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Which compressor to choose

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MikeAndrews

MikeAndrews

Member
Oct 24, 2016
215
132
Pennsylvania, United States
Hey everyone My wife has offered to pay for half of a compressor for my 67th birthday. So I’ve reviewed the alpha carette, omeaga super charger, and the air venturi. I would greatly appreciate opinions from those of you who have experience with any of these. Like everyone else I’m looking for a compressor that is durable and trouble free. Thank you all in advance for your opinions.
 
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I sold my AV and Tuxing Compressors and a few other items and got an Alkin W31. It is a dedicated dive quality air compressor and will top a 100 liter bottle in 6 minutes from 2500 PSI to 4500 PSI. Air Cooled and can run from freezing temps up to over 100 degrees F. I use mine to keep my 900 plus cu/ft cylinder bank fill station ready to go.
 
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I would at least get a $2500 Coltri MCH6 or the $3000 Alkin based on reliability. Anything cheaper it would only be a pair of Yong Hengs one for a spare both from Wal-Mart with 4 year extended warranties and nothing else.

There is the Bauer clone for $2500 but I don't know how it's long term reliability is nor warranty to state an educated opinion on it nor take any responsibility on recommending it.

Hopefully someone who had owned one for at least 5 to 10 trouble free years can chime in.

I would strongly urge you to use a search function here to specifically hunt out the compressors before you buy anything.
 
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If wifey is offering to pay for half, go with the suggestions on the Alkin. If you’re the type that takes a mile if handed an inch, get the vertical model, too, lol. If not, the horizontal model will suffice as a few hundred less. Regardless, that compressor will outlive you and provide you endless, worry free fill ups and whoever it gets handed down to.

When we are asked to think quickly and you only have 3 seconds to answer, and someone asks which are the two makers of top tier guns, one would blurt out either FX, Daystate, or that famous one used in benchrest competitions(can’t remember name at this moment)

if asked the same about compressors, the Alkin and the Bauer will be blurted out. 

And happy birthday to you!! Your wife is the BOMB!
 
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I have the Omega super charger. It quit at 220 hours. I called the rep who does the repairs on them. He was awesome and walked me through the rebuild, parts were cheap and it wasn’t very hard. There’s a good video on the rebuild on YouTube as well. It’s going strong now, 90 hours on the rebuild, and hopefully it’ll last at least another 200 hours. Mine is about four years old, one of the early ones.
 
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Hey everyone My wife has offered to pay for half of a compressor for my 67th birthday. So I’ve reviewed the alpha carette, omeaga super charger, and the air venturi. I would greatly appreciate opinions from those of you who have experience with any of these. Like everyone else I’m looking for a compressor that is durable and trouble free. Thank you all in advance for your opinions.
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I will guess that you asked specifically about these 3 because of the price range. All good information from those who mention the Bauer or Alkin but they are at least 2x the price of the ones you asked about, and probably more than that. If cost is not a factor then I would think either the Bauer or Alkin should be at the top of any list. Of the 3 you did ask about, I would lean toward the Omega line personally.
 
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The Alpha Carette is head and shoulders the best of the 3 you put on your list. The Air Venturi is a distant second, and the motorized hand pump in a box with bells and whistles Omega shouldn't even be a consideration. It's much more difficult to rebuild than the other 2. Go to Youtube and watch the AoA rebuild video and pay attention to all of the parts you have to remove just to reach the seals. Omegas use rubber o-rings as piston seals just like a manual hand pump. A long lasting compressor should never be built with rubber o-ring seals. They require a complicated tear down and just don't last in the long run. An Omega sounds like a washing machine when it runs because it must pump slowly to keep the o-rings from overheating. It is slower filling than the other 2 on your list. Omegas are the most overpriced compressors you can buy considering their fill speed, design, and reliability. Ask forum member Douger for his experiences with several replacement Omega compressors.

If you can spend $2,000 the best current option is a Daystate LC-110. At $1000 the best compressor option is an Air Venturi EC-3000 sold by Pyramyd Air and Airgun Depot. For $2500 the best compressor is the Coltri MCH-6. For $3100 the best value is the Alkin W31.
 
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Really depends on your applications. 

Looking to fill guns/gun bottles? 

Looking to fill 74-100 cu ft bottles? 

Both?

Need it quiet? Or not so much? 

What fill rates are you looking for? 

Water or fan cooled?

And of course, $$$ Budget. 



My advice: avoid the small box compressors. They are expensive and pretty much almost guaranteed to fail in short order. 

You can get a Yong Heng for like $250. If you manage to keep it cool, they seem to last a while and rebuilds are easy. Overheat it just once and your 2nd stage piston rings will melt.

The Hill EC-1000 is a promising $1000 compressor. We are all waiting for longer term reliability stats. (I just got mine, liking it thus far)

Omegas have very mixed reviews. Some work, some don't last. I personally steer clear.... 

Most folks are reporting good things about the Alpha Carette... but it is China made. 

High end dive compressors are pricey, and heavy, but will go forever, and fill fast n quiet. 




 
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Kind of off topic, but I see a post above, Yo, that mentions a Coltri MCH-6 for $2500. I did see a new one at Nuvair a while back for $2599 but it was the gas powered one. So can someone tell me where in the USA a new electric 220 vac Coltri MCH-6 is available for less than the Alkin? My Google skills are lacking...

FYI, the Bauer Junior 2 clone sold by AireTex is a solid piece of equipment. Mine has over 8 hours run time now and is functionally identical to the Bauer. It also comes with a two year warranty. The man that sells them is Bruce Dodson who has a very good rep in the airgun community. 
I’m a little confused with the statement “Hopefully someone who had owned one for at least 5 to 10 trouble free years can chime in.” Using that same logic would anyone have bought the Alpha6 or Barra scopes, or really anything at all new on the market?
;)
 
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Seems very logical. I was fortunate to locate a low hour gas powered MCH6 (my preference for power due to portability) from a closing Florida dive shop a while back but I certainly believe that Bruce Dodson would stand by his compressor considering his reputation. And in spite of some opinion stated above, I was also considering an Omega Turbocharger for use inside my home just about the time the supply disappeared. Would still purchase one myself and may do so when they become available again.
 
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Kind of off topic, but I see a post above, Yo, that mentions a Coltri MCH-6 for $2500. I did see a new one at Nuvair a while back for $2599 but it was the gas powered one. So can someone tell me where in the USA a new electric 220 vac Coltri MCH-6 is available for less than the Alkin? My Google skills are lacking...

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I think the Alkin is about $3000-$3200. The Coltri gas MCH6 has been shown as "on sale now" at $2500 for some time. That's the same as I paid for my 220v MCH6 a couple months ago from the same place.

https://www.nuvair.com/products/compressors/hp/portable/mch6-portable-gas.html

The $2500 I paid was for a 220v single phase, with hour meter, PMV, fill whip with air shutoff and bleed valves, carbon filter cartridge (lasts a little longer than breathing air cartridge), and an extra quart of Coltri compressor oil. No auto shutoff, and no auto condensate drain which would add to the cost. Nuvair tests them. My Compressor had about one hour of run time when delivered.
 
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The Alpha6 and Barra ($200 scopes) both have lifetime warranty. I would not like to be in a position of blame if they cost $2500 with only a 2 year warranty if it fails after warranty because $200 and $2500 is a rather big difference in money to be taking a gamble on. 

Are you willing to personally buy all of the compressors if the customers aren't happy with them?

There are a couple who said their scope wasn't to their liking and I publicly posted I want to buy them even though I have no affiliation with the manufacturer nor dealer.

There is probably a difference to the analogy here. For the record I bought one Alpha6 from an unsatisfied buyer and fact of the matter is nobody else wanted to sell theirs even someone who claimed his was defective you can ask him I knowingly offered to buy an alleged defective scope but he refused my offer and sent it back for a refund strange as it may seem and that is only made public right now and he posted he returned it he couldn't even use it and hadn't mentioned I bugged him to buy it defective and all. Same with the Barra so far and I really don't mind having more of them for myself personally. There are 2 buyers posted who said not too good and not to their liking but outright refuse to sell them to me based on today's PMs so IDK??? I am trying my darndest to buy them from them because they aren't happy and I really want more of them. REALLY! I even posted a WTB in the classifieds several days ago too.
 
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