How to make a compressor with your own hands from a refrigerator

It’s not a big problem to make a compressor from a refrigerator with your own hands. Few people know how to properly operate the device. Standard DXM produces a pressure of 10 atmospheres (enough to inflate the tires of a passenger car), special professional stations are often made for 2 atmospheres. It’s not difficult to guess - the factory compressor has a number of advantages. Today we will try to test the theses for consistency with common sense, we will tell you what a compressor is. Let's start with 10 hallmarks of a homegrown solution.

Which is better: a homemade option or a professional device?

In fact, which compressor is better, the one made in a home workshop, or the one designed and assembled at a factory.

The compressor is subject to certain requirements, which are determined by its area of ​​application. For example, a compressor assembled from a refrigerator with your own hands must provide a uniform supply of gas, and at the same time it must not contain dust or other particles, such as oil. The presence of dust and oil in the air flow leads to the formation of grain and various surface irregularities. If there is an uneven supply of air mixed with paint, drips may form on the parts.

Undoubtedly, compressors developed and manufactured by companies specializing in these products are equipped with all the functionality necessary for high-quality supply of atmospheric gas. But their significant drawback is their high cost and demands on the oils used.

In order not to waste money and at the same time create a truly working model, you must have certain knowledge about compressors made on the basis of a refrigerator, in particular about the operating principle of these devices and, of course, skills in working with hand and electric tools.

Compressor operating principle

The operation of refrigerator-based compressor equipment, regardless of whether it is factory-made or home-made, is the same. Excess pressure is created in the compressed air storage tank (receiver); the method of pumping it can be different, manual or mechanical. If you pump air with your hands, a certain amount of money is saved, but a large amount of muscular energy is consumed.

The mechanical method ensures a quick supply of gas to the container, and the pressure gauge installed on it always reports the pressure in the container. But in a mechanically driven compressor, there is a need for regular oil changes.

Dismantling works

Before you begin assembling a compressor unit from an old refrigerator, you need to remove the compressor from it, which ensures the movement of refrigerant through the cooling system. As a rule, this unit is installed at the rear in the lower part. The compressor is secured to the housing using standard fasteners. Before removing it, you need to bleed off the freon and bite off the brass tubes. You cannot use a hacksaw to separate them from the housing of the compressor unit. Just like when sawing, sawdust is formed, which can get inside the unit and cause irreparable harm to it. Therefore, the tubes must be disconnected using wire cutters. After the tubes are disconnected, the junction box must be removed. As a rule, it is black and made of plastic. It includes several wires. Then, you can dismantle the compressor itself. All parts and fasteners that were formed after removing the compressor must be left intact; they will be required later when assembling the compressor.

Airbrush

This type of art involves the use of a device with which the drawing will be applied. To assemble the unit use:

• compressor;
• filters for cleaning;
• furniture screws;
• rubber tube;
• clamps for fasteners;
• PVC tube.

1. Before starting assembly, change the oil in the unit by adding car oil.
2. Connect the receiver.
3. Connect the start relay and charging tube.
4. Attach the gasoline filter to the compressor, and the diesel filter to the receiver.
5. Connect everything with pipes.

Home craftsmen with certain skills in working with equipment can easily find various uses for an old refrigerator component.

Functionality check

This operation is necessary so that the master can make sure that all the components that will be used in the manufacture of homemade compressor equipment based on the refrigerator are intact and have retained their functionality.

Compressor check

Before performing this operation, it is necessary to drain the old oil, flush the refrigerator compressor and refill with fresh oil. In this case, it is permissible to use only oil specifically designed for use in compressors built on the basis of a refrigerator. Otherwise, the node will quickly fail.

There are three brass tubes installed on it, the third, as a rule, is sealed. To remove waste, you need to remove the sealed tip and drain it. Washing liquid and fresh oil are poured through it. After filling is completed, the drain tube must be sealed.

At the end of the oil change, you will need to install the previously removed relay in place. Take a piece of electrical cord with a socket and connect its free end to the wires coming out of the relay.

After this, you can turn on the compressor from the refrigerator to the electrical network, as a result of which the engine will start moving and the gas flow will begin to move through the tubes through which the refrigerant previously moved. It is advisable to mark the tubes, that is, the one through which air enters the compressor and the one through which it exits.

Checking the receiver

To make a homemade compressor, you can use a car tire chamber as a container for storing compressed gas. To check its tightness, simply pump it up and place it in a container of water. If there are holes or other damage in it, then most likely air will escape through them; it is advisable to repair the detected defects using rubber patches.

How to make a compressor from a refrigerator motor

First, let's prepare the tools:

• 2 hoses (100 mm, 600 mm);
• receiver (a housing from an old fire extinguisher will do);
• wire;
• clamps;
• gasoline filter from a car;
• pressure gauge;
• drill with drills;
• pliers;
• wooden board (basis for the structure).

Let's start the remodeling with preparatory dismantling work:

1. remove the compressor from the refrigerator located at the bottom using a curly screwdriver, pliers, and a set of keys;
2. Using pliers (cutters), we bite off 2 tubes from the cooling system and compressor;
3. remove the start relay (black box with wires), unscrew the fasteners;
4. we cut the wires;
5. we check the parts for working condition, because it is not a fact that they are suitable for dismantling if the refrigerator is old and has been idle for a long time;
6. flatten the tubes to allow air to pass through them;
7. we install in place the previously removed relay;
8. screw the wiring with the plug to the wires located on the body;
9. wrap the joints with electrical tape;
10. plug it into the outlet, if air comes out of the tubes, then the unit is working, otherwise the compressor from the refrigerator is broken or the wires are connected incorrectly;
11. take a plastic container (2.5-3 l), drill several holes at the top;
12. insert the tubes from the compressor so that the inlet is located 200 mm from the edge of the receiver, the outlet - inside the container (10 mm from the top);
13. fill with resin;
14. we drill a hole for the nut in the metal case from the fire extinguisher (if not, then weld a part from a sheet metal pipe to connect the receiver);
15. insert the pressure gauge, screw it on, weld it;
16. We attach the receiver to the base with a wire.

A homemade compressor should consist of three copper tubes: one is short, sealed at the end. When servicing, it will be enough to cut off the soldered part, fill in filtered oil, and solder again.

Some technical data and service features

In fact, it is quite difficult to find out what pressure a homemade compressor from a refrigerator will create. But, nevertheless, any supercharger is characterized by two parameters:

• power;
• productivity.

The first speaks of the device’s ability to generate high pressure without creating additional load on the power plant. By the way, automobile electric pumps can create pressure up to 6 atm without any problems. The working pressure in car tires is 2-3 atm. And achieving this characteristic will take about 10 minutes. This is due to their low productivity.

Performance characterizes the product’s ability to pump a given amount of air in a certain period of time. That is, the higher it is, the faster the compressed gas storage tank is filled.

In order for these characteristics to be combined, either a piston unit with a large cylinder volume, or one on which a powerful power unit is installed, will be in demand.

How to use a refrigerator compressor

Having some technical knowledge and knowing how to use diagrams and instructions, you can transform the motor from a non-working refrigerator into anything you want, upgrading and adding sensors, relays, pressure gauges, and a receiver. Possible options:

1. An old rusty part will displace air, so just connect it to a tire, plug it in and start using it to inflate bicycle or car tires.
2. If you unscrew the oil filter from the car tank, the compressor will be used to pump out excess oil. The main thing is to constantly monitor the fluid level and voltage in the network, and do not neglect safety precautions even in the garage.

Reference! The compressor works quite slowly, so it will not inflate more than 2 tires in a row. Overvoltage in the network is also possible, causing the unit to fail.

Compressor for inflating tires from a refrigerator

To obtain a unit for quickly inflating wheels with an output operating pressure of up to 3 atm, you will need:

• compressor;
• connection cable with plug;
• car air filter;
• oxygen hose for pipes;
• spiral hose with removable adapters;
• air gun for inflating wheels;
• wires and clamps;
• screwdriver, pliers, knife.

Details about the main stages of work:

1. Use a hacksaw to saw off the motor from the radiator of the refrigeration unit.
2. Select an oxygen hose according to the diameter of the pipe.
3. Connect the air filter to the inlet of the compressor unit.
4. Use a knife to cut off the pipe (made of plastic) for pumping out air, without closing the hole.
5. Bend the copper tubes of the motor in different directions.
6. Place one air filter and a second one at the outlet of the copper pipe, clamping the joints with electrical tape (self-tapping screws).
7. Attach a piece of oxygen hose.
8. Connect the spiral hose using an adapter. Attach an air gun to inflate the tires.

The main thing is that the pressure in the filter and hoses is average. Additionally, you can compress the trigger of the air gun with a nylon tie to prevent jumping.

Reference! Air filters (made of plastic) are the weak point in the installation. They can quickly burst when the tire pressure increases by 2-3 atmospheres. When assembling the structure, it is important to turn off the thermostat by marking the contacts on the start relay and insulating it with a wire so that an accidental electric shock does not occur.

Does the compressor need to be repaired?

As a rule, refrigerator components have a long service life. Moreover, the superchargers that were used on older models can last much longer than all other components. If the compressor removed from the refrigerator is inoperative, then it will be easier to purchase another unit; moreover, they have a fairly low price.

Before you make a refrigerator compressor with your own hands, you need to do some preparatory work. That is, it is necessary to assemble all the components that are required for its manufacture, in addition to this, it will be necessary to assemble a certain tool. To assemble a high-pressure compressor with your own hands, you will need the following components:

• a car inner tube installed in a tire and used instead of a container for storing compressed air;
• a pump with a pressure gauge instead of a supercharger;
• chambered nipple;
• repair kit;
• ordinary awl.

In order to assemble the compressor with your own hands, you will need the following tool:

• screwdriver or drill;
• metal cutters with titanium coating;
• turbine or drill with abrasive attachments;
• metal brush;
• roller for copper tubes;
• adjustable wrenches, pliers.

Assembling a compressor with your own hands, if properly prepared, should not take much time.

Compressors using all sorts of unnecessary things as receivers

If, when choosing compressors and motors, craftsmen settled on components from refrigerators and cars, then they do not use anything as receivers - even bottles of champagne and Coca-Cola (at pressures up to 2 atm). Let's list a few worthwhile ideas.

If you have a receiver from KrAZ at hand, you can get a unit with minimal labor costs: all the pipes are already screwed into it.

If you are the owner of unnecessary diving equipment, you can use it at work.

Almost every summer resident with a stove on gas cylinders will have these unnecessary containers.

If the hydraulic accumulator in the water supply system has a leaky bulb, there is no need to throw it away. Use it as a receiver by removing the rubber membrane.

An expansion tank from a VAZ is an inexpensive purchase, even if it is new.

The next idea is for air conditioner installers who have leftover freon cylinders and split system parts.

Freon cylinder as a receiver

Another viable receiver came from a tubeless car wheel. An extremely budget-friendly, although not very productive model.

Wheel receiver

We invite you to watch a video about this experience from the author of the design.

cheapest DIY compressor

Watch this video on YouTube

Do it yourself

After all the necessary components and tools have been assembled, you can make a compressor from the refrigerator.

A hole must be made in the chamber that has been tested for leaks. To do this you need to use an awl. A chambered nipple will be installed into the resulting hole. Its task is to remove compressed air from the chamber.

The additional fitting is installed by gluing; this will require the use of a repair kit. After this, the fitting must be installed on the spray gun. To check the escaping air flow, the nipple must be removed. Yes, by the way, the original nipple should be left in place, it will act as a valve and hold excess pressure that occurs during operation of the compressor. To determine the pressure level, you can try applying a layer of paint to the prepared surface. If it lies evenly, it means that the installation is operating normally. You can use a pressure gauge to check the pressure level. Its level should be stable. It is not so difficult to design a compressor and assemble it, but the fact remains that the use of such a device will greatly facilitate the work of painting a car, etc.

Semi-professional air blower

To create a semi-professional compressed air installation, you will need a larger number of components and tools. In particular, instead of a rubber bladder, it is advisable to use a propane cylinder. In addition to this you will need:

1. Fittings for fastening metal hoses.
2. Metal plates, the width of which should be 30-40 mm and the thickness 3-4 mm.
3. Two wheels with a platform for attaching it to the receiver.
4. Compressor.
5. Hardware.
6. Fittings for pressure adjustment.

Tools:

1. Welding machine – inverter.
2. Screwdriver.
3. Metal cutters.
4. Grinder with abrasive wheels.
5. Metal brush;
6. Adjustable wrenches, pliers.

Working mechanism

To assemble a semi-professional air blower, you can use a compressor from a non-working refrigerator made in the USSR. These refrigerators are superior to their imported counterparts in that they are capable of producing higher air pressure.

Air container

Propane cylinders and old fire extinguishers can be used as containers for compressed air. This is due to the fact that these containers are able to withstand quite high pressure and have a large margin of safety.

As an example, let's take a supercharger made from an OU 10 fire extinguisher. Its volume is 10 liters. Such a receiver can easily withstand operating pressures of up to 15 atm. The starting device is removed from it and the adapter is installed.

Of course, if traces of corrosion are detected, they must be removed using a converter. This matter is quite simple, the outer surface can simply be treated with a dampened rag, and to clean the inside you will have to pour a certain amount of liquid and shake it for quite a long time.

After the container is cleaned, you can begin installing the plumbing cross. After this, we can assume that two parts of the future installation are ready.

Installation of parts

To simplify the assembly process, it is best to collect all the parts in one place. Thus, it is permissible to use a thick board to install the injection unit and air tank.

To fasten the units, you can use studs, pre-equipped with washers and nuts. The receiver is installed in a vertical position. For this you can use three sheets of plywood. In some of them, a hole the size of the diameter of the receiver is made. The remaining sheets are secured to the base board using self-tapping screws.

By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to prepare a place for the receiver. To ensure the mobility of a homemade compressor, wheels are screwed to the base of the board.

After the work has been done, it is necessary to provide compresses against dust. To do this, you can use a coarse fuel filter installed on internal combustion engines. This part will act as an air intake. To make this system, you will have to use a rubber sleeve and an inlet tube.

Here we must remember that the input pressure is quite low, and therefore it makes no sense to strengthen the connection with a clamp.

Upon completion of the above operations, the master will receive a ready-made air intake system equipped with a filter. But we must not forget about installing an oil and water separator. Its task is to remove moisture and oil particles. This unit will use a fuel system filter. And therefore, automotive clamps must be used to install these components.

This filter must be connected to the compressor inlet. Its task is to ensure decoupling of the receiver and the outlet from the supercharger. In other words, on one side of the cross the output is installed, and on the other there is a pressure gauge that controls the pressure in the receiver. In the same unit it is necessary to provide space for installing an adjusting relay. Practice shows that for this purpose the optimal solution would be to use a standard product of the PM5 brand or its analogues. The purpose of this product is to turn off the engine when the maximum pressure in the tank is reached and turn it on when it drops to the permissible minimum.

Adjusting the pressure

The required pressure is adjusted using two springs installed in the PM5 device. The large spring is designed to set the minimum pressure level, and the small one to set the maximum. This is how the limits for turning on/off the compressor motor from the refrigerator are set.

Undoubtedly, all electrical connections must be insulated and soldered.

Tests

After assembling the homemade installation, you can begin testing it. That is, an air hose with an attached spray gun and paint poured into it is connected to the receiver output. Then, carefully following the technology, apply a layer of paint to the prepared surface. That is, it must be cleaned of the old coating layer and degreased. If, after applying a layer of paint, there are no drips, dull spots, or unpainted areas, then the installation is operating normally and can be used when performing various types of work.

Features of the air compression idea

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

1. Refrigeration compressors are not designed to work 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 of the air mixture by a refrigeration compressor occurs under completely different temperature conditions, which will lead to an increase in 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 special protective equipment is not used.

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 in one sitting or spray paint one wall of a small garage room.

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

Finally, another important factor is 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, a decision has been made to assemble an air compressor from a refrigerator, you can proceed directly to action.

Approximately this design should result from the implementation of the conceived idea. In appearance there are 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 container has dimensions acceptable for a domestic environment 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

The oil separator, also known as an oil separator, is made of a pipe with a diameter of 50 mm and a length of 2/3 of the length of the receiver. A metal mesh (sponge) is placed inside the pipe, which is used for washing dishes. Both ends of the pipe are closed with metal pancakes equipped with fittings.

Additionally, a feed-through fitting is installed on the pipe wall with a slight indentation from any of the ends. The end fittings of the oil separator are designed for air inlet and outlet, and the side fitting is needed to drain the oil cut off by a metal sponge inserted inside.

An oil separator design option that is recommended for use as part of the installation. For reliable operation of the system, high-quality separation of oil from air is required.

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 quantities in the design of the condenser of a domestic refrigerator. Its diameter matches the outlet pipe of the refrigerator compressor.

An air filter at the compressor inlet can be easily made from any suitable plastic container by 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.

An air filter can be easily made 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 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 a shut-off ball valve (compressed air outlet) are installed at the receiver outlet. Through the tee taps, the receiver output is additionally connected by copper tubes to a differential relay and a 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.

Features of operation and safety measures

When operating this device, it is necessary to remember that the engine will be operated in almost extreme conditions, this can lead to its overheating and failure. Therefore, it is advisable to use it, providing it with a short technological break, which will allow the engine to cool.

When working with a compressor, certain safety measures must be observed, namely:

1. It is prohibited to operate the mechanism if there is damage to the surface of the connecting sleeves and electrical wiring.
2. It is strictly prohibited to operate the product if there is damage to the surface of the receiver or devices mounted on it.
3. If oil leaks are detected, measures must be taken immediately to eliminate them.
4. Ensure that the device is turned off if foreign odors and noises appear, which indicate the appearance of some operating problems.

It is advisable not to allow minor children to work with the compressor device.