Viair constant duty onboard air system any my eventual solution

[MagicMtnDan]

We were talking about this on our Afton Canyon trip this weekend. I've delayed buying an air compressor and it's time to take the plunge so your timing is excellent for me :thumbsup:

I'd like to mount the tank under the truck but I don't want to have any issues with it and obstacles (e.g. rocks). I'm interested to see where you're going to install your tank. Let's see where you put the compressor too. Will there be any performance issues under the hood where it's very hot?

Also, assuming your 35" tires are deflated to 25 (or whatever you choose):

1. How long will it take to inflate one tire to 44 (40 cold)?

2. How many tires will that tank inflate before the compressor has to kick in?

3. How long will it take for the compressor to fill the tank back up?

 

[zaherachour]

Make sense?

crystal clear my friend. surely its something that should be installed specially where i am. here on the roads its rare to find proper gas stations. and you wont find replacement tires.
so if something helps me to prevent damages , its thumbs up for me. thanks

 

[frogslinger]

Having seen this I have decided to either build my own system from coponents (can be done for about $250) or save up for several months and get one of these

Here is a cool compressor shootout:

http://www.parksoffroad.com/prodreview/inflatortest/inflatormain.htm

 

[Xjrguy]

that thing is really what we needed at the desert today!!
We all got stuck in desert and flated tires to get out but only brian has small one which takes forever to air up all of us.
Everyone on the desert except tim - he was only one didnt get stuck - was 10 psi for their tires and heading to gas station.
We all said we had to have that thing.

qft!!

 

[BigJ]

We were talking about this on our Afton Canyon trip this weekend. I've delayed buying an air compressor and it's time to take the plunge so your timing is excellent for me :thumbsup:

I'd like to mount the tank under the truck but I don't want to have any issues with it and obstacles (e.g. rocks). I'm interested to see where you're going to install your tank. Let's see where you put the compressor too. Will there be any performance issues under the hood where it's very hot?

I'm going to have to feel the install locations out. I haven't decided exactly where everything is going to go yet though. I eventually want to commission ADD or SDHQ to build me some skid protection underneath, so that would take care of any concerns with stuff hitting it under there (my preference).

Also, assuming your 35" tires are deflated to 25 (or whatever you choose):

As I understand it, and based on the reviews I've read online

1. How long will it take to inflate one tire to 44 (40 cold)?

3-5 minutes each, depending on who you believe.

2. How many tires will that tank inflate before the compressor has to kick in?

Not sure. Although I think what you're asking is how many tires can a full tank fill (since the compressor is going to kick on any time the PSI drops below the set point I set it at). To solve the "how many tires will it fill" question, we'd have to solve for P1V1 = P2V2 and since the compressor will be kicking on almost right away, there's really no point

The way I figure it is 3-5minutes per tire. During those 3-5minutes on tire 1, the compressor is recharging the tank to full capacity, meaning by the time I unhook from tire 1 and move to tire 2, I can expect another 3-5minutes. And so on. Hope that makes sense.

3. How long will it take for the compressor to fill the tank back up?

Filling the tank from 0 to approx 150psi takes about 4 minutes.

I'll be sure to measure all this stuff in the real world and report back after install.

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Fact: Tim didn't get stuck.
Fact: Tim was lucky

I've been down this compressor analysis before and my train of thought goes like this (and it did go off the tracks which is why I haven't purchasing anything yet): I need a compressor for use on the trails. I also need a solution at home for the vehicles and power tools. The home solution is either a permanent mounted unit with a big tank or a pancake or sausage compressor - you see all of these for sale in Lowes or Home Depot. So the portable unit is the solution for the trails. Or is it? If I get a portable unit I'd like to get one installed under hood running off a v-belt. Awesome performance and it can do everything you'd ever want on the trails. Hold on cowboy that's really expensive. OK, back to the compressor. If I do that I'd like a tank so it has a reserve. That gets more expensive. And if you want to do it "right" it'd be great to have two compressors to fill the tank (see Viair's packages for their options). That's more expensive than the compressor or one compressor and the tank. There's still the issue of where to mount the compressor(s) and the tank to ensure they aren't affected by offroading obstacles, underhood heat, etc. At this point the price is close to a Power Tank and that's what I think my best option is.

So, it looks like my solution will be a less expensive portable compressor and a Power Tank with their quicker-fill accessories. Plenty (plenty) of capacity for multiple tires on a trip and fast performance (I've been told it's faster than most air hoses at gas stations). Safe to carry (as long as it's secured in the bed) and operate and unaffected by the desert heat. Equipped with a long hose that'll easily reach all 4 corners, this looks to be my best option. No, the Power Tank is not cheap but compared to the compressor options I like it.

http://www.powertank.com/products/sfID1/13/productID/26

I'll start another thread on this solution asap so as not to take away from Jason's very interesting and very good solution.

 

[BigJ]

I was strongly leaning that way too Dan. But then I started calling around, trying to figure out who can refill these tanks and how much they'd charge. I'd suggest you do so also before buying (not only to find a source, but to consider it as part of your costs involved too). The conversations I had with every single welding supply store I called (three) all said the same thing; they refuse to refill the "Power tank" tank for safety reasons. They all said they would have no problem refilling/trading out approved and "inspectable" vessels designed for CO2 usage, but the Power Tank isn't one of them. Also, apparently, there's something up with the way these are valved and with California law/requirements further making them untouchable (didn't get into detail there).

 

[Xjrguy]

Fact: Tim didn't get stuck.
Fact: Tim was lucky

<SNIP>

I remember I was on the same hill, in the same sand as everyone else.

In the eternal words of Sean Connery....from the movie "The Rock" with some changes in venue and characters.

XJR: Are you sure you're ready for this? [Drives up sand dune]

StuckinSandDan: I'll do my best.

XJR: [stops and motions back to Magnatron stuck in sand] Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and **** the prom queen!

 

[BigJ]

I remember I was on the same hill, in the same sand as everyone else.

In the eternal words of Sean Connery....from the movie "The Rock" with some changes in venue and characters.

XJR: Are you sure you're ready for this? [Drives up sand dune]

StuckinSandDan: I'll do my best.

XJR: [stops and motions back to Magnatron stuck in sand] Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and **** the prom queen!

:clap:

 

[frogslinger]

Dan... that compressor I posted will put out as much air as a v belt... plus it can be mounted anywhere. And can be run for a very short period of tie on just your battery (you flatted during a river crossing and your engine ingested water...yeah yeah incredibly unlikely). It is essentially a residential air condtioner compressor attached to a winch motor...

It is rated at roughly 15 CFM.
It can air a 33 from flat to 35 psi in under a minute.
It can run constantly for about 15-20 mins before it needs to cool.

or to put it another way... you could air up 5ish trucks before it got over operating temp (assuming you air yourself up and take about a minute to drive from truck to truck). Couple this with a tank and you are golden... in fact I think this will fill a tank faster than air can come out of it with a standard chuck, as long as the connectors from the compressor to tank are oversized.