Question(s) about Portable Air Tank??

[1Garageman]

I have a camper that is parked in a storage area. I checked the tires on it yesterday because we are going camping in a few days. Here are my questions, and thanks in advance.

1. HarborFreight has a portable 11 gallon air tank for $37.99. I was wondering if that would be enough air to fill up all for tires some. The tires right now are in the mid 30's range and need to be up to 50psi.

2. If I buy this portable air tank, could it hook it up to my air compressor and have my air compressor use it also?
I would turn my 33 gallon tank air compressor to a 44!

I just don't know anything about that.
THANKS GUYS!

http://www.harborfreight.com/11-gallon-portable-air-tank-65595.html

 

[Falcon67]

If the tires on the camper are really small - 13", 14" - maybe. If it does, it will be just barely.

 

[38Chevy454]

It will help, but (assuming) four tires at 50 psi from 30 psi will need more than an 11 gal tank at 125 psi. However, fill them up as you can, that will give you enough to drive to a place with air to complete the process. Trailer unloaded the tires are probably fine for short distance, even without the extra boost from the 11 gal tank.

 

[1Garageman]

Here is the info from the sticker on the camper about the tires.

 

[1Garageman]

It will help, but (assuming) four tires at 50 psi from 30 psi will need more than an 11 gal tank at 125 psi. However, fill them up as you can, that will give you enough to drive to a place with air to complete the process. Trailer unloaded the tires are probably fine for short distance, even without the extra boost from the 11 gal tank.

Ok thanks for the info!

What about adding that 11 gallons to my air compressor though? Would that work if I just joined it to the compress with an air hose?

 

[hifi_hokie]

Personally, I'd feel better knowing there are less points of potential failure. I'd rather have the compressor run more often.

 

[Sureshot]

Ok thanks for the info!

What about adding that 11 gallons to my air compressor though? Would that work if I just joined it to the compress with an air hose?

It won't hurt but I don't know how much you will gain either unless you have a special situation.

 

[38Chevy454]

Ok thanks for the info!

What about adding that 11 gallons to my air compressor though? Would that work if I just joined it to the compress with an air hose?

It will add capacity, but if you use a lot of air you will still be limited by the amount the compressor puts out. Larger storage will take longer to fill also. At best it will just keep the compressor from cycling as often. It won't affect the compressor output.

 

[larry_g]

I wouldn't bother to air them up before moving. if your in the mid thirty pound range then you have plenty to travel a few miles to an air station and finish filling them up. If that is your compressor in your avi then you could just fill it with air and haul it to the trailer. As far as using a portable in your system it is not going to gain you anything as 38Chevy said.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[MoonRise]

1: Maybe, maybe not. It will certainly be able to add some air to the tires, but I don't think it has enough capacity to fill four trailer tires from 30 up to 50 psi. One tire - probably. Two tires - iffy. All four tires - probably not (my guess). YMMV.

2: Sort of. You can sort of 'increase' the volume capacity by adding the 11 gallon tank into the air lines, but then your air compressor pump will have to work longer and 'harder' to refill that added tank volume. Which may or may not cause the pump to exceed its duty cycle and then overheat (and worst case scenario, fail).

Also note that the 'portable air tanks' are usually limited to 125 psi MAX (on all the ones I've seen). Also note that they don't have a tank condensate drain (try to fill them with 'dry' air and also periodically you are supposed to turn them upside down and release a bunch of air to blow out any condensate out the fill/use valve. Also in the fine print, there is usually a disclaimer that they are only 'rated' for a limited life span (3-5 years IIRC) because of the thinner tank walls (compared to a 'real' air tank) and because of the lack of a tank condensate drain.

YMMV.

 

[crewchief888]

if you're headed to HF why not just get a 12v tire inflator?
seems like the 150 psi unit is about the same price.

 

[dirtmister16]

two tires are a sure bet i think. other two probally not much help you will get. you will have to make two trips to the trailer is probally in order. if the trailer is near your compressor no biggie.

if its at another location not so good. depending on the distance travel you could put a little air in all 4 and go to gas station and finish the job.

 

[TwoInch]

home depot has 150psi portable tanks. 5 gallon and 10 gallon sizes. i have used them to increase capacity on smaller compressors. just use discretion in not allowing the pump to run forever.

 

[1Garageman]

if you're headed to HF why not just get a 12v tire inflator?
seems like the 150 psi unit is about the same price.

I am going to look into that. I had my wife pick up the air tank last night. I might take it back and get that.

 

[c4cruiser]

Those HF tanks have a pretty cheap fill valve and there will be air leakage from the threads. I have this tanks and had to replace the fill valve assembly as the plastic knob broke off. HF doesn't sell that part so I got one from Amazon.

A 12v air pump will be a much better deal in that it can be used not only for tires, but for other things. I have an old Campbell-Hausfeld 12 air pump that I have had for 15 years and it works great. Came with a 15' cord and plug for an accessory port or cig lighter. I use mine at the track for adjusting tire pressures but it will fill a passenger car tire from flat to 35 psi in about 4 minutes. You would be lucky to fill one tire with the HF air tank.

Also look at jumper packs; many of them come with an air pump. You can jump start a vehicle, fill tires, and they usually have a 12v accessory plug so you can run 12v things and even recharge the battery from your vehicle's 12 power port.

 

[Glenn M.]

$37.99 for an air tank!! Wow. Whatever happened to those cheap conversion kits that you could use to make an empty Freon tank into an air tank?

 

[kmacht]

What's wrong with a regular tire pump? Seems like much less hassle to manually pump up a few small camper tires than it would be to buy a tank, fill it up, lug it in and out of the truck all to save a few pumps with a hand pump.

Keith

 

[OctoMan]

A friend made one out of a CO-2 tank for soda. He used it for airing up tires for autocross.

 

[1Garageman]

So today I get home from work and decide to try the air tank out, since I will be using it tomorrow. I actually read the directions and start to fill the tank up. I hear the going into the tank, but the air gauge isn't moving.
I check it and air is in it, but the damn air gauge doesn't work.
So know I have to take that damn back. I think I might just get the tire inflator that crewchief888 mentioned.

 

[pmiranda]

I have a similar Craftsman tank. I replaced the hose with a standard 1/2" female outlet so I could use my normal accessories with it and made a male-male adaptor so I could plug it into the end of my air line to fill it from the compressor. Set the regulator on my compressor lower than the rating on the tank (135psi) so I can just let it fill and turn off the compressor at my leisure.

The capacity is plenty for topping off tires for a month and avoiding extra cycles on my compressor, but airing up just about any tire but a bicycle from empty will exhaust it.

 

[NHBandit]

$37.99 for an air tank!! Wow. Whatever happened to those cheap conversion kits that you could use to make an empty Freon tank into an air tank?

Why, do you need an undersized, practically useless portable air tank to carry on your bicycle ? Those small freon tanks don't hold much air. To the OP if it was me I'd keep the oone you bought and not mess with trying to hook it up to your compressor. Having one that's big enough to blow up a tire that's completely flat is cheap insurance especially for the price you paid. Call me a tool junkie but I'd keep that AND get the 12 volt compressor to blow up your tires as well.

 

[Thumper68]

Portable air tanks come in quite handy, I have 3 all 11 gal.
Not only can you use them for quick top offs on tires but they come in handy around the house too, I use one of them to power my finish nailers when it's a small job and I don't want to haul my 4 gal into either my home or a clients. I also use them to power my air brush and for use with a blow gun.

Just make sure that you fill it from a dry air source and like pmiranda said replace the stock fill with a female coupler, on mine I also added a ball valve.

 

[crewchief888]

i havent had an air tank since '98, (one of those things that was "lost" in a divorce)
. it was handy for making air pressure adjustments on my ATC's when i was racing, but pretty much useless otherwise.

i've reinflated 38" mud tires on one of my trucks with one of the smallish 12v compressors, it takes a while, but it'll work.

i keep a HF150psi 12v compressor in my trail truck all the time.

any air is better than no air at all

 

[Glenn M.]

Why, do you need an undersized, practically useless portable air tank to carry on your bicycle ? Those small freon tanks don't hold much air. To the OP if it was me I'd keep the oone you bought and not mess with trying to hook it up to your compressor. Having one that's big enough to blow up a tire that's completely flat is cheap insurance especially for the price you paid. Call me a tool junkie but I'd keep that AND get the 12 volt compressor to blow up your tires as well.

A 50 pound R-22 tank is small?? I'm not talking about the 12 or 14 ounce R-134A cannisters that you buy at Wally World...