Filling tires/nitrogen Gas

[Phil Gobie]

I filled my AS tires a year ago with n gas. (10.00 per tire!) I have not had to add air as of yet. The claim is that the gas molecule is larger than air molecules. (I think air is 30% Nitrogen) The tires are supposed to run cooler also.

I have bought a tank, regulator and hose so I can fill and refill my own. This will help with my daughters cars, bikes, motorcycles scooters etc. I am thinking it will pay for its self by wife, daughters and I being lazy about not checking tires frequently enough and riding on low pressure.

The tank set up was about 325.00. It is a tank about 3' tall I think they said it was a 55 cubic ft tank. Our local welding supplier set it up for me. Refills are 15.00. They said I should be able to fill several vehicles depending on tire size and pressure.

I ordered tires today from costco for my work truck and they said they would fill them with nitrogen for no extra charge.

[markdoane]

Hydrogen is the lightest gas. Have you weighed your tires with and without the hydroogen?

I'll bet they're at least 50 lbs lighter!

[Garfield]

Ummmm...I think that's nitrogen - if it was hydrogen it would redefine the term "blowout".

[Jim Clark]

[Phil Gobie]

oops! anyone have a match?

[Jim Clark]

What is really funny is that about 15 minutes ago my son told his cousin that they were going to do a lab at school to generate helium and ignite it. I had to correct him they will generate hydrogen.

[Wayne&Sam]

Actually, run-of-the-mill, everyday breathing air is 78% nitrogen. I've had nitrogen in tires when they put it in for free, but I don't think it's worth paying for.

[2airishuman]

hi phil!

the principle advantage to nitrogen fills phil...

is that the compressed nitrogen is very very very dry.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/380834-post11.html

while a regular air compressor compresses whatever moisture is in the air, along with the air.

so this might be an issue in especially humid climates....

moist air inside tires, contributes to more expansion/contraction with temp changes...

nitrogen/oxygen size has nothing to do with it really...

and i have yet to see a tire 'degrade' from the inside because of oxygen or water...

now jet-aro-planes have completely different reasons for nitrogen fills.

have you put it in the motor bikes too?

it might help reduce rust/corrosion to rims perhaps...

but if you use 'sealants' in the bike tires, pure nitrogen will just dry the sealants out sooner.

also nitrogen fills are a free service at many costco and sam's now...

cheers
2air'

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...gen-18625.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...res-32063.html

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Tech Issues: Nitrogen in your tires

we even have a poll on this topic...

with very funny posts...wine, cheese, hats, and hot air!

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ires-4975.html

[thecatsandi]

$10/tire. wow thats a money maker!
Air is 78% Nitorgen N2 molecular weight 28. 20% or so Oxygen O2 Molecular weight 32.
Nitrogen is non reactive. Compressed nitrogen is only available in high pressure cylinders. No moisture
Oxygen is reactive. Compressed Oxygen is only available in high pressure cylinders. No moisture
N2/O2 compressed is available anywhere someone has a compressor. How much moisture is in the compressed mix depends on how well the air is dryed after compression or in the line. This is a huge variable!

One reason to go with N2 but really the only one.

[Ahab]

Since our humidity levels can be as low as 3%, I don't need no stinken nitrogen.

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by Ahab

Since our humidity levels can be as low as 3%, I don't need no stinken nitrogen.

I also do not use nitrogen, but I am still amazed at the amount of water that my compressor collects. The water separator and the tank need to be drained regularly.

[DFord79]

OK>>>FOLKS...where have you been?????

It is standard practice for ALL tires to be filled with Nitrogen for the last few years. When I go to ANY local tire dealer in my area...they always fill the tires with nitrogen. ONE of the biggest benifits from nitrogen is the pressure in your tires does not change from hot to cold weather like plain ol air does. I don't know about where you live...but nitrogen is the used at every tire shop here. Maybe its because WE go from 109 degrees in summer to 20 below zero in winter...but its used here EVERYWHERE. AT NO EXTRA COST BY THE WAY.

[brunoffrance]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

we even have a poll on this topic...

with very funny posts...wine, cheese, hats, and hot air!

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ires-4975.html

Hi Phil;
I've started this kind of thread ( see the link above) in '03 and I've made laughted a lot of people, in the better way;

I use nitrogen in tires for my A/S and my F150 and the benefit is that keep tires cooler than if not; Sure they become warm but you can put your hand on them after a long road to check. really there is a great difference . The problem is to refill when necessary and you 've to pay .
In Europe, lot of drivers refill tires with nitrogen and you currently see the green cap on tires.

Bruno.

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by DFord79

ONE of the biggest benifits from nitrogen is the pressure in your tires does not change from hot to cold weather like plain ol air does.

I have to disagree. Air is 80% plus or minus nitrogen. It is the lack of moisture that is the biggest factor.

If your tires are changing in pressure from hot to cold then you have a tire pressure fairy who is checking and adjusting them for you or your guage is broken.

Check the tires cold then drive a 100 miles or so. check them again. They will have gone up in pressure.

When I used to to work as a Aircraft line mechanic we had a tire pressure "guage" that was temperature compensated. A hot tire could be 10-20 PSI higher than a cold one. If the tire pressure was adjusted without the temp compensation when it cooled off it would be below an acceptable pressure and would have to be removed from service. Delays and money lost.

Per FAA regulation we used Nitrogen. Two reasons: dry no moisture, non-reactive. If a fire broke out it would help put it out and not support further combustion.

[Jim Clark]

Originally Posted by Ahab

Since our humidity levels can be as low as 3%, I don't need no stinken nitrogen.

Our Humidity level is at 75.7 right now and that is low for New Orleans. I just throw a couple of the little bags of desacant I find in the cheap Tools I buy at Harbor Freight in each tire, works great.

[Jim Clark]

Originally Posted by DFord79

OK>>>FOLKS...where have you been?????

It is standard practice for ALL tires to be filled with Nitrogen for the last few years. When I go to ANY local tire dealer in my area...they always fill the tires with nitrogen. ONE of the biggest benifits from nitrogen is the pressure in your tires does not change from hot to cold weather like plain ol air does. I don't know about where you live...but nitrogen is the used at every tire shop here. Maybe its because WE go from 109 degrees in summer to 20 below zero in winter...but its used here EVERYWHERE. AT NO EXTRA COST BY THE WAY.

I live in New Orleans and it is not used here, heck your lucky to find a station with a working air compressor. I feel so behind the times now, I am scard to put my truck or trailer on the road. BTW I purchased a spare tire and wheel for my trailer and it came from Dallas mounted and "aired" up so I don't think it is standard practice in Dallas either.

[Ganaraska]

Race car mechanics have been using nitrogen for years, mostly as a matter of convenience. A big cylinder of nitrogen is cheap and a lot more convenient than a gas powered air compressor when you are way off at the races.

This idea of nitrogen being superior to air, I believe started as a cock and bull story fed to reporters hanging around the pits.

Nitrogen expands at the same rate as air. So do all gases, according to Boyle's Law. Anyone who finds out different, will get the credit for overturning a 200 year old law of physics.

Moisture inside the tire does nothing, compared to the moisture, or lack of same, combined with UV radiation (sunshine) on the outside.

Nitrogen is great for filling tires but not worth paying extra for. Don't let any tire shop or garage tell you different.

[BigAl]

Putting bags of dessicant inside your tires does not remove the moisture from inside the tire it just binds it with the dessicant. The bags will throw the balance of your tires off.
They will never sit in the same place twice. When the tire rotates the bag will be held in place where ever it happens to be by the centrifical forces.
Al

[overlander63]

I disagree with part of what has been said. The biggest contributor to tire pressure change is the moisture contained in the compressed air. IF you can remove the moisture from the air, it will change pressure much more slowly. Something that I see tire stores touting is that the tire will not lose pressure over time, this is not true. A tire will lose 1-2 pounds of pressure per month, no matter what it is filled with.
What tire stores and others try to tell you is the oxygen will find its way out of microscopic cracks and gaps in the tires. This is true, but it also means the nitrogen will also find its way out of those same spots. If it didn't, tires would automatically fill with nitrogen just by the fill and loss process.

[Phil Gobie]

The claim is that the nitrogen molecule is larger and does not escape as fast as air.