Portable electric compressor

[Rgrigutis]

Got my monthly flyer from harbor freight, yeah I know, harbor freight. They've got a 1.5 hp, 6 gal, 150 psi oilless electric compressor on sale for 99 bucks. I'm getting ready for my first rv trip and was wondering if something like this could be useful. Airing up the tires and blowing out the fresh water plumbing immediately come to mind. Any other uses you can think of? It weighs 37 lbs. thanks, rick

[hoppers4]

A real compressor such as that one is much better than the small tankless 12VDC compressors. I carry one in the RV for airing tires quickly, winterizing the rig, and blowing up those huge water toys. I've used it many times and consider it an important piece of RV equipment.

[Camper_bob]

I have a small compressor that I sometimes take with me. Downside is you need 110V AC to power it. So unless you have an inverter capable of handling the load or a generator, or ready access to shore power, it's just so much extra weight. I figure I'll need it most when I'm out on the road with nothing but 12V DC available, so I'm planning to buy myself a nice Viair 12V compressor some day so I'm covered no matter what.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by Rgrigutis

Got my monthly flyer from harbor freight, yeah I know, harbor freight. They've got a 1.5 hp, 6 gal, 150 psi oilless electric compressor on sale for 99 bucks. I'm getting ready for my first rv trip and was wondering if something like this could be useful. Airing up the tires and blowing out the fresh water plumbing immediately come to mind. Any other uses you can think of? It weighs 37 lbs. thanks, rick

If you have a small shop that's an excellent unit. But a bit big for normal homeowner use. And way too heavy to be considered "portable'.

I don't have the new flyer yet, but see if they have a 3 or 4 gallon for about half the price.

All decent compressors will build to 150PSI. You're biggest concern is CFM or Cubic Feet per Minute. The bigger the number, the more air that can be delivered and therefore the higher the price.

A good homeowner unit needs to be around 1-2 CFM. That'll handle anything short of spray painting. Tires, suspension air bags, blowing out the lines for winterizing...

Be sure to include a regulator! The plumbing in an RV won't take well to 150PSI. 20 PSI is much safer.

[RoyBraddy]

I too use the tankless 12VDC portable air compressor for all of my RV and Truck needs.

Most of my camping is off road and i can sit the tankless 150pise 12VDC compressor on the dropped truck tail gate and connect up to the trailer battery bank with ease. Then I can use the provided long air hose to walk around all of trailer and truck tires.

I can also provide air to the trailer city water port using an AIR ADAPTER when blowing out the air lines after draining all of the low water points on the trailer.

The tankless type air compressor are slower in providing maximum pressure so this fits right into using them for blowing out water lines... Plenty of time to start it up and then walk inside and open all of the water spigots to drain out the trapped water down the sinks.

Been using my tankless 12VDC air compressor from way back in the AZ JEEP DAYS and it stores in its handy carry case under the rear seat of my truck.



Roy Ken

[TWP723]

Can a pump that size inflate suspension air bags?

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by TWP723

Can a pump that size inflate suspension air bags?

I don't see why not. They don't get up to crazy pressures or anything, and from that standpoint, it's no different than a tire.

[RoyBraddy]

TWP723 - if that was directed at me yes... This has a 150PSI capability. The problem with the tankless type is that they are slow to bring up that much air pressure.

My air bags says to keep at least 15-20 lbs in them them until you are loaded down. Then you will want to use between 70-90lbs on my model of air bag...

I moved all of that over to my newer F150 truck and found out I didn't need it anymore so I just kept 15lbs of air in them...

Roy Ken

[Jagiven]

Having a compressor with you is great. However, I would not carry something that large. I have a Slime Brand 12 volt compressor, one of the larger ones. It says it will fill a tire in 3 minutes. Works great, not quite as nice as my big 120V tank compressor I leave at home. It travels nicely, easy to handle, does not take up to much room. cost was about $60 as I recall. I have never tried using it to blow out my lines, would be interesting thing to try some time.

[TWP723]

Yeah..I hate having to carry my old tanked compressor that I used for my pneumatic tools. It's heavy and cumbersome.

[Mustang65]

Harbor Freight is great for a lot of tools for the money, but when you get to the compressors and high pressure power washers, READ all the reviews. I was going to purchase an air compressor from them, but after I read the reviews on the model I wanted for the TT, I changed my mind and purchased a SEARS 150PSI, 5Gal model that was on sale for $20 more than the Harbor Freight model. Not all their tools have issues, but that is why I read the reviews.

It works great on the TV and TT tires and they top off pretty fast. I have been using the SEARS model for 2 years now. No complaints. I keep it under the front bed.

Don

[jal0710]

I think I have the same compressor as RoyBraddy, only used it once, to blow up a low tire on son's truck the other day. Seemed to work pretty well. Has a couple of connectors to hook to the battery in the vehicle and then you just go to town. Haven't had to use it so far for the truck, fw or boat.

[snowbird47]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

A real compressor such as that one is much better than the small tankless 12VDC compressors. I carry one in the RV for airing tires quickly, winterizing the rig, and blowing up those huge water toys. I've used it many times and consider it an important piece of RV equipment.

You are right-on. I believe one of the 12V compressors is OK for trailer owners, but if you tried to inflate a MH tire to 80 or 100 psi you could go and eat a full breakfast while each tire was being inflated. The just do not have the air-flow at high pressure that you need.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by snowbird47

You are right-on. I believe one of the 12V compressors is OK for trailer owners, but if you tried to inflate a MH tire to 80 or 100 psi you could go and eat a full breakfast while each tire was being inflated. The just do not have the air-flow at high pressure that you need.

That's my thoughts exactly. I used my 12VDC compressor for a while before I realized it just wouldn't hack it in the long run. The compressor I carry is only 1.5 gallon so not as big or heavy as the 6 gallon the OP is referring to. The 6 gallon is probably larger than I would prefer to carry. I also need the higher flow to blow up water toys.

[Bassdogs]

Big ones are [well] big and heavy and are therefore not RV friendly. I've used a 12V tankless one for years to top off a tire or to blow out the water lines. Works great but you're not going to refill a large flat tire. That's why we carry a spare.

Its easy enough to over load the storage space in an RV. Unless it is something that I use regularly and not overly big or heavy, I will leave it at home. If its something that I MIGHT need and it costs less than $50 I just buy it if and when I need it. I eliminated 35lbs from my toolkit using that plan. My 12V compressor is smaller than a cigar box and weighs about 1/2 lb or less.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Big ones are [well] big and heavy and are therefore not RV friendly.

Its easy enough to over load the storage space in an RV.

You're absolutely right on both counts! I don't like wrestling the bigger and heavier compressor around either but it's the only thing that works for me.

Large class C RVs are notoriously short on CCC. However I've stopped by weigh stations more than once and measured the 4 corners. I can add another 200 lbs front and 600 lbs rear and still be within tire and axle specs. That's with full propane, full gas, and half a tank of water so I have to call it good.