2 Amp Compressor Run From Bed Inverter?

Howdy,

Need to have more than my Viair type compressor for blowing out water lines on an RV during winter.

RV currently in storage with difficult access to power.

Found a Kobalt 2-Gallon Portable Electric that runs on 2 amps and the inverter is rated at 4 amps I believe BUT those number always vary with usage..

Anyone using a compressor such as this via bed inverter?

Thanks,

A

 

Since no one else seems to want to reply:
If my truck wasn't at the dealer for a frame replacement I'd test it against my own bostitch pancake compressor. Anyway, if you do a search in the forum on "compressor", "OBA" or "On board air" there are others using similar small hot-dog and pancake compressors to air tires off of the bed outlet, so I'm pretty confident it can work. Best thing would be to get the compressor and test it on the bed outlet, if you can. If it's a used buy then try before you buy. If it's a new buy, see if you can return it if it doesn't work?

Buggsy

 

I didn’t suggest this. However, you can buy the compressor, see if it works, if it doesn’t return it.

 

If it's this one, the Lowes description says it's a 2 amp unit. So, your title is correct.



Sub-Brand N/A
Type Electric
Phase Single-phase
Tank Capacity (Gallons) 2
Stage Single stage
Tank Style Twin stack
Voltage 120
Amps 2

Just check manual for outlet capacity and you should be good.

 

My local Lowe's will take returns with no questions asked, or at least no flack given. I'd definitely buy, try it right in the parking lot and walk right back in and return it that day if it doesn't work well for you. I'd keep it nice and try to be nice in how I unwrap and re-wrap it but the return policy seems to be designed for exactly that kind of situation. I'd just tell them "did not work for my application" if you don't end up keeping it. Nothing dishonest or shady about that in my book.

 

The output on the bed outlet is 400W @ 120V. That should end up being 3.3A total output if my math (and the rating) is correct. So if the compressor really only draws 2A you should be fine. Just make sure you have the 400W button selected.

 

Today, I tried the similar Anvil air compressor from Home Depot that is rated at 2amp and it worked fine. It was very loud, so I will try the much quieter and slightly higher CFM Hitachi which is rated 2.8 amp. My question is how long can we safely idle the 4.0 motor to keep the power going to the bed inverter. And where exactly is the bed inverter(I know where the plug is). Might I replace it with a slightly more powerful inverter?

 

The inverter is under the center console, if I remember correctly. I had all that out when I was running some after market wiring through there

 

Inverter is under the center console. No idea if you can swap it for a bigger one, but I know there is a model to have 400w anytime, rather than just on P.
You can idle the truck as long as the tank has gas assuming your cooling system is properly working.
A few months ago I idled my truck for 5 hrs. I had a 1000w inverter hooked up to the battery and running light for a tent sale. No issues at all.

 

Yes, the inverter is in the center console under the armrest. It has its own fan for cooling and there's a vent at the rear bottom part of the console.

 

The low power Hitachi is 150 dollars. Nope, get the Kobalt. I might get one because it's small but reasonably powerful.

 

Your math is correct. Only thing to add is that the compressor specs will likely cite continuous draw. They may have a peak startup draw that is higher.

 

Indeed. On the plus side, the compressor isn't likely to run all the time since it runs till it's full and then kicks on when needed (within a certain pressure threshold). On the negative side, when the tank already has some pressure in it, it absolutely spikes the draw on startup. I have a 30 gallon compressor in the garage that draws juuuuuust a bit more than 15A on startup when the tank is mostly full. Thus, when I lived in an apartment and my outlet in the garage was on a 15A breaker; it would flip if the tank was above 90psi. So ironically, if I needed to fill the tank, I had to first empty the tank so I could get the compressor to turn over easily the first few revolutions.

 

I can buy Hitachi at a number local re-sellers @$100 brand new. For me, the added CFM and MUCH quieter Hitachi make it my choice.

 

Really good quality compressors have a bleed off valve that bleeds off the pressure in the compressor on shut down, to prevent this. When a compressor shuts off and you hear pssssssshhhhhhhh, that's the valve bleeding off the pressure.

 

Ok, I changed my mind. I bought the Kobalt for nearly half price off Craigslist. It seems to work fine for my purpose of an air nailer and will see how it works with an extension cord in the bed inverter.

 

Mine does that on shutdown but not on startup.

 

Just so you know, at start up it’s probably pulling several times the rates continuous current. Breakers can handle many times their rates value for short periods of time.

 

So, this Kobalt compressor works fine with a 50 ft 14g extension cord plugged into the 2006 Tacoma bed power supply.