Direct-Drive Compressor vs Belt Compressor - Which One is Right For You?

Who doesn’t want to have the best air compressor for a home garage? When you need to pump up your car’s tire or repaint your car or cut metal with a plasma cutter, only the most reliable air compressor could do the job.

Air compressors come in 3 major types - reciprocating, rotary and rotary vane air compressors. Each type has its own set of engines, pumps, assembly and design. But what I’m showing you in this video are my air compressors of two different kinds and therefore have two different driving systems. In other words, I will be discussing the differences and advantages of these - air compressor belt vs direct drive and tips on how to choose an air compressor.

So what’s the difference between these two? A direct drive air compressor powers its system by utilizing its pump that is connected directly to the motor. It does not have a pulley system or a belt. Most of the home garage-type air compressors we use today are the direct drive types as these are not only portable and light but they require less maintenance and no need for pulley & belt replacements that commonly undergo wear and tear.

The belt drive air compressors, on the other hand, have belts that are wound to the pulley while the pulley is connected to the motor. And whenever the motor operates, this turns the belt and power is transferred to the compressor’s air pump. Since I have both of these types of air compressors, you can see for yourself which of these can be the best air compressor for home garage based on their air capacity, power and flexibility and these are the qualities you must look for in how to choose an air compressor for your specific needs.

To summarize my video content, I have shown here the air capacity of both so that you can know which of them could fit your needs. I have also presented here how to adjust the air pressure of each unit so that your machine won’t need to experience constant strain in reaching its maximum air capacity.

Nonetheless, I have also shown here which of these can be more flexible in terms of usage and that the belt drive wins in this category because it is much bigger, has a more powerful motor, and larger air capacity. However, the direct drive air compressor is also favored because this is best for light air requirements such as nail gunning, plasma cutting, light air spray painting, and the like.
So if you want to know what is it about air compressor belts vs direct drive and which of these could be suitable for your garage work, better watch this video and learn more.