Any portable DC tire inflator actually not suck?

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
1,013
126
Trying to have a portable, probably DC powered tire inflator in the mix so I can top off the tire pressure at home. Gotten a couple from Amazon that were highly rated and both died within a few uses. Are any of the light duty inflators doomed to only being able to fill up one tire at a time before letting cool down so the piston doesn't seize? Getting a full air compressor for $100+ seems like overkill but unsure if the smaller portable units are suitable for anything but the lightest use.
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
20,633
5,323
136
I've never seen one that was worth having around. The problem is they move very small amounts of air, take a very long time to fill a tire, and aren't rated for continuous duty. Even that $100 compressor you mentioned would probably burn up if it had to fill all 4 tires on your car, as most of those are a 50% duty cycle.
 

Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,149
57
91
No, they all suck. Can't draw but so much current from 12v, especially if they plug into a power point.
 

EXCellR8

Diamond Member
Sep 1, 2010
3,982
839
136
My dad got me one for xmas 2 years ago and I can honestly say... I love him slightly less now lol

Can't get a single car tire to rated pressure after literally 5 minutes of continuous operation. AVOID!
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,782
2,685
136
Air compressors either lacking the necesssary heatsinking and lubing for longevity or even if they are built, suffer from being built to "Chinese" standards, like the ViAir.

Going over the motor's rated duty cycle will kill it prematurely, and a factory dud will also die prematurely. You can buy longer run times. Dealing with factory flakiness is just a hazard of buying new.
 

herm0016

Diamond Member
Feb 26, 2005
8,420
1,047
126

i have one of these and it has been fine. What are you guys trying to do with them? I have used it to air up my air suspension or tires on a trailer or truck plenty and it does its job, or after reducing pressure for sand / off road driving. i have also aired up a tire after putting in a plug. Its not for running air tools or filling a tire from 0 psi. it would do it in a pinch, but i would monitor it and let it cool if when it gets hot.
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,785
1,500
126
I've had one -- a 9"x4"x12" plastic box -- since around 1995, used through vehicle ownership covering four vehicles. It still works. I assume all these devices plug into the 12V cigarette lighter on a vehicles dashboard.

It only gets used on average maybe once every four years. For the last 18 years, it's been exclusively used for my 95 Trooper, which has SUV-class tires.

I bought it at a Kragen's -- a has-been auto-parts chain-store like O'Reilly's or Autozone (which probably succeeded Kragen's).

I only use it in emergencies or situations when the tire pressure is too low for driving the car. Ordinarily, I take my Trooper to a tire reseller who keeps the tires filled to spec with nitrogen gas. I'd prefer not to top up the nitrogen with plain air. This is an aspect of free service I get from the reseller, even for a set of tires more than 6 years old.

So I'm thinking to buy another one. I'll do a little research on Amazon, check their customer reviews, and report back if I find anything worth consideration.

Also -- PS -- I'd previously looked into a nitrogen tire-charging system. Way too expensive, and you have to keep bottled compressed nitrogen handy.
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,785
1,500
126

This seemed to do reasonably well in the project farm testing. It's the one I would grab, since it's really only $30 with a 20% coupon.
Thanks a lot for that lead. They sell a lot of Pittsburgh stuff at Harbor Freight. A person wouldn't have to wait through the Amazon shipping delay. The price is in line with what I found on Amazon:

Several Portable Tire Inflators

Of these, I note that a long-established tool-maker -- also known for its kitchen toaster-ovens -- has a very versatile model that is (a) cordless, (b) has an AC plug and (c) a DC cigarette-lighter car plug and cable:

Black and Decker Tire Inflator

There is slight drawback with the B&D inflator. You have to purchase the Lithium battery and its charger separately, although it will still work with either the AC or cig-lighter connection without the battery.

Here's another unit of similar design to the Pittsburgh inflator at Harbor Freight:

EPAuto Digital Tire Inflator


The design is similar, but it has a digital pressure read-out in contrast to the Pittsburgh's analog dial. You set the pump to a specific pressure, and it then shuts off after filling your tire. There's a 0.5 PSI compensation built-in to balance any pressure loss from removal of the fill hose.
 
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EXCellR8

Diamond Member
Sep 1, 2010
3,982
839
136
Unless it's for emergency on-the-road reasons I don't see why you wouldn't just use a regular semi-portable oil-lube compressor. They aren't that expensive unless you're buying large capacity and/or want the "top of the line" brand like northstar or something.

Use a 20A circuit though, because even the HF models can occasionally trip a breaker. You will absolutely appreciate the benefit of higher PSI compared to a little air pusher.
 

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,036
548
126
I have one in each car. Nothing worse than flat spare...in which case you might as well have called AAA in the first place. I'd just rather do it myself and not have to wait.
 

EXCellR8

Diamond Member
Sep 1, 2010
3,982
839
136
OP stated they just want something for "home" use to top off tires... regular compressor is not overkill and is one of the most useful garage tools you can own.

Of course if you're away and in a pinch then an emergency 12v might be alright but I'd consider them somewhat disposable at best.
 

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,036
548
126
Just buy a car with on-board air. Problem solved.

At home I'll often use a bicycle pump if its just a few pounds.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,513
221
106
-- another vote for the Viair 88P. I use it for offroad trips (airing down / up). It works fine and will happily do four 32" tires without cooling down.

No, they all suck. Can't draw but so much current from 12v, especially if they plug into a power point.

My 9000 lb winch runs on 12v. It pulls plenty of current, lol. Anything that plugs into a 12v socket is going to suck, though.
 

herm0016

Diamond Member
Feb 26, 2005
8,420
1,047
126
nobody is saying this will replace something you can plug into the wall at home. its for use when you don't have access to 120 volt 15 amp power.

at home? yes. i have a 20 or 30 gal tank compressor. but for camping or exploring, or side of the road, the little one is great.
 

manly

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
11,337
2,355
136
I picked up a Wagan EL2020 for barely $10 a couple years ago. It's got just passable reviews on Amazon, but honestly it's done the (slow) job when I've needed to top off tires. Easily fits underneath the trunk. Probably get a VIAIR if I needed something more robust, and still portable.
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,770
1,351
136
I really view those portable plug in units for use as a top off system, such as adding a few pounds to each tire to compensate for loss of pressure due to cold weather or to inflate a tire enough to get to a service station if there is a leak. I have used a couple of them, and they are adequate for that purpose. Cant remember the brands off hand though. I think one of them was made by the same company that makes the green slime sealer.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
69,505
27,802
136
I've been using a variation of this compressor in my work truck and personal vehicles for 13 years with no problems.


There's a bunch of similar models on the market under different brand names but they all seem to come from the same factory. I have the Q Industries version.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
57,653
7,882
126
I use a hand pump. It's a lot of work, especially for truck tires, but it's never let me down. I've had it ~25 years, replaced the handle that broke, and replaced the hose a few times using the hoses off of dead 12v pumps that never lasted more than a few fills tops.
 

WackyDan

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2004
4,794
68
91

i have one of these and it has been fine. What are you guys trying to do with them? I have used it to air up my air suspension or tires on a trailer or truck plenty and it does its job, or after reducing pressure for sand / off road driving. i have also aired up a tire after putting in a plug. Its not for running air tools or filling a tire from 0 psi. it would do it in a pinch, but i would monitor it and let it cool if when it gets hot.

I have the 330p ViAIR. You get what you pay for. Everyone in our 4x4 club has them and they allow us to air back up a 33 or 35 inch tire pretty rapidly... I imagine airing up a typical car or truck tire is pretty quick. Yeah they get hot, but the Viairs are built for it. Paid like $147 for mine after tax... You get what you pay for and a little bit of research will find you pointed at the ViAirs. I carry ours on road trips, off road jeeping, etc.

 

JeepinEd

Senior member
Dec 12, 2005
868
61
91
I've been using a variation of this compressor in my work truck and personal vehicles for 13 years with no problems.


There's a bunch of similar models on the market under different brand names but they all seem to come from the same factory. I have the Q Industries version.

I've had one of these in my Jeep for several years and am very happy with it. I use it every time I go four wheeling and it can bring the tire pressure from 18 PSI to 35 PSI on a 33" tire in about 3 minutes.
 

KentState

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2001
8,397
393
126
I've purchased three of the Viair 85P pumps, one for each car, and they have done well. I've gone from 18psi up to 32psi many times at the strip and have others for 15-20 minutes straight to blow up huge yard toys. Somewhat surprised to hear the quick failure rates in the thread.
 
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