Plug-in Air Compressor

[Grey Mountain]

I got a question from my son, copied below. Some of you way smarter than I please offer comments and I'll pass them on.

GM

***What do you know about current draw on a small 1/2 to 1 horsepower air compressor? Would a power inverter that you plug into car be enough to run it? When I go four wheeling I air down my tires to 15 psi for better traction, but need to air them back up to 33 for the drive home. Those cheap 12volt air compressors are way to slow and not strong enough. home deport has a hot dog style 3gallon 1hp for $80 that I think would do the trick, if the power inverter would be strong enough.
Thoughts?

[bottd]

https://www.amazon.com/airmaxxx-Air-Comp...B00BEN3BNU

Not recommending this exact model but something like it. Almost all of the manufacturers that sell air bag and or air shock suspensions also sell 12 vdc compressors that are designed to be permanently installed, and are much better than the the little ones you plug into the lighter outlet.

[Mr_Mike]

Buy a bottle of nitrogen and a regulator from your local gas supplier and take that with appropriate hoses and fittings. 2000 psi or so to start with.

A 33" off-road tire is about 4.5 cu ft. You want to go from about 1 atmosphere to about 2 atmospheres, which means you need to add about 4.5 cu ft per tire to air back up.

Your smallest tank is 20 cu ft of ambient equivalent gas. This would give you about one all around air-up per tank. The next size up is 40 cu ft and will give you two fill-ups. Both are compact and easy to carry.

Otherwise, use a 12 volt on-board compressor with a tank.

[Admiral]

Hmmm, doubtful.  The sparkies around here would know better though....

He's better off with a larger portable air tank, 10 or 12 gal, would be enough to get his tires close enough to road worthy, then stop at a gas station on the way home to top them off.  I can just fill two tires from about 20 to 32 psi from my 5 gallon one.

[Mr_Mike]

To add, I have a dive card, so I'd get a SCUBA tank and an air chuck adapter and be done with it. All off-the shelf hardware and would take me about 5 clicks to buy. If the son SCUBAs, do this.

[JGrout]

Why not one of these.

I have installed a couple of them they do an adequate job though still may be a bit on the slow side for tires.....

[goaliedad]

How about a small generator to power the compressor, or a gas powered compressor? Scuba tanks sounds best

[Anak]

I have a situation similar to your son.  The goal is built in onboard air, but until then I am getting by with this:

Viair 400P

Easily transfers from one vehicle to another.

However, be advised, the gauge is a complete POS.  Probably reads about 50% of actual.  I didn't buy it for the gauge so much as for the portable compressor.

A number of other folks I wheel with operate off of CO2 tanks.  Powertank would be one system to consider.

Alternatively, you can build your own system.

There are plenty of options, but I have yet to see anyone trying to run a 120 VAC air compressor off an inverter.  I suspect an inverter capable of supporting that load would cost more than a 12 VDC air compressor of comparable quality to the Viair.

[Grey Mountain]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've passed them on to my son. He's in NE Georgia; i'm in SW Oklahoma, so no hands-on advice or experiments frm me.

GM

[chips ahoy]

Lonnie
When I had my 4 wheeler I always carried one of those cigarette lighter plug in compressors. Never had a problem with it, and didn't find it all that slow. Actually still have two of them.

Mel