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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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12 v. compact air compressor recommendation??
I foolishly followed the advice of a friend who restores old cars and bought a compact "Slime" compressor at WalMart
Major mistake on several fronts.
First pass it worked great
Second time it had some hiccups
Third time was stop and go,
Fourth time, it seems to have expired.
Who has good luck with one and what is your recommendation
(From the guy who never, ever goes to WM, didn't even know where there was one)
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chippy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1722
Registered: 2-2-2010
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My Smittybilt 2780 has been flawless for 8years.
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David K
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Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Plenty to pick, and there will be those who swear by their V-air or ARB set ups.
I have had good success with my MV-50 pump, it is inexpensive compared to others (under $100 last time I checked) yet clips onto the battery (as the
good ones do, for high amp/ speed) and refills my 16" truck tires from 16 psi to 34 psi in about 3 minutes (6 psi per min).
It is three times faster than the pumps that plug into a cigarette lighter.
Oh, and lucky you, it says WalMart sells them! LOL: https://www.walmart.com/ip/SuperFlow-MV50-Portable-30-Amp-12...
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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I sometimes regret purchases at Harbor Freight, but I bought a compressor there that is similar to the one David posted. It was inexpensive, and I
have been using it for about five years now.
It is not just for Baja runs, I have used it more often at home than I do on most road trips. The difference is that around home it is usually just
one tire, not all four.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1921
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Viair 400p
Not inexpensive but it's worked flawlessly for many years (one time the hose got too hot and broke). A clean cut with a razor knife, slipped it
through the compression nut and it was working fine again.
John M
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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AK, I had the Harbor Freight one before the MV-50. It was also fast, but the fuse holder got so hot it melted the plastic fuses, requiring
replacements after each use.
It also came in a bulky hard plastic case that requires more space in my truck than the MV-50 bag does. I still have it!
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Maderita
Senior Nomad
Posts: 667
Registered: 12-14-2008
Location: San Diego
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Without providing significantly more information about your needs, do not expect to receive any meaningful answers.
Are you planning to fill 4 large offroad tires from 10 psi to 45+ psi in the desert heat? Is it a one-beer stop or a two-beer stop? (How much of a
hurry are you in?)
Or an occasional flat from a nail hole.
RV tires need high psi; make your selection accordingly. High- pressure compressors are a tradeoff by providing lower volume (cfm), therefore slower.
Frequent use or once/twice a year?
How critical is your situation if the pump fails, a 20 mile hike through desert wilderness, or a minor inconvenience?
Do you need to impress your friends with the size? lol
I have an onboard ARB compressor, mounted under a 4x4 van, and have rebuilt it twice.
My favorite is a Viair 350C (C = continuous duty / 100% duty cycle). Mounted inside a "Fat 50" ammo can for portability.
I also have a Viair 400P (P = portable) in a carry bag.
Compressors heat up quickly and most are only around 30% duty cycle. Summer/desert temperatures are hard on compressors. https://www.viaircorp.com/tech
Definitely a fan of Viair compressors. The best prices are usually found on eBay.
My city vehicle carries an inexpensive plug-into-the cigarette-lighter type. Great for filling a single flat tire on the highway. It is not allowed to
ride in any of my offroad vehicles.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Good point about what PSI is required. If I needed more than 30 PSI, for more than one tire, I would not count on my harbor freight model.
Also, if I have aired down all four wheels, I would re-fill them in stages rotating around the vehicle so that all of the tires would get some air
before the compressor might overheat or quit!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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Excellent input, all around
At this point the portable Viair sounds like a winner
At present it will just ride around in my Macan
Since COVID hit my trips have not gone south of San Vicente, sad to say, but that may improve.
Also, the gator clips sound much better than the plug in
But some brilliant design engineer in Germany decided that the battery could be tucked far away under the front seat, which makes that app pretty
inconvenient, to say to least
Any more input, fire away. I will probably not pick one up for a week or two. My neighbor has a nice standing unit that fit the bill today when my
little TinkerToy failed to muster up.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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I jumpstarted a guy once, who was driving a car with the battery buried deep and needed tools to get to it. Fortunately, there were terminal up under
the hood that were easily accessible, just for jumpstarting.
I imagine that if your Macan had those, you would already know about it, but it is something to check for. If you do go with the lighter socket plug
in type, make sure you have extra fuses (for the compressor, and the car)
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Maderita
Senior Nomad
Posts: 667
Registered: 12-14-2008
Location: San Diego
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Viair makes the 75P model, plug-in, about $60. I have not seen one, so cannot attest to the quality. Maybe check out reviews on Amazon, etc.
https://www.viaircorp.com/portables/75P
Sorry, we are mostly offroaders here, with big tires and frequent. if not crucial, use of our equipment.
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1921
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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My Viair 400p
I was able to hard mount it out of the way under the hood and hard wired it. A The air hose remains attached, also helps prevent dust from getting in
the way. The supplied factory hose is plenty long enough to reach all four wheels on my Tacoma.
I don't usually drop the air pressure below 20 psi, and have 31s. Compared to others along on a recent trip, I was usually the second one aired up -
first went to an onboard converted York air conditioning compressor.
The overheating of the hose I mentioned earlier occurred when I was airing up a guy with us, after doing my 4 tires, and he needed 65 lbs. At about 45
lbs is when the hose on my Viair gave up the ghost I'm assuming due to the heat generated - though I may have stretched the hose to reach his truck
adding some stress to the hose.
John M
[Edited on 4-4-2023 by John M]
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
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Hmm... my compact Slime is alive and well after 3 years of occasional use. 2 complaints - female connector is threaded, not lever-locked, so needs
attention not to cross-thread, and 2) connector is plastic. So I carry a backup $6 very old compact pump that is twice bigger - well, it's old,
things were made bigger then, probably $15-20 in today's prices. It has a brass connector with a metal locking lever.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18380
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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I have a viair 12 volt. Works well. But slow. If i have a choice, i drive to a serice stn or tire shop to fill up faster.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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Bajazly
Super Nomad
Posts: 1013
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Location: Goodbye Cali and Hello San Felipe
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If your battery is a PITA to get to, go to Cabelas or Bass Blow Shop and get a 2 prong thru deck trolling motor quick disconnect plug. They are a
twist lock so pretty secure when plugged in. You can wire a receptacle, or two, into the truck and the female side onto the wire to the compressor.
Trolling motors can draw a fair amount and the plug I got was pretty heavy duty plus it is made for a boat so it's kind of well made and a bit
water/dust resistant.
I got sick of opening the hood to hook up the clips to my battery for the solar panel and installed one of these in the bed of the truck, quick and
easy connection. Don't see why it wouldn't be perfect for a compressor like this.
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3508
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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Viair 400p when running 31s on my Ford diesel, and a plug in for the SUV. Carry both in a Yakima Skybox. Workhorses.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4289
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Quote: Originally posted by Bajazly  | If your battery is a PITA to get to, go to Cabelas or Bass Blow Shop and get a 2 prong thru deck trolling motor quick disconnect plug. They are a
twist lock so pretty secure when plugged in. You can wire a receptacle, or two, into the truck and the female side onto the wire to the compressor.
Trolling motors can draw a fair amount and the plug I got was pretty heavy duty plus it is made for a boat so it's kind of well made and a bit
water/dust resistant.
I got sick of opening the hood to hook up the clips to my battery for the solar panel and installed one of these in the bed of the truck, quick and
easy connection. Don't see why it wouldn't be perfect for a compressor like this. |
brilliant idea!
Harald Pietschmann
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dravnx
Nomad
Posts: 108
Registered: 10-27-2005
Location: N. Cal.
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You can also remote mount an Anderson connector if your battery is difficult to access. Available at most NAPA or other good autoparts stores.
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 634
Registered: 2-2-2015
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Or, you could get a cordless air compressor with a lithium battery. I have a Ryobi (yeah, I know) one+ inflator, works great for occasionally topping
up a low tire, but a little flimsy. The same batteries work on dozens of other tools, including my lawn mower and shop vac. No cords, no jumper
clamps, ez peasy.
Of course when off grid you have to carry an inverter to charge the lithium batteries using your car battery if they run out of juice, nonetheless the
whole setup is still smaller and less weight than even the basic cigarette lighter plug in junk.
Full disclosure, I carry a bicycle pump just in case the flimsy Ryobi goes kaput.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4289
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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I have been airing up and down for a living for 35 years.
that does not make me an expert on compressors - but I know a few things.
even some of the good compressors, and definitely the cheap ones, can use some cheap upgrades and life saving maintenance
almost all compressors are oil-less
meaning the pistons have no lubrication
imagine your car engine without oil!
right!
so, to extend the life of whatever compressor you have, spray some lubricant into the air intake before every use. ATF is best - WD40 works.
changing out the power leads to heavier gauge wires ensures that the motor gets plenty of juice and nothing gets to hot and burns up
plenty of groups discussing upgrades - but these 2 will make the biggest difference.
by the way, my Puma compressor has been on duty for more than 20 years now. It needed new battery clamps and a yearly tightening of the air lines
Harald Pietschmann
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