Hello everyone,
I'm new to this group. I am not an electronics person by any means. In fact, I'm a Firefighter on the verge of retirement, but want to keep learning things and electronics is one of them. I am getting back into the old hobby of model building and I am learning all about airbrushes, compressors etc. I am currently building a compressor cabinet and would like to install 2 3" computer fans onto the side of the cabinet for cooling the compressor. I have a Timbertech AS-186 air compressor and am putting it into the cabinet mostly for just storage and a place to keep it. I've already installed 2 large vents onto 2 sides of the cabinet where the compressor will be located. The compressor has a 3 pin switch. Id like to extend that switch to the outside of the cabinet for ease of use, and have the fans wired into that switch, so that when I turn on the compressor, the fans will turn on as well. I'm not looking for anything complicated here. I just want some help with how to wire it up. The compressor will be plugged into a normal 120 wall outlet. The compressor is 120V & 125W. Each fan is 110-120V & 50/60Hz
Thanks for looking! Joe

 

what voltage are the fans? since compressor and fans are the same voltage and everything is low power, the simplest solution is to not do anything, just plug them all into a power bar that has switch and leave compressor switch always on. use switch on the power bar...

 

You have 3-inch Fans that operate on 120-Volts ??? ( unusual )

Unless those Fans are really high-RPM and noisy,
they may not move enough Air to keep the Compressor reasonably cool.

Two 5-inch Fans "might" do the job "sorta-ok".
Larger and slower is better, and will generally make much less noise.

If You haven't purchased the Fans yet,
I would consider taking-apart a cheap "Desk-Fan" from Wal-Mart.

The cooler the surrounding Air around the Compressor is, the longer it will last.
It will also generate more Volume and Pressure with cooler Air.

If the Compressor is run in a Box without enough free-air-flow,
it will probably Fail from over-heating.
.
.
.

 

Small 120V fans tend to make more noise than air flow. An 8" or so fan from a "fan heater" (with the heater disconnected) should be better. The Canadian-made Seabreeze heaters had very durable fan motors.

 

Welcome to AAC.
Here's the data sheet for that compressor:
WARNING - DON'T CLICK ON ANYTHING EXCEPT "NEXT" AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. JUST SCROLL DOWN. CLICKING AT THE FIRST AD CAN LOCK YOUR COMPUTER UP. IT DID MINE.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1112099/Kms-As-186.html

Since your compressor, as you say, draws 125 watts, that's 10.42 amps. It's not a small compressor. Putting it in an enclosed box is a bad idea. Venting should be adequate with openings on top and bottom. Fans should be blowing out of the box. They don't necessarily need to vent UP, just out at the top somewhere. As for noise, page 2 of the data sheet says it's only 47DB. The compressor is going to be noisy enough that the fans aren't going to make a big deal.

 

The compressor has a 3 pin switch. Id like to extend that switch to the outside of the cabinet for ease of use, and have the fans wired into that switch, so that when I turn on the compressor, the fans will turn on as well. I'm not looking for anything complicated here. I just want some help with how to wire it up. The compressor will be plugged into a normal 120 wall outlet. The compressor is 120V & 125W. Each fan is 110-120V & 50/60Hz

Three pin switch? OK, um - I don't think I've heard of or seen such a switch. If you can provide a picture that would be of help. But then again, @panic mode suggests:

Since compressor and fans are the same voltage and everything is low power, the simplest solution is to not do anything, just plug them all into a power bar that has switch and leave compressor switch always on. use switch on the power bar...

Messing with the wiring of the machine can void any warranty. I wouldn't suggest messing with the wiring. Part of that switch arrangement MIGHT be a part of the pressure sensor assembly. Get that wrong and you could have a 1,000 horse power rocket sailing around your room for an exciting brief moment. (tank explosion). Best bet is to use it as it was engineered. That way if something goes wrong you are not responsible, the manufacturer is.

 

Since your compressor, as you say, draws 125 watts, that's 10.42 amps. It's not a small compressor

Better check your math. It is a small compressor for airbrushing. 1/6 HP, or 125W. That is one Amp, not 10.

 

125W ÷ 120VAC = 1.04A. Oops! Decimal error. Good catch. I must have divided by 12 and not 120.

How we know the compressor draws 125W is based on the TS statement in post #1

 

ESPECIALLY if the TS is not quite experienced with mains level power wiring, adding a load to the compressor power switch is not a good choice.
So what makes sense is to use a mains rated switch accessed from outside the enclosure to switch on a duplex outlet inside the enclosure. then the compressor can plug into one outlet and the fans can plug into the other. If the reason for the enclosure is that the compressor is too noisy, then there is a different problem.

 

How we know the compressor draws 125W is based on the TS statement in post #1

It claims 1/6 HP. That is 125W. Of course that would be only if 100% efficient, but motor’s HP is often rated that way.

 

I am guessing that because: "The compressor has a 3 pin switch." that it is a lighted switch, and so that third terminal is the other side of the line, to power the light. THAT is why my suggestion is to leave well enough alone, because both sides of the mains feed are right there in close proximity. An external to the pump switch, as I suggested in post #9, is a very straight forward wiring project with much less chance of problems. AND published picture instructions that have been around for a long time.