New CFP Build with New Ingersoll Rand SS3L3 Compressor

I introduced myself in an earlier post, and since have been doing much work on assembling the CFP and adding components to my new compressor. I’m nearly ready to add water to the CFP and do the initial test cuts, but to be honest, it feels like I have constructed the plane, runway and hangar, but have no idea how to fly.

This post will focus on the compressor. I had a 30-gallon Craftsman for 25 years, and in prep for this new hobby, gave that to a friend, and purchased an IR 60-gallon (Model SS3L3). I purchased through Home Depot, and got a 10% Veteran’s discount.

I found a number of YT posts that complained about this compressor, primarily the pressure switch burning up. I’ll show below what I have done to prevent that issue. I like IR, but do not want to start any debates on the worthiness of air compressors. Each person should make their own decision, and primarily focus on the needed air flow for this hobby of ours. There are countless posts here about SCFM requirements.

Here is the nameplate data for the SS3L3:

The flow is roughly double the requirement for the CFP and Razorweld 45.

I have it installed at the front corner of my garage, directly across from the power panel at the other front corner. I ran a new 30A dedicated circuit for the compressor, and installed a disconnect switch on the wall above the top of the compressor:

Here is the view from the front outside of the garage:

And another view from inside:

I added a motor starter, which takes the load completely away from the pressure switch. The pressure switch now provides the signal to the motor starter.

I added the 230V hour meter and switch in the small box on top of the motor starter:

The switch just opens the wire going over to the pressure switch. This allows me to turn it off, and the air compressor will not run. The disconnect I showed above is for if I want to completely cut power. The breaker is on the outside wall, and I can go over and turn off the breaker, but the disconnect is the most safe route to go if I am working on the wiring.

I do have an air cooler installed. I had originally intended (and actually reconfigured it) to have the air cooler be after the pump and before the tank; however, in the final configuration, I restored the original design, and the aftercooler is after the tank. Since I am a long-time Navy employee, everything must have an acronym, so I am in the aftercooler after the tank camp (AATC). There is a very long (~350 posts) on this topic of where to install the aftercooler. I am very much ok with the hot air going into the tank. I installed an auto discharge at the bottom of the tank to spit the water out periodically. I don’t want to re-start that argument here. I read through that entire string, and concluded I did not want any extra work on the pump.

The aftercooler has 1-inch NPT female fittings.

Here is the discharge from the aftercooler:

I can manually drain that line going straight down, and then there is the first air filter. It then flows to the wall to that 4 phase filter unit. I’ll try this initially and see how the air quality is. I have made no cuts on the table yet.

Down below the filter on the wall is the new 40A dedicated circuit for the plasma cutter.

Next to the compressor and above the CFP, on the right side of the table, I installed the control box and plasma cutter. More on the CFP later.

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GREAT statement! And we all have been there! The good news is that you won’t crash into the ground from 2000ft! You’ll waste some metal - plan on having plenty of test material around. You might blow out some consumables. But you’re not going to die and, unless something REALLY bad happens, you won’t break your system irreparably.

So, wind up the prop, give it a spin, and go for it. From what I’ve seen you’ve got most everything covered. Try EASY stuff first. You’ll learn and won’t waste too much material. You also will not break anything.

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Nice Job, expect that cream colored curtain around your table to get dirty quick!

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+1

looking good .

And you actually used an air to air heat exchanger . Most people use the Derale 15300 Tube and Fin Cooler Core which I always thought was weird choice considering it is a oil to air heat exchanger.

Another quick point; The Derale 15300 Tube and Fin Cooler Core and the Bar and Plate Air Compressor Belt Guard Cooler 18.2” x 8” (26085) are both meant to be active coolers , meaning air should moved through the fins by either a fan of the motion of a vehicle. Using them as a passive cooler makes them far less effective at removing heat energy.

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It’s a welding curtain. I use one around the back and sides on my table to keep the sparks contained so I can use it in my woodshop. Works well, doesn’t get too dirty, and beats burning down the house! :grimacing:

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Excellent!!!

If you do decide to add a fan to your “AATC” I really like that my fan only kicks on when it senses that there is warm air flowing from the compressor. I have this temperature sensor hooked up thusly:
image
https://a.co/d/1xGod0Q

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I chose the welding curtains (right side and back) for a little more piece of mind….and when my wife comes out to the garage and sees sparks flying towards the plywood garage wall, I can say “look, we have a firewall!.

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For those reading this post seeking info on air compressor hookup, my installation is: breaker, dedicated wiring across garage to the disconnect on wall, then a cable from disconnect to the motor starter mounted on the air compressor. I chose the disconnect instead of a plug/receptacle arrangement.

Motor starters have an amperage range, and you match that range with the compressor motor.

The load goes from the motor starter to the air compressor motor directly. The compressor is sold with the load going through the pressure switch, which is standard for a 3 HP compressor it seems.As now configured above, the pressure switch action will either close the motor starter (air compressor runs), or it reaches 135psi (the IR SS3L3 limit), and the pressure switch opens and thus drops control power to the starter.

That On/Off switch opens/ closes the pressure switch control wiring; therefore, if I have that little switch below the hour meter off, no electricity goes through the pressure switch to the motor starter to start the compressor.

I added the motor starter so that the load does not go through the pressure switch, which appears to be a problem based on some YouTube videos I have seen.

I do not use the Green/ Red buttons on the motor starter cover. Those are disconnected.

I have been considering a fan for the aftercooler. Appreciate the comments. I had seen your temperature controller in other posts. Those work really well. I have several of those for aquariums.

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Nice job on the compressor setup.

Unfortunately I’m responsible for that whole post.

I pulled my cooler quite a while ago. Oh the irony.

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It is like the tundra fires in Alaska. They are never totally extinguished and same with this battle discussion on the pros/cons of cooler before or after the tank. :man_shrugging:

[System Update]

First cut completed finally!

I’ve been working on setup of CFP and Compressor system for several months, and as I neared the point of being able to use the system, I kept thinking of other actions to do instead of trying to cut since I was lost. I’m less lost now I think.

The Fusion 360 process is a bit daunting, but I followed Langmuir’s videos and finally exported a file that could be used.

I chose a simple outline cut of a cat to keep it simple, using a piece of ~1/8 aluminum tread plate I’ve had in garage for years.

Standing next to the CFP and staring at FireControl, ready to click the Start button created some anxiety, and then nothing other than machine torch going to start point and nothing…

I didn’t even have the plasma cutter (Razorweld Cut45 CNC) on, then figured out I had not wired the breaker end yet (a definite recommended safety approach - breaker connection last!). Then adjusted the 4-stage filter to ~70PSI.

Lot’s more to learn, but the CFP cut a piece of sheet aluminum. I used 60 IPM, which is way slow I think. I will try another at 100 IPM next.

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And thanks to @Bigdaddy2166 for pointing out in posts that Fusion 360 also creates G code. I was on verge of purchasing SheetCam, and fortunately read his post first.

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That is a very decent cut in aluminum, no less. You will find steel to be quite a bit cleaner cut.