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Barretta2 · 01-29-2016, 04:01 PM

Question 1: Our home electric tire inflator finally bit the dust, so I'm looking for a new one that will inflate my AS tires. All I can find online are ones that attach to the battery for power or which inflate only up to 40 PSI. I checked the Running Gear thread but didn't find anything....can anyone suggest a reliable, heavy duty RV tire inflator that runs on electricity and costs less than $150?
Question 2: All four of my FC tires had new valve stems put in last August. The tires have less than 50% wear and no sign of rot, about 6,000 miles on them. Two of the tires have a VERY slow leak. Could it be the new stems? I don't think it is a puncture because it takes several days for the tires to deflate from 50 psi to about 43 psi.
Many thanks!

BASE729 · 01-29-2016, 04:22 PM

I ended up getting the Ryobi compressor, part of their line of portable tools (at Home Depot). It lets me share batteries/charging between my drill, compressor, fan, and led lantern. It works pretty well, just set the pressure and it goes until it meets it and shuts off. Also handy since its cordless.

Mach5 · 01-29-2016, 04:42 PM

I'm looking for one as well, check out the PORTER-CABLE PCFP02003, around $100.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BM...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Caffeinated · 03-17-2016, 12:12 PM

I don't know if it's the best, but I just ordered (from Amazon) a Viair 400p RV automatic. Its DC, which I think makes it easy to connect to the tow rig or the trailer batteries, and it's auto so regulate the on/off from the tire without having to tell my wife to switch off the compressor. And the reports say it's way better than the ac $100.00 Cambell Hausfeld unit that takes a half hour to boost one tire on my truck 8 lbs. so I'm hopeful, but we will see.

Mike

featherbedder · 03-17-2016, 01:47 PM

I would say the stems leak and need replaced as the same thing happened to me. Tire store couldn't find prob. but replaced at no charge, [these were new stems installed with pur. of new tires] leak fixed, the rubber gasket was not installed properly. I always use metal stems on trucks and trailers and equipment, not rubber or rubber coated metal stems. I would not like to be on trip with tires that leak and have to find place to inflate even tho I carry 12 volt compressor that inflates fast and high pressure. There are several threads on forums as to manf. of 12 volt compressors, they list good and bads. Mine is in truck but I followed rec. on threads and was very good advice as to brand plus was not expensive. It comes in small bag and fits behind seat I have used on skid steer tires at 65psi. took about 1-1/2 min. If any one pms. me I will answer as to manf. or email at bill73r1@gmail.com

Foiled Again · 03-17-2016, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barretta2

Question 1: Our home electric tire inflator finally bit the dust, so I'm looking for a new one that will inflate my AS tires. All I can find online are ones that attach to the battery for power or which inflate only up to 40 PSI. I checked the Running Gear thread but didn't find anything....can anyone suggest a reliable, heavy duty RV tire inflator that runs on electricity and costs less than $150?
Question 2: All four of my FC tires had new valve stems put in last August. The tires have less than 50% wear and no sign of rot, about 6,000 miles on them. Two of the tires have a VERY slow leak. Could it be the new stems? I don't think it is a puncture because it takes several days for the tires to deflate from 50 psi to about 43 psi.
Many thanks!

Tire Inflation - best one? Dunno, but here's a word of "DUH". I have the duty "cigarette lighter" one and with my old 2006 Safari when I needed to run it to inflate a trailer tire I could pop open the window nearest the DC TV and use that plug to power it.

So fast forward to the 2012 EB - I ran over a curb and popped the bead on a trailer tire, opened the window, got ready to pop the screen out of the bead and LO and behold, what the heck happened to the 12 volt plugs? gone? Yep. So now do I have to unhitch the tow vehicle to try to air up the tire? (Luckily a nice man in a truck drove up and let me run the inflator from his truck's 12 volt plug. On my list of stuff to do - sister a 12 volt plug off of the sewer light. ........... But I do have a nice power drill, I'll also check if there's a tire inflater that runs on a compatible drill battery. Good idea - thanks Base729!

About the leaking tires. Soapy water on and around the valve stem. If it bubbles out the end it's probably just be a loose valve stem. Any auto parts store has valve caps that have a stem tightening tool built in on the top. They can come loose, so just tighten them up gently. If they leak around the base, have them replaced - and make sure some idiot hasn't put car tire stems on your big honking 3/4 or 1 ton truck! The stem tool can also be used to remove the valve stem entirely - handy if you want to ground a teenager or keep a drunk friend from killing someone by driving.

Other tire leaks - if you can't find a leak in the tire with soapy water be aware that aluminum rims themselves may leak more than the old steel rims. The atomic structure of both rubber and even metal will allow small atoms to seep through fissures or flaws in the material and aluminum is less dense than steel. When you do replace the tires, mark the inside of each rim and see if the same rims leak with new tires. Finally take a good look at the inside of the rims on each tire, I bent one slightly once and had a slow leak for a month before I crawled under the Airstream and said "OH... there it is!"

Paula

switz · 03-17-2016, 02:15 PM

Put a special 12Vdc outlet in refrigerator compartment of our 23D. Have matching plug on Valaire compressor and a custom extension extension cord so can reach all the trailer wheels if needed.

ALUMINUMINUM · 03-17-2016, 09:05 PM

The Viair 88p makes a lot of sense for occasional use, 12v portable.

Sucks too many amps for a cigarette lighter, must hook up to 12v battery with engine running, but 120 psi and 1.5 cfm is pretty good for seventy bucks shipped from most sellers..

It's remarkably quiet and vibration free compared to others that I've used. I'm happy with it.

For home, I have a 25yo 120V 3hp Emglo with an Italian pump and USA motor... Sweet.

http://www.viaircorp.com/88P.html

Take your wheels back to the tire shop, they'll likely check and warrant their work, or find and fix leaks as road hazzard.

Piggy Bank · 03-17-2016, 09:25 PM

I am wanting to get an inflator/compressor before our long summer vacation.

I went on the Viaiar website and did a chat with their tech. I told him my trailer tire size and PSI, and also what tow vehicle and tires it has.

After all, if I am going to spend the money and the weight to get an inflator, I want to make sure it could inflate tires on the trailer or the truck.

They recommended either the 400automatic, or the 400 automatic RV model that Caffeinated mentioned. As it was explained to me the automatic feature lets you keep the compressor running as you go from tire to tire, or if you remove the inflator to check the tire pressure. So very similar to using the inflator at the gas station. They had some other models with enough pressure rating to inflate my needs, but they didn't have this auto feature. Which would mean one person would need to be at the tire and the other would need to keep turning the compressor on and off, if I understood correctly.

ALUMINUMINUM · 03-17-2016, 11:18 PM

I wonder if the tech understands or mis-read his up-sell script. The 88p's chuck screws onto the valve stem. The on-off switch and the pressure gauge is on the pump. Why would one want to be foolishly located at the tire when the psi information and power switch is at the pump?? What is the benefit of the compressor running when there is no airline connection to the tire? If it were filling a tank reservoir in the meantime, that would make sense, but the 400RV doesn't come with a tank. The 400RV is a little faster fill, and it does allow you to indicate a desired psi, then shuts off automatically when reached, but is that worth an extra $200?

I can watch the 88p's air pressure gauge and turn it off just fine. It doesn't take long at all. These little pumps are for emergency fills and top-ups. One illustration I saw accompanying the 400RV is a class A bus with ten 20" tires... Way more air and duty cycle than I need.

Viair offers a confusing number of pumps. When the 150db airhorn arrives, I'll let you know if the 88p can blast it.

phann · 03-18-2016, 02:05 AM

The Slime 2X Heavy Duty would meet your needs. I've been using one for just over a year. Inflates a tire in 2 minutes. Hooks up to AS or TV battery. Inflates tires to 100psi if needed. Cost on Amazon is under $85.
http://www.amazon.com/Slime-40026-He...ir+compressors

PaulnGina · 03-18-2016, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phann

The Slime 2X Heavy Duty would meet your needs. I've been using one for just over a year. Inflates a tire in 2 minutes. Hooks up to AS or TV battery. Inflates tires to 100psi if needed. Cost on Amazon is under $85.
http://www.amazon.com/Slime-40026-He...ir+compressors

Saw this listed today.... same Slime product.... almost $78.95 cheaper, even has free shipping. http://www.tooltopia.com/slime-40026.aspx

cwf · 03-19-2016, 12:04 AM

I have a compressor from Northern Tool.. high volume, high pressure... but there is a problem.. it is a 15AMP power hog. You have to move a real battery close enough to the pump to keep it fed as the power drop for a long wire can blow fuses/damage something..

I have tried extending the 'battery' with jumper cables... and that helps a bit.. but still difficult to reach the furthest tire on our 34'... so, our problem may be 'unique'..

So.. even connecting to the AS batteries, I don't have enough reach using the supplied hose and wire.

How to resolve?///
1- a portable battery...nay
2- longer, bigger wire..nay
3- longer hose ... hmmm.. possibly, as long as the compressor can function adequately with the longer hose.

Rather than test on the AS first, I could keep it all rolled up near a big battery.. and test performance on another tire... those big Michelins take a lot of air to change the pressure...

richinny · 03-19-2016, 11:40 AM

channing, extending the hose works much better than extending the wire :-)

Rich Jenkins · 03-19-2016, 02:38 PM

I've used one of these Kobalt inflators from Lowe's for two years now:

Runs on AC (high voltage=low current) off my inverter
Auto shutoff at set psi
Handles high pressure Class B tires (80 psi)

It's $50 now new, but I paid $40. Very reliable.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_146781-40883...AID=1071029347

OTRA15 · 03-20-2016, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Llando88

I've used one of these Kobalt inflators from Lowe's for two years now:
. . .

Thanks for the link to this dual-voltage inflator. Looks like a good unit, with an easy-to-store shape.

The PDF specs. do not indicate the lengths of the two power cords. When you get a chance, could you give us a rough idea of how far from each of the two outlets (12 volt and 120 volt) the unit could be located?

Also, the air hose is said to be 12' long. Could you confirm this and also let us know what the longest "reach" of the inflator is from the electric plug to the tire valve end of the air hose?

Thanks for any additional details you can post.

Peter

Rich Jenkins · 03-20-2016, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

...

Thanks for any additional details you can post.

Peter

Peter - sorry, just noticed this. I will check tomorrow and post back.

I can say on mine, the inflator hose is about 18". It stores by wrapping around the pump in a channel. Same for the AC power cord. Not sure about the DC cord - I've never used it on DC.

Rich

Rich Jenkins · 03-21-2016, 02:27 PM

^^^ I removed the 12VDC power cord and it is every bit of 12' long.

OTRA15 · 03-21-2016, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Llando88

^^^ I removed the 12VDC power cord and it is every bit of 12' long.

Thanks, so from the 12 volt receptacle to the air nozzle, there would be about 14' or so of reach? I am hoping that the rear 12 volt receptacle in my van could support using this compressor on the trailer's 2 tires, without unhooking the trailer.

Thanks.

Rich Jenkins · 03-21-2016, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Thanks, so from the 12 volt receptacle to the air nozzle, there would be about 14' or so of reach? I am hoping that the rear 12 volt receptacle in my van could support using this compressor on the trailer's 2 tires, without unhooking the trailer.

Thanks.

Yep, about 12' plus a bit for the hose. Ish.