Urban Prep - Tire Compressor

Urban preparedness, for me, includes having a vehicle that is in good repair and outfitted with some basic tools, including jumper cables and a tire compressor.

My tire compressor ("Slime" brand), a few years old, recently failed so I'm shopping for a new one. Any recommendations? I don't need it to be the fastest at inflating car tires but would like one that is more durable. These "Vair" brand have good reviews on Amazon but I'm not yet persuaded.

https://www.amazon.com/VIAIR-85P-Portable-Air-Compressor/dp/B0036E9VB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1473774317&sr=1-1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A4707240011%2Cp_89%3AViair



.

I have the Costco jumpstarter/tire-inflator/area-light/charge-your-stuff gadget in both cars. They seem to last four or five years, need to be charged once a month, and work a treat. It's MUCH easier to jumpstart a car with something like this than with jumper cables (which we also have in both cars).

I have a previous generation the Viar 70P (80 psi max pressure) with an adaptor to connect it directly to the battery. I have zero complaints with it. It's a lot faster and quieter then the generic Target or Costco compressors.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012WHBSO

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Battery-Cigarette-Lighter-Extension/dp/B00JOY6U7U/

Viair compressors are highly regarded in the off-road and overland expedition communities. If it's in your price range, go for one that hooks directly to the battery for faster airing up, especially if you're working on a big tire. Lots of threads on Expedition Portal if you search for Viair.

I have the Vlair 88P and am pleased. There is a good review on Amazon that comprehensively compares various models. I also wrote a review somewhere in there.

Spend the extra $16.00 or so and get the Viair 88P. It is a much better compressor in terms of max PSI and CFM. This higher capacity compressor will inflate just about any tire that you may come across in the future, whether it be your own or another persons vehicle. As it draws more amps, you will not be able to use a 12 cigarette style power outlet. Instead the 88P connects directly to the vehicle battery.

I currently have a 2 cylinder compressor with slightly higher CFM specs. If this compressor ever goes south, I would not hesitate to purchase the 88P.

I have several 12v compressors -- and I have seen several more fail.

So, for years I have carried a decent quality high-capacity bicycle floor pump. It has never let me down. Perhaps not ideal for a mondo balloon tire 4x4, but for passenger vehicles I already have the tire topped off when others are still fiddling with cords and lighter plugs.

Regarding portable stations, I have had a few high quality ones and am never buying another one again. I used each station exactly one time to try it out. The next time I needed it, the battery was toast, thereby defeating the purpose of the portable station.

On a related topic, I also refuse to buy cordless drills anymore for the same reason. I have a powerful cord drill that is way less expensive and gives me full power every time.

Yeah, I'm that guy.

Sounds like a battery maintenance issue. Those 'old' styple jumperpacks use AGM batteries and just like any kind of lead battery needs to kept charged or else the plates have sulfation and not work anymore. Best way is basically have them trickle charge/battery maintainer connected to them all the time. Lead acid batteries deteriate with time, so you will need to replace the battery inside the jumperpack every few years. You don't have to replace the entire thing.

These days lithium jumperpacks are on the market, that won’t need to be charged all the time (and shouldn’t!). Generally without any compressors or those kind of features. Lithium batteries will degrade with time too, but are far more user friendly maintenance wise. You do see a lot of (too) cheap Chinese ones...

Just keep in mind battery, just like the battery in your car will not last forever. When you buy them, it will be just for a few years.

I agree with the latter part of your post. The battery will eventually degrade no matter what, regardless of how well you maintain it. That is my point. My power stations were for rare emergencies. I took care of my batteries better than an average consumer would. Nevertheless, the battery eventually degraded because that is what any battery does. For people like me who only will use the power station for a rare emergency, a power station is basically a bad investment.

I have had a similar experiences with those backup battery power supplies that you use for computer equipment. I had two of those. The battery eventually degrades. The average consumer will not know the battery is toast until there is a power outage. Anyway, my power outages were so rare that it only came in handy once. Even then, having my computer equipment running was not necessary.

just checking if you are not one of those, 'I charged it went i bought it years ago and it should now work' expectations some people have.

Fortunatly high quality jumper cables will last decades. Also testing car batteries and preventive replacement when they degrade prevents lots of issues.

Nope. I have Bachelor's in electrical engineering by the way,

As another example...I was just talking with a classmate of mine. We are both gun owners and both refuse to by electronic gun safes.

I'm a network security engineer and I strongly agree with this.

I bought the Vair 85P compressor about a year ago and I have used it a few times. I am pleased with its overall performance. The speed of inflation and it's ability to handle large tires are good. It doesn't seem to strain or overheat. The extra long air hose and long power cords are convenient. It doesn't come with a case, but it fits in one of those five buck GI toolbags. You'll want something like that to corral those long cords, along with a tire plug kit, etc.

I have a foot operated tire pump in my car kit. Photo link is for illustration and not exactly the one I have. I prefer a manual tire pump instead of an electric one so as to not put undue strain on the battery which may be taxed out all ready.http://www.dhresource.com/260x260s/f2-al...tyling-foot.jpg. I also carry a can of inflate-a-flat fluid for emergencies since I don't know how to repair flat tires myself. The problem with this is that the aerosol cans tend not to work too well in very cold weather and they need to be warmed with body heat when it gets really cold outside.

I have heavy duty set of jumper cables that I got on a great deal on a number of years ago. They are 20' long, 2ga copper wiring with HD clamps. While they are great for me to help other people out with dead batteries, but the reality is that the type of person who comes to help me out would probably have their own cables otherwise why would they stop and help? While I currently have just the OEM battery in my 1-yr old vehicle, when it comes to replacing the battery I will be installing the largest and highest cold cranking amp (CCA) battery that will physically fit the tray. The OEM one has about 590 CCA, I would be looking at one in the 700-900 CCA range which would provide enough juice to turn over a cold engine in -40*C weather. Another option is to install a 75w battery blanket on the battery itself. (People in Canada and northern US states would know exactly what I am talking about, people from the southern states are probably scratching their heads trying to figure out what I am saying!)

If I needed to self rescue from a dead battery how would I accomplish this? Well, I was thinking of getting one of those small lithium battery units with clamps that may be able to provide enough juice to enable me to start my vehicle. I am skeptical that they can provide enough current for a really dead battery in the middle of winter but if all I need is just a little bit extra current this may be a solution.

The switch over to winter tire season will start next month. Since I have the OEM all season tires, this year I am going to get new steel rims with winter ice/snow tires. I will use the -1 size system i.e. currently 235/55-P17 all seasons will now be 225/65-P16 winter tires. The slightly narrower tires will make it easier to go through snow and have less hydro-planning effect. Also going to a -1 size will mean tires that are generally cheaper and a better selection of manufacturers - I prefer Blizzaks due to prior experience.

Those foot operated pumps are considerably less tiring then the vertical t-handled ones. But, The electric ones are much faster and you can leave the car running while you use them. So, no battery drain.

I've probably related the story before, but the plastic fittings on fix-a-flat cans can degrade over the years and splatter you will sealant when used. Splash proof goggles are a must.

Fix a flat also has a shelf life. You can not just buy a can and expect it to work 1-2 years later. I learned this lesson personally the hard way. The goo solidifies in the can. Also on anything after 2007 has tpms (tire pressure monitoring system) here in the US. Fix a flat and slime will damage/kill the sensor (maybe not at that instant but it gums the sensor and plugs it) interesting side note, when you make it to the shop they can not let the car leave unless the system is functioning (once again weird laws apply) due to liability. sensors run from $30-$250 US.

the compressed air tanks are a viable option also, but they take up a lot of room and have a shelf life also. (they are like scuba tanks and can only be used for so long) personally i hate the things and they are a one time use until refilling, but it is a pretty robust system. Kinda hard for it to fail as long as you check it when you do your monthly tire pressure check.

I personally used a cheapo no name-brand one i inherited from my parents until my kids got a hold of it. As with everything else, they destroyed it. (purchased circa 1992...tod was 2016)

I am looking to replace mine so thank you for all the information.

B.S. in mechanical engineering. No argument from me.

Electrical engineer here. I also have to vote for the mechanical guys doing a much better job than us electrical guys when it comes to locks. No electronic locks for me either. The electronic ones are a solution in search of a problem. And a bad solution at that.