BelAire 318VLE Elite Series: a triple-pass aftercooler on an 80 gallon vertical tank
The feature that separates the 318VLE from cheaper compressors of the same size is bolted to the pump: a triple-pass, pump-mounted aftercooler. Compressed air leaves a two-stage pump hot, and hot air holds water. Passing it through the cooler three times before it enters the tank drops its temperature enough that a serious share of the moisture condenses where you want it — in the tank, above the drain — instead of travelling down your pipework to a spray gun or an air tool.
That is not a cosmetic upgrade. It is the difference between a shop that fights water in its air lines every humid week and one that does not. The rest of the Elite package follows the same theme of things that are usually optional being fitted as standard: magnetic starter, automatic tank drain, low oil level switch, oil level sight glass and a fully enclosed high-flow belt guard.
The machine in one paragraph
It is a two-stage, belt-driven compressor on an 80 gallon vertical ASME tank, running on 1-Phase power at 230V (or 208V), with a maximum working pressure of 175 PSI. Vertical means the tank stands up, so the machine occupies about the floor area of a small workbench and puts the rest of its volume into height you were not using anyway. For a shop where the floor is the scarce resource — and that is most shops — this is the layout that makes sense.
Why the small protections matter
The low oil level switch is the one that will eventually save you money. Splash-lubricated pumps depend on oil being where the dippers can reach it, and a pump run low seizes rather than complaining. The switch shuts the compressor down instead. The automatic tank drain is pressure-operated rather than electronic, which means it has no timer to program and nothing to lose its settings — it uses the tank's own pressure to expel condensate. And the magnetic starter provides proper motor protection, including dropping the contactor on a power failure so the machine does not restart under load the moment the supply returns.
Individually these are small. Together they are the reason an Elite Series unit tends to still be running when a budget compressor of the same age has been replaced twice.
Will it fit, and will it run?
Electrical first: this is a single-phase machine, and BelAire lists a 60 Amp breaker for it. That is a substantial single-phase circuit, so treat it as an electrical project rather than a plug-in. A licensed electrician should confirm the available service, size the conductors and fit the disconnect. Supply, permits and inspection are the customer's responsibility, as is a level floor able to carry a loaded 80 gallon tank and clear space around the pump for the cooling air it needs.
For height, a vertical compressor is only as usable as the ceiling above it. Measure the ceiling, the door you will bring it through and the swing of any overhead door track before you order — read the dimensions note below first, because the published height figures differ, and a compressor that will not stand up in the space is an expensive freight mistake.
Confirm the horsepower, airflow and dimensions before you order
Published figures for this model differ, and the difference is worth a message before you buy. This listing's own description and title describe a 7.5 HP vertical machine rated 22.3 CFM at 100 PSI, measuring 39 in. long by 24 in. wide by 77 in. tall. The specification block attached to the same product is headed with the sibling model's number, describes a horizontal tank with a completely different footprint, and lists both a higher horsepower figure and a slightly lower airflow figure.
| Stated by this listing and its title |
7.5 HP, 22.3 CFM at 100 PSI, 39 in. L x 24 in. W x 77 in. H, vertical tank |
| Stated by the attached specification block |
The sibling model's number, a horizontal tank, a different footprint, a higher horsepower and a lower airflow figure |
| Corroboration |
The three-phase unit in the same family, which is unambiguously vertical, is listed with the same 39 x 24 x 77 in. footprint stated above |
| What to do |
Ask us to confirm horsepower, airflow and dimensions in writing before you order |
The figures above are the ones this page publishes, because they are the ones attributed to this model. The competing numbers are carried under the sibling model's number and are not quoted here. If horsepower, airflow or the overall height decides your purchase, confirm the current figures with us in writing before you order — we will get them straight from BelAire. One message settles it.
Perfect for
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Shops short on floor space — the vertical tank is the whole point of choosing this model over the horizontal one.
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Paint and finishing work, where the triple-pass aftercooler does real work every day.
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Single-phase buildings that need commercial-grade air and cannot get three-phase service.
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Busy independent garages running impact tools, ratchets and sanders across more than one bay.
What is included
Supplied factory-assembled with the pump, motor, vertical ASME tank, triple-pass pump-mounted aftercooler, magnetic starter, automatic (non-electronic) tank drain, low oil level switch, oil sight glass, pressure gauge, start/stop pressure switch and fully enclosed high-flow belt guard. An air dryer is not included.
Specifications
| Model |
318VLE, Elite Series |
| Supply |
230V (or 208V), 1-Phase |
| Recommended breaker |
60 Amp |
| Motor, as stated by this listing |
7.5 HP — confirm before you order; see the note above |
| Airflow, as stated by this listing |
22.3 CFM at 100 PSI — confirm before you order; see the note above |
| Maximum pressure |
175 PSI |
| Pump |
Two-stage, belt drive, splash lubricated, low oil level switch |
| Cooling |
Triple-pass pump-mounted aftercooler |
| Tank |
80 gallon ASME, automatic pressurised drain |
| Outlet |
3/4 inch |
| Dimensions, as stated by this listing |
39 in. x 24 in. x 77 in. — confirm before you order; see the note above |
| Warranty |
2 Year, bumper to bumper, valves included |
Certification, stated plainly
The tank on this compressor and its safety valve are ASME rated — a pressure-vessel standard covering the vessel that holds the air. It is not a listing of the electrical assembly, and this product's published data does not claim a third-party North American electrical safety listing for the machine. We would rather point that out than let the ASME rating be read as something broader than it is. If your insurer, your corporate safety policy or your local inspector requires a listing of that kind, ask us what documentation ships with the unit before you buy, and get the answer in writing.
Shipping and delivery
This compressor ships by freight to the lower 48 states, upright on a pallet. Unloading is on you: a dock, a forklift, or a pallet jack with hard flat ground between the truck and the door. Where none of that exists, terminal pickup with a trailer is usually the smoother option, and we will set it up. Deliveries to residential addresses carry a residential fee, which appears with your shipping quote at checkout.
Inspect it on the tailgate, not after the truck has gone. Check the tank, the aftercooler, the belt guard and the gauge, and write anything you find on the delivery receipt before you sign. Once you have signed clear, a damage claim becomes very hard to win — this is the single most common avoidable loss on freight of this size.
Warranty
BelAire lists this model with a 2 Year bumper-to-bumper factory warranty covering all components including valves, with no additional purchase required. The warranty document supplied with the compressor is the version that governs, so read it on arrival. And do not take the pump, motor or electrical enclosure apart before a claim is opened — a component that has already been disassembled is the easiest kind of claim for a manufacturer to decline.
