120V air compressor

[johndeerefarmer]

The 12V air compressors don't do the job for me. I have had several and they shutdown in about 10 minutes then you have to wait 10 or more for them to cool. That means it can take 30 minutes to put air in a tire.

I am thinking of buying a small 1 or 2 gallon 120V compressor and carry it with me. Anyone running one of these off of an inverter? If so what size inverter and what compressor?

My RV doesn't have an inverter so I will have to buy one and carry it with me.

Thanks

[jleonard]

I can only recommend what NOT to buy and that would be the mall pancake compressor that Harbor Freight sells for around $60.
My neighbor was moving and I bought his for $20 hoping to use it for what you describe. I tried it in my driveway to bring a tires from 45 lbs to 80.
I ran out of patience as it was just too slow for me.
I fired up my larger compressor instead.
Maybe if it had a clip on chuck it might work but holding a chuck on the valve didn't cut it for me.

[Txfivver]

I've used this one for several years and love it. It's from Home Depot but lots of places carry it. It will put 10 pounds of air in a dually tire in about 5 seconds and same for the 110 psi trailer tires. I have not tried it on an inverter but I have the onboard Onan if needed. I leave the tank inflated to 150 PSI and that will top off all 10 of my tires if they are down a few pounds. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-C...2002/203162815

[Txfivver]

I bought this from Northern Tool along with the same brand 50 ft air hose. It airs up my inner dually tires easily and the gauge is dead on with all of my quality air gauges. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...ct_42528_42528 I can leave the compressor in the truck bed and reach all of the truck and trailer tires without lugging it around. Good stuff.

[johndeerefarmer]

I've used this one for several years and love it. It's from Home Depot but lots of places carry it. It will put 10 pounds of air in a dually tire in about 5 seconds and same for the 110 psi trailer tires. I have not tried it on an inverter but I have the onboard Onan if needed. I leave the tank inflated to 150 PSI and that will top off all 10 of my tires if they are down a few pounds. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-C...2002/203162815

Thanks I have a Bostich like that but it's a little large to carry around. I was thinking maybe a 1 or 2 gal tank like this. It calls for 7Amps but starting current is probably 12 A so would probably take a 1500W inverter


https://www.makitatools.com/products/details/MAC210Q

[Skiddy]

DeWalt d55140. One gallon, unit weighs 25 pounds, 135psi max, 2.3A motor, very quiet. It will work off my inverter in my truck which is rated for 400W. Only did that once, I usually check tire pressure before hitting the road and as we tend to be in full hookup sites, I can plug it in to top off the tires. The tank is small and it would take some time to fill a flat tire.

This little guy has been ideal to use around the house as well.

[johndeerefarmer]

DeWalt d55140. One gallon, unit weighs 25 pounds, 135psi max, 2.3A motor, very quiet. It will work off my inverter in my truck which is rated for 400W. Only did that once, I usually check tire pressure before hitting the road and as we tend to be in full hookup sites, I can plug it in to top off the tires. The tank is small and it would take some time to fill a flat tire.

This little guy has been ideal to use around the house as well.

Thanks. Both of my Ford trucks have the 400W inverters so that would work. I will look into it..

[xrated]

I use a DeWalt 6 gallon pancake 120V compressor. It will go up to 165 psi and since I have an onboard Onan, if I break down along the road, fire up the generator, plug in the compressor and start airing up. I carry a 50' air hose plus a 20' curly hose....and an air chuck that will work on all the trailer tires plus the Dually rears if needed.

[RSteele]

I boondock with my 351m while off-roading as a matter of fact I haven’t taken it to a plug in campground since I bought it in December. I needed a way to air up the Goosebox hitch and RZR tires I was carrying a 6 gallon pancake compressor in the truck but I have enough stuff to load when getting ready to go riding. I have been a little board with all of this Covid business going on so I decided to install a compressor on the 351m. The spot I settled on was under the camp side propane tank. I first looked at 12volt compressors from Viair, I have a portable model I carry on my Rzr and they are well made but expensive and offer better mounting options because you can mount the tank and compressor separately. I ended up buying a craftsman 2 gallon hotdog compressor for $130. I planned to hang it from the mount the propane tank sits on but found there are only a couple of welds holding the mount to the frame. I added angle iron and put more welds on the mount. I built an angle iron frame for the bottom of the compressor and used rubber shock donuts between the frame and the compressor for vibration dampening. 1/8th x 2 steel straps were used on the outside of the compressor mount and up to the propane tank mount. I used bolts on the compressor frame instead of welding in case it ever needs to be removed. On the inside portion I used 1/4 20 all thread and beam hangers I had left over from the sewer hose holder mod to attach the compressor to the frame of the trailer. For wiring I drilled a hole into the front compartment where I mounted the inverter. I have a breaker box next to the inverter for the outgoing power and had an empty slot. I put a 20 amp breaker in and wired the compressor to it. I was about a 6 hour project and works well, I had to extend the quick connect on the compressor with a 6” 1/4 nipple. I also put magnetic door holders on the propane compartment doors on both sides they are the same ones Grand Design uses on the other compartments. I mounted a 20’ air hose next to the propane tank with a quick fist rubber all purpose hanger. Same mounts I used to mount the ladders to the roof overhang in the garage. Click image for larger version.

[toolman.dustin]

The 12V air compressors don't do the job for me. I have had several and they shutdown in about 10 minutes then you have to wait 10 or more for them to cool. That means it can take 30 minutes to put air in a tire.

I am thinking of buying a small 1 or 2 gallon 120V compressor and carry it with me. Anyone running one of these off of an inverter? If so what size inverter and what compressor?

My RV doesn't have an inverter so I will have to buy one and carry it with me.

Thanks

I use a generator (don't have an inverter). This might be useful for you.

I opted for a 120 volt compressor. Here’s why:

Air Compressor Purchase:

After studying the 12 volt air compressor specifications and product reviews of many 12 volt compressors I decided since I have a 120 volt generator I’d purchase a much more reliable 120v compressor. Argument for the 120 volt compressor:

Since the most likely scenario for airing a tire is to only raise the pressure in a low tire from say 50 psi to 60 psi then what is needed is a compressor that can move a “high” volume of air into a relatively high starting pressure of 50 psi (a low tire). In the past several years I’ve burned up two 12 volt compressors airing tires on my riding lawn mower. Though frustrating, I could just move the mower closer to the garage and fill the tires with my 20 gallon Sears compressor. If I’m camping in a remote location, I don’t have the luxury of finding a 20 gallon Sears compressor sitting idle waiting for me. I was hoping to find a reliable 12 volt compressor but after reading the reviews of many of them I’ve concluded: 1) they struggled to top off a large tire in a short period of time, often taking as much as 30 minutes, and 2) the compressor cylinder is so small and the duty cycle (usually 5 minutes run, 5 minutes off) is so short that to avoid cooking the compressor it should really take as much as an hour to top off even one tire. Neither the performance nor the reliability is there.
What is needed is a compressor with a large enough cylinder to move high volume at high pressure in a short time. In the end I opted for this 3 gallon, 150 psi, 29 pound, 120v compressor that will move 2.8 cubic feet of air at 90 psi. It has a 50% duty cycle. Cost was $109 at Menards after the 11% rebate.
Fini Advanced™ 3-Gallon 150 PSI Portable Electric Hotdog Air Compressor
Model Number: F3OL197N Menards® SKU: 2079001

Menard’s has several versions of this compressor with various options and even different piston sizes. This write up is for the Fini model F3OL197N.

Here’s the performance of the F3OL197N:
To raise the pressure on a LT275/65R18 tire from 50psi to 60psi will require 2.17 cuft of air, or 17.36 gallons of air. This 3 gallon tank can be filled to 150 psi, unplugged from the outlet, carried to the low tire and when the tank pressure drops to 90 psi the tire has been inflated from 50 psi to 60 psi. That process only takes about 2 minutes. (assuming the truck tire is an LT275/65R18). Carry the compressor back to the 120v source, pump it up to 150 psi (30 seconds) and go do another tire. In this scenario, the compressor is well within the 50% duty cycle rating and you’re topping off tires at the rate of 2 minutes per tire.
In actual practice, what is described above (and below) is exactly what happened. The math predicts that outcome and I was amazed that that is what actually occurred.
For those who are interested in the math it’s included below. For those who don’t care about the math you can skip the rest of this write up.
‘--------------------------------------------------
Here’s the math:
My tow vehicle tires, LT275/65R18, actual measurements were:
Radius is diameter divided by 2.
R2 = 31” / 2 R1 = (17” – 1”) / 2 (wheel actually measured 17”)
H2 = 10” H1 = 10”

R1 is 17 – 1 because the inside of the metal wheel is not flat, it’s convex, so it holds more air.
Determine the volume of the tire: LT275/65R18
V2 = [ pi * (R2*R2) * H2 ] – [ pi * (R1*R1) * H1 ]
Where V2 is the volume of the tire
Pi = 3.14
R2 = radius of the outside diameter of the tire ( R2 squared )
H2 = width of the sidewalls of the tire (what holds air, not just the width in contact with the ground)
R1 = radius of the metal wheel – 1” ( R1 squared )
H1 = width of the metal wheel

Therefore:
V2 = [ pi * (R2*R2) * H2 ] – [ pi * (R1*R1) * H1 ]
V2 = [3.14 * (15.5 squared) * 10] – [ 3.14 * (8 squared) * 10]

So the volume of my LT truck tire is:
V2 = 7543 – 2009 = 5533 cu in = 3.20 cu ft = 25.62 gallons
(1728 cu in per cubic foot and 8 gallons per cubic foot)

‘-----------------------------------------
How much air will it take to inflate the tire to 60 psi?

V2 = (P1 * V1 ) / P2

Where:
V2 = volume of air required to fill the tire to the desired air pressure
P1 = desired air pressure
V1 = volume of the tire
P2 = static air pressure (assume 14.7 psi)

Therefore:
V2 = (25.62 gallons * 60 psi ) / 14.7
V2 = 104.57 gallons or 13.02 cu ft.

In order to inflate the tire to from zero to 60 psi I’ll need to pump in 13.02 cu ft of air or 104 gallons.

If I do the same math but assume a desired air pressure of 50 psi then the tire will hold 10.85 cu ft of air.

‘-----------------------------------------

Therefore: to top off a tire from 50 psi to 60 psi I’ll require 2.17 cu ft of air or 17.36 gallons of air.

From above:
To inflate from 50 psi to 60 psi I’ll need:
13.02 cu ft - 10.85 cu ft = 2.17 cu ft or 17.36 gallons

‘-----------------------------------------
Let’s see what the 3 gallon Fini model F3OL197N can do for us; recall it will inflate to 150 psi and holds a volume of 3 gallons.

V2 = (P1 * V1 ) / P2
V2 = (150 * 3 ) / 14.7 = 30.61 gallons of air at 150 psi

Assume I fill the 3 gallon compressor tank to 150 psi, carry it to the low tire and inflate the tire from 50 psi to 60 psi, what will the pressure dial on the tank read: 150 – 60 = 90 psi.

And, I will have removed 11.63 gallons of air from the tank or 1.54 cu ft. The compressor will pump 2.8 cu ft of air per minute at 90 psi. So the tank can be refilled in about 31 seconds and ready for the next tire.

V2 = (P1 * V1 ) / P2
V2 = [(150 – 60) * 3] / 14.7
V2 = 90 * 3 / 14.7 = 18.37 gallons remaining in the tank

From above:
30.16 gallons (filled) – 18.37 gallons (remaining) = 11.63 gallons was removed

The tank held 30.61 gallons (at 150 psi), it still holds 18.37 (at 90 psi) gallons so we removed 11.63 gallons of air (at a falling pressure).

So the bottom line is:

The 3 gallon Fini model F3OL197N seems like the ideal, light weight compressor for topping off low tires while staying within the duty cycle of the compressor (allowing it to cool off between fills). Allowing you to top off 8 tires in about 15 minutes. Assuming you have access to 120 volts when you need it. If you were to run the compressor full time while filling tire after tire you would violate the 50% duty cycle and risk cooking the piston/cylinder. I bought it, took it home and tried it and by golly that's just what happened. Fini is an Italian company, been making compressors for 50 years and offers a 2 year warranty of the compressor.

Happy camping!

Dustin