Air Compressor Help

[HYB_Living]

Just picked up my first 4wd vehicle this winter and I'm looking to skip the long lines at the beach when airing back up my tires. Looking for something that lasts and gets the job done fast and efficient in size and will pay the price to do so. Some folks tell me that I must get an air compressor that connects directly to my car battery terminals while I just want to connect to my 120V cargo outlet in my trunk if possible but I need to watch out for amp draw. Any first hand recommendations? As well an enlightening me on the technical sides of things as to why I'd want to connect to my battery terminals instead? Thanks in advance as this is only the beginning of my beach buggy journey.  

[giant basshole]

Look at Via air . They have some quality 12 volt units. Clamp to battery. May be more applicable to what your doing and possibly less expensive that 110 volt. Not to mention the space a 110 will take up.

[Demon Chaser]

13 mins ago, giant basshole said:

Look at Via air . They have some quality 12 volt units. Clamp to battery. May be more applicable to what your doing and possibly less expensive that 110 volt. Not to mention the space a 110 will take up.

That would be Viair ... nice little unit.

 

[StuC]

Look at it this way; the 110V outlet in the vehicle is converted from 12V and there is a lot of efficiency loss in the conversion. You did not say what the power capacity of the 110V is, but it's probably around 400W or less. This will determine how large a compressor you can plug in.

[MDsurffishing]

The All-Top 12V compressor is rated pretty good and about $100 cheaper

 

Edited January 30 by MDsurffishing

[jgallagher3]

I've got the VIAIR 300P and have been very happy with it.  Easy to use and has never failed.

 

Fills the tires from 16-18 psi to 36 psi in under 5 minutes per tire.

[HoldMyBass]

Also recommend the viair have the viair400 and it gets the job done very well - 2-3 minutes per tire 16-40 psi. This is probably overkill for my needs but it’s a great unit. Pricey for sure, but I starting hitting some spots that do not have air stations. Also has help me and others in emergencies. 

[HYB_Living]

Anyone have any first hand experience using the VIAIR 88P? Might spend the extra on the 300P or 400P due to these good recommendations. 

[connman]

I carry a 88P as my emergency air compressor. I’ve never tried using it to do a full air up on 4 tires so don’t know how long that would take. For that I carry nitrogen tank. 
I keep the 88 in service by doing tires in driveway for top offs , my wife’s tires loose a little pressure over time and winter charges etc , works fine for that and faster than getting out my 110v compressor and hoses.

[Sailah]

I have an 88p.  Actually 2 just got a new one last week.   My old one was having a spotty connection with the brushes and it broke when I disassembled it.  Overall it was a nice compressor but not sure about doing 4 tires.  I much prefer over cig plug as it can handle higher amps.

[Fishtale7]

 First off, the 110V outlet is only rated for 400W. For an air compressor, that is rated as a fart or a cough. The 12V cigarette outlet is rated at 15A (12V max). That will get you about 6-7 minutes per tire, depending on tire size, and praying the cheap inflator does not melt under the heat of summer & operation. best bet is to splurge, and go with the battery connected type. They are mostly 30A (12V), and will get the job done, in a shorter amount of time compared to the 110V or cigarette plug style. Having the engine running will boost compressor power, and not ruin the battery. Look for the most CFM's in the compressor, before buying. If going the Viair, you'll want a 100% duty compressor, as they are built to run a longer time. If you don't want to connect to the battery every time, install Anderson Power Pole connector the battery, then run the run the line to exterior part of the vehicle, then put the female portion of the connectors on the air pump. The connection is quick, and you never open the hood, while being connected to the battery. 

Edited January 31 by Fishtale7

[reel em in]

Viair 400P AUTOMATIC hardwired to my battery. Inflates my F250 tires to 75 psi. Viair has a great customer service. Answered all my emails promptly. 

Edited January 31 by reel em in

[HYB_Living]

I'm only filling up from 16-40 psi for all 4 tires. So the 400p might be overkill but for only a $40 difference between the 300p on amazon that might just be my best choice. I'm assuming it's worth to pick up a few spare fuses as well 

[z-man]

Another option is a Dewalt 20 volt inflator. It works great and you can set the PSI and walk away. It’s also great for inflating air mattresses and tubes. It’s only around $120 tool only if you already have batteries. 

[Demon Chaser]

9 hours ago, reel em in said:

Viair 400P AUTOMATIC hardwired to my battery. Inflates my F250 tires to 75 psi. Viair has a great customer service. Answered all my emails promptly. 

Mighty cool custom interior ya got there !

Clothes rod above ? or ? ? ?

Please tell more about it.

I'd do similar if I had and extended cab.

Thanks