What compressor is the most reliable with minimal use?

Alkin. Not cheap but you will never regret buying it.

You’ve gotta give us a little more info on your usage.
Will you be filling rifles directly or bottles?
What is your idea of minimal usage?
What is your price range?

My bauer jr2 I think it was built back in 2008 or even earlier and it had less than 13 total hours when I bought it in 22.


Basically a single test hour every year. All I did was change the oil, air canister, and belt. I will have to take a look at the hours now but it think I have like 45 hours total on it now.



I probably should not have bought it if I had known about the added auction fees, taxes, or cost of transportation when I bought it but I was very lucky my unit was basically unused. When I got it home I realized it was very well kept and even had minimal dust on it. Overall it cost me the equivalent of one very expensive air gun.

Allen



I found a couple pictures when I got it a couple years ago. The compressor was never set to a very high pressure. 255bar for it's entire life before me. It actually scared me but the Bauer repair center told me it can take 5k without any issues.



Took my original blow off, inspected it then reset the blow off at 5k for me!

There's nothing wrong with a Yong Heng, especially with "minimal use". My use of them has been more than minimal. With a track record of 3.5 years of solid service, a price of $300 or less, plus getting a FULL REFUND when it stopped working due to extended warranty, how can one go wrong?

Bauer and Coltri compressors are very good but costly and depends if you require breathing quality air

I'll reiterate what @ctshooter said - give us more info on your needs and usage . . .

With all you've said so far, I'll take the other extreme from the Alkin: Just buy a $50 a Chinese hand pump - those have been shown to be well worth the money. It should do fine on the rare occasion you need to fill a gun, and worst case can likely be fixed with just an o-ring change, and it might even come with the spares.

Both recommendations fully satisfy your stated request . . .

I will address a factor that hasn't been discussed. Minimal use isn't the problem. Extended periods of non use can be a big problem for all compressors from el cheapo imports from China to Bauers, Alkins, and Coltris. Compressors need to be run periodically just to keep the parts lubricated and to expel any residual moisture inside. Parts can seize up, o-rings can take a set, or parts rust inside the compressor if it isn't run for a month or more.

If I interpret the OP's intent to ask what's the best option for someone who is not a volume user at the lowest price then I would suggest a GS-GX4. It's not the cheapest but it is user friendly, self contained, and seems to be reliable. It isn't noisy, doesn't require external buckets of water and doesn't require an external filter if you are filling guns directly. It should be run for a few minutes at least monthly just to keep it in working order.

I bought a Yong Heng 4 years ago and used it a lot including filling of large tanks. Although I didn't run it longer than 15 minutes, the second stage piston failed. Not due to heat or bad seals, but the brass ring separating the 3 O rings had broken. I replaced the piston and I've been using it now for 3 years primarily to fill rifles not tanks. Usually runs around 3-4 minutes to do that and I use it 5-6 times per month. I'd say that's pretty good. Parts are dirt cheap and it's easy to overhaul if you need to. Based on your statement that you will only use it infrequently, I recommend a YH. You can get them on Amazon for less than $300. Don't buy any extended warranty.

Gerry52 said:

There's nothing wrong with a Yong Heng, especially with "minimal use". My use of them has been more than minimal. With a track record of 3.5 years of solid service, a price of $300 or less, plus getting a FULL REFUND when it stopped working due to extended warranty, how can one go wrong?

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jps2486 said:

I bought a Yong Heng 4 years ago and used it a lot including filling of large tanks. Although I didn't run it longer than 15 minutes, the second stage piston failed. Not due to heat or bad seals, but the brass ring separating the 3 O rings had broken. I replaced the piston and I've been using it now for 3 years primarily to fill rifles not tanks. Usually runs around 3-4 minutes to do that and I use it 5-6 times per month. I'd say that's pretty good. Parts are dirt cheap and it's easy to overhaul if you need to. Based on your statement that you will only use it infrequently, I recommend a YH. You can get them on Amazon for less than $300. Don't buy any extended warranty.

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I agree with the Yong Heng.
I own 2, have never used them, but everyone seems to agree that for the money, they are great.
And it looks like one could be purchased for about $240 with a questionable lifetime warranty:

210theluke said:

Any suggestions for a compressor that would be best with minimal use? Something that doesn't need to be run often but will still be reliable.

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I think that you do not understand this issue. It is not limited use as you stated. It all about duty cycle. In order for any gas to be compressed, it must release heat. That heat must be removed and there is the difference between the cheap compressors and the expensive ones The expensive ones have extensive cooling between the stages and the cheap ones do not. There is no free lunch. This is reflected in resale value. Do your own research.

One more point that I did not mention is volume. Since this hobby's volume requirement is low, charge time by itself is not so important, but the greater the output volume, the lower the required duty cycle. So for us, the decision of what compressor is required, your load needs to be determined. In most folks case, it relates to the size of your largest bottle. you wish to charge. In my case, it is a 12 liter CF bottle. I keep the bottle charged between 310 bar and 280 bar. my 4 cylinder Bauer will do that in 8 minutes. The temperature of the 3rd cylinder head experiences a 25 degree C temp. rise. In the case of say a Yong Hang will occur in about 4 minutes, but the volume is low and it may take more than an hour to raise the same volume bottle from and to same pressures.

Also, the usable bottle volume is around 10% of its total volume. The need to charge the bottle occurs when the bottle pressure drops below the required charged gun pressure. In my case I get about 10 magazines of 17 rounds with my GK1 and I get 5 charges of my FX crown, each charge equates to 70 rounds. Do your own numbers. If you buy a compressor and bottle that does not meet your requirement, you have waisted your money.

Does it have to be a compressor?
A few popular options include:

1. $50 and up Hand Pump....portable, reliable. Great exercise! Might become exhausting. No power required (SHTF).
2. $241 Yong Heng compressor .... 110v or 220v outlet required,
3. $250 for a new fill tank, plus $10 to $40 each time it needs filled (local dive shop, fire house, etc.), for 15 years, then its expired, but still useful.
4. $550 GX CS4I compressor ... portable, 12volt car battery or 110v wall outlet required.
5. $1500 and up for a "breathing air" quality compressor ... Bauer, Aiken, etc. Every airgunner within a 30 mile radius will suddenly become your best friend!

To all you new folks to this sport. There is no such thing as cheap high pressure air (HPA). Air is cheap until you squeeze it! In point of fact in this hobby, it is the most expensive part. This cost will be about $5,000 all in tanks, whips, fittings etc. I know nobody wants to hear that, but it is true.

many things last 'alot' longer if theyre used for light duty, attention to detail, and stored well, dry environment etc .. pound something with nonstop use, thats where reason comes into play when youre making a purchase, buy something heavy duty and expect itl still have limited existence lol ... buy something light duty and generic to pound the living daylights out of, theres really no explaining to that guy lol, you can try i guess .

dizzums said:

many things last 'alot' longer if theyre used for light duty, attention to detail, and stored well, dry environment etc .. pound something with nonstop use, thats where reason comes into play when youre making a purchase, buy something heavy duty and expect itl still have limited existence lol ... buy something light duty and generic to pound the living daylights out of, theres really no explaining to that guy lol, you can try i guess .

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There is no such thing as light use. It is fiction. When it is running, it is compressing. Your English is just wrong. Use correct English, it is NOT light use. It is duty cycle, very big difference. Your poor use of the language confuses the audience. If you don't understand the difference, Google is your friend

If you really seldom use that much air, technically, using a compressor that someone else owns would be the cheapest. Even if it was $15 a fill. Just buy a the largest dot tank you can afford and it will last you a couple months at a time. It maynot be convenient, but in the meantime you can shop and research what is best for you. Over by me the shop I bought my tank from, offered free refills if i bought the tank from them. But for me it was only 20 mins away during covid. Now, it's a good 30 to 40 mins away with traffic and not so convenient as I run out of air at the wrong times.


Allen

I read so much misinformation on this forum, it upsets me. The cheap Yong Heng compressors can work in some circumstances, like charging a gun a few times a month, but that is it. I shoot every day at least 1 magazine. That adds up to more than 10,000 pellets a year. You are not going to do that with the cheap compressors. My 4 cyl. Bauer was made in 1968. It still runs fine. I have never had to fix anything and that compressor is worth today 3 times what it cost new in its current state. That is economical, not a $300 Yong Heng special that fails often in short order. No sane person would buy a used $300 compressor. There is a huge difference in time and effort between charging a gun with a compressor and charging the same gun with a large bottle. My CF bottle/charging station cost almost $1,000. I have 3 of them. That's what this hobby cost.

Calculating your real requirement is not rocket science. Do that first, that will determine the equipment you need.

steve-l said:

I read so much misinformation on this forum, it upsets me. The cheap Yong Heng compressors can work in some circumstances, like charging a gun a few times a month, but that is it. I shoot every day at least 1 magazine. That adds up to more than 10,000 pellets a year. You are not going to do that with the cheap compressors. My 4 cyl. Bauer was made in 1968. It still runs fine. I have never had to fix anything and that compressor is worth today 3 times what it cost new in its current state. That is economical, not a $300 Yong Heng special that fails often in short order. No sane person would buy a used $300 compressor. There is a huge difference in time and effort between charging a gun with a compressor and charging the same gun with a large bottle. My CF bottle/charging station cost almost $1,000. I have 3 of them. That's what this hobby cost.

Calculating your real requirement is not rocket science. Do that first, that will determine the equipment you need.

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No need to get upset!
Old equipment can be frustrating.
If all else fails, you could start your own personal antique equipment museum!
The good news is that there are many satisfied Yong Heng, GX, and GX CS4 owners here.
I bet some of them shoot much more than 28 pellets per day too.
Have you considered a new compressor thats more portable and perhaps would allow you to spend more time shooting?
$300 for a Yong Heng is incorrect, and misinformation.
Here is the states, a BRAND NEW Yong Heng can be purchased for less than $242!
Hang in there!

steve-l said:

I read so much misinformation on this forum, it upsets me. The cheap Yong Heng compressors can work in some circumstances, like charging a gun a few times a month, but that is it. I shoot every day at least 1 magazine. That adds up to more than 10,000 pellets a year. You are not going to do that with the cheap compressors. My 4 cyl. Bauer was made in 1968. It still runs fine. I have never had to fix anything and that compressor is worth today 3 times what it cost new in its current state. That is economical, not a $300 Yong Heng special that fails often in short order. No sane person would buy a used $300 compressor. There is a huge difference in time and effort between charging a gun with a compressor and charging the same gun with a large bottle. My CF bottle/charging station cost almost $1,000. I have 3 of them. That's what this hobby cost.

Calculating your real requirement is not rocket science. Do that first, that will determine the equipment you need.

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Youre the one spreading misinformation. I have a hill at the house, but I use a $200 spritech amazon 12dc 110/220 ac 300bar comp to fill on the range or hunt. I have used it every day multiple fills of a 290cc/230bar, 500cc 300bar, and 67cc 250bar bottle every day for a long time with minimal maintenance. I don't know what kind of things you're talking about. "Light use" means not running it hot for extended times trying to fill 2l+ 300bar tanks with a single or twin piston. A 180-300$ comp well maintained with a decent air dryer/filter will do plenty. You must live in the most humid, salty environment known to man.

steve-l said:

Also, the usable bottle volume is around 10% of its total volume. The need to charge the bottle occurs when the bottle pressure drops below the required charged gun pressure. In my case I get about 10 magazines of 17 rounds with my GK1 and I get 5 charges of my FX crown, each charge equates to 70 rounds. Do your own numbers. If you buy a compressor and bottle that does not meet your requirement, you have waisted your money.

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100% im filling a dreamline, crown, and notos with the spritech in field. I watch the temp and only run the guns from 250-155 hunting and to 200 at the range. My "unusable pos" mobile single cylinder spritech never runs above 40⁰c or ill shut it off. I run in the chilled ac'd car before i fill as to keep the compressor safe. If it's hot outside I just stop the fill 10-15 bar short to allow the expansion of 65⁰f air to 95⁰f air without exceeding recommended fill pressure. Typically on a 150-250 fill the comp barely reaches 37.5⁰c.

I use a 3l or 4.7l bottle at ranges I cannot bring the compressor in. Filling at 200 to 250 gives me 7 fills of the .5L tanks on the 3l 10 on thr 4.7L.

If anyone needs help calculating use this