Lubricants
Oil Lubricated Compressors vs Oil-Less Compressors
Oil-lubricated air compressors typically have a longer engine life than oil-less models and are generally what this page is discussing. You will not have to change the oil in your air compressor that often (compared to something like a vehicle) but at the very least you will want to consider changing it once every year.
Oil-less air compressors do not require any type of oil to be added to the engine itself. This is due to the manufacturer sealing and coating the compressor before it leaves the factory, more than likely using a Teflon type coating that will never need to have oil added to the motor. Oil-less compressors will tend to not have the lifespan that oil-lubricated compressors have, and they tend to be a little bit louder as well.
Compressor Oil vs Motor Oil
Compressor oil is specifically designed to perform best in an air compressor, hence the name. They are essentially just a non-detergent type of oil.
Typically, a motor oil (for your car or truck) is going to have some type of detergent in it, which is beneficial to an internal combustion engine. For a compressor, however, it is not going to be the best choice because it will actually cause a lot more carbon build up in a short amount of time.
Compressor oils will be the better choice for your air compressor, especially if you want to adhere to the compressor manufacturer’s warranty guidelines. If you take it in and they find out that you have been using a non-specified oil, this could void the warranty and any perks that that warranty might have had.
In a blind, you can use a non-detergent (20 or 30w) motor oil for your compressor, but most people will not have non-detergent motor oil on hand for their automobiles. The "convenience factor" of only having to buy one type of oil is gone because you would have to buy specialty oil anyways, so the smart choice is to go with a compressor oil that is specifically made for the compressor, even if it may cost more.
Synthetic Oil vs Standard Air Compressor Oil
Standard and synthetic air compressor oils can both work for your air compressor, but how often you are using your compressor is going to be the important question in deciding on which type of oil to go with.
A standard compressor oil will work just fine and is recommended more for homeowners and people who do not use their compressor a whole lot. Standard compressor oil is much cheaper than a synthetic blend and is the best choice for light to medium-duty use.
Synthetic compressor oil is going to be geared towards professionals or people who use their compressors on a more regular basis, especially for those who use their compressors at least three times a week.
Synthetic blends offer better protection from overheating, have a wider temperature range for colder environments, and can actually make the compressor run smoother quieter, according to a lot of different users that posted in forums and reviews (retail websites) online.
Which Viscosity Should I Use?
Most of the time, compressor manufacturers are going to recommend a 20 or 30-weight compressor oil. This works the same as motor oil, and if you live in an environment where the winters are colder, you may have to switch over from a 30-weight oil to a 20-weight oil for half of the year.
A 30-weight oil will provide more protection in the summer months because it is more viscous (thicker) and will coat the parts a lot better than a less viscous oil would.
When the temperature drops, a 30-weight oil will be too thick to use in some cases and can cause the compressor to not start up right away. This is where a 20-weight oil would work better and would actually help in these types of "cold start" conditions.
At www.Edmac.com, you can find many types of oils from all of the major OEM brands. All of our own Edmac-branded oils meet or exceed OEM specifications and are competitively priced to save you money, while still delivering the performance you need. Our parts benefit your equipment by performing at the level of the manufacturer’s parts at a fraction of the cost.
We sell multiple brands and volumes of oil, and our Edmac Guarantee, which ensures you get fast shipping, excellent customer support, and high-quality performance products, backs each product we sell.
If you have product or compressor-specific questions, please call our product specialist team at (800) 866-2959.