12vt compressors?

Nearly all the little 12V compressors are crap, it's mostly a question of finding functional crap. I'd go for this one:

I've got it in my truck, and while I've not had a need to use it on the road yet, it did seem to perform ok when I tested it out.

I'll second that. I have two of the 93186 and they work pretty well. Tossed the POS gauge off mine as well as the crappy hose.

Gunner Asch wrote in article ...

I always thought "Harbor Freight" was Chinese for "Piece of Crap"!!!!

The best you will find on the cheap is a Superflow "MV50". I built a system on my Goldwing to power a Nathan P-3 horn set from a locomotive, and went through 4 pumps over 2 years before i removed the system. The system was set to maintain 115 PSI in two tanks made from propane cylinders mounted alongside the radiator.

cast aluminum horn assembly's weight eventually cracked the ABS fairing so I removed it, but it sure was fun. I plan on using the horns on my Jeep project which uses an air conditioning compresser for air used to fill huge tires often and quickly to suit terrain. Most of the pumps simply overheated. The MV50 lasted a year and then the crank snapped, but to be fair it had seen service well beyond it's intended use. Here is one, is some good research that I wish had been available before i did my own tests.

Incorrect, it's Chinese for "Crap shoot"...

I got one for Christmas a couple of years ago, cheaper looking than this one. I think it came from Homier Tools. It has gotten me home or to a gas station a couple of times. It's also good for filling basketballs, etc. Randy

Decent under $50 is the 93186.

If you want Good, you /do/ know that both Thomas and Gast make 1/3 HP and 1/2 HP 12VDC oilless compressors, right? But unless you can scrounge used/surplus ones, they're in the $500 - $650 range new.

And if you do manage to scrounge some up, get a couple extra. ;-) I need to put a set of Grover Organtone's on my work truck for the next 100 times some asshole (in either a rolling wreck or a new Maserati or Porsche) decides I'm leaving myself waaaay too much stopping distance and decides to play Richard Petty...

(Hint to all those wannabe Mario Andretti's out there: NASCAR drivers have two or three spotters with radios up at the top of the stands to tell them all the traffic conditions - you don't. Leave at least a little room between our bumpers as you cut in.)

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I've not used this particular one, but I've found others to have a very limited life span -- less than an hour of use. Regard it as a lighter and cheaper substitute for a 20 cu ft bottle of compressed air or nitrogen, don't take any bets on which will last longer without a refill on the bottle.

At the claimed 25 liters/min, the bottle would last about 22 min -- but it'd fill a tire a hell of a lot faster than the pump.

And don't forget the cost of a regulator and hose.

Steve

one:

This won't do Gunner any good because I have never seen another. Years ago when we lived in the Seattle area I picked up a British made 12 volt tire pump compressor at a garage sale. Unused and still in the box! Nothing fancy, a 12 volt motor like a fan motor, directly attached to a little air compressor made from cast aluminum or pot metal. A wire frame keeps it off the ground. And of course a hose and connector to the tire.

The wires had a lighter plug, which I removed and added longer wires and battery clamps. I have used this unit to pump car, truck, lawn mower, tractor tires many times. The compressor part does get hot, but keeps on pumping air.

I can't look at it right now, It's home in the truck, but the name was "grasshopper". A very appropriate name as it tends to jump up and down while running!

If anyone ever sees this at a flea market or garage sale, get it! Has anyone else ever seen one?

Paul

I always carry a compressor on my ATV. They're great when pumping up those big ATV tires to 3 psi. A little different on big tires. Still, though, if it's all you got. We had a separation one time on the freeway. An air leak on a crack in the sidewall. The little pump got us into the next town to a Discount tire and two new tires.

They ain't great. And some are better than others, but they're just a little bit better than nothing. I got one at Camping World, around $60, IIRC. Good brand name. I have used it now for a good while, but mostly, it just sits under the rear seat just in case. And then, that's just to get you to the next town.

Steve

In my personal experience, a decent manually powered pump (which is in itself a rather difficult thing to find these days) beats most of the little 12V compressors. I've owned a couple of those - got one sitting in the parts bin with a snapped pot-metal con-rod, had another that wore out the pot-metal cylinder until it would not compress any more, etc.

If you have a little shop time it should not be hard to make something a LOT better from scratch...

I've sometimes wondered if a defunct weedwhacker engine might not make a pretty good little compressor. Had one laying around for years, finally tossed it last week figuring if I haven't touched it in

10 years I probably won't. It had good compression, just wouldn't start. Probably carb. Gutsy 12-volt motors aren't hard to find. I think some Ford starter motors are permanent-magnet motors.

One would have to devise a way to lubricate it, unless it was a

4-stroke weedwhacker if there is such a thing.

There are lots of four stroke weedwhacker motors out there now. Getting to be more around all the time.

They still have not come down to my price range, though. Free, picked up off the curb, is my price range.

I like the idea of one of those engines being used for a air compressor. If anything, I suspect that a guy would have to look for a more sturdy compressor head to use on it, though.

Cheers Trevor Jones

GM and other builders that have adjustable shocks have an air compressor that will go the distance. They often are still running when the auto has more than 100,000 miles to its credit.

You can buy them for a song----less than $20, used. There's not much to them, and if you're not happy with the pressure they deliver, you can machine the head to increase output. I run just such a compressor on my 1 ton Dodge, with air horns. I added a tank large enough to be able to fill a tire, and have a quick connect, protected with a weatherproof cover. I have about 10 gallons of 150 PSI air at my disposal if needed.

Harold

My error. I conjugated "crap" incorrectly!!!

Any idea of what CFM and duty cycle they have?

TMT

No clue, but they're very much like the little 12V compressors you see sold in auto parts stores. Difference is, they go the distance. Duty cycle must be fairly good----although I put a small fan on mine because it's in the box (cube van) where it gets no air circulation. They're usually found under the hood, mounted above a fender. Mine kicks on @ 135 PSI and off @ 150 PSI, filling the fairly large tank (for a small truck, anyway, so it runs for some time. Piston is fairly small-----perhaps 1-1/4". It's been a while since I last looked at it and my memory has dimmed.

When increasing the compression, I find it now starves for air when at high altitudes, so it can't build the pressure. Works fine at 1,100 ft. elevation and below, but a trip to Chiloquin, Oregon three years ago I discovered it wouldn't build past about 140 PSI. Mine came off a GM car. I imagine all GM compressors are identical.

Harold

Too much fiber in your diet?