Air tools are your constant friend if you’re a carpenter, mechanic, or any other type of handyman. As you may be aware, air tools have a precise requirement for compressed air. The air compressor is the device that serves them up.
Furthermore, the requirements for CFM on air compressor systems or for various air tools are now different. However, you should not expect to get everything from a single compressor. As a result, you need to change it to produce more CFM (cubic feet per minute).
Additionally, what’s the best approach to go about it?
We have two simple methods for increasing CFM on an air compressor to differing degrees. Let’s see if we can figure them out…
Understanding Air Compressor CFM
CFM stands for Cubic Feet Per Minute, and it refers to the rate at which air enters your air compressor. It’s an imperial measurement rather than a metric one.
You’ve taken two factors into account when calculating the CFM of a compressor. One is the air holder cylinder’s size and the other one is the pump’s operating speed.
How to Increase CFM on Air Compressor Systems
Making changes to your air compressor system, such as installing an air receiver tank or another compressor pump for additional storage, is the best approach to improve CFM on an air compressor. Certain tools require CFM rates greater than the air compressor’s rating to function properly.
You are going to find suggestions on how to tune your air compressor to achieve your preferred airflow rate here (CFM).
When you want to increase the CFM so that you can draw for your air compressor’s outlet, you have two key options:
- Increase your air compressor’s pumping capacity – Allow the air compressors more time
- Increase your system’s air storage capacity – Combine two air compressors
Increase Your Air Compressor's Pumping Capacity - Allow the Air Compressors More Time
Allowing your air compressor extra time to operate on the compressed air is another easy and less expensive way to increase its CFM. The compressor is finally going to be able to keep the tank pressure up as a result of this.
The procedure is straightforward. All you need to do is set the rule to the lowest possible level. This causes the air compressor motor to operate for a longer period of time. As a result, the compressed air’s density is increased. As a result, your CFM is going to improve. If you’re new to this technique, learn how to adjust the pressure switch on an air compressor.
One good piece of advice is to avoid using the lowest usual settings first. You can gradually lower the control and work your way up to the highest CFM output feasible.
The benefit of this is that it is going to improve the lifespan of your air compressor.
Increase Your System's Air Storage Capacity - Combine Two Air Compressors
You need to acquire another compressor with the same or equal power and connect them together to give your air compressor an immediate boost in CFM. Since, no matter what changes you make to a compressor, it can never exceed its max CFM output.
There are a lot of side effects that occur as a result of this procedure. They’re here-
- Filling the air compressor tanks takes longer (in fact, twice as long).
- Problems with overheating are more likely to occur.
- To keep the entire arrangement working, you may need to put in extra maintenance effort.
To be precise, none of these choices are going to boost your initial compressor’s inherent design stated CFM â that would necessitate pump adjustments.
You’re not really interested in raising the CFM of the compressor pump. What you really want to do is increase the CFM so you may draw from the air compressor tank’s outlet. This lets you use an air tool with a higher stated operating CFM than the compressor pump.
Whether you add more pumping capacity or air storage capacity to the air compressor system depends on whether you have an occasional or constant need for air for the air tool.
Increasing CFM for Constant Air Tool Usage
If you need a greater CFM on a regular basis (for example, if you’re constantly running an air compressor), your air compressor pump’s CFM must meet the air tool’s demands. As a result, adding greater air storage capacity to the system is not an option, and you are going to be constrained to options that increase the system’s pumping capacity (CFM).
Increasing CFM for Intermittent or Cyclical Air Tool Usage
You have more choices for boosting CFM if you have periodic or intermittent high demand for CFM that isn’t continual. Finally, increasing air storage capacity allows you to boost the system’s CFM for a limited duration, depending on the amount of air storage.
Decreasing the CFM for Air Compressors
Can you lower the compressor CFM as well? This is a highly pertinent question that follows ‘increasing compressor CFM.’
If you don’t want as much air pressure as the device contains, you can certainly decrease it. Filling up the air tank on a regular basis is a quick approach to accomplish this. Simply rotate your compressor regulator to fill the air sharply, and that’s all there is to it.
However, be cautious while attempting to reduce the air compressor’s CFM. A significant drop in the CFM count prevents you from properly filling the air compressor tank. The air tool you’re using with the compressor eventually stops working as a result of this.
Purchasing a compressor with a reduced CFM value is the best technique to achieve a lower CFM. This is going to cost you a little more money, but it is the best option to save your existing compressor from harm.
What's Better? A High or Low CFM?
The greater the CFM rating of your compressor, the more air it can provide. When using heavy air tools such as wrenches or impact nailing guns, the higher the CFM, the better.
Furthermore, the increased CFM rate may not be necessary if you are utilizing more general-purpose appliances.
DOES CFM go up with PSI?
CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute, whereas PSI stands for Pound per Square Inch. Additionally, CFM describes the volume of the air, while PSI refers to the pressure imposed in a specific region. As the pressure increases, it becomes more challenging to compress the air. Therefore, there is a converse relationship between the two measures.
What Is a Good CFM for Air Compressor?
The majority of people who use air compressors keep asking this question. As you can see, poor air compression causes problems with air tools. Result? A broken tool, a broken workpiece, and so forth.
Here are some additional details to help you answer the question more thoroughly:
- To get the air tools to work, you need to make sure they’re getting the right amount of CFM. Every air tool has a specific range of CFM that it can work with.
- If you offer your compressor low CFM air, it is going to have a detrimental impact on its durability.
- When dealing with air tools professionally, time is crucial. You could tweak the air compressor to get a larger CFM output. However, filling the air tank takes longer.
- Furthermore, incorrect CFM has an impact on the operation of your air tools.
How does PSI affect CFM?
CFM and PSI are linked since the tool is not going to function properly if they are not used together. Both increase and decrease in response to the amount of horsepower applied.
How Many Horsepower Is a CFM?
One atmosphere cubic foot per minute (ATM CFM) of power = 0.065 horsepower – Metric (hp) in power
How Can You Safely Increase the Air Compressor CFM
Even if you know every rule by heart, there are times when you need some guidance on what to do and what not to do. As a result, keep the following in mind while adjusting the CFM of the air compressor.
While lowering the pressure to increase CFM, do not immediately go to the minimum settings. The energy usage increases if the pressure is suddenly changed so dramatically.
Remember to gradually drop the pressure while monitoring the findings at each limit.
Use the second strategy and change the pressure switch ratios on the air compressors on a regular basis to keep the same compressor from overworking.
Never alter, block, or get rid of the release valve when working on your air compressor. These settings were meticulously established by the manufacturer to ensure safety when using the air compressor.
Do not dangle the hose from the ceiling. Tripping can cause you to fall, which happens frequently. Hang them from the ceiling if at all possible.
Remember not to pull any instruments at the trigger until you’ve done your adjustments and connected the device to a power source.
The Bottom Line: How to Increase CFM on Air Compressor Systems
Have we answered your question on how to increase CFM on air compressor systems? The process of increasing CFM on an air compressor necessitates a high level of knowledge. If you are completely unfamiliar with these, you may take the incorrect actions. As a result, look for expert advice if necessary.
