When it comes to getting high performance, car tires obviously play an important role. For that reason, maintaining these tires should be one of your highest priorities. Choosing the perfect size tyre inflator is the first step toward it.
There are many uses for an air compressor or tire inflator, but the most useful one is for tire inflation. This is the sole reason why every car owner should invest in a good quality tire inflator. The quality isn’t the only fact you need to look for; minding the size of the inflator is also important.
The size of an air compressor for car will depend on the pressure requirement and size of the tires. Although, most tire inflators can fill-up the tire of small to medium-sized car tires. But some might not be compatible with big trucks. Checking the PSI and CFM capabilities is the most important tyre inflator factor.
A right air compressor can help anything with a requirement of a high air volume. You can save money on making trips to the gas stations for only tire inflation by getting such car accessories.
And to help you pick the best tire inflator here’s the best guide on tire inflators.
Bigger Doesn’t Always Mean Better
If you think that getting an air compressor with a bigger vessel is better, you are mistaken. The most important factor you should check is the combination between the vessel size and the pump output.
Another fact is the maximum air pressure of the tyre inflator, or the PSI or CFM measure. You need to match all these to the planned usage of the air compressor and the recommended tire pressure.
The Right Size Tyre Inflator
Let’s thoroughly check the criteria mentioned above.
- PSI
PSI is the most important factor to go through when shopping for a tyre inflator. Pounds per Square Inch or the PSI rating shows how much air pressure a compressor can produce. Checking out this factor is important to refrain from getting a useless inflator.
If the air compressor produces less pressure than what the tire needs, it won’t fully inflate the tire. The compressor will only put air to its maximum pressure output.
For example, if your truck has 100 PSI tires and using a tyre inflator with 70 PSI won’t work. Because only 70 PSI gets added to the tires, you’ll be getting less performance.
It’s best to get a compressor with 10 PSI higher than the recommended tire pressure. You can also buy an equal PSI. But the exchange might get slower the closer you get to the maximum pressure. That means you would spend more time inflating the tires.
- CFM Rating
The CFM rating is an important factor for selecting a basic or digital tyre inflator. Cubic Feet per Minute or CFM is a measurement to monitor the airflow of the compressor. In short, CFM tells you how efficiently and quickly the tyre inflator can fill the tires.
You should always measure the CFM in the air pressure or PSI context. Doing so is important if you want to fill the tires instantly.
The Tank Size
The tank size also matters when it comes to choosing a tyre inflator. The bigger the tank, the less time it would run to fill the tires. Let’s not forget that the tank also needs time to recover from a cycle.
So, the lesser the tank size, the more time you need to fill all the tires. It will take more time if the tire is empty.
A portable 3 to 6-gallon compressor is enough to fill up big tires. Other compressors are available that continuously supply air, so you won’t have to wait for each refilling.
The Length of the Hose & Cord
Check the length of the hose and cord whenever you are buying a basic or digital tyre inflator. Although there are extension cords available, it’s best to avoid those. Such extensions can create power issues that might degrade the motor.
Ensuring you can bring the tyre inflator to the tires is better than taking your tire near the inflator.
Duty Cycle Rating
The duty cycle rating of a compressor is the recommended running time of the compressor. A 50% duty rating indicates that you should run the pump only half the time of using the compressor.
So if the tire takes 1 hour to fill up, run the inflator for 30 minutes only. And if you don’t check this factor, the tyre inflator may overheat or wear out.
A compressor with a large tank will help in this. Because you can use the stored air in the tank meanwhile the engine cool down. But this factor is not important for compressors that continuously supply air.
Now that you know which features to look for, it’s time to choose a store. Check out CarObis to choose a tyre inflator from a wide range of options. They have quality inflators and other car accessories with great offers.
Also Read: When Your Car Requires Repair, What Should You Do?
