Air-up is it work the money

[adam.s]

Not even close to one another

Aircon compresser setup costs like $2-300

If you can buy a decent electric compressor for that much then why do people bother?

i take it your talking about the enginer driven compressor systems

they push alot more air than any of the portable electric ones you can buy (in a reasonable, car mount, size.

Guts seems to think otherwise

No, Guts is saying the engine driven compressors have heaps more grunt than the electric ones. So so in air output thay are "Not even close to one another"

Yeah but if an engine mounted aircon compresser costs the same as the "expensive" electric ones, why do people bother with the electric ones?

[Shadow]

Not even close to one another

Aircon compresser setup costs like $2-300

If you can buy a decent electric compressor for that much then why do people bother?

i take it your talking about the enginer driven compressor systems

they push alot more air than any of the portable electric ones you can buy (in a reasonable, car mount, size.

Guts seems to think otherwise

No, Guts is saying the engine driven compressors have heaps more grunt than the electric ones. So so in air output thay are "Not even close to one another"

Yeah but if an engine mounted aircon compresser costs the same as the "expensive" electric ones, why do people bother with the electric ones?

an engine mounted compressor kit is more expensive than a dc12v compressor and to build your own kit takes effort etc. some people cbf, some dont have the room in the engine bay to mount another accessory (off the motor) and some dont care about the extra 10 minutes waiting for a standard compressor to inflate a tyre.

[ludacris]

Refills for the AU-1 cylinder are AU$20.00.

[MKPatrolGuy]

No, Guts is saying the engine driven compressors have heaps more grunt than the electric ones. So so in air output thay are "Not even close to one another"

Yeah but if an engine mounted aircon compresser costs the same as the "expensive" electric ones, why do people bother with the electric ones?

Because if you do it yourself the engine driven compressor will only cost you $200-300 tops, and will put out heaps more air than an electric $300 compressor. To get a high performance electric compressor you will be looking at a minimum $700.

[grazza]

Biggest misconception about dive tanks - they are filled with AIR not OXYGEN. Oxygen is toxic and will kill you at depth.
Also an oxygen filled tank is a potential bomb. Very flammable and dangerous.

[bluemu]

I am the proud owner of an Air-up. Is it worth it ? there is no question....its the best.....and can not even be compared to other methods for inflation. The only question is....can I afford it?, because the value is definently there.

My logic was simple....if im in a situation where I have a punctured tyre which can be repaired, and all I need to do is inflate it.....then its worth it. You see im a bit lazy and would rather have this than spending all that time to change the tire.

I also use it with a nail gun, great when im camping and want to make a quick little chair or table out of some bits of wood

[mavzilla]

i just made an endless air unit out of a/c compressor and put it on a gq deisel
It pumps bucket loads of air at 1500rpm and is regulated by a arb compressor switch to 105psi It has cost 100 bucks to do and about 8 hrs playing with making brackets and wiring I had two electric compressers and both failed and i could drink 6 coldies wating for the tyres to fill up with them. Result heaps faster air and less drinking, 1 out of 2 aint bad

[Shadow]

what aircon pump did you use man?

[djr320kw]

Biggest misconception about dive tanks - they are filled with AIR not OXYGEN. Oxygen is toxic and will kill you at depth.
Also an oxygen filled tank is a potential bomb. Very flammable and dangerous.

Very true when diving the tank is filled with and u breath Nitrogen.

A12 wrote:
BOC and the other commercial gas suppliers are moving towards a rented bottle only style of bsuiness plan. Basically, if you own your own bottle, they won;t fill it up for you. They will only fill up rented bottles.

I was talking to a guy in a gas outlet the other day and he reqkens that BBQ and camping bottles will be going the same way, you can only get bottle swaps and they will all have the 9Kg (POL???) type of fitting? Anyone else heard of this?

I get my bottles filled at the local gas shop. It used to be about $10 bucks for a 9KG bottle. Now they wont refill them they will only swap them. It now cost last time I went $15. But at least I know that my bottle is checked for valves and stuff. It is worth the extra $5 (and better than swapping at a servo for almost $30) to know that compressed gas is that little bit more safe.

Dave

[ISUZUROVER]

I was lucky enough to get to ride a long on a "wheeling" trip when I was in the states (Colorado) recently. One of the guys had a CO2 tank for tyre inflation (basically the same as the air-up system - but don't know how the tank sizez compare). He said he usually gets at least 8 37" MTR's inflated for each fill, but when the weather is really cold it can be as little as 1 tyre!!! Now in Australia it shouldn't be much of a problem, but is something to think about.

[beebee]

I was lucky enough to get to ride a long on a "wheeling" trip when I was in the states (Colorado) recently. One of the guys had a CO2 tank for tyre inflation (basically the same as the air-up system - but don't know how the tank sizez compare). He said he usually gets at least 8 37" MTR's inflated for each fill, but when the weather is really cold it can be as little as 1 tyre!!! Now in Australia it shouldn't be much of a problem, but is something to think about.

Admitedly, I have experienced this problem. It has occurred when running the rattle gun down at Tentefield between around 5 and 6am before a competition. So obviously it's fairly cold outside (estimate close to 0 degrees). We have put a heater on the tank to help the situation but now that I think about it, the smarter thing to do would be to put in down beside the exhaust manifold to keep the heat in. More of a problem when using high flow devices such as pneumatic tools and airing up.

[Ben]

I was talking to a guy in a gas outlet the other day and he reqkens that BBQ and camping bottles will be going the same way, you can only get bottle swaps and they will all have the 9Kg (POL???) type of fitting? Anyone else heard of this?

Greg

I bought a new barbie over the weekend, and wanted to buy my own bottle and get it filled, so I knew how it was being treated - rang BOC in South Melbourne to confirm they can fill and the guy said "nup, we're moving to swap n' go bottles now".

Kinda hurts buying a brand new bottle and handing it over for someone's 2nd hand one!

[bogged]

Kinda hurts buying a brand new bottle and handing it over for someone's 2nd hand one!

Bunnings will fill them. but time is runnin out.


On the Airup thing, I see it as a great idea in theory, but not for the average wheeler to use once and a while, specially at $1000 (the price the dude was quoted for it all) it aint worth the $. YMMV, but to me, it aint.

You could setup an endless air + 1 or 2 air tanks under ya truck for less than that, and theres no refilling costs and I can't see it being much slower/faster than Air up..

If the dude that started this thread, is mounting Air up on the back door, why couldnt he mount an Air tank and say a Blue Tounge etc compressor in the back of the truck? It could be Removeable too with quick fit adapters.

[A12]

Bogged, I am investigating exactly that now. I have no room under the vehicle, and I would have a problem hiding a can of beer in the engine bay.

I am looking at mounting two tanks where the spare goes on the rear door, and the compressor as well, with apropriate power etc. I am in the process of bulding a bracket for the UHF aerial, so I might just make a stronger one.

Greg

[RoldIT]

Be aware, as good as this system is, and even with "endless' air setups, the one thing you really want to do quickly is pump up your tyres. People often forget that the limiting factor here is the valve in the tyre.

Fine, Air-Up pumps at 31cfm(?) but your tyre will not take air that quickly. Great to run air tools but not much added value for everyday tyre inflation. I agree, that without a valve installed while reseating a bead, these would be hard to beat. These also run air tools but any good air setup with a tank can do that (at a reduced duty cycle though). The only undisputable advantage I can see with AirUp over the rest is pure portablitly.

Fine, "endless" air systems pump up to 8cfm(?) but that's at 3000rpm with no load. Ever tried pumping your tyres up with one of these at 3000rpm? I dare say you've probably blown a few hoses off in the process. I have used these before and even with the most reliable systems, you can rarely run them higher than 1000rpm for any period of time. What does that equate to? ... maybe 3cfm if you're lucky? Even at a 1000rpm you'll find these are still cycling on the pressure switch so a valved tyre still can't handle the air flow. There are a few 12v units around that can do that no worries.

I fitted my own 36" pedes using a 12cfm 240v compressor running 140psi tank pressure. Even then (with valve in) the tyre took a few minutes 0-35psi including seating bead. I thought this was still a bit slow considering I was using a full size compressor. I did one without the valve in to see if it would make a difference and it was at 50psi in less than a minute. As a comparison is air capacity of these tyres, my mate uses an endless air to fill his 33"x12.5"x15" tyres and they go from 15-35psi in dead on 1 minute each. Using the same system at the same RPM, my 36"x12.5"x16" Pedes take 3 minutes each. Still pretty quick, but an obvious difference.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, sometimes having the biggest and baddest air setup in the world is not necessarily gunna get the job done any quicker. (unless your are prepared to remove and refit your valve everytime you air up, I know I can't be shagged!)

Food for thought but ultimately, your choice.

[beebee]

Now would probably be the ideal time to introduce Air Up's Monster Valves (or something sounding similar ). They are intstalled into your rim in addition to the standard ones. They essentially allow ultra high flow to get the full use from your Air Up system.

I will be fitting some to my new rims when I get them to try them out.

[longlux]

If they are just oxygen filled, couldnt you get them refilled at diving shops or use a diving tank instead

Diving tanks are just air not Oxygen.

BOC in WA wont fill the Air up tanks & when i spoke to them the first time they tried telling me you could'nt buy your own CO2 bottles.

Air up can also be used for home brew kegs

[Gwagensteve]

a word on the engine driven v electric compressors:

A $2-300 electric compressor will not push more than 3 cfm.
Engine driven compressors push 8-9 cfm.

I have had both types.

Steve.

[PRZOOK]

Latest 4x4 Monthly has a write up on air compressors and have included the Air Up system. The results compared to the other compressors just don't come close.

[TUFFRANGIE]

Just a question A12-If you don't have much room in you car and are mounting the tanks on the back where are you going to put the spare tire?

[A12]

The spare tyre either goes on the roof for trips, or tied down in the back for day trips......it is too heavy for the rear door. Youc an see the hinge and support metal fle4x when the door is open and you bounce the car by stepping on the back to put something on the rack. It did this one the standard tyre as well.

Eventually I hope to make a rear swingaway for the spare, but that is some time away.

Greg

[bluemu]

what was really funny was the latest write up in 4x4 monthly on the Air-up. I always wondered when I watched there DVD adventures and roothy with an air-up on the side of Milo...mmm

I can imagine them using there ARB compressors when they have an air-up lying around...NOT ....lol

[DNA Off Road]

Well guys I have an Air-Up mounted on the tray of my Cruiser [a number of you have seen it]. I run a modified Sanden 508 [ex air con compressor] set up. I carry the Air-up as the primary tyre inflation and as a back up for use of air tools etc. If you run larger than average tyres off road there is nothing worse than waiting for ages to increase pressures. Likewise if you pop a bead, the volume from the air-up makes it easy to reseat with little stuffing around.

Yes I do sell them, however I sell things that I like to use and they must be good – you will notice there are no bling bling chrome parts on my webpage. As for the price, yes they are expensive and they may not suit all budgets . Ultimately the choice is yours. If you are keen to see one in use or want to have a play with one, I am more than happy for you to ask me for a demo or have a short play with it yourself at the next comp or club outing. I don’t think I would be too wrong in saying that Bee Bee [and possibly POS] would do the same.



Cheers

Alby

[bru21]

I wouldn't mind looking into this for obc. I don't have the room for an engine driven one - - i have a york on my bundy top stuff. The air stored in the 4" bar was enough to inflate a 2 person inflatable boat when the motor was off

A few other things to clear up

oxygen is not at all flamable - it is an oxident and is essential for the oxidation of flamables or chemical reactions such as rust. No o2 no rust, no o2 no fire. Only o2 no fire. so it is essential to burn things but cannot be burnt.

Nitrogen is not what you breathe. it is a carrier gas for o2. air is about 78%N, 21%o2 the rest a blend of other gasses.pure N will kill you. N decreases the partial pressure of oxygen allowing the exchange of gasses in the blood. You can breathe nearly pure oxygen up guessing 80% (more causes o2 toxicity) and it gives you a head spin (also used in hospitals for lung degeneration cases to increase bodily o2 to normal. You cannot breath pure o2 under water as the partial pressure is too high and you get a head spin and disorientation etc. also the reduction in co2 causes more rapid exchange of co2 for 02 and increases the problem. this reduction in co2 and the reduction of what should be increasing blood acidity results in the breathing reflex failing, as co2 build up etc is the trigger.

yes i kept typing. sorry off topic