BelAire 318HE: a full-size 80 gallon compressor that stands 49 in. tall
Height is the specification nobody checks until the machine is on the pallet in the doorway. The 318HE solves that by lying down: it is an 80 gallon horizontal unit measuring 71 in. long, 24 in. wide and only 49 in. to the top. That puts it under a mezzanine, under a mid-height window, behind a bench, or in the sort of basement workshop where a vertical tank simply will not stand up.
What it does not do is give anything away for the privilege. This is a proper Elite Series machine — 5 HP, two-stage, triple-pass aftercooler, automatic tank drain, low oil switch — on ordinary 1-Phase power. The layout is the concession; the specification is not.
What it delivers
The pump produces 18.5 CFM at 100 PSI and works up to 175 PSI. That is comfortably enough for a one- or two-person shop running impact tools, ratchets, blow guns and a spray gun, and the 80 gallon reserve is what lets a 5 HP machine behave like a larger one: the tank absorbs the peaks so the motor is not started and stopped every ninety seconds. Short-cycling is what kills compressors in small shops, and tank volume is the cure.
Two-stage compression is why 175 PSI is a working figure rather than a limit. Air is compressed, cooled between stages, then compressed again, so the pump is not trying to reach high pressure in one hot stroke. The cylinder carries a cast-iron sleeve, the drive is by belt, and lubrication is splash with an oil sight glass for level checks.
The Elite parts that are usually optional
Three things on this compressor are commonly upsells elsewhere, and all three are fitted here.
The triple-pass pump-mounted aftercooler passes hot discharge air through the cooler three times before it enters the tank. Cooler air holds less water, so the moisture condenses over the tank drain instead of in your air line — which is the difference between clean air at the tool and a bad afternoon with a spray gun.
The Elite Series automatic tank drain is pressurised rather than electronic. It uses the tank's own pressure to expel condensate, so there is no timer to set, nothing to lose its programming, and no reliance on anyone remembering. Regular draining is what determines whether the tank rusts from the inside.
The low oil switch stops the compressor before a splash-lubricated pump can run itself dry. A pump low on oil does not warn you; it seizes. The switch is cheap insurance against the one failure that writes off a pump.
Will it fit, and will it run?
The footprint is the trade you make for the low height: 71 in. of length is more than a vertical machine wants, so measure the wall you intend to put it against and leave access at the pump end for belt and oil service. Listed weight is 501 lb, on a level floor able to carry it.
Electrically it takes a 1-Phase supply at 208V or 230V — it wires into either, so you do not have to know which your building has before ordering — and BelAire lists a 40 Amp breaker for it. A magnetic starter is fitted. Have a licensed electrician confirm the service, size the conductors and set the disconnect before the machine arrives; the supply, permits and inspection are the customer's responsibility.
For moisture-critical work BelAire suggests adding the CPXHT25 dryer. It is not included, and neither is any other air treatment.
Perfect for
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Low-ceiling shops, basements and buildings with a mezzanine — the reason to choose this model over the vertical one.
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One- and two-bay garages that need reliable, continuous air rather than headline horsepower.
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Home and hobby workshops with single-phase service and the panel capacity for a 40 Amp circuit.
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Anywhere the compressor must tuck out of the way along a wall rather than occupying a corner floor to ceiling.
What is included
Delivered as a complete assembled unit: two-stage pump with cast-iron cylinder sleeve, 5 HP single-phase motor with magnetic starter, 80 gallon horizontal ASME tank with safety valve, triple-pass pump-mounted aftercooler, Elite Series automatic (non-electronic) tank drain, low oil switch, oil sight glass, pressure gauge, start/stop pressure switch control and a fully enclosed high-flow belt guard. Air dryer not included.
Specifications
| Model |
318HE, Elite Series |
| Motor |
5 HP, 208V or 230V, 1-Phase, magnetic starter fitted |
| Recommended breaker |
40 Amp |
| Pump |
Two-stage, cast-iron cylinder sleeve, belt drive, splash lubricated, low oil shut-off |
| Airflow |
18.5 CFM at 100 PSI |
| Maximum pressure |
175 PSI |
| Cooling |
Triple-pass pump-mounted aftercooler |
| Tank |
80 gallon horizontal ASME, automatic pressurised drain |
| Air outlet |
3/4 inch |
| Dimensions |
71 in. L x 24 in. W x 49 in. H |
| Weight |
501 lb |
| Warranty |
2 Year, bumper to bumper |
Certification, stated plainly
The tank and safety valve are ASME rated. ASME is a pressure-vessel standard: it covers the vessel holding the compressed air and it does not speak to the motor, the starter or the wiring. BelAire's data for this model does not claim a third-party North American electrical safety listing, and we are not going to let one certification stand in for another. If your insurer, a workplace policy or a local inspector requires listed shop equipment, ask us what documentation ships with this unit and get the answer in writing before you order.
Shipping and delivery
This compressor ships by freight to the lower 48 states, on a pallet. You need a way to take 501 lb off the truck: a dock, a forklift, or a pallet jack with hard, flat ground between the trailer and the door. Where that is not possible, terminal pickup is usually the easier route and we will help arrange it. A residential delivery address carries a residential fee, which is quoted with your shipping at checkout.
Inspect the unit before you sign the delivery receipt. Check the tank, the aftercooler, the belt guard, the gauge and the motor for dents or scrapes, and record anything you find on the paperwork with the driver present. Signing a clear receipt and reporting damage afterwards is the single most common way a straightforward freight claim gets lost.
Warranty
Cover is a 2 Year bumper-to-bumper factory warranty, with no additional purchase required. The warranty document supplied with the compressor is the governing text, so read it on arrival rather than at the moment you need it. And do not take the pump, motor or electrical enclosure apart before a claim has been opened — a part that has already been disassembled is the easiest kind of claim for a manufacturer to decline.
