Air compressor - Emergency air pump?

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suds1421

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 18, 2010
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Midwest
I'm thinking the answer is no but figured I would ask. In my shop I have a large air compressor with line dryers on it. I don't run oilers or any additives. I have enough hose to reach my tank.

So, would it be feasible to use it as an emergency air pump? I could set it to 1/2 a psi and it would bubble like crazy. The air would last a LONG time too at that rate.

Anyway, is that crazy? Probably.. Just start up the gen and run the 5 watt air pump right?
 
I wouldn't risk running that air through my tanks.
 
When I saw the question, I was going to point out that the lubrication oils would prohibite the idea, but then read your post. You know what you're doing.

I wouldn't set it up as an automated back up, but if the power is out for awhile and you happened to have air in your reservoir, I think it would be better to use then let the fish suffocate. Your compressor has oil within the pump area, so there will always be a little bit of residual oil within the compression chamber. But, if the unit is in good shape and the seals are working, there shouldn't be enough to cause any harm.

I wouldn't use "stagnate" air...as long as you have been using the compressor recently, there shouldn't be any issues. I would blow out the line first to remove condensation or any particulates...but you know this already :)

Good idea in my opinion. But...only in an emergency.

Take care...
 
Thanks guys, yeah I forgot about stagant air, I do use the compressor but not often enough that the air is always fresh. I'll keep it in mind for a true emergency but I do have a generator as well, if electrical fails and the generator fails then I guess I'm having a really bad day :)
 
LMAO, true! I guess in that case, you could always resort to performing CPR on your tank. Inhaling a deep breath, then "motor boating" into your water :)
 
I have my shop compressor (old dental compressor) running my tanks and have been for a couple months now...the only fish that have died have been feeders and ones that were too small and got eaten haha..

This is an oil lubed A/C, but I have a dental air dryer (with a moisture/oil collector built in) and I also have x3 additional water/particulate filters (got them for free-brand new) as a just incase after my regulator. I have seen NOTHING in the first seperator and I run the whole system at about 2-4psi(I think, it really doesn't register on the gauge I'm using for anything below 5PSI).

I run 4 different bubble devices (3 tanks currently) and I can adjust them to 'boil' the water if I wanted! Compressor kicks on about 1-2 times an hour for ~1 minute.

Most new compressors are not oil lubricated, that's the old way, most now use teflon lined cylinders and pistons that are all oil-less, the old (10+ year) Craftsman I had was LOUD, it was oil-less.

I say use if for the primary air source, I think of the long term it will use less electricity, and free up some outlets!
 
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