think it'll be any good for that?

andyiley

9,981 posts

159 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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As I said above for OCCASIONAL use, yes, it will.

It may only last for 30 seconds, but, yes it will.

blueST

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

223 months

Friday 27th February 2015
quotequote all
andyiley said:
As I said above for OCCASIONAL use, yes, it will.

It may only last for 30 seconds, but, yes it will.
I'll borrow an impact wrench to try, before I get one of my own, see how it copes.

kambites

68,450 posts

228 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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blueST said:
I'll borrow an impact wrench to try, before I get one of my own, see how it copes.
Bear in mind that impact wrenches vary enormously in how efficiently they use the air supplied to them, so a good impact wrench with a poor compressor or a poor impact wrench with a good compressor might both work where the poor impact wrench with the poor compressor will not.

In other words don't assume just because the compressor wont drive an impact wrench that works fine on someone else's compressor, that it wont drive another impact wrench fine.

tumble dryer

2,089 posts

134 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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blueST said:
I'll borrow an impact wrench to try, before I get one of my own, see how it copes.
I inherited a mahoosive one but the electric motor had burnt out and cost around £400 to replace.

Then as a stop-gap bought Aldi's £100 model about 3 years ago. Excellent little machine and when I need an extra supply of free air, I just hook it up to the much larger tank and leave it running for about 20 minutes - works a treat! smile




blueST

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

223 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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kambites said:
Bear in mind that impact wrenches vary enormously in how efficiently they use the air supplied to them, so a good impact wrench with a poor compressor or a poor impact wrench with a good compressor might both work where the poor impact wrench with the poor compressor will not.

In other words don't assume just because the compressor wont drive an impact wrench that works fine on someone else's compressor, that it wont drive another impact wrench fine.
I also need to change snider my air hose is really long, which I understand reduces performance. May need to ource a shorter one.

paintman

7,765 posts

197 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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Use a proper air hose. The small bore curly type simply can't pass the volume of air required to operate a rattle gun.

blueST

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

223 months

Saturday 14th March 2015
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Finally got round to picking one up yesterday. Became a bit of a spectacle at the checkout. All the usual clientele seemed completely bemused by what I was buying. Got it home and set up but can't use it because it uses a different type of course last my to my old one. Just need to pick up a couple of new couplings from toolstation tomorrow.


michael0512

8 posts

116 months

Friday 20th March 2015
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Howdy

Newbie here smile...Those Aldi compressors are good...most of these are out of the same stable just with a diff paint job and badge...The 50lt tank is ok for me working on small engine (ride on mowers etc) with the aldi rattle gun if I use a good hose albeit a short one! smile the aldi ratchet works great no complaints both at 24eur!! I did change the oil after a couple of hours of use as it looked quite dark which is to be expected on a new motor, and at just under 300ml of oil I'll be changing it often..

Michael

michael0512

8 posts

116 months

Friday 20th March 2015
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@ toilet duck....the 24/25lt tanks are no good for impact...and the 50lt is ok for small work through out the day, anything more than that you would need minimum 100lt...the 50lt tank with a rattle gun will give you about 10/15 sec of full power before it drops and you will have to wait for pressure to build again....not a prob for a small engine mechanic but if it was heavier work id be gone insane by now smile

blueST

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

223 months

Saturday 21st March 2015
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Coincidentally, I gave it a try with an air impact wrench last night. I borrowed an Aldi Workzone one. It worked ok for short burst to loosen 6 big 24mm wheel bolts on my tractor, didn't need to stop for a recharge. I used it with a 25m hose, 11mm bore.

The compressor itself recharges pretty quickly so it's not a long wait if you do,use the air up. I tend not to work in a hurry so that doesn't bother me.

I think better performance could be had by sticking to the euro size quick releas fittings that come with it, as they have a larger bore than the UK BSP ones I use. You can buy them in Screwfix and Toolstation.

So, I'm going to get myself an impact gun and probably an air ratchet too.

michael0512

8 posts

116 months

Saturday 21st March 2015
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blueST said:
Coincidentally, I gave it a try with an air impact wrench last night. I borrowed an Aldi Workzone one. It worked ok for short burst to loosen 6 big 24mm wheel bolts on my tractor, didn't need to stop for a recharge. I used it with a 25m hose, 11mm bore.

The compressor itself recharges pretty quickly so it's not a long wait if you do,use the air up. I tend not to work in a hurry so that doesn't bother me.

I think better performance could be had by sticking to the euro size quick releas fittings that come with it, as they have a larger bore than the UK BSP ones I use. You can buy them in Screwfix and Toolstation.

So, I'm going to get myself an impact gun and probably an air ratchet too.
They pretty good!...I best I could get out of it so far was to loosen a few wheel bolts off the car but struggled with some of them...cant complain tho for money and i imagine the rattle guns Ft pounds is low ish....Im surprise it removed 24mm bolts for you smile...I need to go shopping for bigger hose!...is it possible to get a euro fitting for a larger hose???...Yeah I noticed the bore is quite large on these euro fittings....my only moan is the threads, little iffy!

I got the rattle gun, ratchet, airline reel, air regulator with oil and water res, spray gun curly hose etc...all this in other places was a LOT more expensive!!!!

Edited by michael0512 on Saturday 21st March 08:56


Edited by michael0512 on Saturday 21st March 08:59

blueST

Original Poster:

4,484 posts

223 months

Saturday 21st March 2015
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I don't suppose those 24mm bolts were that tight. They are on and off a lot, the threads are copper greased and I only do them up as tight as I can get them by hand. I could find anything really seized to try it on!

michael0512

8 posts

116 months

Saturday 21st March 2015
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your on to a winner tho with bigger hose....or theres a heavy duty twirly hose on greed bay with euro fittings...might go that direction instead of ordering the wrong fittings from UK and spend the day cursing at it smile