12 V Air Compressor

[6Quigs]

Putting air in the popup tires was always a chore.
Of the 3 Gas Stations close to me,
only one had reasonable access near the Air, that I could tow the Popup close to, but I would still be slightly blocking access to the gas pumps with the rig.
Now with the Hybrid, I completely block access to two lanes of gas pumps, and the truck sticks out, blocking the adjacent parking lot.

So today, while in the auto parts store, I picked up a 12 volt air compressor for $15.
So I took it home and tried it out.
It took 5 minutes to get the air in a tire from 55 to 65 psi.
Still a lot easier than squezing the rig into a gas station, and it will take some time to recouperate the quarters the gas station air was costing me.

Anybody else use one of these, and is the 5 minutes it took to pump up the tire normal.

[labontefan]

I bought one awhile back from Wal-Mart, but it didn't seem like it was inflating the tires too well. However, I may give it another try. Trying to get the pop-up next to the air hose at the local convenience store, without blocking the pumps is a bit of a challenge!

[forestwalker]

We have one.It does take a while ! Better than nothing if you need it.

[rccs]

I have one in every car I own (including the two the kids drive). I have used one or the other several times. You are right about them being slow, but sure. It does take a while to see much progress when using one. The one I have in my car is made by Coleman and is the one I have had the longest. It is not enclosed in a plastic case like the others so you can see how tiny the compressor actually is. I don't think the piston in the compressor can be much bigger around than a dime. I used it at work a couple of times to pump up a totally flat tire and I would say that it probably took at least a half hour to get it up to full, but it saved having to take the tire off to get the vehicle to the service station to have the tire checked out. I just plugged it in and hooked it up to the tire and went and done something else for a while.

[MtnCamper]

If you want to spend a little more, Wally world has the small ones, about a gallon tank for $99.They work good.

[SkipP]

We bought a cordless one to take along. Kinda heavy but it's a little quicker that the 12v ones, has a light and a cigarette plug in it. Bought it at Lowes for around $40.

[oldmoose]

I bought a Penske compressor at Costco and it does take a while to fill the tire. Was going to say pump it up, but didn't want the Maple Leaf crowd to get excited.

Moose

[tlhdoc]

I have one, and it does take a little bit to pump up a car or trailer tire, but well worth the time when you need it.

[Ab Diver]

Kev, I have one of those little 12V compressors as well. Works good for low pressure stuff like dive tubes, beach balls, rubber rafts, and such. For high pressure stuff, it takes a loooong time to get anywhere. Oh, sure, it'll reach the max pressure listed on the box, but not in my lifetime. For emergencies, it's there, but for everything else in life I bought a real live air compressor. Not an industrial machine, just a little homeowner jobby, and I use it every week of the year, and before each and every camp trip. Some of the best money I ever spent. Do yourself a favor and get one, you'll appreciate it every single time you need to top off a tire at home, blow out the leaves from the gutters, clean out the fuel jets on the lawnmower, blow the spiderwebs off the kids bikes, run the random orbit sander, scare the cat, use the air wrench to work on something, ect, ect, ect.

[oldmoose]

So Dave, how much did that small compressor set you back?
Moose

[6Quigs]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I wasn't sure if I got a dud compressor, the length of time it was taking to inflate the tire.
I took the cover off, to have a look, and it sure is a small compressor, but it still is better than taking the rig through my local gas ststion.

scare the cat,

O.K. Ab Diver, you got my interest with that.
So how much did yours set you back?
I presume it is 110 volt.
Did it come with a tank?
What size?

[topcat7736]

Hey Dave, leave the cat alone! :W

 
The problem with the 12-volt compressors is their low PSI ratings. If you go to Sears.com (where America shops ) and do a search of "12 volt compressor", they have a 12-volt SUVTruck compressor that puts out 300 psi. That would inflate a tire much quicker than the 100-200psi.

[Ab Diver]

Hey Dave, leave the cat alone!

Hehehehe... was wondering if anybody would catch that one.
 

So how much did yours set you back?
I presume it is 110 volt.
Did it come with a tank?
What size?

Kev and Bill, I bought mine years ago, after the first time I tried filling a tire with the 12V *toypressor*. It's a generic 110 volt, 5 *max* hp (which translates to about 2.5 hp in reality), oil lubricated, 20 gallon tank with wheels. Cost about $150 back then. The same basic unit would cost a cupla hundred now.
 
Sears has a nice little 2 gallon, 125 psi compressor for $99.99 that would be perfect for the stuff you're thinking of doing. It won't run an air-hog pneumatic tool like a sander for very long, but for filling tires, finish nailing, running that new air-powered stapler you'll give to the wife for Mother's day, blowing the dust off your coveralls (and even scaring the cat), it would do the job quite nicely. And it would sure beat standing around waiting for that 12V toypressor to pump a cupfull of air into your tire.
 
Then again, an extra SCUBA tank works really well for filling tires, too. DAMHIKT  

[6Quigs]

Thanks for the info Dave,
Yea, it looks like I should have sprung for the larger 2 HP motor with a tank in the first place.
The little 12 volt one is fine for right now,
but I will add the Sears one to my Christmas wish list

Poor cat :eek: