Best Tire Compressor for Trailer Tires

porthole

Retired
Just need to say that if one was to go the bottled gas route (CO2 or nitrogen) the amount of CO2 to be carried would be far less than nitrogen because CO2 is a cyrogentic gas/liquid in the bottle versus nitrogen is just high pressure gas.

In a similar size tank, the CO2 will be roughly 3 times the filling capacity of nitrogen.

HUH? My steel tank is a 72 cu. ft. tank and the aluminum one is 80 cu. ft. of compressed air. I wasn't planning on filling them off the Viair, but maybe taking them (or one) to a dive shop for filling. Just a passing thought at this time, though. The Viair is good for topping off tires, but I wouldn't try to fill a flat with it. That's what Good Sam ERS is for.

SCUBA tanks work well for this. For me the dive shops are easier to get to then the welding supplies. Plus I get free air.

I use an old regulator that was rated for high flow.
A 6" high pressure hose for a gauge and you can buy adapters that will take the threads on the yoke to standard pipe.
My regulator has a 1/2" low pressure port that I am using. I use an adjustable regulator then to get the pressure down to working numbers - 100-125 psi.

If you look around you can also find tire fill adapters that just connect to the tank valve, they are a straight run to the tire valve with no cores. Push it on your valve stem and open the tank, really really quick fills with that!
 

Hastey

Oklahoma Chapter Leaders
In a similar size tank, the CO2 will be roughly 3 times the filling capacity of nitrogen.



SCUBA tanks work well for this. For me the dive shops are easier to get to then the welding supplies. Plus I get free air.

I use an old regulator that was rated for high flow.
A 6" high pressure hose for a gauge and you can buy adapters that will take the threads on the yoke to standard pipe.
My regulator has a 1/2" low pressure port that I am using. I use an adjustable regulator then to get the pressure down to working numbers - 100-125 psi.

If you look around you can also find tire fill adapters that just connect to the tank valve, they are a straight run to the tire valve with no cores. Push it on your valve stem and open the tank, really really quick fills with that!

BULLEX Fire Safety Company sells the parts you are looking for. I do some part time teaching for Green Country Tech as an Industrial Safety Trainer. We have a BULLEX fire extinguisher simulator that we refill the extinguishers with water and re-compress them for training. We use a air tank like the firefighters use w/ their respirators to fill the extinguishers to 120 pounds. Only had to refill once in two years. Now keep in mind we aren't filling the air volume that a tire has.

http://www.bullexsafety.com/?gclid=CJuRh63uj64CFWnatgod3RBPeg
 

deee2

Well-known member
help... we just bought that Sears compressor. Primed it, can blow air out of it...... but it won't do anything once my hubby gets it on the tire. ?? It's silent!! Do you have to sit there awhile before it does it stuff? He can stick his nail in the hose thingie and it does blow air, just not in the tires! AHHHHH
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Take a look at where the pressure regulator is set. It may be set lower than what you need for your tires.

Peace
Dave
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
help... we just bought that Sears compressor. Primed it, can blow air out of it...... but it won't do anything once my hubby gets it on the tire. ?? It's silent!! Do you have to sit there awhile before it does it stuff? He can stick his nail in the hose thingie and it does blow air, just not in the tires! AHHHHH

With many of the small compressors like that, they are rated to 150 psi max., but they operate best at lower pressures. The compressor shuts off when the tank is filled. When I use my 3-gallon Makita air nailer compressor to get my tires to 110 psi, I fill the tank until the compressor shuts off, set the regulator to 110 psi, dump some air via the relief valve until it starts again, and then put the chuck on the tire. Now the compressor acts like the tire is part of the tank volume and keeps running.
 

sdagro

Well-known member
I bought the 150 PSI Porter Cable pancake compressor at Lowe's and has worked fine. Make sure I have it pumped and full before I leave on trip in case I need it on the road. keep in basement. Once at campsite I make sure it is full and turn it off just in case it looses a few # and decides to kick on in the middle of the night. Located directly under the bed. Not a comfortable experience. Steve
 

donr827

Well-known member
I bought the 150 PSI Porter Cable pancake compressor at Lowe's and has worked fine. Make sure I have it pumped and full before I leave on trip in case I need it on the road. keep in basement. Once at campsite I make sure it is full and turn it off just in case it looses a few # and decides to kick on in the middle of the night. Located directly under the bed. Not a comfortable experience. Steve

We basically do the same thing. I do carry a small Honda generator that will run the compressor in the back of the truck.
Don
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Gang:
This is what I finally bought. A Campbell-Hausted FP-26000 AC power mini pancake compressor with a 125 PSI compressor cut-out. I got it thru Sears.com for about $100, but just found it on Home Depot for $75. Now that I have a generator and battery/inverter system for the trailer, I don't have to use the wimpy/expensive 12 volt compressors. It is just 13 inches high, 12 inches in diameter, and 15 lbs. It pumps up the tank in about 3 minutes, and then has an adjustable pressure regulator to set the inflation pressure. It comes with a standard schrader valve coupler, and adapters for air mattresses and sports balls. There is an easy carrying handle built into the top.
One nice thing about the tank-type inflators is that if your tires are not close AC power, you can fill up the tank at the power source, then easily carry the compressor to the tire.
Here is a link: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...SID=-9114566551906659196&AID=10368321&cj=true
 

Silverado23

Iowa Chapter Leaders
I have this pump and really like it: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Flow-MF...421717&sr=8-10 The pump is sold under many different namebrands and I bought mine from O'Reilly's auto parts store. It pumps my tires up to 110 psi within an easy "standing time" wait, in fact I don't leave the pump unattended when in use.
I wonder how easy it would be to attach this pump to a small tank and add a pressure switch to make a 12v pump with storage tank.
 
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