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My watch's case is filled with Argon to promote a dry environment. A fill lasts 5 years and isn't exactly inexpensive.
Nitrogen Tire Fill
- Thread starter carguy996
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Pure oxygen is no picnic either...
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Was there a "halo effect?"
I keep my tire pressure checked, with regular air and think that that is good enough.
For $5 a tire I'll stick with nitrogen and get the tire shop to check them every 4 months. Saves a lot of time and effort.
MY HEAD!!!
Me too.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: calvin1
I always wondered why nobody used argon for tire fill. It's going to be even less reactive than nitrogen and comes in the same type bottles off the same truck.
Anybody know why noone uses argon? What is the price difference between the two?
Calvin
Argon would be a great gas to use because the molecules are huge, but it is a much more expensive to separate/package. There is only about 1% argon in air, where N2 comprises about 78% When I was a Tech at a cryogenic air sep plant I used to fill O2, N2 and Ar trailers. Any leakage during the fill process we'd typically catch in aluminum buckets. It was amazing how HEAVY a bucket of liquid argon is as compared to liquid N2 or O2. Cool stuff, literally!
Joel
I always wondered why nobody used argon for tire fill. It's going to be even less reactive than nitrogen and comes in the same type bottles off the same truck.
Anybody know why noone uses argon? What is the price difference between the two?
Calvin
Argon would be a great gas to use because the molecules are huge, but it is a much more expensive to separate/package. There is only about 1% argon in air, where N2 comprises about 78% When I was a Tech at a cryogenic air sep plant I used to fill O2, N2 and Ar trailers. Any leakage during the fill process we'd typically catch in aluminum buckets. It was amazing how HEAVY a bucket of liquid argon is as compared to liquid N2 or O2. Cool stuff, literally!
Joel
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If I fill my tires with argon, will that make me an Argonaut?
It's a solution in search of a problem.
I get the nitrogen (100% pure botted) thrown in as a sweetener so I stay with that tire dealer (Bob Jane) I get constant pressure, longer tire life (cooler running), and the reason I and most car enthusiasts I know, use nitrogen to forget worrying about checking tire pressures all the time for the tires lifespan. Free top ups or reductions. A pretty decent bargain yes?
The main concern for us common folks is moisture. Dry air has the least pressure gain with heat, and wet air the most. Nitrogen is nice for NASCAR, because it's a big, low-leak molecule, and quite dry from the tank. The teams additionally use an in-line dehumidifier cartridge. It ain't cheap, as the cartridge lasts for only FIVE tire fills before it's saturated and junked. Hey, that's what sponsors are for.
Now, back to the real world...
At your local gas station, check the air line for obvious moisture before you fill the tire. Depress the center stud for a few seconds, and don't be surprised to see liquid water shoot out. Many, if not most lines have no moisture accumulators, or they're not drained. Shooting water into your tire will affect the temperature-pressure curve a lot. If I find water, I look for another gas station. It's been a pain, but I have a couple places that have "dry" air and give me consistent pressures.
Oh, and since I've been parking in the sun and/or driving around doing errands, I just over-fill them and bleed them down the next (cool) morning.
Now, back to the real world...
At your local gas station, check the air line for obvious moisture before you fill the tire. Depress the center stud for a few seconds, and don't be surprised to see liquid water shoot out. Many, if not most lines have no moisture accumulators, or they're not drained. Shooting water into your tire will affect the temperature-pressure curve a lot. If I find water, I look for another gas station. It's been a pain, but I have a couple places that have "dry" air and give me consistent pressures.
Oh, and since I've been parking in the sun and/or driving around doing errands, I just over-fill them and bleed them down the next (cool) morning.
I'll just stick with the bottled nitrogen it's a lot simpler. I just drop in to [censored]'s every three/four months when I'm in the area, no booking required and I'm there maybe two/three minutes. Free so why not?
Kestas
Staff member
Originally Posted By: olddognewtrks
The main concern for us common folks is moisture...
Like I said before in this thread, I can't get too excited over using dry nitrogen especially when tires are installed with water lube. If you think you have dry air after filling with nitrogen, think again. Where do you think the water goes after the tire is installed? You'd have to exchange the air in the tires multiple times to get the moisture level down. Do tire places do that? I don't think so.
The main concern for us common folks is moisture...
Like I said before in this thread, I can't get too excited over using dry nitrogen especially when tires are installed with water lube. If you think you have dry air after filling with nitrogen, think again. Where do you think the water goes after the tire is installed? You'd have to exchange the air in the tires multiple times to get the moisture level down. Do tire places do that? I don't think so.
Originally Posted By: Kestas
Originally Posted By: olddognewtrks
The main concern for us common folks is moisture...
Like I said before in this thread, I can't get too excited over using dry nitrogen especially when tires are installed with water lube. If you think you have dry air after filling with nitrogen, think again. Where do you think the water goes after the tire is installed? You'd have to exchange the air in the tires multiple times to get the moisture level down. Do tire places do that? I don't think so.
Works well with tires that are not installed and on the vehicle with air let out and nitrogen added,though.
Originally Posted By: olddognewtrks
The main concern for us common folks is moisture...
Like I said before in this thread, I can't get too excited over using dry nitrogen especially when tires are installed with water lube. If you think you have dry air after filling with nitrogen, think again. Where do you think the water goes after the tire is installed? You'd have to exchange the air in the tires multiple times to get the moisture level down. Do tire places do that? I don't think so.
Works well with tires that are not installed and on the vehicle with air let out and nitrogen added,though.
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