Last updated on October 12th, 2021 at 03:55 pm
If you own an adorable car and you have a small garage at home, then it is a typical question for you, “How to use air compressors for tires ?” However, before diving into the topic, I would like to share a traumatic story.
Imagine you are traveling in your car with friends, and you are all rejoicing together. Then, all of a sudden, you were startled by a loud noise. And then you see your car’s tires have exploded. At the same time, Your car has lost its speed and is moving willy-nilly. What should you do then?
A car without insufficient tire pressure is more car accident-prone. You would get depressed when thinking about the worst-case scenarios and catastrophizing the rest of your life.
The incident happened to Brandon, a writer from California. He had broken his jaw, nose, collarbone and received a traumatic brain injury. That accident almost took his life. Doctors put him into a two-week medically-induced coma. His hospital debt was about half a million dollars, and his other friend’s debt was in the millions.
Regarding safe driving, one of the main topics of discussion is tire pressure. Low air pressure in tires is dangerous. Heat builds up inside of a tire with low air pressure. This heat can eventually cause a tire to blow out. When a tire blows out, the steering becomes shaky, and you may lose control of your vehicle.
So, I feel the need to guide you step by step to avoid such accidents.
Without further ado, Let’s get in……
Why do tires blow out ?
The answer is that such mishaps are caused by the inability to hold the air inside the tires. When the air pressure inside the tire increases, the ingredients of the tire can not clasp this pressure, the excessive expansion causes the tires to blast and blow air out.
Exactly, the same thing happens between your home pressure cooker and your car tires. Inside the pressure cooker, while the pressure is high, there is a hole for air to escape. But that is not the case with tires, which cause them to explode.
When I get into the question, “How to use air compressor for tires?” many similar questions to be faced, like how to use air compressor for bike tires? How to put air in car tires at home? Which size air compressor do I need to fill car tires? What size air compressor do I need for impact wrench?
To know the answers to such questions, first, we need to know about Air compressors.
What is an Air Compressor?
An Air Compressor is a type of device that compresses gas at high pressure and then uses this compressed gas to inflate car tires, rotate turbines, for painting cars, and even perform various mechanical tasks. That device is usually powered by an electric motor, diesel, or gas engine.
Types of Air Compressor
When selecting the best air compressor to inflate tires, the first step is to learn more about the compressor.
There are mainly two types of air compressors –
- Positive Displacement Air Compressor
- Dynamic Displacement Air Compressor
Positive displacement air compressor types :
- Piston Type or Reciprocating Air Compressor
- Rotary Screw Compressor
- Rotary Vane Compressor
Dynamic Displacement Air Compressor types :
- Centrifugal Compressor
- Axial Flow Compressor
Positive Displacement (PD) Air Compressor
Such a type of air compressor is quite popular. The working methods of this air compressor are pretty simple. You must be wondering how?
It absorbs air into the compression chamber, increasing the internal pressure and decreasing the volume of air. It compresses the air until the amount of air compression is required. This compressed air is then used to exhale at standard pressure.
Types of these compressors –
Reciprocating Compressors
Usually, one part of this engine absorbs air, and the other part performs the work of air compression smoothly.
Smaller compressors range from 5 to 30 horsepower. As they are small, they are used in the automobiles industry, intermittent operation, and air in car tires at home.
Large reciprocating compressors, on the other hand, have an efficiency of more than 1000 horsepower. These are mainly used in petroleum and industrial commerce. It is also used in the chemical industry for welding, as the best air compressor for painting cars, and even for natural gas processing and delivery.
Advantages of Reciprocating Compressors
- Easy to manage
- Pretty good as a high-pressure provider
- The quality of work efficiency is good and easily portable
- The design is simple
- It is available in both small and large sizes.
Rotary Screw Compressors
Rotary-screw compressors in the 5 to 500 HP range can also provide airflow above 2500 SCFM.
They are found to be used in a variety of packaging plants, manufacturing systems, as well as most of the time on different types of construction sites. However, the service of these high-power compressors is good, but the maintenance cost is a little higher.
Advantages:
- Piston use is not required.
- Occupies little space
- Reliable, and the noise is less than other compressors.
- The skills are much better.
- Service life is quite good.
Rotary Vane Compressor
Larger compressors have a cooling capacity of 50kW and are used in commercial and industrial markets, including tire filling, wheel shops, dry cleaning, paint pumps. It’s pretty good as an air compressor for tire shop also.
Smaller size Rotary Vane Compressors are more suitable for home use. It is used in your household air conditioners and refrigerators.
Advantages:
- High-quality design
- Skilled
- Maintenance difficulties are very low
- It is available in the sizes of choice.
Dynamic Displacement Air Compressor
Inside the dynamic displacement compressor, the kinetic energy is converted to compressive energy, and the air is compressed.
Types of these compressors –
Centrifugal Compressors
The efficiency of this air compressor can range from 100 hp to 1000 hp. In some cases, high outlet pressures above 6.9 MPA (1,000 psi) are possible.
These are used in large industrial plants such as natural gas chemical plants, oil refineries, processing plants, petrochemical plants.
These compressors are widely used for air conditioning systems and large refrigeration.
Advantages:
- It weighs very little
- Made in simple design
- No hassle to maintain
- Energy efficient
- It is much more reliable than other compressors
Axial Air Compressors
These compressors have high material quality. However, such compressors are quite expensive. It is especially used for CNG stations and all gas turbines.
Advantages:
- It is more affordable than other compressors
- It also has a high-pressure ratio and is very good for multi staggering
Since you have a good idea about compressors, it will be easier to use air compressor for tires.
Now let’s find out how to use air compressor for tires.
You don’t need to be an expert to use portable air compressor to inflate car tires. However, since you are doing it first, you need to be careful about certain things. Before using the compressor, get some necessary tools at hand.
Some necessary tools –
- A regulator
- A digital pressure gauge
- Tire chuck
The work of these necessary tools
You should use a regulator as it will keep the PSI in moderation and prevent the car tires from inflating too fast. This means which it can control the entry of air into the tire. That will maintain an average amount of air pressure in your car’s or bike’s tires.
The pressure gauge will be able to measure the amount of air pressure in the tire, which will help you to measure the amount of excess or unnecessary air pressure in your car’s tire.
Tire chuck will maintain a strong connection between your tire valve and the air hose. This will ensure that air from the compressor can flow smoothly into the tire.
Now you have the necessary ingredients to safely and properly inflate tires.
How to use air compressor for tires?
Let me help with the step-by-step guide on how to fill tires with an air compressor easily.
The steps to use air compressor to inflate tires :
Step 1: Determine the temperature of the tire
According to science, there is a relationship between heat and pressure. So, proportionally, the pressure increases as the tire temperature rises.
Moreover, the recommended tire pressure is specified by considering the cold condition of the tire. So as much as possible, try to inflate the tires in the cold.
In this regard, my advice would be to leave the tire for a day and then inflate the tire. It causes the heat to be generated due to fiction in the tire you are using recently. It will no longer be there, and the car’s tires will get cold.
I will not kidnap you for following the advice, but that can help you be risk-free.
Step 2: Use Tire Pressure Gauge to measure air pressure
Open the valve cap and fasten the gauge tightly to the tire valve until the hissing sound stops. The gauge will measure the air pressure in the tire if it is well stuck.
Step 3: Note the tire pressure diagnostic readings and compare with ideal PSI
Noting the tire pressure, compare it with the ideal PSI. However, in some cases, front and rear tires require different PSIs.
Find a card or sticker inside your car, next to the driver’s door, about the correct measurement of PSI. But if it is not, then you can get the information in the Owner’s Manual.
Ratios of office work pressure may be unlimited for employees, but there is a certain amount in the question of tires.
Tire pressure is generally considered normal when cold at 32 to 40 psi (pounds per square inch).
Step 4: Inflate the tires according to the recommended psi amount
With the help of a tire chuck, attach the air hose to the tire valve well so that there is no gap.
Fill a tire that does not have a moderate amount of air using an air compressor. You can use a gas station or a personal gas compressor for this purpose.
If the air pressure somehow becomes excessive, no worries. The gauge from the tires will help you expel excess air. Moreover, you have a regulator at hand.
Step 5: After inflating the tires check the pressure again
Check again with the help of a gauge and make sure that the amount of PSI is ideal for your car tires.
Re-insert the cap of the valve and make sure that you have fastened the cap.
You may confuse what the specific differences between ordinary compressors and portable compressors are?
To use a portable air compressor for tires is much easier and less labor-intensive. Portable means something is easy to carry, and portable air compressor meaning your compressor is easy to carry.
Will weigh lighter than ordinary compressors. You can easily carry it with you. Using portable air compressor to fill tires will save you hardship, money, and time.
For example, you may use husky air compressor for tires, which is a portable air compressor.
However, using air compressor for tires at the gas station may be a little different.
Short Instructions for How to use air compressor for tires
- Park your car near the air compressor pump
- Check the Recommended Pressure for your car tires
- Check your tire pressure with Gauge
- Pay at the gas station pump to get the service.
- Press the gas pump push button to inflate the tire
- Remove the cap of the valve and attach the valve to the air hose well.
- With the help of Air Compressor Pump, Fill your car’s tires.
- When overfilled, press along the middle of the valve with a small thin pin (if you do not have the necessary tools) to expel excess air.
- Remove the pin when excess air is released.
- Check your tire pressure again with Gauge.
- Re-insert the valve cap in place.
- Keep the air pump hose in place.
Best Air Compressor
According to data from sandcreekfarm.net, taxags.com, to fill tractor tires, you will need 20 PSI for front tires and 33 PSI for rear tires. So the size of the air compressor would be better, 4 CFM in 90 PSI to fill tractor tires.
Not only that, Powertoolsninja.com reported that Slime 40031, weighing 5 pounds, is a great portable air compressor for semi-truck tires.
Thus the Mighty Campbell Hausfeld AF010400 is 4.9 pounds, the maximum psi of Slime 40031 from 0 to 150, and the Kensun A58B AC / DC weighs 4.04 pounds and is ahead in terms of 120 psi reliability.
According to the recommendation of Learnautobodyandpaint.com, a compressor with a 60 Gal tank and 5-6 HP can supply the required amount of CFM for your spray gun. So you can choose CFM of 14-18 at 90 PSI ranges.
In terms of size and quality, Craftsman 6-Gallon CMEC6150K, California Air Tools 4710SQ, NEU Master N3140 can be a good air compressor for painting cars.
Caution
- If you inflate the tires while they are hot, inflate them 3 ~ 4 psi above the recommended psi and check the pressure with the gauge after cooling.
- Sometimes High Temperatures, Under-Inflation, High Speed, Overloading the Car can cause accidents for you.
- It can give wrong measurements when checking pressure with the gauge. Because sometimes, there are damaged gauges in the gas station. So it is better if you use your own.
- Check the quality of car tires regularly to avoid accidents.
Final Words
Now how to use air compressor for tires is not a complicated question for you. However, you are dealing with electrical appliances, so you need to remember the word safety fast.
Try to follow the instructions properly and give the utmost importance to your safety. Wishing you a safe and secure journey with your adorable car.