Customer Reviews

Hitachi EC129 15 Amp 3-1/2 Horsepower 5 Gallon Oiled Wheeled Twin Hot Dog Compressor

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very nice looking and well-built unit. It is a little too large to carry around like other small compressors, but the cartwheels and handle make it easy enough to get this unit around. And you can still carry it a short distance, like up some steps, but with two hands. This compressor is not quiet. It's actually a good bit louder than my 4 gal. Dewalt I had previously. But compressors probably aren't designed to be quiet and this unit's motor is slightly larger.
Now for the main issue, the unit ships without quick connect fittings for the front regulator panel so it's not plug and play out the box. When you get back from your local hard ware store with the fittings, and screw them in, you realize that they stick out past the roll cage built to protect the entire unit. This kind of negates the purpose of the cage. If the unit had been designed to ship with the fittings they would have recessed them more to prevent this.
This unit puts out more pressure, has a nicer regulator set up, and has slightly larger tanks than pretty much every compressor in this price range, so it still deserves 3 ½ stars by me, but on the next design ship it with fittings that have a low profile.
Thanks, JP

I bought this compressor refurbished, but i ran into a problem. The compressor seized up about 45 minutes into use. (Simple 20 minute repair which could have been prevented. Read on.....) Don't use the dipstick as a guide as to whether or not you have enough oil in the unit. The correct fill mark is about 3/8 of an inch above the neoprene O-ring on the dipstick. To correct the problem, simply tip it on its side and remove the end cover (three bolts which contains the dip stiick). Take a cold chisel or a large drive pin punch and hit the steel flywheel (not the aluminum connecting rod) getting it to rotate. Keep hitting it until you get it to move fairly easily. To check your progress, plug it in and momentarily turn it on. Once it's loosens enough to start running, unplug it, reinstall the cover, AND ADD the proper amount of oil. (I believe that it's 8 ounces). It's fixed! Now, how does it work? I've never had a compressor which refilled the tanks as quickly as this one. I use it to blow out my underground sprinkler system. That was always a time consuming chore with my other compressors because the wait to fill the tanks could take 2-3 minutes. With this compressor, it's only 14-17 seconds! That's simply amazing. I can blow out the sprinkler system twice in less that 45 minutes. Used to take almost 2 hours. I would have rated it 5 stars had it not been for the seizing problem. Noise is not an issue with me since I use it outside.