How many car tires can an Al 80 with 3,000 PSI fill?

[spoolin01]

I knew you smart guys would figure this out for me. There is still air in the tires, probably around 20-25 psi. I just need to top them off and I didn't think an 8 gallon tank with 150 psi would do the trick.

Take a generator too and you'll have all the air you need. Truly, a small electric tire inflator seems like it should solve the problem better than either of these other options.

The tank should fill the tires quicker than the compressor, also.

Depends... if the compressor banks at 150 psi and the first stage on the scuba tank has an IP of 140 psi, the fill rate into the tire would be about the same. Which is good: you don't want to fill anything with compressed air too fast.

Pressure is half of the story, but flow is the other. The flow capacity of a scuba first stage is not great, I doubt it would drive an air tool adequately. I use an old Dacor Pacer on scuba bottles and while it's great for topping off tires, it is slow. With an air nozzle, it's laughable compared to a real shop system.

 

[yle]

Pressure is half of the story, but flow is the other. The flow capacity of a scuba first stage is not great,

Good point... flow rate from the first stage is great for filling lungs, but tires are a little bigger.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Take a generator too and you'll have all the air you need. Truly, a small electric tire inflator seems like it should solve the problem better than either of these other options.


Pressure is half of the story, but flow is the other. The flow capacity of a scuba first stage is not great, I doubt it would drive an air tool adequately. I use an old Dacor Pacer on scuba bottles and while it's great for topping off tires, it is slow. With an air nozzle, it's laughable compared to a real shop system.

I have a fill station, so for me scuba air is free (well sort of after paying for the fill station) and Bottled CO2 cost money. As a result I routinely use al 80's and pretty much any first stage to run all sorts of air tools if I need them in the field.

The very same tools that will tax a "Harbor Freight 5HP" compressor (which are really about 2 hp) will struggle with scuba reg, die grinder, sanders etc. These tools are typically used for extended periods.

Vane type tools like impact wrenches do fine as do piston tools like nail guns and pop rivet setters etc.

One cylinder of CO2 will run tools for a long time because it's a compressed liquefied gas, but full al 80's seem to breed in my compressor shed.

Tobin

 

[spoolin01]

I have a fill station, so for me scuba air is free (well sort of after paying for the fill station) and Bottled CO2 cost money. As a result I routinely use al 80's and pretty much any first stage to run all sorts of air tools if I need them in the field.

The very same tools that will tax a "Harbor Freight 5HP" compressor (which are really about 2 hp) will struggle with scuba reg, die grinder, sanders etc. These tools are typically used for extended periods.

Vane type tools like impact wrenches do fine as do piston tools like nail guns and pop rivet setters etc.

One cylinder of CO2 will run tools for a long time because it's a compressed liquefied gas, but full al 80's seem to breed in my compressor shed.

Tobin

I've only seen how wimpy the tanks drive an air nozzle, don't own any actual air tools. I'd like to look into modifying some orifice in the first stage to increase flow, just never got around to it. If I thought I could drive a decent impact wrench with it, I'd reconsider.

Having a HP compressor makes using tank air around the garage pretty handy, and nicely portable. Used to carry a small bottle to fill my inflatable boat, but then I found an electric pump that does 3psi at decent flow rate, and is much smaller and lighter. The 40 cu ft bottle was heavy and ran out pretty quickly.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I've only seen how wimpy the tanks drive an air nozzle, don't own any actual air tools. I'd like to look into modifying some orifice in the first stage to increase flow, just never got around to it. If I thought I could drive a decent impact wrench with it, I'd reconsider.

Having a HP compressor makes using tank air around the garage pretty handy, and nicely portable. Used to carry a small bottle to fill my inflatable boat, but then I found an electric pump that does 3psi at decent flow rate, and is much smaller and lighter. The 40 cu ft bottle was heavy and ran out pretty quickly.

Using scuba air to fill a 3 psi boat will work, but it's kinda the definition of inefficient, use energy to compress air to ~3000 psi so you can use it at 3.

BTW I used to repurpose the sliding vane "smog pumps" or air injection pumps common on 70-80's gas engines for filling Avons etc. Basically free at the wrecking yard. Lots of volume at modest pressures, exactly what you need to fill boats.

Tobin

 

[spoolin01]

Using scuba air to fill a 3 psi boat will work, but it's kinda the definition of inefficient, use energy to compress air to ~3000 psi so you can use it at 3.

BTW I used to repurpose the sliding vane "smog pumps" or air injection pumps common on 70-80's gas engines for filling Avons etc. Basically free at the wrecking yard. Lots of volume at modest pressures, exactly what you need to fill boats.

Tobin

I've never heard of those pumps, have to check them out. Consumer vane pumps sold for mattress and toy inflation that will do more then 1 psi or so seem hard to come by. I found one, by Stansport I think, that supposedly would do 2+ no load and I figured it would augment the scuba tank nicely, but then I found a couple of Scoprega/Bravo dual, vane + piston, pumps that just fit the bill. They're pricey retail, but work nicely. The adjustable shut-off is pretty handy, and I hated hauling the bottle and regulator around.

For efficiency, I have no idea how a gas or electric HP compressor compares to a 12V pump, but it doesn't trouble me much. The foot pump was never going to be an option.