Thoughts on portable air tank 5 gallon for tires

[Ducked]

There's this

https://crankit.in/igo-air-inflate-flat-tyres-anytime-anywhere/

Uses exhaust gas, which they call "air", which I think would be illegal in the UK under the trades description act.

MIGHT be OK with a catalyst but there'd be too much unpleasantness in my exhaust to put it in a tyre unless it was a real emergency.

Irritating video



If my car had a "combustible engine" I'd have more problems than a wee leak in a tyre.

 

[PiperOne]

wouldn't that spark plug based inflator fill your tires with a flammable air fuel mixture? Or am I missing something?

 

[EdwardC]

If you're finding your tires 15 psi low, start checking them twice as often! Or, if you don't already, just but an electric compressor, either a 12V or a 120V to keep in the garage. I can't imagine driving to a gas station just to top off my tires, regardless of how close the station is.

 

[Bgallagher]

I grabbed a cheapo compressor from HF for $45 on sale. It kicks in fairly quickly but I can put 5lb of pressure in 5 tires in less than 5 minutes. Fine by me!

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: EdwardC
If you're finding your tires 15 psi low, start checking them twice as often! Or, if you don't already, just but an electric compressor, either a 12V or a 120V to keep in the garage. I can't imagine driving to a gas station just to top off my tires, regardless of how close the station is.


If they're 15 pounds low, there's probably a slow leak somewhere. Take it to a tire shop and get it fixed. Usually they just remount the tire and seal it again and that gets rid of the leak. Lots of tire places seem to do free flat repairs. Goodyear does them for free. Another one around here Town Fair Tire does them for free too, but charges $4 to balance the tire afterwards.

Anyway, I just use this Ryobi air compressor. Got a lot of other ryobi tools so I've already got a bunch of batteries. It'll be $20 on black friday and if you don't have a battery, you could always get their $50 drill which also comes with a battery. Takes way less room than a 5 gallon tank.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-18-Volt-ONE-Power-Inflator-Tool-Only-P737/206159256

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
The one I was looking at is 5 gallon and holds 125 psi. I seem to find my tires down to 20 psi and I usually add to around 35 psi... Any idea how many times I can do that?


Light truck tires?

Usually just once, maybe twice at best.

I have one in every vehicle, and Use the airtank for emergencies - like when I come out after work to see a flat tire in the parking lot. I can get free air inside at work. It is WAAAY faster and easier than a little 12 volt compressor.

 

[iahawk]

bike pump is my choice for adding a couple psi....much quicker and easier on the ears than plugging in the cheap and noisy porter cable pancake compressor

 

[Leo99]

I use one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Slime-40032-12-Vo...v+tire+inflator

I can't see the point of carrying around compressed air.

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

I have 5 and 10 gallon tanks. 5 is too small to fill enough tires, maybe 2 for sure, that's it.

Also tank valves are not perfect and can leak out over time, so the air won't be there 4 weeks later!

I took the entire air tank fitting off the 5 gallon tank and found that the inside diameter for the
air was only 1/8", so air goes in slowly and comes out slowly too.

What a pain, I wondered why they are slow to fill!

 

[mightymousetech]

Originally Posted By: Ducked


There's this

https://crankit.in/igo-air-inflate-flat-tyres-anytime-anywhere/

Uses exhaust gas, which they call "air", which I think would be illegal in the UK under the trades description act.

MIGHT be OK with a catalyst but there'd be too much unpleasantness in my exhaust to put it in a tyre unless it was a real emergency.

Irritating video

If my car had a "combustible engine" I'd have more problems than a wee leak in a tyre.


That would be terrible for the tires, so much moisture in car exhaust.

 

[benjamming]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I am thinking about getting a 5 gallon portable air tank to keep in my trunk for filling up tires. Does anyone have experience on how many times you can typically use them to top off low tires before they need to be refilled? The one I was looking at is 5 gallon and holds 125 psi. I seem to find my tires down to 20 psi and I usually add to around 35 psi... Any idea how many times I can do that?

This is one I'm looking at. Or one similar. Speedway 7296 5-Gallon Portable Air Tank https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Y3BRKW


I have a 5-gal aluminum tank from Allstar Performance similar to this Longacre one but less expensive. It will maintain air for at least 6 months (maybe a year?) without noticeable decay. It will air up 2 pickup tires (Ford Ranger) with ease when 15 psi low.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: PiperOne
wouldn't that spark plug based inflator fill your tires with a flammable air fuel mixture? Or am I missing something?


Not, apparently, with a carburetted car, which is what I have. Air takes the path of least reistance so is drawn in via the plug gizmo and then pushed out into the tyre. Fuel/air mix goes to the other cylinders.

Direct injection would likely be a problem. Again.

I think I've seen mention of models with a secondary piston or diaphragm that separates the cylinder air from a piston attached to the gizmo, but in practice this doesn't seem to be necessary.

Inflammability might not be considered that much of an issue anyway, given that tyre inflation kits (still?) use butane as a prpellant, but petrol would probably attack tyre rubber.

 

[Ducked]

If you just want a bit of top-up capacity you could over-inflate your spare, (which you probably already have securely stowed on the vehicle), and make up a hose (with the right ends on it) that'll reach your front tyres.

Don't buy Bridgestones though. No max pressure on the sidewall, or at least mine havn't

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: Ducked


There's this

https://crankit.in/igo-air-inflate-flat-tyres-anytime-anywhere/

Uses exhaust gas, which they call "air", which I think would be illegal in the UK under the trades description act.

MIGHT be OK with a catalyst but there'd be too much unpleasantness in my exhaust to put it in a tyre unless it was a real emergency.

Irritating video

If my car had a "combustible engine" I'd have more problems than a wee leak in a tyre.


That would be terrible for the tires, so much moisture in car exhaust.


Another possible limitation, IIRC, is that in both the video's I watched (and I'm not watching them again to check) they took the tyres to 18 psi, enough to get you moving but still rather low. Maybe that's the most the gadget can deliver.

 

[Traction]

Originally Posted By: i_hate_autofraud


I have 5 and 10 gallon tanks. 5 is too small to fill enough tires, maybe 2 for sure, that's it.

Also tank valves are not perfect and can leak out over time, so the air won't be there 4 weeks later!

I took the entire air tank fitting off the 5 gallon tank and found that the inside diameter for the
air was only 1/8", so air goes in slowly and comes out slowly too.

What a pain, I wondered why they are slow to fill!


Yes they take forever to fill through the schrader valve, and the clip on air chuck is a pain. I take off the junk hose and install a short air line with a coupling on the end for a regular air chuck. Then I can back-fill it very quickly by using a double male air fitting from my air compressor hose. Everyone ruins the cheap plastic knob on the tank by cranking it too tight. It is just a o-ringed valve that just need to be very lightly seated. If they leak down you need to replace/lube the 2 O-rings on the valve is all.

 

[billt460]

I have an air compressor with a 12 gallon tank, and 2 extra "portable" tanks. One is 7 gallon, and the other is a 5 gallon. I put "portable" in quotations because they're big, heavy and clumsy. And they don't hold much air. If I run my 12 gallon compressor up to 110 PSI until it shuts down. I can barely top off the tires in my F-150 or Jeep Grand Cherokee with a few pounds before the pressure drops to the point it barely transfers air without having to plug it in again.

Remember, the greater the difference in pressure, the faster the air will transfer. When it gets to only a 30 or 40 PSI difference, it barely moves. If you want this for emergencies, you're far better off buying one of those 12 volt, portable compressors that will fit in a small area. Some will fit in a glove box. Then if you require air you can attach it, plug it in, and simply wait in your car until it fills. Many have an automatic shut off that will kick out when it reaches the pressure you set it for. Either way it's better than hauling around a big, heavy air tank that won't have enough capacity to barely fill 1 tire.

Always remember, air compressors are like gun safes. Figure out the size you will need. The multiply it by 2 or 3 and purchase that size. You'll be much closer to getting the one you actually require.

 

[Nick1994]

Best thing I ever did was buy the $39 Ryobi inflator. Uses the One+ 18V batteries, I have the drill and impact kit with 2 batteries as well. Also have the weed eater too.

I can top up like 8-10 tires by 5+psi per battery. It's quick and shuts off when it's done. I clamp it on a tire and set it and do something else in the meantime.

 

[901Memphis]

I already have a Jump N Carry Air, its actually not bad, and its much faster than my generic cigarette lighter air compressor i got from walmart years ago, but i feel like something else could be faster. I have already had a Viair 85P ($30$) in my amazon cart for awhile, but i was just thinking of other options, i'd like to get the 88p maybe but its a bit more.