Hey Scott, you are asking some good questions here on compressors. Let me just say that I have owned and operated some commercial compressors over the years and I have found one thread that seems to run true on all these high pressure compressors. Sum it up however you want, "pay me now, or pay me later" , "quality cost, get out your wallet" , "you get what you pay for". etc. Second pun or phrase is "Heat kills!"
Why is it better to get a more expensive compressor? Pretty simple, compressors are a very unique system. They perform a very difficult and heat producing task. Taking ambient air and compressing it to 5000psi, requires alot of "work" as defined in physics and thermal dynamics, and this work as well as the compressed gas (see ideal gas laws) produces heat.
So right there we have the biggest hurdle we must overcome in compressing ambient air to 5000psi. Lots of "work" and lots of "heat". To break this task down so that we don't destroy our compressors, it is best to divide the work. Hence this is why say a 5 cylinder compressor is better than a 2 cylinder compressor. Each stage of compression is smaller thus the work is divided and also less heat is generated.
So which compressor is best suited to your particular needs? You have to decide if you want long term reliability and maintainability....which cost a little more up front but you will get more hours out of your compressor, or do you only use your compressor once in a blue moon and only for 30 minutes or less (less heat stress)?
Personally I have found this to be true, once you get a compressor your lead consumption will go up!! For me it was an easy choice since I have had so much experience with HP commercial compressors, I went for the larger cost up front to get reliability, maintainability, and good quality air (this is a very important issue for another day). I went with the daystate 220 since it is truly a coltri compressor and they have been in the business (scuba and commercial) for many years. Just so you know, my compressor fills my 100cuft tank from 200bar to 330bar in about 7 minutes. My run time is nothing compared to some of the smaller compressors. This low cycle time also means less heat generated, less time running so less maintenance per year. My upfront cost is a little higher, but I must say it is nice. Oh did I mention my pellet bill has substantially increased due to the reliable air source? Good luck with your choice, hope this helps, again it is just my 2 cents, don't mean to down talk any of the smaller compressors, they have their niche.
