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BelAire 338V — 5 HP, 80 Gallon, Two-Stage, 208-230V 3-Phase

Heat is what ends the life of a reciprocating compressor, and the 338V is built around getting rid of it. The pump pairs solid cast iron cylinders with aluminium heads — iron where the wear happens, aluminium where the heat has to escape, because aluminium sheds heat far faster than iron does. Downstream of the pump sits an aftercooler that drops discharge temperature before the air reaches the tank. Neither feature shows up in a headline CFM figure, and both are why a machine is still on its original valves in year six.

It is a 5 HP, 3-phase unit on 208-230V service with a magnetic starter already fitted, mounted on an 80 gallon vertical ASME tank, and it carries a 2-year bumper-to-bumper factory warranty.

Why Cooling Decides the Duty Cycle

Air heats up when you squeeze it. In a two-stage pump the charge is compressed once, routed through an intercooler, and compressed again — cooling between the stages is the only reason the machine can reach its 175 PSI maximum without the oil thinning and the discharge valves carboning up. The aftercooler then does the same job one more time on the way out. Cooler air into the tank means more of the water that was in it condenses in the tank, where a daily turn of the manual drain gets rid of it, instead of travelling down your lines and into a spray gun.

That is also the honest limit of this machine: it does not include a dryer, so if you are spraying finish, plan on air treatment after the tank. The pump is splash lubricated and has an oil sight glass, so checking it is a glance rather than a job, and the drive is belt rather than direct, which lets the pump turn slower than the motor — slower pump speed, lower temperature, longer service life.

Confirm the Delivery Figure at Full Pressure

Published figures for delivery at maximum pressure differ:

The rated figure at 100 PSI is 18.5 cubic feet per minute and is not in dispute. If your tool list depends on the delivery figure at full pressure, ask us in writing before you order and we will confirm it against the factory spec sheet.

Will It Fit, and Will It Run?

The unit is 39" long, 24" wide and 77" tall, and weighs 457 lbs. The height is the number that catches people out: measure from the finished floor to the lowest obstruction over the spot you intend to use, not to the ceiling, because ductwork, a garage door track or a light fitting will decide the answer. The vertical tank buys you floor space in exchange for that height, which is a good trade in a busy bay and a bad one in a basement.

Electrically it is 3-phase at 208-230V with the magnetic starter included, so no separate starter purchase is needed. BelAire publishes amp draw and breaker size as "consult a certified electrician" rather than a number, because the right conductor and breaker depend on your run length and local code. Getting that confirmed before delivery is the customer’s responsibility, and it is much cheaper than discovering it after a 457 lb machine is standing in the bay.

Perfect For

• Busy independent workshops on three-phase power running two or three technicians on air at once.
• Body and paint work, where the aftercooler and a disciplined daily drain do real work — with separate air treatment added for the gun.
• Light industrial and production benches that need steady pressure rather than a burst.
• Shops with headroom. At 77" this is a tall machine on a small footprint.

What’s in the Box

You receive the compressor assembled: two-stage belt-driven pump, magnetic motor starter, start-stop pressure switch, oil sight glass, fully enclosed high-flow belt guard, stainless steel valves, pressure gauge, air filter, ASME safety valve and a manual tank drain valve, all on the 80 gallon vertical tank. Every unit is 100% factory tested at full pressure before it ships. No air dryer is fitted — the spec sheet records none — so plan air treatment separately if you are spraying. The tank outlet is 3/4".

Specifications

Certification, Stated Plainly

The receiver is an ASME tank — designed, welded and inspected to the American pressure-vessel code, and supplied with a matching safety relief valve. Read that for exactly what it is: a certification of the pressure vessel, not a third-party safety listing of the complete electrical machine. Some insurers, plant safety policies and local jurisdictions ask for the latter. If yours does, ask us in writing before ordering and we will answer in writing rather than reassure you on the phone.

Shipping and Delivery

This machine ships as freight to the lower 48 states, not as a parcel. The crate carries a 457 lb machine standing 77" tall. Freight is quoted live at checkout for your address, and delivery to a residential address carries a residential fee. If you would rather collect it yourself, terminal pickup is available and avoids that fee.

Plan the unloading before the truck arrives. The driver is not responsible for taking the crate off the deck, so you need a forklift, a loading dock, or several people and an engine hoist. When it lands, walk around the crate with the driver: check the shroud, the belt guard, the gauges and the tank for dents or scrapes, and write any damage you find on the delivery paperwork before you sign it. A signed clean bill of lading is very hard to argue with afterwards; a noted exception is straightforward.

Warranty

2-year bumper-to-bumper factory warranty, published for both consumer and commercial use, with the full document available on this page. If something fails, do not take the pump, starter or pressure switch apart before the claim is opened. The manufacturer has the right to inspect the failed part in the state it failed, and a dismantled component is the most common reason a valid claim is refused. Call us and we will open it with you.