| Author | Message | ||
     Rans (Rans) Senior Member Username: Rans Post Number: 524 Registered: 08-2002 |
Do you have an old propane tank they won't fill anymore because it isn't OPD? If you do, you can use it for a portable air tank according to a blurb in this months Family Handyman Magazine! A company called Intromark has developed a guage, hose, and air-chuck kit to attach to your old tank (after having the propane properly purged) that allows your tank to be filled from your home compressor or from a gas station compressor up to 150psi and then used as a portable air tank to fill tires after off-roading. The kit is only $19.95 plus $5.50 shipping. This is the website where you can order it: http://www.isc-online.com/intromark.htm I've not tried it so I can't speak first hand, but it sounds like a workable idea. If you don't have your old tank, most places that fill propane have a supply of them they've taken in trade on new ones and they might give one to you for nothing. Be charming!!! If anyone has used this please let us know if it's any good! | ||
| Peter W. Pfeifer (Pwp) New Member Username: Pwp Post Number: 15 Registered: 10-2002 |
Sure thats a nifty idea for refreshing the pressure on a somewhat flat bicycle tire or your basketball. Try filling a 30" tire from 18psi to 30psi, I think it might be able to do one and thats about it. A set up like that cannot produce more air and dosen't work on the same principal as a CO2 set up. Still cool for smaller aplications though. Just my .02 Peter | ||
| Rans (Rans) Senior Member Username: Rans Post Number: 525 Registered: 08-2002 |
I'm no expert on this for sure, but if there is 150psi of air in a 25# bottle and you need to fill a tire to 30psi, surely there would be enough pressure for more than one tire? | ||
| Christopher Dynak (Adtoolco) Member Username: Adtoolco Post Number: 176 Registered: 08-2002 |
Its about volume...I don't think there would be enough of it. | ||
| Bill Bettridge (Billb) Senior Member Username: Billb Post Number: 757 Registered: 02-2002 |
RANS, I use one around the garage, but the volume is very very small. It will not fill one tire (32") from 10 to 40 psi. Ok for around the house, but that's about it. BTW - these have been around for years - the kits are usually in the $10 range (JC whitney, etc). Bill | ||
| Peter W. Pfeifer (Pwp) New Member Username: Pwp Post Number: 17 Registered: 10-2002 |
Could be but i don't think by much, don't forget once the pressure in the tank is equal to what you are trying to fill, the tank is useless. I guess we need to determine the volume of the tank and the tire first ?? Peter | ||
| Rans (Rans) Senior Member Username: Rans Post Number: 526 Registered: 08-2002 |
Thanks Bill, I know you and respect your opinion, and as it jives with the others, it sounds like the answer to go with. Folks please disregard my enthusiasm on this, I knew not of what I spoke! | ||
| Greg (Gparrish) Senior Member Username: Gparrish Post Number: 1237 Registered: 04-2002 |
"Folks please disregard my enthusiasm on this, I knew not of what I spoke! " That's okay Randy. Common mistake from what I hear.  | ||
| Rans (Rans) Senior Member Username: Rans Post Number: 527 Registered: 08-2002 |
Which part Greg? That folks commonly mistake this option for a usable airtank? Or that I commonly know not of what I speak? LOL | ||
| Kevin Bridges (Craniac) Member Username: Craniac Post Number: 116 Registered: 02-2003 |
Rans, Thats still a good, cheep idea for around the house. And it could save you in a time of need. | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2312 Registered: 04-2002 |
Everybody above is right, that thing isn't going to hold enough air to be of any real use. I am a new CO2 convert, I got a trailair system used through a dwebber for $125 but after messing around with this thing and talking to others I realize I can put another one together myself for that much or less. Email me if you want some more info. | ||
| Kevin Bridges (Craniac) Member Username: Craniac Post Number: 119 Registered: 02-2003 |
So thats what C.T.I.S stands for? Carters Tire Inflation System. HA My air compressor comes built in baby | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2315 Registered: 04-2002 |
Yeah w/ the CO2 I can air up faster than I can air down. Just need some of the staun deflators and I will be in business. | ||
| Kevin Bridges (Craniac) Member Username: Craniac Post Number: 120 Registered: 02-2003 |
Dont forget being able to use pnumatic tools | ||
| Jack Quinlan (Jsq) Member Username: Jsq Post Number: 242 Registered: 10-2002 |
I also went the homebrew route. I bought a 10lb CO2 tank with a fixed 100psi regulator (all brass, no guages) and coil hose and quick chuck from Airgas for about $140. I figured that the simplicity of the fixed regulator would be good and it's virtually indestructible (when compared to a convention gauge cluser). This setup is what a lot of contractors run because it's tough. I figured 100psi was plenty for tires and just right for air tools (impact). Here's what I learned: -Everything i bought except the reg is EXACTLY the same as trail air. -The reg IS bomb proof. -reg actually operates at 80-90psi -Variable pressure is a good idea. at sea level in warm weather 100 psi is great, but throw in a little altitude and cold weather and you'd wish you could crank it up. -fixed 100psi is a little weak for an impact gun. I think it needs to be higher. but it will do the job if you pause between trigger pulls. -I saved a lot of money. Even if i take back the fixed reg I can get a variable very cheap -there is no need to monitor tank pressure. it does NOT tell you how full your tank is. CO2 keeps virtually the same pressure till right before it's empty. Weight is the only way to judge how full it is. Therefore you either need no guages or just one for the variable output. hope this helps someone else trying to save a few dollars. | ||
| EricV (Bender2033) Member Username: Bender2033 Post Number: 170 Registered: 08-2002 |
Jack, Got any photos? Sounds like a nice set up! | ||
| Jack Quinlan (Jsq) Member Username: Jsq Post Number: 244 Registered: 10-2002 |
I'll try to snap one for you when I get a chance. Can't say it looks very different from the others. I just talked to Airgas about my problems running the impact gun and they said they had received a faulty batch of the fixed psi regs so i'm taking mine in to get tested. I'd really like to stay with the simpler, stronger design but i want to use air tools so if it turns out fixed 100 psi is just to weak i'll just buy the toughest variable i can. | ||
| R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 519 Registered: 07-2002 |
If it is only about volume, then how can one of the small air tanks you see being used on EE.com can work? I would think it is about how much pressure you can put on the tank first, followed by volume. i.e. You have a 4 foot cube tank, and a 1 foot cube tank. But the 4 foot tank can only hold 1/4 of the pressure that the 1 foot tank can hold so they are actually equal once pressurized to capacity - that said, I don't think the propane tank would have the pressure or volume to fill more than one or two tires. To top-off tires after off-roading, maybe so. My numbers are probably way off, (atmospheres, PSI, etc...) it's just an example of what I am thinking to try to explain this to myself... Maybe that's why I couldn't get past Algebra 3, I always tried to explain things to myself! | ||
| R. B. Bailey (Rover50987) Senior Member Username: Rover50987 Post Number: 520 Registered: 07-2002 |
Oh wait, I didn't read the whole thread - sheesh, those smaller tanks use CO2 hu? | ||
| Christopher Dynak (Adtoolco) Member Username: Adtoolco Post Number: 180 Registered: 08-2002 |
Under pressure Co2 is in liquid form and compressed. As it is released into lower pressure(the atmosphere where we breath) it turns gaseous and expands as it does so. As a result a small amount of pressurized liquid Co2 is released as an expanding gas into the air, through air tools, and into our tires. If you can think of gas as elastic this would help to understand it a little better. Nitrogen is even more "elastic" but I think is under greater pressure. -Chris | ||
| Christopher Dynak (Adtoolco) Member Username: Adtoolco Post Number: 181 Registered: 08-2002 |
Try it this way. 5 gallons of regular compressed air in your propane tank releases 5 gallons of compressed air. Co2 expands as it is released so 5 gallons of compressed liquid Co2 releases 100?? gallons of gas. (not sure of the math and don't feel like looking it up) -Chris |
