Live in Alaska and interested in knowing what portable air compressors you all are using for either off-road or remote location treks. Needing one that's reliable and will work for large tires and fast recovery. Preferably a 12V connection straight to the battery instead of the cigarette lighter. Any input/info/insight including past/present experiences.

 

The Viair 88P is a good cheap unit that I keep with my roadside emergency kit. It can handle my 34" tires without much fuss and reaches all 4 tires (from battery) with room to spare. It's only rated at 1.45 CFM, 40% duty cycle, and 0-30 psi fill times for a 33x12.5 tire is 5m 45s. The Viair 450p is a 100% DC unit rated at 1.80 CFM but costs 5x more.

The Smittybilt 2781 is rated at 5.65 CFM which would offer fast fill times. If you're looking for fast recovery, you may want to add a tank.

 

This is what I have installed in my Landcruiser and it doesn't miss a beat. They can be found for about $225.

http://www.amazon.com/PD1006-Puma-Volt-Compressor-Gallon/dp/B00W1TNO6U

 

This is great info. I'm assuming that with yours being your "emergency" kit you're not hard-wired in but using alligator clamps or your cigarette lighter outlet? I've read that I could easily wire into a trailer connection and use the 6 or 7 pin trailer plug in located in the rear of vehicle for 12V and ground. That would be awesome if that's true. I'm not at all savvy with the electric side of things. Any input on that?

 

Wonders how best to set up something like this? Mounted or just in a gear box?

 

eBay; $234.00

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Puma-12-Volt-1-5-Gallon-Oil-Less-Air-Compressor-Free-Shipping-Oiless-12V-/280790586347

 

Correct, the 88p uses alligator clamps connected to the battery.

I'm not 100% certain but I think pin#5 on the 7 way towing connector is a 30A circuit for the trailer battery charging but someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I can't see why it would be an issue tapping into that if your compressor draws less than 30A. Anytime I hard wire an accessory that draws a lot of power, I avoid tapping into an existing circuit and wire it directly to the battery with a fuse.

 

If you are serious about the "best" then there really is not dispute. The oasis xd4000 is 100% duty cycle @200 psi and will run a 1/2 impact with no tank. Of course your going to pay for the "best"

Maybe tied for best would be a engine driven York compressor either a DIY or a setup from kilby.

That said I have 2 compressors , the vair 450 and an ARB and both are slow. On extended trips or when towing I bring my CO2 tank.

 

Any compressor that is oil-less is not even "good" much less "best". But pretty much all 12V units marketed to consumers fall into this "cr*p" category and to get anything resembling good you are looking at high dollars.


Do you want one that is the least cr*ppy of the affordable units or one that is actually good? If you want to go cheap then buy at least two 12V units. That is the closest you can get to reliability going that route.

 

Gene, thanks for the good insight. What is a reputable and affordable compressor to go with? I don't have a shop compressor so this would be intended for more than just pumping a tire however it does need to be as compact as possible and not take up all my cargo area. If you have a good website to direct me to, that would work to. I don't mind reading myself.

 

I posted the names of the 2 compressor setups that are considered "best" and neither one of them use the oil less design Gene rightly labeled as crap.

The oasis is a true work horse used by the towing industry as well as the military. It is powered by your vehicles electrical system.
12v and 24v DC Air Compressors - Oasis Manufacturing - Laguna Hills, CA

A York compressor is belt driven from your engine and uses a clutch to engage the pump.

 

Just to give you an idea of performance.

The oasis xd4400
8 cfm @ 100 psi 200psi max

Vair 400 (their best one )
1.1 cfm @ 100 psi 150psi max


Here is a handy chart for with common tool CFM requirements to give you an idea.

 

For your particular needs the only ones I know of are the high dollars ones pirate4x4_camo mentioned. An oil less compressor is the equivalent of someone saying "hey, I've got a great engine design! Let's leave out the rings and the oil! Sure, you have to stop the engine every few minutes otherwise it will immediately seize, and the wear from no lubrication will destroy the pistons soon anyway, but it is $20 cheaper! And we'll market it as no maintenance!" If you want something that you may only use a couple of times and you've got AAA available as a backup then it is fine. If it is something that you want to actively use or it is being used somewhere where cheap rescue is not a simple phone call away then IMO you should pay for something better.


BTW - there is no reason why the manufacturers of the cr*p products couldn't spend a little more and produce something that would last. You wouldn't get the performance or motor life of something like the Oasis but at least the piston wouldn't seize the first time you run it slightly longer than its duty cycle or after you use it a few times. But the current market doesn't do this and so the choices are either very low end or very high end. A good value for your money doesn't exist.

 

Hard to beat the York. I had one on my old dodge and it was awesome. That is actually my next project now that the Cummins has found its way in to the Ex.


I have a Viair 400P compressor I keep in my Jetta. Works reasonably well for the small tires on it and my dirt bikes. I blew up an air mattress with it once but it got very hot having to run that long.