On board air for farm truck

[Builder]

Wonder if a 12V system could pump as much air as a 5.5HP Honda with the 8 gallon twin tanks?
If it's close, I'd rather go with truck battery power than have to carry another gallon of yet another kind of fuel.
Wish they made a little diesel powered air compressor. :laughing:

 

[lostcause]

another poster made some similar remarks, but what about compressors for air suspension? this just came up for me - next week i've got to convert an air suspension to coil spring suspension on a vehicle built on the gm trailblazer/envoy platform. i guess it's under $150 for the kit to convert to springs, which is probably cheaper than repairing the air suspension, along with being more permanent. there was talk of whether the compressor could be left in place and used as an air pump. i haven't looked to see how it is hooked up yet, but the plan is to leave it as-is, but wire it to a switch and put an air fitting on the output. we'll see if that plan holds water once i have the vehicle in the shop. no matter what, there should be some of these available in junk years by now, and they must be just a 12v item? should be easier than hooking up a belt for an ac compressor, provided the output is good enough.

 

[Builder]

I think the problem for smallish electric air compressors is they dont have the lungs to blow up a farm tractor tire. They also dont have the tank size. I need a good size reservoir and a pretty stout pump.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

another poster made some similar remarks, but what about compressors for air suspension? this just came up for me - next week i've got to convert an air suspension to coil spring suspension on a vehicle built on the gm trailblazer/envoy platform. i guess it's under $150 for the kit to convert to springs, which is probably cheaper than repairing the air suspension, along with being more permanent. there was talk of whether the compressor could be left in place and used as an air pump. i haven't looked to see how it is hooked up yet, but the plan is to leave it as-is, but wire it to a switch and put an air fitting on the output. we'll see if that plan holds water once i have the vehicle in the shop. no matter what, there should be some of these available in junk years by now, and they must be just a 12v item? should be easier than hooking up a belt for an ac compressor, provided the output is good enough.

I was the one posting about the air bag and compressor setup. For my uses the compressor would work just fine but for builders situation I think he's on the right track. Mine would be light occasional use with low volume.

Matt

 

[crazyal]

I'd go with the Honda power. I bet one tank of gas will last for hours and you have the option of removing it and having portable air elsewhere. I really doubt a 12v compressor will keep up with that Honda.

 

[Builder]

I'd go with the Honda power. I bet one tank of gas will last for hours and you have the option of removing it and having portable air elsewhere. I really doubt a 12v compressor will keep up with that Honda.

That's what I was thinking. I agree with the fuel situation. I can usually run my compressor on jobsite most of a day on a tank of fuel. This one might get run for 15 minutes a day here and there.
Now I need a plan for semi-permenant mount for flatbed truck deck.
They sit on the ground on small rubber isolators. Need to come up with a way to keep it stable, but still removable in relatively short order.

 

[foggy1111]

Shroeder used to make a "spark plug inflator". You would remove one spark plug, and instal the fitting with a hose and tire chuck on the other end. Start your vehicle...and inflate. With this device you had a compressor that would air up a large tire in a few minuets.

Google "Spark Plug Air Pump" to see some pics and history. Kinda cool device. Not sure if they still make 'em?

 

[Soundguy]

you can still find them repop. I see alot of them when looking at old tractor shows and such..

 

[Nicb7800]

A 12v compressor will not keep up with a gas stationary or a wheel barrow style compressor. The only thing that would even be close is a York and the only thing that is 12v about that is the clutch when it engages. Gas compressors that are 5.5 hp are between 4 to 8 cfm at best depending on what brand of pump they are pushing. A 12v electric is going to be 1 to 3 at best unless you get the good old doctored up numbers. Just remember you can only get so much air out of so much power gas or electric, it comes down to physics. Also a common error is big tank means big air, that is not always true sense once the air is gone out of the tank it's all about what the pump is putting out or cfm. Nic

 

[Soundguy]

i guess it depends on air needs. storage tank helps.. and if low volume for airing a tire or stiffening air bags.. not much volume needed.. etc.