3 HP Air Compressors for Sale
Chicago Pneumatic QRS Rotary Screw Air Compressor
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3.7 HP, 60 Gal, Belt Drive, Oil-Lubricated Air Compressor - California Air | CAIR-60037BD
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ABAC Rotary Screw Portable Air Compressor – 3 HP 130 PSI
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Champion R-Series Horizontal Simplex Piston Air Compressor -
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Chicago Pneumatic COAIRE CSOF-D All-In-One Oil-Less Scroll Air Compressor | 3-5 HP
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Chicago Pneumatic COAIRE CSOF-S Oil-Less Scroll Air Compressor | 3-60 HP
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Champion Airstation R-Series Horizontal Simplex Piston Air Compressor
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Champion Base-Mounted R-Series Piston Air Compressor
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Champion R-Series Vertical Simplex Piston Air Compressor
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Champion 3 HP RV Series Splash Lubricated Electric Stationary Reciprocating Air Compressor
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QOF Series Oil-Free Scroll Compressor By Quincy
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Atlas Copco SF+2-6 Oil Free Mono Scroll Compressor
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3 HP air compressors: the step from garage duty to shop duty
At 3 HP a compressor moves 7 to 11 CFM at 90 PSI and almost always needs 230 volt power. This is the smallest size where you get a real choice of technology: cast iron two stage piston, small rotary screw, and oil free scroll all exist at 3 HP, and the right one depends on how many hours a day the machine runs and whether the air has to be oil free.
What is on this page
Piston: the Champion R-Series simplex in vertical, horizontal, base mounted and Airstation configurations and the Champion 3 HP RV Series stationary unit, all two stage 175 PSI machines at 8 CFM, and the California Air Tools 3.7 HP 60 gallon belt drive at 11 CFM and 180 PSI. Rotary screw: the Chicago Pneumatic QRS 3 at 10 CFM and 150 PSI on a 60 gallon tank, and the ABAC 3 HP 130 PSI 24 gallon portable screw. Oil free scroll: the Chicago Pneumatic COAIRE CSOF-S, CSOF-D all in one, CSOF-BH and CSOF-BV base mounted units and the CSOF basic pump at 115 or 140 PSI, the Quincy QOF, and the Atlas Copco SF+2-6 mono scroll at 7 to 9 CFM and 116 or 145 PSI.
Picking between them
A two stage piston is the lowest cost per CFM and is built for 50 to 60 percent duty: it fills a tank, shuts off and cools. A rotary screw at 3 HP costs more up front but runs 100 percent duty at 65 to 70 dBA, which is why the QRS 3 and the ABAC portable screw show up in body shops and production rooms that run a sander or a blast cabinet for hours. Scroll compressors give Class 0 oil free air with no filters to change downstream, so they are the choice for dental, lab, pharmacy, food and beverage and instrument air. On power, a 3 HP piston or screw draws about 15 amps at 230 volt single phase; the scroll units are offered in single and three phase.
Dryers and tanks
A 3 HP compressor on a 60 or 80 gallon tank rarely needs a bigger receiver. If the air feeds spray equipment or a plasma cutter, add a 10 to 15 CFM refrigerated air dryer sized to the compressor output, not the tool.
