I am looking for a good 12v air compressor to carry in my vehicle. The only ones I can find in the local stores look
like something my 6yoa neighbor would use on his big-wheel.



HELP!

what's out there in the real world ?

Viair (sp) makes an okay one, it depends on what you are looking to do with it. check the different off-road forums out there or do a google search for "on-board air"

I have a "Master Flow Tsunami," which works pretty well. I picked it up on sale for $50 at a GI Joes (some of my friends found it for $25 at Baxters auto parts), the MSRP is about $70. I use it for airing up my tires after a day of Wheel'n and I've been quite impressed with it. I've heard rumors it can outperform some Viairs or other more expensive compressors. Bottom line is this compressor is a good compromise of cost and function.

Well, Boghog1 is right, it depends on intended use of the compressor, your car, and your tires. I prefer to keep in my trunk a nonelectric foot pump just for emergencies (like to adjust pressure in the spare tire prior to its installation). Who knows how much juice left in the battery at the time of emergency?

Dirt-cheap and rock-reliable:

I'll second the Masterflow, i have two of them. For the price, they are the best deal out there by far. They're selling them at Costco now for just under $50. Just be aware that it needs to connect directly to the battery, not through the cigarette lighter adapter. That's actually a good thing, most of the ones that connect to a cigarette lighter have weak motors, which is why they don't draw enough current to blow the fuses. This one draws a lot more current than those junk air compressors. Make sure your engine is running, cuz I've had it drain my battery enough to need a jumpstart after using it for a while.

Viair and Maxair both reportedly make great stuff, but they have a high price also. I bought one of the Master Flow Tsunami pumps and am more than happy with it. It will even take our RV tires up to 95 psi with no problems...

I'm an avid 4WD person, but I have not been "in the market" for a while now. I currently have an ARB on-board air compressor (the larger one- I understand there is a smaller one on the market now)AND a Quick Air 1 in my rig. Obviously, the primary use for the ARB is to power my air lockers, but I also use it to air up after a trail run. Both of these units combined cannot compare to the ones that could power an air tool such as an impact wrench. However, using both at the same time makes for a faster "air up." I installed an extra 12V socket at the rear of my vehicle to accomodate the Quick Air.

Knowing what I know now, I would first consider what your primary purpose would be. The units that have the ability to power an air tool, to me, would be the best choice because of its versatility- you basically could do anything air related such as popping a tire bead back onto a rim and anything less. The smaller units just don't have he grunt to do that, but you get what you pay for.

If you're looking for an electrical unit, look at the duty cycle. Many compressors have a "time limit" before you have to allow it to cool. Again, that's going to depend on what your primary purpose of the compressor is in the first place.

There are engine powered ones, but that might be over the edge-I understand they're awesome though.

There are compressors powerful enough to run air tools without a tank? If you could post a link I'd love to take a look at one of those units. I was always under the impression that you needed at least a 2.5 gallon air tank to power air tools.

If powering air tools and re-seating tire beads are a concern for you, it may be cheaper to simply add an air tank to a smaller compressor like the ones in the "quick air" series. Wouldn't be able to run the tool continuously but would be plenty for short bursts and a lot cheaper than a heavy duty compressor.

Air tools need pressure and flow rate, if you can keep both in the right range they work fine.

I'm not computer literate, but here's the website:

www.oasismfg.com

Wow, I'm impressed. I didn't expect to find an electric compressor capable of powering air tools without a tank. Looking at it, I think it's actually a York (engine driven compressor) hooked up to a relatively large (200amp) electric motor. Great idea really, comparable performance of an engine driven compressor with the ease of installation of an electric.

Another source of good compressors can be found in old junked travel trailers from the 60's and 70's. Back then, the water systems were pressurized with air compressors which pushed the water thru the pipes. Trailers have since abandoned that practice and now use electric water pumps to move the water. I got an excellent 12V pump free for just removing it. I discovered it needed a new piston but the cost was minimal and I have an excellent air compressor. Much better than the cheap ones found in stores today.

Boone

I have a Masterflow and it works great. I was able to inflate a 32 inch tire in about 5 minutes.. An F.Y.I. though, it's a proprietary connector, and the threads are non standard. I wanted to add a longer hose, and an additional PSI gauge. I had to remove the old hose and re-thread the maifold. I also made some changes to the manifold heat sink so it disipates heat better. After that was done, I am now able to plumb into a manifold or fill a small air tank.

You had to re-thread the manifold? Mine had a proprietary connector on it, but a wrench and a quick run to a hardware store took care of that. IIRC I just had to buy a 1/4" to 1/8" reducer and I was good to go Maybe they've changed something recently, or we had different models?

This pic was taken while modifying my stock AC unit into a belt driven air compressor. On the far left, you can see my red masterflow, modified with a standard quick connect air fitting.