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Using bus air to inflate bus tires …
or other tires or use air tools.
This has been discussed once or twice or maybe, numerous times, already. The consensus is, that it can be difficult and quite time consuming to squeeze the last 5 or 10 PSI out of our air tanks. As you use bus air to inflate your tires, the tank pressure continously drops and you have to wait for the compressor to cut-in to bring the tank pressure up to the +/- 120 PSI you need to have.
Several years ago, I found the “Powertank” (www.powertank.com). They sell a complete system with various sizes of tanks (5, 10 etc. lb.) an you get the tank filled with “air” at your local welding supply store. I happily wrote a check for about $500 to buy 10 lbs. Tank system and have used it frequently during the past few years.
The nice thing, the pro about the powertank is that you can carry it around the bus or over to the dinghy or to wherever you need it. The con is that you often find your tank depleted and nowhere to go to fill it, as has happened to me in Alabama, where nobody woul fill tanks.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, I read n article in the FMCA magazine about a guy who had to deal with the sam problems some or many of us have to deal with. Not enough bus air when you need it.
The article explained and showed in a photo how this fellow RV’er installed an air booster. Generally speaking, the booster doubles the amount of air pressure you provide to it. SMC seems to be the primary manfacturer and these booster come in many sizes.
eBay was kind enough to have a listing for a used booster, which I bought for less than half of what it would have cost new. That is to say I bought it for $175.00 plus shipping. I had to buy a few fittings and a muffler which added another $30 to my cost.
I hooked everything up this afternoon to test the setup and performance.
In a nutshell, it does exactly what it promises to do. In my particular case, the booster doubles the input up to 145 PSI. That is according to the label attached to the booster. I tried to increase the pressure and it appeared to go higher. I had it up to about 160 PSI before I stopped.
You can call this a gadget or a tool. Whatever. I do now always have sufficient air pressure and do no longer have to look around for a welding supply store and pay +/- $25 to fill-up my 10 lbs tank.
Cheers,
Ronald
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9 Replies
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I attempted to insert photos in my original post but somehow the system froze and did not allow me to do this. When I went to edit my post, the FOLDER option did not show. Anyways …
The gauge on the left shows the current bus air pressure and the gauge on the right shows that I dialed it up to 100 lbs.
Above you see current bus air pressure at 95 lbs and I dialed the output up to 130 PSI
My picnic table test lab.
As you can see, the booster is relatively small when compared to my hand.
This is the booster I bought used on eBay. Made by SMC.
Cheers,
Ronald
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I cannot speak about other coaches, but the highest pressure I have to fill from my coach would be the steer tires and based on my axle weights it calls for 100 PSI, but I add 5 PSI for a small margin. If I have to top off the steers I just wait for the compressor to spit, and give the steer tires a shot of air. Every other tire pressure, including the toad are all far less than the compressor cut in.
I’m not saying having a “doubler” is a bad thing but keep in mind it doubles the pressure at 50% of the flow.
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Agree with Jon. I have my Steers at 105 psi & have never had a problem filling them. Been out on the road nine months and have not had to add air to any tires.
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Sniffle … I thought I had a good thing but, I agree with Jon and Tim. In general, a booster is probably not a necessity. Problem is, that I like gadgets … 🙂 … I am suprised, though, to hear Tim state that he did not have to top off his tires at all in 9 months.
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He will soon. If the tire and the valve stem seal are leak free there is no reason to have to add air. But Tim has been in warm temps so whatever miniscule leakage his tires have it has been masked by hot ambient temps boosting the pressures from what they were nine months ago.
As weather cools he will have to add air. Maybe only a pound or two, but that’s expected.
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Yes he will…Left FL 3rd wk Apr, temp 85. Bella Terra 85. DC 38, Milw 80, Me 42, Boston & NYC 90……have been +&- psi all summer. Geo.
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I should have mentioned that I did have to add air at a Lives truck stop when I discovered a leaking valve. Other than that, I’ve had no issues with leaking air from the tires.
I’m not sure if I should have added the 3 lbs difference as we’ve traveled from 100 degree heat to 75 degrees in Glacier. In very hot temps, my starting psi on steers has been 109. In this cooler air near Canada it’s been 106 on the steers.
I don’t see a reason for taking air out only to add it in a week. I’m still above the PSI that Michelin says I should have in the steers, and as discussed before, over inflation doesn’t lead to tire blow outs like under inflation.
Do I have this wrong?
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I have 365 s on steer. And tag. And I run 110 on steers and 100 on tag and on drives 315s I run 100 I never have to add or let air out in 10 months of travel and have never had a blow out or I tire problem in 30 years of travel , if anybody can tell me that 10 pounds either way makes a differnce in the ride they must drive more miles than I do ,cause I can’t no matter what and the weight things is a not a issue , I always use 10 pounds over the recommended pressure
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I believe Tim did it right. I never adjust pressure downward. If it falls below my target pressure I add air.
The pressures the tire manufacturers call for are supposed to provide the best combination of safety (avoiding a blowout), ride, and tire wear. Few of us care about tire wear because we don’t wear them out, they age out.
What is critical is avoiding pressures below the recommended pressure based on the weight carried. I have never seen any prohibitions against over inflation, up to the max pressure limit shown on the tire sidewall. But every manufacturer is consistent in saying if the tire is driven at a pressure 20% less than the pressure called for in the charts it has to be inspected and possibly removed from service.
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