12 Volt Air Compressor Recommendation

[RockwoodUL2604]

I am looking for a recommendation on a 12 volt air compressor for campground and emergency roadside use. Main use is to top off tires and my truck (75 psi), travel trailer (65 psi) and bikes. Always like to check and adjust tire pressure before we head out to the next site and getting air at a service station is a pain. There are a lot of units on the market so I just wanted some first hand experience. Thanks in advance.

[007matman]

Great experience with this one.

Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ASY23I..._IybEBbA9NCF64

As with anything on here.. be prepared for a bad story, an "I'd never buy that" and a "my $150 compressor is superior because it has this feature"

The Viair has been good for me.

[clr]

I used a black and decker air station for years on several campers and it worked well. On my fifth wheel now I have load range H tires 125 PSI max, but I run them at 110 and it took awhile to top them up at that pressure. So I replaced it with a Porter Cable hooded type compressor that is rated to 150 PSI with a decent air flow at that pressure. But of these were 120vac though. I did try a 12vdc compressor but it did not work very well and was very slow.
Others use a Viair 400 but I have never used one but you may want to check it out. I just want to air up a big tire in a minute or so, so I never used a 12 vdc compressor.

[DKRITTER]

I've had the Viair 400P-RV for a few years now and have been very happy with it. My trailer tires are 110 PSI and it fills them easily.

Here's a link;

https://www.amazon.com/40047-400P-RV...=viair+450p-rv


Viair has several different offerings that would fit your application.

[Pockets]

I use this model. Both AC and DC. Set dial to desired air pressure, the unit will run til the correct tire pressure is reached and then will shut off. Used it many times. Now I use the TST 507 TPMS to tell me what the tire pressure is on each trailer tire.


https://www.amazon.ca/Black-Decker-A...ecker+inflator

[TitanMike]

One thing to consider.

Go to a national auto parts chain store like OReilly, Auto Zone, Napa, etc. Look at what they sell that will meet your needs. Even if it costs a few $ more than what you can find on Amazon go ahead and pay the extra. Keep a copy of your receipt with the compressor and if it fails wherever you are in the country there's an excellent chance you can get an over the counter exchange under warranty. No shipping back and forth, etc. Now you'll have a compressor to handle your needs on the rest of the trip.

FWIW, I bought mine from O'Reilly A/P and it ran me around $80 for one that will go to 125#, has plenty of power cord and hose, and will clip directly to battery terminals on truck or trailer so no cigarette lighter socket to burn out.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Great experience with this one.

Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ASY23I..._IybEBbA9NCF64

As with anything on here.. be prepared for a bad story, an "I'd never buy that" and a "my $150 compressor is superior because it has this feature"

The Viair has been good for me.

X2
I have this or similar.
The key feature is a direct connection to the battery. This compressor draws far more power than a typical cigarette lighter compressor. And it has a durable, precision pump that can run for the amount of time it takes to fill a truck or trailer tire. Cheaper compressors have plastic pistons and cylinders in the pump, and they would melt.

Can you go bigger and better? Sure. You can even get one with a small pressure tank that would be vastly superior. It's up to your budget and how much space you want to devote to the compressor. This model, however, is truly up to the task, and it's compact and light.

One tip: The leads from the battery connection cables aren't long enough in some cases...But a good set of jumper cables makes a great extension cord.

[DouglasReid]

The Viair's are good pumps. I found this onea SuperFlow), at this site for just about 1/2 the price. It specs compare with the Viair and is also American made.

SuperFlow MV-90 Portable - Air Compressor

[johntaylor]

Originally Posted by RockwoodUL2604

I am looking for a recommendation on a 12 volt air compressor for campground and emergency roadside use. Main use is to top off tires and my truck (75 psi), travel trailer (65 psi) and bikes. Always like to check and adjust tire pressure before we head out to the next site and getting air at a service station is a pain. There are a lot of units on the market so I just wanted some first hand experience. Thanks in advance.

I use a Walmart brand, "Hyper Tough" compressor/inflator. It's still working perfectly after a year. It was about $50. My only complaint is that I wish it had a flip-on-off or simple press-on head, because the tire loses air while I'm unscrewing it from the valve. I have to add a couple of extra psi to account for the "hiss", then check the pressure and adjust it down to what I want. I had a Black and Decker rechargable previously, but the battery only lasted a few months.

[Chazman]

I have this one and have had good luck with it. The only thing is, if you don't follow the directions there's a good chance you'll blow the (easily replaceable) 35 amp fuse. If you do, you wont have a problem. Good old Harbor Freight. Just wait for a coupon...
https://www.harborfreight.com/12volt...sor-69285.html

[mwdilday]

I had a couple of cheap 12v air compressors and they just didn't hold up. Now I have the Viair 400P-RV and it seems great so far. Pricey but worth it IMO.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Great experience with this one.

Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ASY23I..._IybEBbA9NCF64

As with anything on here.. be prepared for a bad story, an "I'd never buy that" and a "my $150 compressor is superior because it has this feature"

The Viair has been good for me.

Haven't had the nerve to spend that much so I carry a small tank type compressor that was paid for long age, BUT IN A PERFECT WORLD, I would carry a Viair.

[itat]

I also have a Viair 400P but not the RV model. Mine came with only one coiled hose. I’m not a fan of coiled plastic hoses so I bought a good quality 50’ hybrid air hose to use with the Viair compressor. The compressor is very tough. I accidentally ran over mine and only had to replace the base plate. They were good to deal with for the replacement part.

[babock]

I also have the Viair 450-P. Found it for $199 shipped.

[wildcatter]

Originally Posted by babock

I also have the Viair 450-P. Found it for $199 shipped.

X2 works great

[Cypressloser]

Originally Posted by babock

I also have the Viair 450-P. Found it for $199 shipped.

That's what I bought a year ago and absolutely love it. I had cheaper ones in the past but they either burned out trying, blew the hose off and deflated the tire before I had a chance to pull the cheap chuck off or the chuck lock broke off.

Someone mentioned the short cable with alligator clips to avoid voltage loss, I use a 6 awg ext. cord made from salvaged 50 Amp RV extension cord this gives me over 40' of reach.

[PSU Turf]

I have the Viair Constant Duty. Was over $300 but well worth it. It can inflate a completely flat truck tire without overheating. I use it to winterize the trailer plumbing. Based on all of the posts I think anything made by Viair would be a good investment.

[pdqparalegal1]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Great experience with this one.

Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ASY23I..._IybEBbA9NCF64

As with anything on here.. be prepared for a bad story, an "I'd never buy that" and a "my $150 compressor is superior because it has this feature"

The Viair has been good for me.

X2. Have same unit. Happy so far

[RockwoodUL2604]

Thanks for all the feedback. Got a lot of good information. Looks like the Viair 88P is going to work best for me. Got one on order.

[ajbaber]

I have a 12 volt air compressor from Harbor Freight, Item #69284, that I just used on my new Goodyear Endurance 80 PSI and it worked great. What ever you buy be sure it connects directly to the battery and not thru a cigarette lighter which will not give you enough amps.