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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Heavy duty 12 volt air compressor
- - By TRC (***) Date 11-20-2010 13:26
Anyone have any recommendation for a quality, heavy duty 12V air compressor for the truck. Thanks- Ted
Parent - - By crahner (**) Date 11-20-2010 14:23
I use a gardner denver 13 horse, it can keep up while air arcing with no problems at all.
Parent - - By TRC (***) Date 11-20-2010 14:41
To pump up a tire
Parent - By Northweldor (***) Date 11-20-2010 16:14
Why "quality, heavy duty" for that? (I buy "disposable cheap" for that purpose). Just wondering.
Parent - By rlitman (***) Date 11-21-2010 01:45
I've got a viair compressor.
They make several different duty cycles.  Mine is 25%, rated at 15 minutes on, 45 off.  Similarly priced to the HF one.  100% rated units are over 4 times the price.
I managed to fit it under the hood of my subaru along with the relay and pressure switch, and ran a 1/4" nylon airbrake tube next to my brake lines by the rocker panels to a 3 gallon tank in the trunk.  Then I've got a 25' polyurethane coil hose coming off of that, with a quick release end (and a ball valve behind that, because any leaks will make the compressor run a lot, and quick release ends seep a lot of air), and an air chuck and impact gun with my other junk in the trunk.
I put a switch on the dash to kill power to the relay (in case something leaks while I'm driving), and the power to the relay comes from a circuit that is only on when the ignition is on (so an air leak doesn't drain my battery overnight).
Then, the power from my electric horn circuit opens the solenoid valve to my air horn.  Ok, so the filling tires was just a bonus.   :)
Now how I fit a 24 1/2" long Grover 1510 under the hood of a sub-compact is another story . . .
Parent - - By dbigkahunna (****) Date 11-20-2010 19:44
I got one of these over 4 years ago from Harbor Freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-150-psi-high-volume-air-compressor-66399.html
With the 20% coupon it is less than 50 bucks. It can air up a car tire in less than a minute.
Mine has rolled around in my truck with no babying. I just keep it in the case.
Parent - - By TRC (***) Date 11-20-2010 22:39
I posted before I Googled and wow there is a market for these. Thanks Big K that's what I'm looking for. Northwelder, I like quality products because when I'm driving four hours for a test or a job I want to be sure I make it on time.  If I bought a throw away compressor with my luck when I needed it it would coincide with throw away time.

Hey Henry, I'll be up your way on Monday, Greensburg Pa
Parent - By Northweldor (***) Date 11-22-2010 13:02
I solve this by carrying two (one brand-new) When one fails, I use for replacement parts and  then discard. Cheap Campbell-Hausfield (chinese) less than $10 on sale. The one Big K recommended is obviously higher quality and would have faster output.
- - By hillbilly (**) Date 11-22-2010 20:10
Do you carry oxygen on your truck? Seems like a man build a hose to pull off his regulator. Correct me if I wrong.
Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 11-22-2010 20:52
Hello hillbilly, you wouldn't want to use oxygen in the place of compressed air for anything. I can relate an interesting story that occured in a manufacturing plant that used to be located near to me a number of years ago. A floor worker showed up at the tool crib to have a die grinder rebuilt, not such a big issue. He was issued another one and sent on his way. Oddly enough, he showed back up a very short time later and requested another grinder. This time the tool room tech inquired about what was wrong/going on. The answer he got was definitely unique: the worker said that he had installed an air line off of one of the oxygen supply lines that was piped throughout the facility and everytime he hit the trigger on the die grinder flames shot out the exhaust on it. This scenario illustrates just one reason why oxygen shouldn't be substituted for compressed air requirements, they are not interchangeable. Best regards, Allan
Parent - - By 99205 (***) Date 11-23-2010 05:32
lol, I had a new guy ask me to help him hook up his "grey" bottle to his mig welder.  He said that the threads on the "grey" (CO2) weren't right.  OK, that puzzled me so I went over to see what the problem was.  The "grey" bottle he was trying to hook up was a METHANE bottle.  After questioning him about the sticker on the bottle he told me "I never pay any attention to those".  He was gone at the end of the day.
Parent - By aevald (*****) Date 11-23-2010 08:18
That certainly would have been an interesting first strike up. WOW! Best regards, Allan
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Heavy duty 12 volt air compressor

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