Air Compressors

[Hallett505]

I have been looking at a few air compressors and note they rate them as 40lit/min or 150/lit a min etc and wondered if members could tell me how this converts in regards to inflation time. If I have a tyre at say 15psi how long would it take to pump up with say the 40lit/min unit?

[threedogs]

These are a good pump
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121289905100?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[paulyg]

Those numbers are the amount of air the compressor can deliver.
The higher the number the faster it will inflate a tyre.

[threedogs]

I have been looking at a few air compressors and note they rate them as 40lit/min or 150/lit a min etc and wondered if members could tell me how this converts in regards to inflation time. If I have a tyre at say 15psi how long would it take to pump up with say the 40lit/min unit?

A good pump should take about 3-5mins to re inflate a tyre

[Rock Trol]

I think now days you can get a 70 lpm plus pump quite cheaply. No reason to go lower. The 160 lpm pumps are very fast but are bulky and heavy compared to the smaller pumps.
Then there is the price and quality issue. The good brands are ARB, Bushranger, Thomas etc. But they are pricey. I have a couple of cheapies (85 & 160 lpm) that have worked well over the last 4 years. Still going strong but if I had to buy another I would get a better name brand.

[Patrol'n]

The advice given to me when I started 4 wheeling was get the best compressor you can afford, there is a useful article by 4wd action magazine, if you google search air compressor review it's about the first result. The review gives times to air up by different models.

I tried a cheap unit first, and it worked ok, I don't remember the brand, the only downsides were that it got really hot and after a while started to leak oil around the cylinder.

Based on the 4wd action review I looked closely at the Dr Air pro flow 150lt unit. Looked good and cost just over $200 on special at Auto Pro so I would have local support if anything went wrong. IMHO it is a good unit. I have aired up a lot of tyres with it, mine, mates and other peoples, even a motor home that had gone down a 4wd track and got stuck in soft sand.

[Cuppa]

The other factor as well as litres per minute is ‘duty cycle’. Some might be capable of 150 litres per minute, but with a low duty cycle requiring them to be switched off after each tyre & a waiting period before the next is inflated. Most have a duty cycle which is better than that, but something to be aware of if you expect to be inflating yours & your mate’s tyres or want to be able to use an air gun or other air tools.

I have the Boss PX7 with an air tank, with pressure cut off set at 120psi. I bought it on the recommendation of several other folk who have them. It may be overkill for my purposes (although I do find an air gun very useful) but I am confident it won’t let me down in some remote area. A very well travelled mate who runs 20” tyres on his OKA has been using his for well over a decade now, without any maintenance other than occasional cleaning of the air filter.

The time to inflate from 15psi to 40 psi would be pretty much the same as the compressor on a servo forecourt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n23wJ5873Wc

[threedogs]

I have the same as Cuppa but now I think there are better smaller more efficient pumps out there.
If you can combine it with a air tank like I did on my other 4x4 and you'll be using air tools such as rattle guns.
The best option is to run Endless air, they tell me it takes about a day to fit but you have huge air at the touch of a button.
Air tanks are the way to go IMHO

There is a better pump than the boss PX7 or the Big Black pump as I know it,
It runs in an oil bath and has an air tank attached around the $800 mark down my way
in Altona I think, an engineering mob sells them, Nearly up there with Endless Air

Also be wary if it has a thermal cut out for over heating , cause if you mount it under your bonnet
it may not work till it cools down

[Hallett505]

Thanks for the advice everyone, now I have a much better idea what to look for!

[Xtreme]

The advice given to me when I started 4 wheeling was get the best compressor you can afford, there is a useful article by 4wd action magazine, if you google search air compressor review it's about the first result. The review gives times to air up by different models.

I tried a cheap unit first, and it worked ok, I don't remember the brand, the only downsides were that it got really hot and after a while started to leak oil around the cylinder.

Based on the 4wd action review I looked closely at the Dr Air pro flow 150lt unit. Looked good and cost just over $200 on special at Auto Pro so I would have local support if anything went wrong. IMHO it is a good unit. I have aired up a lot of tyres with it, mine, mates and other peoples, even a motor home that had gone down a 4wd track and got stuck in soft sand.

I also have the Dr Air Pro FLow 150lt unit - great compressor so far gets a little hot but not too bad.

[LaughingBeagles]

After of lots of reading and "listening" to this thread, I've ended up going with an ARB Compressor - the main factor being price for what you get. I would have sooooo loved to get the Boss PX-07 that is one awesome compressor, but in the end, I couldn't honestly spend the money and fell comfortable with the amount.




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[Rock Trol]

[QUOTE=LaughingBeagles;610986]After of lots of reading and "listening" to this thread, I've ended up going with an ARB Compressor - the main factor being price for what you get. I would have sooooo loved to get the Boss PX-07 that is one awesome compressor, but in the end, I couldn't honestly spend the money and fell comfortable with the amount.

Congratulations on your purchase. Is it the single high volume pump in a box or the double?
I recently purchased one these (single unit, 72lpm) and compared it to my old Rydge Ryder Ultimate compressor (160 lpm). I aired down the two front tyres to 16 psi and connected both compressors to the same battery. I then ran the compressors for 1 minute and switched them both off. Took a reading and then pumped for another minute etc.
Results:
Time (total): 0 min 1min 2min 2.5min
ARB: 16psi 27psi 36.5psi 41.5
Ultimate: 16psi 30psi 42psi

The larger Ultimate compressor (same as Ironman Thumper, Dr Air, Aldi etc) was quicker but no where near double the speed as advertised. When there is no load they do have a higher volume of air coming out compared to the ARB so would be better for cleaning an air filter etc but I think under load they slow down a little.
2-2.5 min a tyre is pretty good going in my opinion.

[LaughingBeagles]

I ended up going with the single pump in the box. Great little test mate and thanks for posting the outcome.


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