OBA -> On Board Air Mega Thread & BS

I doubt a 1 gallon tank will help much airing up tires. It's more useful with small volume tasks or maintaining constant pressure.

 

No intent for air tool use, just tires.

 

So it's actually better to NOT run a small tank? It hinders things?

 

It can slow things down cause it is another cavity to fill, If I had to draw a pressure curve over time ito would look like a huge rollercoaster drop and a slow buildup to half pressure. So you gain a little time, lose a little time, and work your compressor more.

 

Lots of other things can be powered by air besides tools, bags, lockers, pressurized water tank, air horn, etc. but if you're only filling tires then fan the tank.

 

Ah, that makes sense. If you had a larger reserve, say 2-3 gallons under the bed, would that be enough for four tires or do you quickly end up in the same situation?

 

I't might make the first tire faster, you'd be back at usual speed for the other three. You essentially have to match the volume and pressure of air to that in your tires at full pressure. My 30gal compressor used to have to kick on when airing up my old explorer. Can't imagine carrying a 30 gal tank though. I'd recommend some bigger or faster compressors. I use two Viair 444C

 

Jeeze! Okay. Well it looks like I either need to A) Suck up having a small compressor or B) Get a bigger compressor or C)...get a Co2 tank. However, having a Co2 tank and a compressor just for a locker seems like a waste.

Thanks everyone.

 

You can use CO2 for lockers too, even an airsoft minibottle with a regulator can run a locker.

 

Stop. My brain can only consider so many options haha. I'm so used to being privileged with unlimited clean (and quiet) air at work that I never considered what it takes to produce it.

 

I have the 1 gallon tank from ARB and it really doesnt make a difference, not even for air tools. I will be replacing it with a 3 to 5 gallon tank under the bed eventually.

 

I have a 2.5 gallon, doesn't seem to make a big difference when a tire takes something like 20 gallons from flat (regular size tire, obviously a 35 or 42" will take more)

 

So a little update... I'm now considering returning the

$338 ARB CKMA12 On-Board Air Compressor High Performance 12 Volt for Air Locker Differentials and Tire Inflation

ARB CKMA12 compressor in lue of the smaller

$250 CKSA12 Air Compressor Compact On-Board 12 Volts DC, Designed Exclusively for ARB Air Lockers Locking Differentials

CKSA12 compressor in order to SOLELY run the rear locker off it. In addition, I will run a Co2 tank setup to do my tires quickly as airing up at the end of a long ass day has always been a serious pet peeve of mine. I looked into the dual ARB setup but the $CAD exchange hurts right now.

Although this isn't exactly a thread for Co2 discussion, does anyone know what particular hose material is needed for safe usage? Or will a standard air hose cut it?

 

I use the standard air hose for mine, from the tank back to the quick-disconnect.. Holds the pressure fine, but when I do a soapy-water test at the connections, I get some bubbling, so I don't leave it pressurized when not in use.

 

Yep regular hose should be fine for pressure, co2 uses a regulator to lower tank pressure (3000psi?) to line pressure (50psi?)

Sounds like you need some better thread seal, unless you're talking about the quick connects.

 

Keep the compressor you have and set it up without the tank. Add the Co2 setup you want. With this you’ll have speed and the security of a fallback system.

 

This is tempting. Smart man!

 

CO2 can use standard hoses or even the cheap coil hose but if you're using a larger bottle to fill tires you should probably get something rated for below freezing temps as the gas leaving the bottle very quickly goes sub zero and stays there. Most importantly the bottle has to be used in the upright position or the liquid CO2 will destroy the regulator in short order. Another thing to consider is tire pressure should continue to climb a bit as the gas fill comes up to ambient (PV=NRT). I don't have any empirical evidence on how much since I've only used mine to add a few pounds rather than 50% or more of the total pressure. I'd be curious if it was negligible, a pound or two, or something more. Be gentle with your valve stems when removing the nozzle since they will also have been exposed to extremely low temps. I've not heard of bad things happening other than regulator issues(quite common) so it's more cautionary common sense than hard won personal knowledge.

 

I see a lot of the ARB dual setups but not nearly as many of the singles. So, who’s got pictures of their single setup? There’s some threads from like 2012 but nothing really recent.

 

I think most people that get the single ARB eventually get the dual ARB lol