A hydraulic air compressor is an air compressor powered by the hydraulics on a vehicle or machine. It allows operators to convert hydraulic power into air power, equipping a vehicle or machine with both hydraulic and air power.
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How Does A Hydraulic Air Compressor Work?
A hydraulic air compressor converts hydraulic power into mechanical power, which then converts into air power.
To convert hydraulic into mechanical power, a hydraulic pump pushes hydraulic fluid into a hydraulic motor, forcing it to spin. This spinning motor connects to an air compressor using a belt or direct drive, powering the air compressor system and converting mechanical power into air power.
Figure 1: A hydraulic motor (left) and direct-drive air compressor by VMAC
Please note this is a simplified explanation, as numerous other components may or may not be required, including manifolds, hoses, valves, cooling systems, etc.
Regardless of the exact configuration, the core components of any hydraulic air compressor setup include:
- Hydraulic Pump: pushes hydraulic fluid through the system
- Manifold: controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to the motor
- Hydraulic Motor: forced to rotate by the hydraulic fluid
- Air Compressor: powered by the hydraulic motor
- Cooler/Reservoir: hydraulic fluid returns from the motor to the cooler, then reservoir tank
These components work together to transform hydraulic power into air power.
What Are The Benefits of a Hydraulic Air Compressor?
Hydraulic air compressors have many benefits, including the ability to run air tools. Air or pneumatic tools are highly powerful tools that enable operators to perform tasks quickly and efficiently.
Common Tools Powered By Hydraulic Air Compressors
Hydraulic air compressors can power a wide variety of air tools across numerous applications. Some of the most common pneumatic tools used with hydraulic air compressors are:
- Impact wrenches
- Jackhammers
- Air chucks
- Grinders
- Chipping hammers
- Air spades
- Moles
- Post pounders
More Hydraulic Air Compressor Benefits
While many air compressors enable operators to use air tools, hydraulic air compressors have additional benefits that make them a great choice for many operators:
- Easy access to both hydraulic and air power
- Integrates with existing power source
- No need for a new, separate compressor engine
- Cost-effective compared to other vehicle-integrated air compressors
- Relatively easy to install & use
- Safe & reliable
- Transferable between vehicles with similar hydraulics
When Should I Consider A Hydraulic Air Compressor?
Operators with hydraulics who want to add air power are the best candidates for a hydraulic air compressor. Of course, a vehicle upgrade that includes new hydraulics and a new air compressor is also a great fit. In either scenario, a hydraulic air compressor will take advantage of the existing hydraulic system with a clean, straightforward install.
Historically, hydraulic air compressors were almost exclusively used on trucks with hydraulic cranes. But the mobile air industry is rapidly innovating, and hydraulic air compressors are now found on excavators, including hi-rail excavators, pile drivers, and other specialized hydraulic equipment. Operators who work with any of these machines should consider a hydraulic air compressor when adding air power to their equipment.
Additional Hydraulic & Air Compressor Resources
Viewing a thread - Hydraulic Downforce Compressor
dpilot83
Posted 5/24/ 20:46
Subject: Hydraulic downforce compressor
I don't want active downforce on our planter. I just want a heavy-duty compressor that doesn't require perfection in terms of leaks on finicky auto-lock connectors. I want something that is filtered enough that it doesn't require me to run a hose to the cab for filtration. Does anyone know of a hydraulically powered generic compressor that I can purchase that would perhaps run on the same circuit as the CCS fan and would be durable and generate 150#? Thanks.
golfnut
Posted 5/24/ 20:48
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Central Nebraska
What's wrong with the push lock connectors? My planter has held 35 psi for two weeks and I've not touched the compressor.
dpilot83
Posted 5/24/ 21:02
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
How old is your planter? Ours is 3 years old and has been stored inside most of the time save during planting season. We've replaced a bunch of the ones on top of the air bags and in various other places. Still leaks down. We've been all over the machine with a squirt bottle of soapy water. Just way too many connections to promote reliability in my opinion.
golfnut
Posted 5/24/ 21:05
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
It was new last spring.....it just finished (8 acres of male row border to go) its second season. Last year it was perfect holding air. This year we had troubles the first few days but we found some fittings we had taken apart and not got back together tight. The planter was stored in a heated shop all year. Have you sprayed the air bags themselves? I've been told they can fail and develop micro holes.
DAN SEWI
Posted 5/24/ 22:55
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
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I put the Deere compressor on my NT this year for the same reason and am very happy with how it has performed so far. It wasn't cheap, but it works great. I am using AgLeader sensors with my Integra to monitor the downpressure and using the half-width disconnect switch to put air in or release air since the Integra is controlling the half-width clutches. It is not active downforce control it is manual control with AgLeader monitoring.
dpilot83
Posted 5/25/ 01:35
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Thanks. So what is the Integra monitoring? Is it measuring pressure in the air bags or is it measuring weigh pins on the gauge wheels? I think you are saying your planter had a half-width disconnect and you disconnected the cab controls for that half-width disconnect and allowed the Integra to control the clutches instead. This gave you a switch in the cab that was already wired to the back of the planter that was not being used so you wired it into the controls for the Deere hydraulic compressor. Is that right?
dpilot83
Posted 5/25/ 01:40
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
I have not sprayed the bags themselves. Between buying compressors, replacing fittings, spending time airing up every morning with the service truck compressor to prevent burning the Deere compressor out and now maybe replacing air bags, I would think it would be cheaper and would save time just to have a good compressor on it that could handle the small leaks. Then I would only have to worry about the big leaks which I could handle easily enough.
DAN SEWI
Posted 5/25/ 05:13
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
I have the AgLeader weigh pins. Yes, you are correct about the switch. I tried putting a bigger VIAIR electric air compressor on the planter last year, but with the length of wire needed to run to behind the CCS tanks and the amount it was running, it would pop a 25 amp fuse a couple of times a day. I still have the gauge on the planter near the vacuum gauges to tell me how much actual pressure is in the bags, and the tank pressure is read on the control box for my PP Clean Sweep rams.
midwest
Posted 5/25/ 05:22
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Precision Plant sells a hydraulically driven air compressor; it has their name on it, so it's not generic.
farmboy99
Posted 5/25/ 06:24
Subject: RE: Hydraulic downforce compressor
SE South Dakota
My 5-year-old JD doesn't leak. Well, if it leaks, it isn't much, I mean I never have had to air it up except the first day we used it. And this has been a long planting season, not over yet. I am amazed at how well it holds air. I think you have a leak in your system that you have not found. An air bag?
Jim J
Posted 5/25/ 08:35
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Winkler, Manitoba Canada
I really thought hard about putting an engine-mounted air compressor on our tractor instead of the PP hydraulic compressor on the planter. The biggest hangup with that idea is that PP will not sell the Airforce module separately. Landed up connecting the compressor power beyond and it seems to work fine that way.
dpilot83
Posted 5/25/ 08:46
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
I looked at theirs. Their compressor is made by Rolair. I would like to know what model number of hydraulic motor they have. The directions on their website do not show anything for the hydraulic motor though. If anyone knows, I would appreciate the info.
dpilot83
Posted 5/25/ 08:52
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Would you have rigged up your own high-capacity gas tank? Would you have made a better air filtration system? To me, the hydraulic system is more economical because hydraulic flow is bypassed when the pump isn't needed (or at least I assume that's how it works). Also not wearing a small engine and compressor out all day long. If I'm wrong though, I'd throw one on there today probably. I have SeedStarXP so I have all the solenoids and stuff. I just need a reliable pressure source. I need to get you that part number still unless the guys I emailed you about found something for you.
WTW
Posted 5/25/ 09:15
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Winkler, Manitoba Canada
Precision Planting compressor hydraulic system just shuts off the hydraulic flow when air demands are met. It does not bypass the flow. On a Genesis tractor with manual hydraulic valves, the only good way to run the compressor is power beyond. (The Trimble numbers would be appreciated but not critical.)
dpilot83
Posted 5/25/ 13:51
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Just in case it went to your junk mail, I sent several emails.
deereman
Posted 5/25/ 16:21
Subject: RE: Hydraulic downforce compressor
NE SD
Why did you have to air it up the first day? I just used the JD 12 volt that comes on the planter. Are you saying that you had to use the shop air compressor?
dpilot83
Posted 5/25/ 16:35
Subject: RE: Hydraulic downforce compressor
The Deere compressor isn't designed to run long enough to air the whole system up. The first time you're supposed to pressure it up with a shop compressor to prevent being hard on the Deere compressor. The Deere compressor is supposed to just maintain.
Chad H
Posted 5/25/ 19:17
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
NE SD
Fix the leak. Our 5-year-old planter won't leak 1 psi overnight. We had half the airbags and fittings off this spring before the Dawn boys admitted they weren't going to have active control. Still isn't a problem after putting them back on. The two planters we had before this were the same way.
epw
Posted 5/25/ 21:36
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
Stanley, Manitoba, Canada
I think you misunderstood a little bit. We thought about mounting a compressor on the tractor engine, not a separate gas engine.
dpilot83
Posted 5/25/ 21:54
Subject: Re: Hydraulic downforce compressor
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I did indeed. Thanks for the clarification.
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