The Benefits of Owning a Portable Air Compressor
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Have you been thinking about getting a portable air compressor? If so it's not surprising as portable air compressors are becoming increasingly popular around the world, as they offer a wide range of benefits. Whether you need to power your tools or inflate tires, a portable air compressor can be extremely useful in a variety of situations.
Owning a portable air compressor can save you time, money, and hassle. From inflating tires quickly to powering your tools, owning a portable air compressor can make life a lot easier.
With so many advantages, it’s no wonder why these machines are becoming increasingly popular.
If you’re looking for a way to make your life easier and save money, then a portable air compressor is the perfect solution. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of owning a portable air compressor and why you need one now.
Table of contents
Before we dive in though if you are looking for a great review on some of the best portable tire inflators, we would recommend checking out AirToolsCentral and have a look at there article Best Portable Car Tire Inflators - [Top 4 for 2023].
What is a Portable Air Compressor?
A portable air compressor is a powerful and convenient tool used to inflate tires and other air-filled items. It provides a convenient, efficient, and easy way to get the right amount of air pressure into a wide variety of objects, from tires to basketballs.
Portable air compressors are becoming increasingly popular due to their portability, convenience, and ease of use. They are lightweight, compact, and can be taken anywhere, making them perfect for inflating items on the go.
Portable air compressors are perfect for anyone who needs to inflate items on the go. With a portable air compressor, you can quickly and easily inflate tires, balls, and other air-filled items, providing a quick and easy solution for any air-filled needs.
Benefits of Owning a Portable Air Compressor
Owning a portable air compressor can be incredibly beneficial for a wide variety of reasons. Whether you’re an auto enthusiast, a DIY enthusiast, or just someone who wants to be able to inflate a tire on-the-go, portable air compressors have you covered.
With a portable air compressor, you can easily inflate your tires, clean delicate surfaces, and power your pneumatic tools. In addition, they’re usually light, making them easy to transport and store.
With so many advantages, it’s no wonder that portable air compressors are so popular. If you’re in the market for one, you’ll be able to enjoy the convenience, flexibility, and power that a portable air compressor can provide.
Saves Time.
Saving time when you own your own compressor is easy as you don't need to travel anywhere to access someone elses compressor. The convenience to be able to inflate your item, whether it be a tire or an air bed when you want to can not be more satisfying.
Saves Money
Paying for air at you local gas station can quickly add up, especially if you own more than one car, and with the price of gas continuing to climb it is become more expensive to drive to your local gas station as well. Being able to fill your tires when you want to from home without all the added expense is certainly a great reason to consider your own portable air compressor.
Convenience
If you have every tried to inflate an air bed with a manual pump you will know why owning a portable air compressor is worth it. It takes you hours and a lot of effort to inflate your air bed manually but with a portable air compressor your will slash the time it will take to inflate your bed and you won't even work up a sweat.
Portable Air Compressor Applications
A portable air compressor is an invaluable tool for many different applications. Whether you need to inflate a tire, power your air tools, or deliver compressed air to a remote location, a quality portable air compressor can provide reliable power and performance in a wide variety of situations.
Portable air compressors are easy to use and can be a great asset for those who need to take their air compressor with them wherever they go. Not only are they lightweight and easy to transport, but they also offer the flexibility to use them in a variety of locations and applications.
From automotive to industrial, the applications of a portable air compressor are nearly endless. Whether you’re tackling a small job or a large-scale project, a quality portable air compressor can help you get the job done quickly and efficiently.
Here are some areas where a portable air compressor can help save you time and money.
- Inflating Tires - Bicycles, car, motor bike, RV's and Trucks a good portable air compressor can inflate them all with ease.
- Home items - Balls, Air Beds, Pool Toys all can be inflated with the aid of a portable air compressor.
- Cleaning - From the car upholstery to your computer keyboard being able to supply a stream of compressed air make cleaning a breeze.
- Painting - If you are a DIYer being able to run a air powered paint gun can make your repair and painting jobs so much easier.
- Powering Tools - Impact Drivers, Air wrench's, Drills, Screw guns, Die Grinders, Air Nibblers, Air Saws, Cut Off Tools, Air Riveters, Chisel Guns there are so many tools that could make you life easier.
Tips for Choosing a Portable Air Compressor
Portable air compressors are incredibly useful tools that can save you a lot of time and effort. They can help you inflate tires, power air tools, and even clean your home.
But with so many models and features to choose from, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. Fortunately, there are a few key tips that can help you pick the best portable air compressor for your needs.
Read on to learn more about the features to look for and the questions to ask before you make your purchase. With the right knowledge and a little bit of research, you’ll be able to find the perfect portable air compressor for your needs.
Understanding Your Needs
The first and most important thing to consider is what uses do you want to use your portable air compressor for. If all you want is to be able to inflate the occasional car tire or pump up the odd ball or pool toy then you will be able to look at the lower end of the price range, but if want to run air tools then a larger air compressor will be required. Knowing your needs will allow you to save money by buying an air compressor suited to your needs.
Questions to Ask
The 2 main questions that you need to ask when buying a portable air compressor is what is the duty cycle and what is the air flow.
If you know both these things then you will be able to size an air compressor to be able to run any tools and meet your needs without having delays waiting for your compressor to recharge.
Key Features to Look For
To help you with your decision making below we have outlined what we consider the important things to take into consideration to make sure you get a air compressor that meets your needs and will hopefully give you years of service.
Duty Cycle
So what is meant by this term Duty Cycle and how does it relate to an air compressor? The Duty Cycle for an air compressor is the total amount of time it takes for the air compressor to pressurize plus it's cool down time.
The duty cycle formula that is often used is expressed as Compressor time on / (time on + time off) = Duty Cycle percentage.
For example, lets say a compressor has a 10-minute total cycle time and runs for 5 minute during the cycle. Using our duty cycle formula, we have 5 minute / 10 minutes = 0.5, or 50% duty cycle. In this case, this will mean the air compressor will be able to deliver pressurized air for 5 minute, then you will need to wait 5 minute to get more pressurized air to use again.
There are tank less air compressors that have a 100% duty cycle giving you continuous air, these are mainly used for tire inflating compressors, even though they have 100% duty cycle it is wise to keep an eye on how hot the compressor is getting and to allow it time to cool so as not to burn out the motor of the air compressor.
Compressor Horsepower
These Days HP is not as important as the pressure and air flow in determining if your air compressor will work for you, newer & more efficient air compressors can do more with less HP.
In general though the higher the horsepower an air compressor has, the more amount of air it will be able to compress and the longer the compressor will be able to run without overheating.
Tank Size
If you are going to be using air tools that require a lot of air to run then buying a compressor with a large tank is a must. The larger the tank the easier it will be on your air compressor as it will allow it to cool down and not over heat with constant running.
Air flow
The air compressors air flow is typically measured in cubic feet per minute (cfm) at a specific pressure. The importance of this is in the ability of an air compressor to continuously perform a task.
For example if the CFM rating of the compressor is 0.94 at 100 PSI. Then the air compressor would be capable of pumping up a 37″ x 12.5″ tires from 15 to 30 PSI within five minutes.
Mobility Options
Air compressors come in all shapes and sizes, whether you need a small unit that is easily stored in the trunk of your car or a dedicated shop compressor you will be able to find an air compressor that meets your mobility needs.
Noise Levels
Most air compressors operate in a range from 40dB to 100dB, this range translates to (roughly a quiet office to a standard lawnmower).
Consider where you will be usually using your air compressor as there could be un wanted consequences of loud compressors include: Workplace dysfunction, annoyed neighbors, hearing damage and overall chaos.
Maintenance Requirements
Depending upon the type of air compressor you purchase you may need to perform maintenance. Most of the smaller portable air compressors are maintenance free, but others may need oil to be added to either the compressor or motor.
It is important to consider these needs and any additional cost that this maintenance may incur when purchasing your air compressor.
Warranty and Support
It goes without saying that you can tell a lot about what type of quality you are buying by the warranty and support the manufacture gives their product. We always recommend that you buy an air compressor from a well known manufacturer that you know will be around to support you if you need it.
Air Tools
If you are wanting to be able to run air tools with your air compressor then there are some additional things to consider. Most air tools will require between 70 and 90 PSI to operate correctly. Many light-to-medium-duty air compressor can easily handle 90 PSI, but you always want the compressor to supply more air flow than needed.
Air tools made for general use will have a CFM requirement printed on the tools, so if you have already purchased some tools then these will be able to guide you in what size you would need.
But if you are yet to purchase any air tools, then you can work on the general rule that air tools designed for use with portable air compressors will typically require 0 to 5 cubic feet per minute (cfm) at 70 to 90 pounds per square inch (psi), whereas professional grade larger tools connected to stationary air compressor systems, will usually require in excess of 10 cfm at 100 to 120 psi.
When it comes to ensuring that your tools run at there optimal performance we recommend that you check your air-powered tools for the highest air pressure and air delivery requirements and then select an air compressor that exceeds these requirements. This will also give you some future proofing in the even that you buy an air tool with higher requirements that those tools you have today.
Conclusion
Portable air compressors have come a long way in the last few years. No longer just consisting of heavy, outdated machines with a gauge that measures pressure in pounds and foot-pounds, today’s portable compressors are sleek, lightweight, and easy to use.
They offer all the benefits of a big air compressor, but in a small and more portable package. And when it comes to safety, these machines are the best of both worlds; they provide the same air pressure and power as a big compressor while also providing the same safety features as a light-duty compressor.
If you’re looking to buy a portable air compressor online, you’ll likely come across a few different types of options. There are two main categories of portable compressors; light-duty and heavy-duty.
The first kind is the light-duty compressor, which is designed for occasional use and short-term applications. These compressors are typically smaller, lighter, and easier to carry than their heavier counterparts. They are also less powerful, meaning they won’t be able to work as hard as their heavier counterparts. Inflating car tires, balls and pool toys are just a few of the common light-duty uses for these compressors.
The second type of portable air compressor is the heavy-duty compressor. This type of compressor is built to handle jobs around the home, will require mains power and will have an air tank. They are more suited to powering air tools or inflating truck tires quickly.
More Resources
We hope you found our article helpful, if you would like to read some more of our articles then we think these below may be interesting for you.
- Check out some of the reviews we have for Lithium Powered Jump Packs.
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If you want to know everything about Air Compressors and Air Tools then you might like to check out our sister site AirToolsCentral where we go into greater details about all this Air Powered.