SIP 3hp Compressor Costco

Does anyone have experience of the recent models of SIP compressors available from costco (or anywhere else for that matter) the one I am hoping for comment on is the T3/150 SRB which is 3hp 150L belt driven(i think). Good or bad - any comments - especially regarding noise level and reliability/ build quality.

Many thanks

John

Reply to
John Durham
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Yes. I have the SIP model up from this one - the P3/150. They are essentially similar except that the P3 has cast iron cylinders and slightly higher output. I don't think the T3 (aluminium cylinders) was out at the time.

I use it in my workshop where it is about to be hooked into a distribution system. It covers all of my needs including air hungry tools and sprayers with continuous running (or continuous as I need).

I had a small SIP one before and found it pretty good, so when I needed something larger, went for this one.

The product is well made in Italy and has been completely reliable.

It comes with three wheels - one being a castor - so can be moved around reasonably easily. The P3 is 77kg, but can still be moved around flat surfaces - the T3 is 55kg so a bit easier.

There is a regulator with two PCL connectors and at the other end an unregulated output with valve.

Even doing nothing, the noise is not objectionable - it is at a much lower frequency range than the smaller machines so is more of a thudding sound. With the compressor just sitting in the garage and running with the doors closed, the noise is not very noticable 20m away - about like a car engine idling at similar distance.

I've put my compressor up at ceiling height - i.e. in the roof space and instead of using the wheels made two stout wooden frames fitted together with four antivibration mounts (RS do them). The compressor is bolted to that and it sits on the boards. With the trap door closed, the noise is very low and one can comfortably have a conversation in the workshop below at normal voice levels.

What are Costco doing it for? There may be even better prices elsewhere....

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

£399 + if it's the one I saw today
Reply to
raden

In message , John Durham writes

I noticed them in Costco today

I don't have anything useful to add though

Reply to
raden

Presumably excl. VAT?

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them for £325 incl VAT and delivery

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

In message , Andy Hall writes

Yes

Noted for when my compressor gives up the ghost

Reply to
raden

Andy - thanks for such a detailed response - your experience makes me comfortable that this is the way to go. In answer to your question on price for the T3/150 it is 350 inc vat with a 40 piece set of tools (which I have not seen but assume will be next to useless - perhaps unfairly). Looking on the web the price is ok but not the cheapest by

20 quid or so but Costco's after sales (i.e. any problem full refund/ no questions) is worth 20 quid. Do you know who are the leaders for supplying compressors in the uk?

The tech guy at SIP told me that for the past 12 months or so their compressors are SIP badged FINI which I took to be a good thing - is that sound?

Finally - am I being a bit over excited getting this size machine for running a Senco FinishPro 25 brad nailer? I realise I could go smaller but past (limited) experience has been that small compressors are a pain - esp. as you mention when the noise is higher pitch and they keep cutting in and out. I discounted the smaller one in Costco (T2/50.0) as it is oil less direct drive for this reason. Any other suggestions for what I should consider (bearing in mind I would like not to have to buy a larger compressor in the future for spraying etc if avoidable) but if there is a suggested good quality smaller and perhaps quiet machine it could be worth a look...

Sorry to ramble.

Cheers.

John

Reply to
John Durham

Well yes, but be very careful here.

I haven't read their Ts & Cs on returns lately because generally I've only bought small items and things like mineral water there.

Remember that they are a trade supplier and you are not therefore buying as a consumer. You can't pay by credit card either, so you don't have the credit card company to fall back on either.

Is it 12months unconditional return, or ??

For that reason, I would (did) buy on line using a card. If all else fails you have two legal remedies - the supplier and card company.

In terms of unit volume, I would think that SIP are, followed by Clarke (Machine Mart). There are higher end manufacturers like Hydrovane and HPC, but these are more at the industrial end of the market.

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These do appear to be the ones....

If it were just for that, yes, by a long way. A 25 litre compressor will happily run a nail gun at a high hit rate.

I have a Senco framing nailer and ran that with no problems from a 25 litre unit. It uses a lot more air than a brad nailer, producing a satisfying thud as large nails are driven.

For spraying it is really the receiver size and lpm rate.

The 150 litre one definitely copes with spraying with any of my sprayers as continuously as I need it to do so.

A 25 litre one will also handle a sprayer, but not continuously - you have to keep stopping to wait for it to refill the receiver.

One could probably get good spray results with a 100 litre model.

Other tools that are air hungry are sanders, drills and that type of thing - really anything with a rotating or rapidly oscillating component.

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

Thanks all for your comments - finally - as SIP compressors are Fini badged SIP (for the past year or so) is there any good reason to go with SIP rather than the Fini equivalent?

Cheers

John

Reply to
John Durham

There are a lot more places that you can buy the SIP version - FINI seems to have one distributor and prices seem higher.

I know that SIP do spares backup etc as well...

.andy

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Reply to
Andy Hall

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