Trailside air: compressor or CO2 can?

[ChaseTruck]

Can't remember what the time for one tire was when I had CO2, but the Puma on the K5 takes 90-100 seconds to fill a 315/75r16 from 15 to 35psi.

The cumbersome part with CO2 is that the only way to know the fill status of the tank is to weigh it. Pressure readings on the regulator only show pressure in the gas phase, not how much liquid is in the tank.

 

[Darasick]

Another fan of Puma here outside of the AZ focus group. Makes airing up 37's a breeze.

Here's how I mounted mine...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/722046-puma-compressor-mounted-rear-qtr-panel-pics.html

 

[jcardona1]

Puma > everything else. The best part is that it's great for filling tires, running air lockers, small tools and filling water toys, etc. You won't regret this purchase.

 

[gothodgie]

this will be what i am getting in the new future... i have a buddy that has one and it will air up one of my 315s in a minute or so... I also trust the cfm rating after using my half inch impact with it... add a tank it will make it a bad ass little compressor...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200482&pf_rd_i=507846
i think my buddy found it a little cheaper than Amazon too...

my .02

Jcardona what does the Puma you have cost? is it 12volt or 110? if you don't mind sharing...

 

[jcardona1]

^ These are the 12v Puma compressors that lots of wheelers use. They go for about $220 shipped on eBay.

 

[gothodgie]

^ These are the 12v Puma compressors that lots of wheelers use. They go for about $220 shipped on eBay.

cool... i didn't see a 12 volt Puma on Amazon...

 

[86tuning]

I find the coily hose can get brittle - at least the cheap yellow stuff sold here in the US. Combine that with the cold from CO2 coming off the regulator, and the results can be quite, um, shattering...

I'm using Home Depot-sourced braided PU hose, 1/4" id and rated at 300psi, and that has a tendency to become unruly at times.

Mine is a blue polyurethane coily hose. More expensive than the yellow nylon but much more durable. Suitable for professional use.

I'm still lusting after a supercharger, but that pipe dream is also on the same shelf as having a 2007 LX470 with a 105 conversion/swapped SAS. Not happening anytime soon.

 

[Funner]

Just a counterpoint to the MV50 opinions. I bought one and used it 8 or 9 times over the course of a year+ and it broke It worked well for that time period, but i will have to go another route for future needs.
X eleventy on the bottle. I have a set up and a full bottle. I am afraid to use the bottle because I fear it will be empty when I really need it, so it has not been used

 

[93yotasr5]

I have a 20lb co2 tank that I put a power tank valve on. Love it. Airs up quick. I don't need it very often or else I'd go with a puma or a viar set up.

 

[imhighlander]

Great discussion, thanks! Kind of validates my original thinking but it's helpful to have so many experienced data points.

Matt

 

[BrotherRob]

Just a counterpoint to the MV50 opinions. I bought one and used it 8 or 9 times over the course of a year+ and it broke It worked well for that time period, but i will have to go another route for future needs.
X eleventy on the bottle. I have a set up and a full bottle. I am afraid to use the bottle because I fear it will be empty when I really need it, so it has not been used

What broke? The wiring one the MV50 is a little suspect but easily repaired/replaced. I've melted down two fuse holders but spliced in a new one and good to go.

 

[PDoyle]

I have an Air Zone Recreation Tornado III 12 Volt Portable Air Compressor 150 PSI but haven't had the chance to use it yet. It looks like the MV50 SuperFlow.

 

[Funner]

What broke? The wiring one the MV50 is a little suspect but easily repaired/replaced. I've melted down two fuse holders but spliced in a new one and good to go.

There are little valves tack welded to the top and bottom of the piston to control the direction of the air flow (in/out). One of them broke loose and got lodged in the cylinder and then beat the crap out of the piston. Also the lack of a valve on the piston made air pressure non existent. Intake stroke and outtake stroke exhausted through the intake filter.

 

[BrotherRob]

There are little valves tack welded to the top of the piston to control the direction of the air flow (in/out). One of them broke loose and got lodged in the cylinder and then beat the crap out of the piston. Also the lack of a valve on the piston made air pressure non existent. Intake stroke and outtake stroke exhausted through the intake filter.

That will do it. Haven't heard of that one before. Among the 50 or 60 in AZ alone, you're only the second, that I'm aware of, that has failed beyond repair.

 

[DSRTRDR]

well, the MV50s have their limits:

ChaseTruck and I went out the other day with the Blazer and the LX - had to steal a battery from the Blazer as the LX was being an unthankful bastige (after a brand new brake job all around the day before :mad) - we only realized at the end of the trail that this battery normally drives the Puma in the Blazer - so we used the MV50 I just so had happened to have thrown into the LX just before we left for no really good reason - well, the MV50 it managed to do 7 tires before it overheated and shut down - those 7 tires had already taken some 40 minutes or so (Blazer having 35s) - by that time it was dark and cold - so we waited another 30 minutes (did some trash pickup around the air-up spot), then were able to get the last tire out of the MV50 and drove home

those 1.5 hours sure were too long - but the MV50 still works

 

[scrowley]

well, the MV50s have their limits:

ChaseTruck and I went out the other day with the Blazer and the LX - had to steal a battery from the Blazer as the LX was being an unthankful bastige (after a brand new brake job all around the day before :mad) - we only realized at the end of the trail that this battery normally drives the Puma in the Blazer - so we used the MV50 I just so had happened to have thrown into the LX just before we left for no really good reason - well, the MV50 it managed to do 7 tires before it overheated and shut down - those 7 tires had already taken some 40 minutes or so (Blazer having 35s) - by that time it was dark and cold - so we waited another 30 minutes (did some trash pickup around the air-up spot), then were able to get the last tire out of the MV50 and drove home

those 1.5 hours sure were too long - but the MV50 still works

If your high lift is at easy access, getting the tire you are airing up off the ground works great. Done this in the past a couple times with a bad/small compressor.

Also I have a MV50 and its worked good for the last 2yrs. Prob used it about 20 times or so. I have 315's and I air them up one right after another. Takes about 20-25 min. to go from 15 psi to 30. In a hurry I will go to 25psi. So far a great buy for $75.

I would really like to have a tank though. For how much I air down/up it would last me awhile between fills. So much faster!

Question: Has anyone run a tank off the the MV50? Does it have enough CFM to even work with a tank?

 

[1973Guppie]

IMO, electric compressors have come a long way and are cheap to buy now. I had a co2 setup for years. The pricing just has seemed to go up, up and up to fill it so I ditched it and went with a dedicated electric pump setup.

 

[BrotherRob]

Question: Has anyone run a tank off the the MV50? Does it have enough CFM to even work with a tank?

It has enough output, it was being contemplated before the Pumas came along. Puma's are cheap enough that booty fabbing a $60 compressor is pretty pointless.