10 HP air compressors: where piston duplex and rotary screw overlap

10 HP covers 32 to 37 CFM from a two stage piston and 39 to 48 CFM from a rotary screw at 100 to 175 PSI. This is the size for a four to six bay shop, a cabinet shop with a wide belt sander and spray booth, a small production plant, or a truck repair facility running 1 inch impacts. It is also where three phase power becomes the norm; single phase 10 HP units exist but draw 45 to 50 amps.

What is on this page

Two stage piston: Quincy QT Pro (the broadest range at this size, 42 configurations) and QP pressure lubricated, Champion 10 HP RV Series, R-Series simplex vertical, horizontal, base mounted and Airstation, and ADVANTAGE, Chicago Pneumatic RCP-C Iron, Mark IronAir, the ABAC ABC10 Ironman on 120 gallon vertical and horizontal tanks, and the Chicago Pneumatic RCP two stage gas engine unit for sites without power. Duplex: Quincy QT duplex Pro and Max, Champion Duplex R-Series, Chicago Pneumatic RCP-C Iron duplex, ABAC AB5 and ABC5 duplex on 120 gallon horizontal tanks, and Atlas Copco CR duplex Professional and Industrial. Rotary screw: Quincy QGS 10 and QGSV 10 variable speed, Chicago Pneumatic QRS 10 at 31 to 39 CFM and CPVSd 10 variable speed at 43 CFM, Atlas Copco GA10 VSDS at 48 CFM and G7L-15 series at 40 CFM in 125, 150 and 175 PSI builds. Oil free scroll: Atlas Copco SF+8-22 and Quincy QOF 10 at 24 to 28 CFM, and Chicago Pneumatic COAIRE CSOF-S 10.

Duplex or screw

A 10 HP duplex is two 5 HP pumps on one tank with alternating controls. It gives redundancy (one pump down, the shop still runs at half capacity) and lets the pumps rest, which is why hospitals, dealerships and tire chains specify them. A 10 HP rotary screw gives more air for the same horsepower, runs at 65 to 70 dBA, and has no duty cycle limit, but when it is down, it is down. If the shop has a backup compressor already, buy the screw; if it does not, the duplex is the safer buy.

Power and dryer sizing

Plan on 28 amps at 230 volt three phase or 14 amps at 460 volt. A 10 HP piston wants a 120 gallon receiver; a screw can run on a 80 to 120 gallon tank plus a 40 to 50 CFM refrigerated air dryer. Paint shops should add a desiccant dryer on the booth branch.

Related pages

• 7.5 HP air compressors
• 15 HP air compressors
• 5 to 15 HP piston air compressors
• 35 CFM air compressors and 40 CFM air compressors
• 0 to 20 HP rotary screw air compressors
• Shop by CFM and Shop by PSI