12 Volt Air Compressor recommendations?

Benjo75

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Malvern, Arkansas
Since I got the APTA I've been messing around with 12 volt compressors. The kind that plug into the cigarette lighter. I have a tiny Slime compressor. About $10. Takes quite a while to pump out air. Works good and if it was all you had it would be just fine. Puts out about 40 psi. I have a $12 compressor from Wal Mart that's a little bigger. Will air the APTA to 100 lbs in 46 seconds. Takes about 10 minutes to air up a small car tire. I have an ARB compressor on my Jeep for the lockers. It is the best but about $250 and it's permanent mounted.

Was looking for one that is reliable, decent air output, capable of at least 100 psi. Long enough cord to reach all tires in a 4 door truck. I'd like for it to have the clip on chuck. The kind that has the handle at the top and clips on the valve stem. My smaller compressors have the screw on chuck. It's fine for a tire but looses too much pressure on the APTA when unscrewing it. Takes a couple seconds to get it completely off. Yall have any that you like?
 
I've never had one that was worth a damn. I carry a handpump in the truck cause it's the only compact pump I can depend on. When a hose breaks, I replace with one off the carcass of a 12v pump that died. I think I have one hose left :^D

Personally, I'd look in the direction of an inverter and a decent ac pump.
 
That is what I finally did. I have an inverter under the back seat of the truck that powers AC up to the front of the truck so I can charge phones etc and I also ran a cord to the back of the truck where I have an outlet under the truck. I can plug in my trailer to the outlet and on my trailer I've got a Rigid 6 gallon pancake air compressor. If you already have a an AC compressor you could simply run it off the inverter not plugging it directly into the inverter. I think a good inverter is going to run 3 to $400. I like having compressed air on the job. Works good to clean up saws before I put them away and me before I get in the truck.
 
Years ago I remember reading about a 12v compressor that could run air tools, but I don't remember much more than that. ARB maybe.
 
I would do like I did with plumbing. A nitrogen Or CO2 tank with regulator. Refill tank as needed. We used to pump up the plumbing for tests where had nothing in the middle of nowhere. You would not want to try that with a bike pump. We did not need a lot ofpressure, but sheer volume sucked monkey nutz.
 
I’ve got a dewalt 20v one , with digital gauge. Dcc0201 I’ve had it about a year and a half and use it all the time. Love it, bit spendy
 
I wish Milwaukee made the M12 inflator in a M18 version. I don’t have any M12 tools and the M18 compressor is overkill for most of what I need.
 
I just got some M12 stuff yesterday. Seems an M18 inflator would be more practical. I'm going all M18 nailers, so probably will skip the M18 compressor.
 
For off-roading the M12 compressor is an attractive size, but my impacts are M18. At some point maybe I’ll look at M12 tools again and see if I need to break the bank some more 😂.
 
I try not to look. I can't afford to. I'm already 5-6k in the hole. Crazy stuff they are making. 1" D handle impact looks enticing.
 
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Some of the newer Warn winches have air on them. All of my buckets have air so there is always air on the jobs. We keep the refillable air tanks in the one tons for the dump trailer tires.

I might look at the M18. I'm going to be building a house before long and planning to get a set of cordless tools before I start.
 
Watch the new Milwaukee M18 framing nailers on YouTube before you buy the compressor. Way more efficient to go cordless nailer.
 
For that matter just get some pasload ones, that's what the pros run. My buddy has them, they are so handy.
 
Exactly. There's no gas cartridges or maintenance with M18. The downside is that they are heavier than air.
 
Yep, got a bunch of them. Headless pinner, MCN, whatever I can't get in M18. My F28WW has been a great gun.
 
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