12 Volt Air Compressors

[PhillipA]

Hi All,

Just joined up though have been reading the forums for a long time, they are very helpful and full of good hints.

Just getting the old GU 2001 ready to go bush again to the gulf of Carpentaria Pormpurraw area.

Bought a Rydge Ryder 12000lb winch from Super Cheap on sale for $499.99. My son was saying to give it a miss and to go to 4x4 Superstore and get the Grande Mk111 or the Dominator 8rx both being about $100 cheaper.

Ive seen some forums and the RR seems to get a few good ticks. By the way the sale has ended and they are in the new sale for about $100 dearer.

Now I already have a small 60l/ min compressor for sand conditions but am tossing up whether to go for a Rydge Ryder 160l/min or another brand like the Thumper with 1 tank or the Thumper dual unit.

Some say they run hotter than the RR unit I guess its all about price and marketing. So any tips on that side would be appreciated. I see the R/R has come down from $265 to $212 but that is still a bit above my budget.

There are some 2nd hand ones on gum tree but only a couple and postage to Cairns bulks up the cost. Also there is no Warrranty.

[GQtdauto]

I have had a TJM which is similar to the RR but now have the Double Thumper and it's chalk and cheese , the thumper has an auto cut out at 150 psi and is great with a small tank .
As for temps yes they get hot and I've noticed rust on the airline fittings so condensation is a problem but I'm going to see how long it lives because it's so quick to pump up tyres .

[PhillipA]

Thanks for the info I wonder if the motor is bigger to Cater for operation of 2 tanks instead of 1. Wondering if that is why they get so hot from running 2 tanks

[Cuppa]

Pay attention to the duty cycle of any compressor you look at. More important than max PSI.

Some are advertised with no mention of duty cycle - give those ones a wide berth.

The higher the percentage of the duty cycle the better. 100% is best. They can run continuously without shutting down to cool, which not only is convenient but suggests far better quality construction (& promise of longer life).

I run a Boss PX07 with a 15 litre tank. Comparable in price to the bigger ARB units. Apart from being a good reliable & simple compressor, all parts necessary for a rebuild are readily available & the Aussie distributor is a really helpful bloke. I had originally installed mine poorly in such a way that any internal condensation collected in the check valve, which over time destroyed it. I emailed him with a query & he phoned me & then sorted me out with some different braided hoses & fittings so I could install differently a very reasonable cost (& far less than I could have got custom hoses made up for). Probably as close to a garage forecourt airline that you can get in 12volt. I bought mine on the recommendation of a friend who has travelled extensively throughout remote Australia over the past decade in his OKA & has used his PX07 regularly throughout without any issue whatsoever.

They also do smaller 100% duty cycle compressors which might suit better price-wise.

[the evil twin]

Cuppa has nailed it...

1st bench mark - Duty cycle
2nd - Flow rate
Last - pressure

Get the best rated duty cycle you can on your budget and if choosing between models with similar duty cycle then go the higher flow rate.

[GQtdauto]

Actually agree with Cuppa and ET I am playing with the possibility that the cheap unit may shit itself , last trip I was airing up and down a fair bit and with 33s and trailer tyres it had a fair workout .
Buy the best you can afford in line with what they have written above .

[PhillipA]

Ok thanks, I will; have a look at the specs

[Cuppa]

I am playing with the possibility that the cheap unit may shit itself , last trip I was airing up and down a fair bit and with 33s and trailer tyres it had a fair workout .

Having a compressor 'fail to proceed' when I really needed it (& of course they only fail when needed) after airing down considerably to get ourselves out of a bogged situation was a good lesson. It clarified for me that we *rely* on every piece of equipment we carry. (we don't carry unnecessary stuff). If we rely on something & it proves unreliable the consequences are potentially far greater than a little inconvenience. BIG difference between those who can call the mate to come out & help if equipment shits itself & those who are 'on their own'. If the shit hits the fan the initial cost savings can rapidly pale into insignificance. Just gotta hope that writing this hasn't jinxed anything we carry!!!

[PhillipA]

I fully agree Cuppa,. There will be 2 vehicles + 3 compressors on this trip, Quite a lot of sand driving hence dropping tyre pressure and then back on hard dirt and inflate a bit then bitumen and top up.

I notice some compressors don't show the duty cycle in their specs

[Cuppa]

If you are taking a camera I reckon there are plenty here who would like to see pics of that country when you get home again.