How to use an air compressor
Updated: 21.10.2026
How to use an air compressor, for a corded oil-free machine in this amazon.co.uk set, is a short sequence: drain shut, hose on before the receiver is full, outlet set for the tool, and the gun pointed at the work. The models are the Draper 6 litre, the two Hyundais, the HYCHIKA and the Bimson. Which one you bought is on the [air compressor comparison](/hub/compressors/air-compressor). Those listings and HSE’s HSG39 were used on 19 October 2026. It is not a lab drill, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
How to use an air compressor, for a corded oil-free machine in this amazon.co.uk set, is a short sequence: drain shut, hose on before the receiver is full, outlet set for the tool, and the gun pointed at the work.
How to use an air compressor, for a corded oil-free machine in this amazon.co.uk set, is a short sequence: drain shut, hose on before the receiver is full, outlet set for the tool, and the gun pointed at the work. The models are the Draper 6 litre, the two Hyundais, the HYCHIKA and the Bimson. Which one you bought is on the air compressor comparison. Those listings and HSE’s HSG39 were used on 19 October 2026. It is not a lab drill, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Mains plug | Outlet | Cut-out | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Hyundai Hyundai HY7524X | Not stated | Euro quick connect | Automatic | 8.4 | about £149.95 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Hyundai Hyundai HY5508X | 13 A UK | Euro quick release | Not stated | 7.6 | about £129.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Draper Draper 02115 | Not stated | Euro coupling | Pressure switch | 6.2 | about £102.27 | View offer |
On this page
Before the tank fills
Stand it clear of curtains and petrol, and close the drain. Only the Hyundai HY5508X bullets state a 13 A UK plug, so check the lead on the others. The 8 litre cable is about a metre in reviews. The Draper title states 1.7 m. Machine Mart says a long lead drops starting voltage, so unroll the reel. Let the motor run until it cuts out. The 24 litre names an automatic cut-out. The Draper title names a pressure switch. Stopping on a full tank is normal if it restarts when you use air. One Bimson review describes a leak that stopped the tank holding air.
Regulator, cut-out and the tool
Tank pressure is the receiver’s limit. Outlet pressure is what the hose carries. The Hyundai HY7524X has twin gauges and a regulator. Set the outlet to the tool’s sheet. The 8 litre listing does not name a regulator. The Draper names an outlet gauge. A Toolstation manual says most air tools sit around 6 bar, about 90 psi, if the tool says so. The 24 litre bullets go to 118 psi. One owner measured about 100 psi and wanted more. Tyres are a different job, on the tyre inflator or air compressor page. Hyundai and Draper use Euro connectors. Depressurise before a PCL adaptor. The HYCHIKA and the Bimson do not state a coupling. Tool air is on the buying guide.
Drain and store
Water left in the receiver is what rusts it. HSG39 treats a jet of air as an injection and eye injury risk, and oil-free air here is not air you should breathe. Drain after use, or daily if you run it every day. Switch off, unplug, release the pressure, open the drain into a tray, then close it. The Bimson included line is only a manual. None of these files states an automatic drain. Do not drill a cock. Wear eye protection on the first blow-gun blast. Close the drain again only when the tank is depressurised.
When you stop
Do not aim compressed air at skin, yours or anyone else’s. HSG39 treats that as an injection injury. Keep the gun on the work, and do not disable a safety valve. A weeping valve, a hiss at a weld, or a dent is a stop. These listings do not describe a reset button. A Clarke manual for a different 24 litre machine does. Unplug, let it cool, and try one normal start. A burning smell or a trip means you leave it. If staff use the compressor, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are an employer duty.
Common questions
What do I do before I switch it on?
Stand it clear of anything that burns, confirm the plug, and close the drain. Fit the hose while the tank is still empty. Unroll any extension, because a coiled reel and a long lead drop starting voltage. Then switch on and wait for the cut-out. Do not add oil. Every tank in this set is listed as oil-free.
Which gauge is the tank and which is the tool?
On the Hyundai 24 litre, the listing’s twin gauges split tank pressure from the regulated outlet. You set the outlet to the tool’s own figure. The 8 litre Hyundai does not name a regulator, and the Draper names an outlet gauge rather than a second regulator. Read the gauge you have. Do not assume two needles if the listing only printed one.
How often do I drain it?
After every session, or daily if you use it every day. Water in the receiver is what rusts the steel. Switch off, unplug, let the pressure go, open the drain into a tray, then close it. The Hyundai 24 litre names a condensation trap. The Bimson page does not show you where the cock is, because the included list is only a manual.
Can I blow dust off my hands?
No. HSG39 treats a compressed-air jet as an injection risk to skin and as a hazard to eyes. Use a brush or a vacuum for dust on your skin and clothes. Keep the blow gun on the bench, and wear eye protection because the first blast can throw moisture and grit out of the hose.
Why does the motor stop and start?
The pressure switch or automatic cut-out is doing that. The motor runs until the tank reaches its limit, stops, and starts again when you use enough air for the pressure to fall. On a 6 litre Draper, reviews say the motor runs a lot because the receiver is small. Stopping on a full tank is normal. A burning smell or a trip is not.
What if it will not restart?
Unplug it and let it cool, then try one ordinary start. These listings do not describe a reset button you can hunt for. If it still will not run, or it tripped, leaked, or arrived with electrical screws missing, as in the Bimson notes, stop using it. That is a fault for the seller or the warranty, not a technique.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources below. amazon.co.uk listings checked on 19 October 2026.
- HSE: Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE INDG178: Written schemes of examination (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk: SI 2000/128 Schedule 1 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE: HSG39 Compressed air safety (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk: Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE: Noise at work for employers (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Machine Mart archived guide: air compressors (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- garden-review.co.uk: DIY air compressor CFM rules of thumb (retrieved 19 October 2026)