What a good hire brief contains
A hire compressor that is too small stalls the job; one that is too large wastes fuel and costs more to move. The difference usually comes down to the first message. A good brief answers seven questions:
- The job. Breakers, rock drills, sandblasting, borewell drilling, cable blowing, pipeline testing, plant breakdown cover or a planned shutdown.
- Flow. The air demand in cfm or m³/min, or the number and type of tools so we can work it out.
- Pressure. What the tool or process needs at the point of use, in bar or psig.
- Air quality. Whether ordinary site air is fine or the air must be dry, cool or oil-free.
- Duty. Hours per day, single shift or round the clock, and how long the hire will run.
- Power and fuel. Electric supply available, or diesel; who refuels.
- Site. Location, access for a truck or tractor, ground conditions, space and any permits.
If some answers are not yet known, say so. We will help fill the gaps, and where it matters we visit the site first.
Working out flow and pressure
Add up the air consumption of the tools that will run at the same time, not every tool on site. Then allow for hose losses and wear. These are typical figures for common site tools:
| Use | Typical air demand | Typical pressure |
|---|---|---|
| Breaker | 85–145 cfm each | about 7 bar (101.5 psig) |
| Chipping hammer | Depends on hammer; see maker’s data | about 7 bar (101.5 psig) |
| Rock drill | 85–145 cfm each | 7–10 bar (101.5–145 psig) |
| Sandblasting, No. 6 nozzle | 280–300 cfm | about 7 bar (101.5 psig) at the nozzle |
| Sandblasting, No. 8 nozzle | 500–540 cfm | about 7 bar (101.5 psig) at the nozzle |
| Borewell and DTH drilling | 600–1,500 cfm | 200–400 psig (13.8–27.6 bar) |
| Fibre-optic cable blowing | Depends on duct and blowing machine | typically 10–14 bar (145–203.1 psig) |
Pressure at the compressor must be higher than pressure at the tool, because long or narrow hoses lose pressure. Tell us the hose run length, and we will size the hose and the machine together. For reference, 1 bar is 14.5 psi and 1 m³/min is about 35.3 cfm.
As a rough guide to our fleet: 185–250 cfm suits one or two breakers or a small rock drill; 250–400 cfm suits two to four breakers, rock drills or a No. 5 blasting nozzle; 400–600 cfm suits crawler drills, one No. 6–7 blasting nozzle and standby plant air; larger and high-pressure units cover drilling, testing and process duties.
Air quality: site air, dry air or oil-free
For breakers and general site tools, air straight from a portable compressor is usually fine. Other jobs need treatment. Sandblasting for coating work needs cool, dry air to avoid flash rust and poor adhesion, so we add an aftercooler and moisture separator, and a dryer where the coating specification calls for it. Cable blowing typically needs clean, dry, cool air. Plant breakdown cover for instrument air, pharma or food lines may need a refrigerated or desiccant dryer and filtration, or an oil-free compressor. Tell us the air-quality class you normally run at, or the process, and we will match the treatment.
Duty, duration and operation
Tell us the hours per day and the expected length of hire. A single-shift construction job, a round-the-clock steel-plant contract and a three-day shutdown need different planning for fuel, servicing and operators. On hire we change oil and service every 300 running hours, so long or continuous hires include planned service visits.
We can supply operators. On one job at a steel plant in Andhra Pradesh, for example, a 450 cfm diesel unit ran round the clock with our operators on 12-hour shifts and maintenance in our scope. Say whether you need operators, or whether your own team will run the machine after a handover.
Diesel or electric hire
| Consideration | Diesel portable | Electric |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Remote sites, construction, drilling, short jobs | Plant breakdown cover, long hires with power available |
| What you provide | Fuel, or we arrange refuelling | Supply of the right voltage and capacity, cable route |
| Running cost basis | Litres of diesel per hour, depending on load | kWh, at plant electricity rates |
| Site points | Exhaust, noise, fuel storage, ventilation | Isolation, earthing, starter suitability |
If grid power is not available but you want an electric machine, a generator can be arranged; Reddy Generators, under the same management, supplies DG sets.
Site access and constraints
- Full address and a map pin, with the nearest town.
- Access for a truck or towing vehicle, gate width, ground conditions.
- Where the compressor will stand, clearance around it and shade or ventilation.
- Distance from the compressor to the work, and hose route.
- Site rules: permits, induction, working hours, hot-work or hazardous-area restrictions.
In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh summers, ambient temperature at site can reach 40–45 °C, and above 45 °C on open sites, and dust is common on construction and quarry sites. Placing the machine in shade with free airflow, away from blasting dust and other exhausts, keeps it running and avoids high-temperature shutdowns. Portable units carry safety shutdowns for high discharge temperature, low engine oil pressure and high coolant temperature; good placement keeps them from tripping in the afternoon heat.
Breakdown cover and planned shutdowns
If your own compressor has failed, tell us its rating, working pressure, voltage and whether it is oil-free, plus the dryer and receiver arrangement and where we can connect. We have supplied compressors on breakdown to leading pharmaceutical manufacturers in Hyderabad and Telangana. For planned shutdowns, give the dates early and the tie-in point, so hoses, fittings and treatment are ready on arrival. While the hire machine runs, our service team can repair or overhaul your own unit.
Rent, buy new or buy used
For short or uncertain jobs, rental is usually the better choice. For long projects, buying a new or used machine can make more sense, and for long-term projects we can supply brand-new compressors to site. If you are unsure, tell us the expected duration and hours per month and we will compare the options.
What happens after you enquire
- Review. Our engineers check the brief and call back to clarify anything missing, such as tool models, hose length or the tie-in point.
- Proposal. We propose a machine size, pressure, treatment and accessories, and explain the reasoning, including any margin for hose losses or future tools.
- Site check. For plant tie-ins, high-pressure work or difficult access, we may visit first to confirm space, power, connection points and safe placement.
- Delivery and commissioning. The compressor arrives with hoses and fittings, is set up, run and checked under load, and handed over with daily checks explained.
- During hire. Planned servicing at 300 running hours, breakdown support and, where agreed, operators on shift.
- Return. At the end of the hire we arrange collection, note hours run and check the machine and accessories.
How Reddy Compressors helps
Reddy Compressors, Tarnaka, Secunderabad, has supplied industry since 2002. We rent our own fleet of diesel portables, electric and high-pressure compressors from 50 to 2,000 cfm and 2 to 30 bar (about 30–435 psig), oil-injected and oil-free, with hoses, aftercoolers, moisture separators and dryers as needed. Our 20-plus service engineers and technicians handle delivery, commissioning, servicing and breakdown support across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and we supply rentals to projects across India. On a gas-development project at Kakinada, our team supplied and commissioned a package of high-pressure compressors from 750 to 1,100 cfm with generators and operators on site. We are an independent multi-brand business, renting and supplying ELGi, Atlas Copco, Ingersoll Rand, KAESER, Chicago Pneumatic, Doosan and other machines.
What to send us
- The job and the tools or process, with quantities
- Flow and pressure needed, or tool models
- Air-quality needs: dry, oil-free or general
- Start date, duration and hours per day
- Diesel or electric, and who refuels
- Site location, access and hose length
- Whether you need operators
Frequently asked questions
What size air compressor do I need to hire for a breaker?
A typical breaker uses about 85–145 cfm at around 7 bar (101.5 psig). One breaker usually runs well on a compressor of about 185–250 cfm, which also covers hose losses. For two to four breakers, a 250–400 cfm unit is normal. Tell us the breaker model and the hose length, and we will confirm the size before delivery.
Can I hire a compressor with an operator?
Yes. We can supply trained operators who run the compressor, carry out daily checks and handle minor faults, including on round-the-clock shifts. Tell us the working hours and site rules. If your own team will operate the machine, we give a handover covering start-up, shutdown, daily checks and safety, and our service team remains on call for breakdowns.
Do rental compressors come with hoses and dryers?
We supply air hoses, fittings and, where the job needs it, aftercoolers, moisture separators and refrigerated or desiccant dryers. Tell us the hose length and the air quality needed, for example dry air for coating work or clean air for cable blowing. We size the treatment and hoses with the compressor, so pressure and air quality at the tool are right.
How is a hired compressor serviced during a long rental?
On hire jobs we change oil and service every 300 running hours, and our technicians check filters, hoses, safety shutdowns and the engine or motor at each visit. For round-the-clock work this means regular planned visits. Daily checks of oil level, fuel, coolant and drains are done by the operator. Breakdown support is part of our hire service.
Can you supply a hire compressor outside Telangana?
Yes. We supply rental compressors to projects across India, not only in Hyderabad and Telangana. Our service team covers the whole of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and for projects elsewhere we arrange transport, commissioning and site support where feasible. Our hire work has included power, infrastructure and irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Should I hire a diesel or an electric compressor?
Choose diesel where there is no suitable power supply, the work moves around, or the job is short. Choose electric for long hires inside a plant with power available, where it is quieter and has no exhaust. If you need electric air at a site without grid power, a generator can be arranged. Tell us the supply voltage and capacity available.
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