Find Out How To Convert Air Compressor To Vacuum Pump 

Nothing beats being able to use one piece of equipment for two or more purposes. Because it not only saves you money, it also helps to reduce the number of equipment you keep around you, especially if your storage space is limited. One of such types of equipment that can be used for another purpose is the air compressor, which can be used as a vacuum pump. Although, a lot of people don’t know if this is possible or not. While this might seem impossible, it is actually possible and does not require as many skills or time as one would ordinarily think. All you need is just a few tools and some materials and you could make your air compressor work as a vacuum pump. As attractive as this might sound, you might not know how to go about it. And that is what this post will help you with. If you want to know how to convert an air compressor to a vacuum pump, then there’s only one thing you need to do, read on. 

What Is The Difference Between An Air Compressor And A Vacuum Pump

Air compressors are mechanical devices that help to reduce the volume of gas which will lead to an increase in its pressure. It is a specific type of gas compressor which is quite similar to a pump but also different. While a vacuum pump also known as an air pump is used to remove air from a closed environment, could be a bag. Although, both of them are similar since they increase the pressure of a fluid, and can move them along a pipe to a different location, the difference between them can be found in the way they work. While the vacuum pump sucks air from a closed environment with no high pressure, to result in a positive discharge pump process, an air compressor increases the pressure by reducing the volume of the gas. This is why an air compressor can be converted to a vacuum pump. 

How Does A  Vacuum Pump Work And How Can An Air Compressor Serve That Purpose 

What a vacuum pump does is remove gas molecules from a closed area such as bags, to make it free of all gas molecules. The more molecules are removed, the more difficult it is to remove more and at this point, the pressure of the vacuum pump increases. The vacuum pump usually has an air intake from which it sucks air, and they require a fitting or hose through which the removed gas can be transported. They also have a Guage that shows you how much gas you still have in the bag so that you will know when you have successfully removed all air and can end the process. An air compressor can serve this purpose with a little bit of adjustment. It already has an input that is used for blowing air, so in this case, all that needs to be done is to convert the intake into a suction rather than using the output for blowing. Many air compressors make good vacuum pumps if you can find the air intake, enclose it and attach the right fitting. 

How Do I Convert My Air Compressor To Vacuum Pump 

Converting an air compressor to a vacuum pump is quite easy and most likely won’t take a lot of time. Make sure you get everything you need and keep them close before you start the process. We will go ahead and consider the steps involved :

1. You need to get the case open, so you have to figure out how to do that. You should be able to do this by removing the end cap by pinching it to release a tab, then unscrewing a few screws. You should be able to take the two halves of the case apart at this point.
2. The next thing to do is to find the air intake. Once the case is open, you can flip the motor or pump assembly up and inspect the cylinder to find the air intake. What you’re looking for is a hole where the air comes into the cylinder before it goes out through the compressed air hose. Some pumps have a hose barb or other fitting connecting to a muffler. If yours does, then you can use that instead. 
3. Find an appropriate hose fitting. 
4. Prepare the intake for the vacuum fitting. 
5. Attach the vacuum hose fitting, then go ahead to attach the vacuum hose. 
6. Make a hole in the case for the vacuum fitting. Make sure it’s the appropriate size. Then, put the casing back together. 
7. Cut off the tire inflator. That is pretty much all you have to do. 
8. You can now use your air compressor as a vacuum hose. 

Conclusion

One would ordinarily think that to get a vacuum pump effect, you have to use a vacuum pump, but, it is not so at all. You can also get the vacuum pump effect using an air compressor. All you have to do is to convert the air compressor to a vacuum pump and you can achieve this in eight short steps. It requires no experience whatsoever and it won’t even take much of your time. Just follow the given steps and make sure you do everything right. Remember that you do need to have the right size of everything you need that is, fittings or hoses, and of course a functioning air compressor. Once you get them in place, go ahead and do the necessary attachments, which will make your air compressor function as a vacuum pump. In case you encounter any issues along the line, go back to the steps and check for the ones you didn’t do right. If you do all these, then you can be sure to have a working vacuum pump in the shortest time possible. I bet nothing beats being able to use one piece of equipment for two purposes.