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BelAire 338HE Elite Series 5 HP 80-Gallon Two-Stage Air Compressor

The one thing that separates the 338HE from the plainer two-stage machines sitting beside it in the same tank size is the triple-pass, pump-mounted aftercooler. It is a heat exchanger bolted to the pump itself, and it decides how much liquid water ends up in your shop's air lines. If you spray, blast, run precision air tools, or simply resent emptying water traps, that component is the reason to keep reading.

Everything under it is conventional and well proven: a 5 HP motor on 208V or 230V 3-phase power, a belt-driven two-stage pump with a cast iron cylinder sleeve and aluminum heads, and an 80-gallon horizontal receiver. This is a stationary shop machine sized for steady use across a bay or two, not a portable you wheel to a job.

What the aftercooler actually does for you

Compressing air heats it, and hot air holds a great deal of water vapour. Send that hot, saturated air straight into the tank and it cools slowly on its way through your pipework, dropping its moisture out as liquid wherever it happens to get cold enough. That is usually the worst possible place: a regulator, a quick-coupler, the inside of an impact gun, or a freshly sprayed panel.

An aftercooler moves that condensation forward on purpose. It cools the discharge air at the machine, before the tank, so most of the water separates where the tank drain can deal with it instead of travelling down the line. The BelAire arrangement passes the air through the cooler three times, which is why it is described as triple-pass, and it is mounted on the pump so it shares the flywheel's airflow rather than needing a fan of its own.

Two practical consequences. First, your downstream filters and traps stop being the only defence and start being a polish. Second, the pump itself runs cooler on the discharge side, which is easier on valves and on the oil. BelAire also names the CPXHT25 dryer as the recommended companion for this compressor; it is not included, and you should treat the aftercooler as reducing your drying load rather than replacing a dryer if your work genuinely demands dry air.

Two stages, and what the second one buys

A single-stage pump squeezes air once and hands it to the tank. A two-stage pump squeezes it in a large cylinder, cools it between stages, then squeezes it again in a smaller high-pressure cylinder. Compressing already-dense air is more efficient than trying to reach the same pressure in one jump, which is how this machine reaches a 175 PSI maximum without punishing the motor.

That higher ceiling is not about running tools at 175 PSI. It is about storage. A tank filled to a higher pressure holds more usable air at your working pressure, so the motor starts less often and each run does more work. The published figures for this model are 18.5 CFM at 100 PSI and 16.6 CFM at 175 PSI.

Will it fit, and will it run?

The horizontal layout puts the tank on the floor and the pump on top, so the machine is long rather than tall: 71" long, 24" wide and 49" high, at 481 lbs. Leave working room on the pump side for belt and oil service, and keep the flywheel guard clear so cooling airflow is not blocked by a bench or a wall.

Power is the part to settle before you order. This unit wants 3-phase service and wires to either 208V or 230V. BelAire lists a 30 amp breaker as the recommendation and states plainly that the actual amp draw should be confirmed with a certified electrician for your building, your wire run and your local code. That is your responsibility, not ours, and it is worth doing before delivery rather than after. If your shop has only single-phase service, this is the wrong model for you and we will happily point you at the right one.

Set the compressor on a level, solid floor. It should sit flat on all feet without rocking, because a machine that rocks works its tank welds and its piping connections every time it starts.

Perfect For

• Automotive service bays where impact guns, lifts and blow guns run all day and moisture in the line means rusted tool internals.
• Paint and body shops that need the cleanest air the compressor itself can hand over before the drying and filtration stack.
• Fabrication and machine shops running plasma, air-fed clamping or pneumatic feeds, where wet air is a scrap-rate problem.
• Industrial and light manufacturing sites that already have 3-phase service and want a stationary machine rather than a rental.

It is not a good match for a home garage without 3-phase power, and it is more compressor than an occasional hobby user needs.

What's in the box

• Two-stage belt-driven pump with a cast iron cylinder sleeve and aluminum heads
• Triple-pass pump-mounted aftercooler
• 80-gallon horizontal air receiver with a safety valve
• Magnetic starter, fitted, so you do not have to buy one separately
• Start/stop pressure switch control
• Low oil protection switch and an oil level sight glass
• Fully enclosed high-flow belt guard
• Pressure gauge
• Automatic tank drain

Not included: an air dryer. BelAire recommends the CPXHT25 for this machine and it is sold separately.

Specifications

Air delivery

Motor and electrical

Tank, size and weight

Confirm the tank drain before you plumb the installation

Published descriptions of the tank drain on this model differ: one specification sheet lists an electronic drain valve as fitted, another lists it as not fitted, and the manufacturer's feature list describes an Elite Series automatic tank drain that is expressly not electronic. What every source agrees on is that the drain is automatic and pressurised rather than a manual petcock you open by hand. If the distinction between a pressure-operated automatic drain and a timer-driven electronic solenoid matters to your installation, ask us to confirm it in writing before you order and we will get it from BelAire.

Certification, stated plainly

The air receiver is built and stamped to the ASME pressure vessel code, and BelAire states the compressor is factory tested at full pressure before it ships. That covers the tank.

What we do not hold on file for this unit is a North American third-party electrical safety listing from an accredited testing laboratory. That is a different document from a pressure vessel code stamp, and the two are not interchangeable. Some insurers, some fleet and facility policies, and some local electrical inspectors require the electrical listing specifically. If yours does, confirm the requirement and ask us in writing before you buy rather than after the machine is on your floor. We would rather lose the order than have you fail an inspection.

Shipping and delivery

This compressor ships as freight to the lower 48 states, not by parcel carrier. Freight is quoted live at checkout for your address, so you see the real number before you commit.

You must be able to receive it. That means either a forklift or loading dock at the delivery address, or arranging to collect from the carrier's terminal. A residential delivery is possible and carries a residential fee. When the truck arrives, inspect the crate before you sign: look for a shifted skid, a bent guard, dented tank ends and oil marks. Note any damage on the delivery paperwork before signing, and photograph it. A signed clean bill of lading makes a damage claim very difficult to win, and that is the single most common way a freight problem turns into an argument.

Warranty

The 338HE carries a 2-year bumper-to-bumper factory warranty covering all components, with no additional purchase required to activate it. Keep your invoice and record the serial number when the machine is uncrated.

One warning that applies to every compressor we sell: do not disassemble the pump, the motor or the pressure switch before a warranty claim is opened. Stripping a component to diagnose it yourself is the most reliable way to void the cover on the very part you were trying to prove faulty. Call it in first, and follow the manufacturer's oil, belt tension and drain schedule from day one.