BelAire 338V4 — the 460V Version of the 338 Series

The 338V4 exists for one reason: it is the 338 series built for a 460 volt, 3-phase supply instead of a low-voltage one. If your building already has 460V service — most industrial units, a lot of newer commercial parks, anywhere with a large machine tool already installed — this is the model that plugs into it without a transformer, and the magnetic starter is already fitted so there is nothing extra to buy or wire.

Higher supply voltage is not marketing. At 460V the same 5 HP motor draws roughly half the current it would on a low-voltage supply, which means smaller conductors, a smaller breaker and less voltage drop over a long run from the panel to the corner of the shop. On a machine that starts and stops all day, that is the difference between a warm supply cable and a nuisance trip.

The Pump

Underneath, this is a belt-driven two-stage pump on an 80 gallon vertical ASME tank, splash lubricated, with an oil sight glass, an aftercooler and a fully enclosed belt guard. Two-stage matters more than the horsepower figure: the air is compressed, cooled between stages, then compressed again, which is what lets the unit hold 175 PSI without cooking its own oil. Belt drive lets the pump turn slower than the motor, and slower means cooler and longer-lived. Delivery is rated at 18.5 CFM at 100 PSI.

Three Figures to Confirm Before You Order

Three specifications for this model are published two different ways. Each figure is set out below beside the source that states it.

If any of those three decide your purchase — a tool list sized to the CFM at working pressure, or a service policy that cares whether the cylinder is iron or sleeved aluminium — confirm them with us in writing before you order and we will check them against the factory sheet.

Will It Fit, and Will It Run?

Footprint and height: 39" long, 24" wide, 77" tall, 457 lbs. Measure to the lowest thing above the spot — conduit, a door track, a strip light — not to the ceiling, and check the doorway on the route in. The mass wants a concrete slab; it is not a mezzanine machine.

Electrically: 460V, 3-phase, magnetic starter included, and the manufacturer specifies a 15 amp breaker. Note that this figure exists because the supply voltage is high; do not carry it across to a low-voltage model. Amp draw itself is published as "consult a certified electrician". Whether your panel actually has three-phase 460V available at the point you want the machine, and what the run needs, is a question for a licensed electrician before the order — that part is on the customer, and it is a five-minute check.

Perfect For

• Industrial units and machine shops already wired for 460V three-phase.
• Long cable runs from a distant panel, where the lower current draw of a high-voltage supply is worth having.
• Multi-technician service bays that need steady pressure across several air tools.
• Not for homes or single-phase shops. There is no adapter for this; if your supply is single-phase, look at the single-phase models in the range instead.

What’s in the Box

Assembled compressor on its 80 gallon vertical ASME tank: two-stage pump, magnetic starter, start/stop pressure switch controls, enclosed belt guard, oil sight glass, air filter, pressure gauge, ASME safety valve and a manual tank drain. Not included, and worth budgeting for: the CPXHT25 dryer BelAire recommends for this unit, and a regulator — the spec sheet records none fitted. The tank outlet is 3/4".

Specifications

Certification, Stated Plainly

The tank is built to the American pressure-vessel code and stamped accordingly, and it ships with a matching safety valve. What that certifies is the vessel: its design, its welds, its inspection. It is not a third-party safety listing of the assembled electrical machine, which is a separate document that some insurers, fleet policies and local authorities specifically ask for. If a listing is a condition of your cover or your permit, put the question to us in writing before you order and we will answer it in writing.

Shipping and Delivery

This machine ships as freight to the lower 48 states, not as a parcel. It is a 457 lb crate 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

Backed by a 2-year bumper-to-bumper factory warranty, the same term for consumer and commercial use, with the warranty document on this page. Do not strip a failed pump or starter before the claim is filed — the manufacturer is entitled to see the part as it failed, and a disassembled component is the usual reason a good claim dies. Call us and we will open it with you.