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Equipment Tests > 12-Volt Air Compressor Comparison
12-Volt Air Compressor Comparison
After our two-day stint in the dyno room, we hit the real world part of the test. Having fairly standard sized tyres for a touring 4WD on our own vehicle (285/75R16 on an 8-inch alloy rim) we figured on deflating a tyre to 0psi and inflating it to 35psi - simulating pumping a tyre up after repairing a puncture. Then we deflated a tyre to 20psi and returned the tyres pressure to 35psi - simulating returning your tyres to road going pressures after sand driving.
SO WHO WINS OUTRIGHT HONOURS?
Its' a 'horse-for-courses' situation here. There is no one outright winner. If you're looking for the most compact unit on the block, you can't go past the tiny Terrain Taimer TTAC1 - it'd fit into most glove boxes, just don't expect to inflate a large tyre from 0psi in one go!
If all you want is maximum blow, the almighty Warn Air Power VTC is simply amazing; it'll out blow all and sundry and have a line of mates a mile long who'll want to be part of this amazing V twin compressor...perhaps you'll need a few mates to help carry the thing too, as it's damn heavy and you'll have to use all your mate's batteries as it draws more amps than most alternators can produce; so much in fact that we couldn't test it in the lab.
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Both the Big Red and the Blue Tongue, as well known for durability as they are, have superior duty cycles to allow long periods of use, albeit at a slower rate. These units don't have all the fancy shiny bits hanging off them, but are worth their weight when it comes to purchasing for the long haul. I'd be putting an inline switch on the wiring of the Blue Tongue to make life easier, but the Big Red is better protected in a hard case and has a switch. Both need attention to the way their air lines are attached to the brass fittings - an easy job.
Being a Thomas-built unit, the TJM Ox Air fits in similar to the Big Red and Blue Tongue - quality, slower than others, but in a soft bag. The air line connections need work to operate to their maximum potential.
Bushranger; geez talk about offering a compressor for all occasions - there should be a unit to fit your wallet and needs amongst the six on offer. Most Bushranger units have two stage foam/felt air cleaner elements with spares in the box.
The Projecta range of three offers a hard case on two and the choice of single or twin head designs.
Piranha offers the Max Volume, plus their version of the Big Red Thomas, which unfortunately was supplied as a hard mounted kit and couldn't be tested. We'd figure it'll be similarly specced to the TJM version.
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SO WHO WINS OUTRIGHT HONOURS?
Its' a 'horse-for-courses' situation here. There is no one outright winner. If you're looking for the most compact unit on the block, you can't go past the tiny Terrain Taimer TTAC1 - it'd fit into most glove boxes, just don't expect to inflate a large tyre from 0psi in one go!
If all you want is maximum blow, the almighty Warn Air Power VTC is simply amazing; it'll out blow all and sundry and have a line of mates a mile long who'll want to be part of this amazing V twin compressor...perhaps you'll need a few mates to help carry the thing too, as it's damn heavy and you'll have to use all your mate's batteries as it draws more amps than most alternators can produce; so much in fact that we couldn't test it in the lab.
read on below advertisement
Both the Big Red and the Blue Tongue, as well known for durability as they are, have superior duty cycles to allow long periods of use, albeit at a slower rate. These units don't have all the fancy shiny bits hanging off them, but are worth their weight when it comes to purchasing for the long haul. I'd be putting an inline switch on the wiring of the Blue Tongue to make life easier, but the Big Red is better protected in a hard case and has a switch. Both need attention to the way their air lines are attached to the brass fittings - an easy job.
Being a Thomas-built unit, the TJM Ox Air fits in similar to the Big Red and Blue Tongue - quality, slower than others, but in a soft bag. The air line connections need work to operate to their maximum potential.
Bushranger; geez talk about offering a compressor for all occasions - there should be a unit to fit your wallet and needs amongst the six on offer. Most Bushranger units have two stage foam/felt air cleaner elements with spares in the box.
The Projecta range of three offers a hard case on two and the choice of single or twin head designs.
Piranha offers the Max Volume, plus their version of the Big Red Thomas, which unfortunately was supplied as a hard mounted kit and couldn't be tested. We'd figure it'll be similarly specced to the TJM version.
next page »
