Portable air compressor

[HappyKayakers]

I've been looking for a decent air compressor since last year when I stopped at a convenience store for air and it actually bled air from my trailer tires. Tried several of the small 12 volt, plug into cigarette lighter, 300 psi rated, and none would get the trailer tires up to 110. (OK for truck tires though) Finally found this one on sale for 49.99 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93186
Good thing it was on sale since I had to go back for an accessory pack. The only attachments that were supposed to be in the box were for inflatable balls and mattresses. Tested on the rig today and it brought a tire up from 105 to 110 in just a minute or 2. A little inconvenient doing a direct hookup to the battery but could be a lifesaver in the middle of nowhere.

 

[khalsey]

I bought the same compressor recently and just got around to testing it out yesterday on the trail air pin box. It took it up to 110 psi very quickly which will work for me.

 

[Goldenwingers]

I have one that I purchased over the INTERNET that looks like the same one you found at Harbor Freight and it works very well for me. The ones you find at convenience stores that you stuff quarters in sometimes will not pump over 50 lbs.

Don

 

[ChopperBill]

Have been looking at that deal and now that I know it works I will be going to HF and picking one up. Thanks!

 

[billd]

I have one of them also. It works well.

Bill

 

[Uncle Rog]

Thanks for the link, I am all over that deal. They are on sale for $50, I have a driver headed over for one as I post, also I do not like them but just in case had a plug kit sent over just to get to a tire shop.....UR

 

[tdharley]

Just got my air compressor delivered from Harbor Freight.

Very impressed, love the case & its chrome ..oooooooooooh, I hope it works as good as it looks.

 

[nhunter]

I was wondering why I have never heard of Harbor Freight, but i guess they stop at the border. To bad looks like a dandy.

 

[tdharley]

Harbor freight is a good tool supply. Most of the tools they sell are knucklebusters but since I am not a proffesional the odd tools they sell come in handy. They do have name brands also.

They have a factory outlet on I-95 on my way down to
Florida & it is always a must stop.

 

[trdeal]

Ordered mine today.

 

[HappyKayakers]

I was wondering why I have never heard of Harbor Freight, but i guess they stop at the border. To bad looks like a dandy.

Don't they do mail order?

 

[tdharley]

They were originally only mail order, they only have a few retail stores.

http://www.harborfreight.com/

 

[nhunter]

Being from the Great White North, I had never even heard of it. Of course now that has changed and I have some late night internet shopping to take care of. We have Princess Auto which looks similar but maybe not as high class.

 

[Tom of Ypsi]

I went to Harbor Freight a bought this air compressor for $49 like it was stated and it has not lived up to what everyone else is saying. This thing kept blowing fuses (3) after 1/2 hour of use and I never was able to finish pumping up my tires. I took it back to Harbor Freight with no problems and wanted to get another one just in case the one I bought was defective. I was told the sale was off and I would be charged the original price of $69. They would not let me just exchange it. I walked out. Now I am looking for another one that is similar.

 

[tdharley]

Looks like I better go fish the box out of the garbage.

I will give it a test today, my Bobcat needs a tire inflation. If it can handle that I will keep it on the work truck.

Thanks for the heads up Tom

 

[trdeal]

Looks like I better go fish the box out of the garbage.

I will give it a test today, my Bobcat needs a tire inflation. If it can handle that I will keep it on the work truck.

Thanks for the heads up Tom

tdharley, let us know what you think. I may still have time to cancel mine before it ships.

 

[katkens]

On my other trailers forum they were going thru this dilemma on compressors and consensus was none of these small compressors work to satisfaction.That forum is alot larger than this one and I think just about all brands were bought and tried including this one.
I just went an bought a 120 volt 1HP , 2 gallon one from Sears on sale for $90 like most of them are doing. They were also purchasing one from Home Depot made by coleman I think, that they were pleased with. I don't dry camp much and also figure I can find electric somewhere I can plug into especially after I get that generator I'm planning on. Ken

 

[Goldenwingers]

Not sure of the brand name that has been bought at Harbor Freight but it looks like a Viair. I purchased a Superflow MV-50 off the internet about six months ago and have nothing but praise for it. It is everything the manufacturer claims. It did blow one fuse and had an extra fuse that come with it but I didn't like the looks of the extra fuse so I replaced it with one I had bought from an auto parts store and have not had any more problems with it.

Here is a link where several compressors were tested by an off road club with their findings.
http://www.parksoffroad.com/prodreview/inflatortest/inflatormain.htm

Also found another one at J C Whitney that is a dual cylinder and pumps much faster and is of course more expensive.
Link for it is http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2012885/p-2012885/N-111+10201+600017719/c-10101##

I hope this helps.

Don

 

[HappyKayakers]

I went to Harbor Freight a bought this air compressor for $49 like it was stated and it has not lived up to what everyone else is saying. This thing kept blowing fuses (3) after 1/2 hour of use and I never was able to finish pumping up my tires. I took it back to Harbor Freight with no problems and wanted to get another one just in case the one I bought was defective. I was told the sale was off and I would be charged the original price of $69. They would not let me just exchange it. I walked out. Now I am looking for another one that is similar.

Tom,
2 questions. First, were you running your car or truck engine and still blowing fuses? When I first tried mine, I just hooked it up to the battery without starting the truck and blew a fuse trying to get up to 45 psi. After getting new fuses and running the truck, got a trailer tire from 105 to 110 psi. Second, did you call Central Pneumatics to see what they had to say?

 

[Tom of Ypsi]

Joe and Suzanne,

I was running the compressor off of the coach batteries. I figure if I am on the road and hooked up I would need to use the coach batteries so I would not have to unhook and turn around or jocky around to put air in the tires. The coach has a full charge, charged the batteries at home at put them in at my storage site.
I did not call Central Pneumatics to find out if there is a problem.