Compressor selection

[Rickster]

Looking for comments/discussion regarding 12 Volt compressor units.

Use: mostly airing up tires (33"), possibly use of power tools (not required)

Here's what I kinda know:

Oasis has an HD-1000 for about $750, or the HD-3000 for about $1K . The HD-1000 does 9 CFM at 50 PSI, rated for 200 PSI max, and can draw a whopping 200 amps.

Currie and ReadyAir have mil-spec clamed units -- can't find pricing (Currie uses a Thomas compressor head, and ReadyAir uses York compressor heads with winch motors)

Quick Air (I had a QA3, just got rid of it) 1, 2 and 3 (max 70 psi on all, and are 20 min on/30 min off duty)

ARB is about $300 and believed to be really slow.

EZ-Air ??

Cheetah Fast Hippo ??

ExtremeAir ??

Also on E-Bay and also JCWhitney has a Q-89 (Master Flow) for $169 with good specs.

Anyone have experience? Seems like some are the same chinese made Superflow MV-50 that you can get for about $50 with different paint -- I looked at several, and the castings look identical on the compressor head.

Looking for a recommendation based on experience with a unit (I have read the claims by the mfgs)

 

[evil_henchman]

I use one of these

I use it for pressurizing large pheumatic actuators on a trailer mounted solar array. It works great and I've never had a problem with it.

 

[Rickster]

thanks for the reply -- ViAir is well respected.

Im still really hoping for some info/niput on the Air Zenith

Specs

Seems like they are the bomb for air suspension, but unsure of tire inflate usability. The top casting also looks very much like teh SuperFlow MV-50 that only costs $50.

 

[evil_henchman]

thanks for the reply -- ViAir is well respected.

Im still really hoping for some info/niput on the Air Zenith

Specs

Seems like they are the bomb for air suspension, but unsure of tire inflate usability. The top casting also looks very much like teh SuperFlow MV-50 that only costs $50.

Well it sure looks bling if nothing else B) I'd be a little leary of putting it in any kind of harsh environment with the noticable lack of things like cooling fins.

In talking to some friends who are hard core rock crawlers, the hot set up appears to be engine mounted A/C compressors converted for use as air compressors. Keep in mind these guys have better than average fab and mechanical skills.

 

[radman]

Well it sure looks bling if nothing else B) I'd be a little leary of putting it in any kind of harsh environment with the noticable lack of things like cooling fins.
In talking to some friends who are hard core rock crawlers, the hot set up appears to be engine mounted A/C compressors converted for use as air compressors. Keep in mind these guys have better than average fab and mechanical skills.

+1. Or, a regular compressor engine mounted with an A/C style clutch. All you need then is a storage tank, and you are set. A pressure switch engages/disengages the compressor as needed.

 

[HIGHLANDER]

In talking to some friends who are hard core rock crawlers, the hot set up appears to be engine mounted A/C compressors converted for use as air compressors. Keep in mind these guys have better than average fab and mechanical skills.

+2 on the engine mounted converted A/C compressors !!

 

[madmike2]

In talking to some friends who are hard core rock crawlers, the hot set up appears to be engine mounted A/C compressors converted for use as air compressors. Keep in mind these guys have better than average fab and mechanical skills.

+2 on the engine mounted converted A/C compressors !!

+3. I have friends who have "saved" others who weren't prepared for the situation. Even if you don't mount a tank w/ pressure switch, a toggle switch on the dash or under the hood will get you an air source. You just wouldn't have the immediate volume one gets from the air tank.

 

[radman]

Pressure switch must be mounted, along with a toggle switch for the clutch, or a loud boom will surely occur somewhere in ones future.