vacuum pump oil

[Refer. Madness]

Can you use vacuum pump oil in your air compressor at home, without damaging it?

[Josip]

Hi, Refer.Madness

Can you use vacuum pump oil in your air compressor at home, without damaging it?

I think it is not advisable ... why ... vacuum pump oil is highly hygroscopic, but we can remove that moisture/water from vacuum pump by closing suction valve and run the pump for some time to evaporate that moisture ... also, lubrication oil within vacuum pump serves for lubrication and for sealing also running at lower temperature ... that is not the case with air compressors (running at higher pressure and higher temperature), thus lubrication of your air compressor will be with a kind of emulsion (mechanical mixture of water and oil) and after some time is possible to have some deterioration in bearings or between piston and cylinder, even during stand still, due to the water within oil corrosion will attack your compressor ... must say I have not such experience, but I'll suggest you to use appropriate air compressor lubrication oil, it is a small amount and not expensive ... this is my opinion (I can be wrong), but let's wait for some other members with, maybe, some different experience ....


Best regards, Josip

[HVACRsaurus]

I heard that air compressor oil is generally cheap crap & vacuum pump oil is a good alternative.

[monkey spanners]

Had a customer do this with a big comercial air compressor, eventually threw a rod...