Why El Cheapo compressors are no bargain

[ocdairgunner]

"Chinese proof marks" only proves that they marked it.

A non-Chinese company using a part made in China is one thing. They can establish quality control and testing to ensure they're getting good parts.

An entire product sold by a Chinese company that exports directly from China is where the real garbage can show up without warning. I prefer my safety-sensitive products to be by companies that operate (and are liable within) countries where they are actually held accountable for safety. It's not a guarantee but it generally helps.

Can you list a couple of companies and compressors that would be a safer choice?

 

[Sleestak]

I slaughtered my EC-3000 marathon filling guns with .5l tanks

Can you list a couple of companies and compressors that would be a safer choice?

I'd be interested in know too what specific compressors have catastophically failed (as in causing physical injury). Or for that matter, even how a compressor could cause an injury if you're half-way careful in it's use.

Conidering the total lack of write-ups regarding the issue, I suspect that it's statistically very, very unlikely that a compressor or even a tank will cause injury. Everything I've read about says it says that air leaks...not explodes.

But I could be wrong.

 

[bchannell]

When i talk pcp compressors, I'm talking ONLY filling guns directly, that is probably a great percentage of pcp compressor users.
Let's assume that the naysayers are correct. An expensive compressor will be well over $1000,some way over, but jut say $1k. This will need oil and other maintenance throughout it's life. Now consider the GX CS2,probably the best compressor they make. No bells and whistles, just a good solid unit. You cpould buy three for grand. No oil, very simple maintenance, much less hassle. If you ran them to destruction, and threw them away, (discounting parts are readily available and most, not all, repairs are easy) you'd have less hassle and money involved. But the truth is with some minimal upkeep, they will last.

 

[L.Leon]

When i talk pcp compressors, I'm talking ONLY filling guns directly, that is probably a great percentage of pcp compressor users.
Let's assume that the naysayers are correct. An expensive compressor will be well over $1000,some way over, but jut say $1k. This will need oil and other maintenance throughout it's life. Now consider the GX CS2,probably the best compressor they make. No bells and whistles, just a good solid unit. You cpould buy three for grand. No oil, very simple maintenance, much less hassle. If you ran them to destruction, and threw them away, (discounting parts are readily available and most, not all, repairs are easy) you'd have less hassle and money involved. But the truth is with some minimal upkeep, they will last.

Thank you for this post… I have been considering this unit for direct fills… I will have to pull the trigger now…

 

[blackdog899]

When i talk pcp compressors, I'm talking ONLY filling guns directly, that is probably a great percentage of pcp compressor users.
Let's assume that the naysayers are correct. An expensive compressor will be well over $1000,some way over, but jut say $1k. This will need oil and other maintenance throughout it's life. Now consider the GX CS2,probably the best compressor they make. No bells and whistles, just a good solid unit. You cpould buy three for grand. No oil, very simple maintenance, much less hassle. If you ran them to destruction, and threw them away, (discounting parts are readily available and most, not all, repairs are easy) you'd have less hassle and money involved. But the truth is with some minimal upkeep, they will last.

Spot on . When new after a brief hand pump period ( 2 days) got a cheap amzon one . The only thing I sprung extra for was self contained 12v inverter. It did the job. I’d fill the gun when needed but certainly interrupted your bench time. Reading the praise for the Gx cs4 I looked around for a cheap price. I didn’t realize at first it needed an outside 120-12v unit. So I found the 4i. Knew I could fill a bottle now and bought a 3 liter to go with it. Upon arrival all was good for a day till finding a 3 liter doesn’t last long. On came a 9 liter . Wow prefilling bottles is the way to go. Quiet, fast.
Keeping eye out for a 12 liter but price is double a 9, not gonna happen. I spent $580 on the Gx never would I spend more

 

[Avator]

For me the same goes for guns... Some folks are only happy shooting the high dollar guns and that's fine with me... kudos for y'all having that budget.
Thing is.. I read about them shooting the same distance accurately as I'm shooting my sub $300 - $400 guns.. and I have the pleasure of having ALOT of them.
I drive a 2006 Nisan Titan and have no problem driving the speed limit and in some cases, beyond.
They say variety is the spice of life... long live the mid cost airgun.

 

[bchannell]

I admit to falling in the expensive gun trap. BUT, I recentlt shot an Avenger, WOW! Was that thing accurate! I also know that it is hard to beat a Marauder, even the trigger is better than a lot of expensive guns. So, I get you on that!

 

[rancho]

So, after 5 or 6 rebuilds on my hand pump with an mrod getting exponentially closer in use minutes I bought my first yong heng variant and it's developed a baaad rod knock. Then I bought a legit yong heng that was assembled out of spec and crashed the piston ever so slightly till it shattered the dome. The 3rd tong heng ingested too much of its own oil for my comfort so i gave it away and bought a cx4 that I killed in a year. I was running out of disposible funds

Then I made a life change and saw how much money I could save staying out of the watering holes and bought this orange box to hold me over and it works to this day. I did save some money and buy this big compressor when i bought my first fx.... Life changes. It sucks when you realize that if you just bought this big dog first, you would've spent less than doing the same thing over expecting a different outcome. Also don't buy the pictured compressor in 120v. At startup and peak load it draws more than they claim and requires a dedicated circuit which is a problem for some (luckily it's in my wheel house) . The motor might be able to be rewired for 220v and the chassis is pre stamped for a gas engine that I already have if i needed to. Instead I collect scbas.

The little compressors just were not designed with what I wanted to do in mind. When you tinker and gas/degas guns a ton you use more air than shooting. I am compelled to tinker and create.

Lesson learned, buy once cry once and buy with excess capacity in mind if you own more than 1 gun.

View attachment 524037

How do you like your Tuxing? Any issues with it?

 

[Avator]

I admit to falling in the expensive gun trap. BUT, I recentlt shot an Avenger, WOW! Was that thing accurate! I also know that it is hard to beat a Marauder, even the trigger is better than a lot of expensive guns. So, I get you on that!

Don't get me wrong... if I could afford it I would probably jump on the Mercedes band wagon too. But I do like to tinker and try to make stuff better.

 

[Bigragu]

I consider humdinger a very good resource when it comes to anything compressors. Some folks are really good on certain subject matters in this hobby-it might be an impact, it might be someone knowledgeable on tanks(that would be you, Gerry!) and when it comes to compressors, humdinger is my go to.

I know him personally and no he’s not bathing in wealth, what he’s trying to do is just warn folks of the inevitable when it comes to budget compressors. He’s no way trying to appear as the all high and mighty one, and I think I see his frustration. It’s no different than the one that tells a newbie asking about Marauder tunes, that this has been hashed over for many many years, do your due diligence and research. I think part of the frustration lies is the fact that most every budget compressor owner that replied on this thread said “I can buy three or four if mine breaks down instead of dumping $4K on a compressor!” But when the time of failure comes, he’s not buying another one like he said he could, instead, he’s on here asking everyone for help on where to buy parts, how to fix this, are there tutorials, links, etc. etc, etc.

I’m not speaking for Humdinger, but I bet this is what he was meaning when he originally posted.

 

[6gun]

How do you like your Tuxing? Any issues with it?

It's been great. Don't buy the 120v version unless you have a dedicated 30A+ circuit for it.

 

[charlie99]

So, after 5 or 6 rebuilds on my hand pump with an mrod getting exponentially closer in use minutes I bought my first yong heng variant and it's developed a baaad rod knock. Then I bought a legit yong heng that was assembled out of spec and crashed the piston ever so slightly till it shattered the dome. The 3rd tong heng ingested too much of its own oil for my comfort so i gave it away and bought a cx4 that I killed in a year. I was running out of disposible funds

Then I made a life change and saw how much money I could save staying out of the watering holes and bought this orange box to hold me over and it works to this day. I did save some money and buy this big compressor when i bought my first fx.... Life changes. It sucks when you realize that if you just bought this big dog first, you would've spent less than doing the same thing over expecting a different outcome. Also don't buy the pictured compressor in 120v. At startup and peak load it draws more than they claim and requires a dedicated circuit which is a problem for some (luckily it's in my wheel house) . The motor might be able to be rewired for 220v and the chassis is pre stamped for a gas engine that I already have if i needed to. Instead I collect scbas.

The little compressors just were not designed with what I wanted to do in mind. When you tinker and gas/degas guns a ton you use more air than shooting. I am compelled to tinker and create.

Lesson learned, buy once cry once and buy with excess capacity in mind if you own more than 1 gun.

View attachment 524037

is this compressor original coltri or the tuxing clone, and how do you like it? Any issues?

 

[Kcmusa]

Tell the ones wanting a cheap compressor, just get 2 now so you will always have a working one

 

[6gun]

Tell the ones wanting a cheap compressor, just get 2 now so you will always have a working one

Probably the best advice. Especially if you do your homework and know the parts are on ali express to fix them.

is this compressor original coltri or the tuxing clone, and how do you like it? Any issues?

No issues, im running legit dive oil and it's been great filling these tanks regularly . I use hpa for my portable nail gun contraption and use more air than pcp shooting.

 

[SpindleB]

Tell the ones wanting a cheap compressor, just get 2 now so you will always have a working one

I always had a backup.
Cheapo Chinese compressor: Hand pump
Tuxing TXED-M042: Cheapo Chinese Comp.

Gave my nephew the Cheapo and he has been running it for 6 months. I bought a YH on sale and with big coupon on AliExpress for $125. Sitting in its shipping box 6 months later.

Hand pump: $40
Cheapo: $140
Tuxing: $325
YH: $125

Just filled a 9L with the Tuxing yesterday. Was over an hour and 2 loads of ice in the cooling water. After 2+ years and only cheap Chinese compressors filling guns and bottles a LOT, when should I expect to experience these problems with my cheap Chinese compressors?

-- Matt

 

[Peashooter]

It is what it is, remember seeing those videos with fast & furry boys bleeping their throttle on their Italian sports cars while stopped in traffic, and their damn POS car catching fire.

You often get what you pay for, but some times even paying a lot you get even more, i think the neener - neener factor even out, a lot paying little getting and a few paying a lot also some times get it.

 

[blackdog899]

I always had a backup.
Cheapo Chinese compressor: Hand pump
Tuxing TXED-M042: Cheapo Chinese Comp.

Gave my nephew the Cheapo and he has been running it for 6 months. I bought a YH on sale and with big coupon on AliExpress for $125. Sitting in its shipping box 6 months later.

Hand pump: $40
Cheapo: $140
Tuxing: $325
YH: $125

Just filled a 9L with the Tuxing yesterday. Was over an hour and 2 loads of ice in the cooling water. After 2+ years and only cheap Chinese compressors filling guns and bottles a LOT, when should I expect to experience these problems with my cheap Chinese compressors?

-- Matt

Pretty much the same as Matt

Hand pump $60
wxyz compressor $200
Gx cs4i. $580
Tuxing. Xxxx042. $360

Matt you got your 042 for $325 , I thought I did good!

 

[SpindleB]

Pretty much the same as Matt

Hand pump $60
wxyz compressor $200
Gx cs4i. $580
Tuxing. Xxxx042. $360

Only issue I've ever had was a popped circuit breaker. There is one on top of the motor on the Tuxing. Was running it on a hot day and it popped. Took me a day to find it, I was filling a 6.8L and it popped when the tank was around 4200psi. Went to top off my 9L the next day and the compressor was dead. Applied my 45 years of Test Engineering experience and figured it out after about an hour and disassembling and testing the various controls. Finally spotted the white of the popped breaker. You know, dumb luck that I happened to look in the right spot...

Had no idea the breaker existed.

-- Matt

 

[beerthief]

Probably the best advice. Especially if you do your homework and know the parts are on ali express to fix them.

No issues, im running legit dive oil and it's been great filling these tanks regularly . I use hpa for my portable nail gun contraption and use more air than pcp shooting.

View attachment 532923

what is legit dive oil ? never read that term . brands and what makes it legit ?

 

[Scotay42]

Don't get me wrong... if I could afford it I would probably jump on the Mercedes band wagon too. But I do like to tinker and try to make stuff better.

I did the same starting out. I shot kral mainly, but then got.a taste of a few buddies pcps that were closer to competition powder burners i shot in the past, lighter weight, better triggers, better ergonomics, better magazines and just more of a joy to shoot. I sold a bunch of cheapies to buy a used highend pcp. Now I just trade around, but much less now and i know what i really like out of a pcp and what i dont. The only cheapie i miss is my old Kral, NP03, but i know where it lives., lol. I use a spirittech that i have resoldered a couple wire connections on it,but it is still going. I also use it 2 min on and 5 min off. I never let it get warm and keep track of time in a log book. After 2 hrs of service i pull em apart and lube it up. I Always use extra maintenance on my pcps and compressors, as i dont usually have the cash to send it off for a repair. The GX Cs3 is in my future, but probably a manual cs3 as i dont trust an auto shutoff. Automobile and Aircraft maintenance has taught me that.