Turbocharger Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I've got a Milemarker and dedicated pump, so there's nowhere simple on my engine for a compressor without some clever fabrication to squeeze another unit on the front of the timing cover. My plan then is to have an air reservoir, appropriate plumbing to run an air line and maybe a windy gun, air ratchet etc, and have a tyre-type valve to charge it from any garage forecourt compressor. In this vein, I have acquired: Questions: Will it work? What pressure should I charge the bottle to? Where can I get a regulator to limit the output to something sensible? How much rattlegun or tyre charging is it likely to hold (see question 2)? What can I do with all the helium it's already full of? Answers for this question should be entertaining, reasonably safe and "of a legality that means I won't get caught". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Questions:Will it work? What pressure should I charge the bottle to? Where can I get a regulator to limit the output to something sensible? How much rattlegun or tyre charging is it likely to hold (see question 2)? What can I do with all the helium it's already full of? Answers for this question should be entertaining, reasonably safe and "of a legality that means I won't get caught". I should think you'd only get about 100psi from a garage forecourt Any standard regulator should do, you may have to fiddle with unions to fit it to the bottle Put the helium in your tyres to reduce the weight of the vehicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Pipe it into the beer tent at Billing and leave it emptying slowly Joking aside if you put helium into the tyres it would probably make them a bit easier to lift on to a roof rack or back door carrier! Or you could do what simonr has done and make a reservoir in your rollcage, except that instead of air you could use helium, just pump a bit in to float serenely over a bottomless swamp and then let it out again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 For air tanks does anyone use old Range Rover Classic or P38 air suspension tanks?? You have all the fittings connected, 150psi pressure release valve included and they are relatively compact. Just wondered as it seems ideal solution and I would think they are cheap to source. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguevogue Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I've got a Milemarker and dedicated pump, so there's nowhere simple on my engine for a compressor without some clever fabrication to squeeze another unit on the front of the timing cover. My plan then is to have an air reservoir, appropriate plumbing to run an air line and maybe a windy gun, air ratchet etc, and have a tyre-type valve to charge it from any garage forecourt compressor. In this vein, I have acquired: Questions: Will it work? What pressure should I charge the bottle to? Where can I get a regulator to limit the output to something sensible? How much rattlegun or tyre charging is it likely to hold (see question 2)? What can I do with all the helium it's already full of? Answers for this question should be entertaining, reasonably safe and "of a legality that means I won't get caught". The cylinder that you have is of a very heavy construction, a much better solution is an Aluminium co2 fire extinguisher, you can get them refilled by any fire extinguisher company almost free, you can inflate tyres or run a rattle gun. You can buy a welding gas regulator with the right fitting for the cylinder. Don't waste the helium until you have looked into this. If you don't use the helium cylinder I can make use of it for welding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LR90 Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 You can buy a welding gas regulator with the right fitting for the cylinder.Don't waste the helium until you have looked into this. The welding regulators I found where all too low a pressure to be of any use. Some can be tweaked but I wasn't sure about adjusting the safty valves as well. Re TC's cylinder I agree its going to be heavy and not hold much air at forecort delivery pressures. OK as a reservoir if you've got an on board compressor but other wise you need very HP air or better Co2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom P Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I would have thought that would not hold a lot of air, Have you thought about a scuba tank, you can fill them to 5000psi from your local dive shop for a couple of £, you could get a reg that brings down the pressure that is required. I would have thought that even if the tank you have now is rated to 300 bar, a dive shop would not fill it I would ask at you local dive shop . Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bush65 Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 The size of cylinder required at 100 psi to run air tools and inflate tyres would be impractical. Putting it simply, pressure x volume is constant. So air stored in a 20 litre cylinder at 100 psi, would expand to 80 litres at 25 psi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Useless fact of the day: Tyres are not "helium tight" - the molecules can passs through the rubber ................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Useless fact of the day:Tyres are not "helium tight" - the molecules can passs through the rubber ................ Yes but they only go flat at the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Useless fact of the day:Tyres are not "helium tight" - the molecules can passs through the rubber ................ Really? I suppose they could do, if they are lighter than air ones they must presumably be thinner PMSL @ rtbarton - the old ones are the best ones.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Useless fact of the day:Tyres are not "helium tight" - the molecules can passs through the rubber ................ I hadn't thought about that but you're totally right. TC, I use a dive tank and that's far more useful IMHO. I've found when the tanks below half empty the performace of a rattle gun really starts to drop off. Oh, and filling's cheap. I think you'll find your cylinder useless if you've only got 100psi in there; it'll barly inflate one tyre and that's about all it'll do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 Ok, so the tank I've got can't be filled on forecourts. It's a nice idea but not that simple. Why can't I fill it to dive-tank pressure? It's surely heavier-duty than a diving tank and larger to boot. What performance for tools and tyres do you get from a dive tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I was going to use an old propane cylinder for extra reservoir capacity for my little garage compressor, but when I looked into the specs those are only certified to 12 bar or something when they are new, not much at all, I thought it would be much higher than that so I abandoned the idea! You might find yours isn't as high pressure as you think - I reckon a dive tank where you know what you are dealing with, would be a safer bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_warne Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Ok, so the tank I've got can't be filled on forecourts. It's a nice idea but not that simple.Why can't I fill it to dive-tank pressure? It's surely heavier-duty than a diving tank and larger to boot. What performance for tools and tyres do you get from a dive tank? Basicly, you can't fill it to dive tank pressure because no one will fill it for you.... Erm, perfomance is good. Certianly enough for a weekend event without the need for endless air. I've taken 8 Simex up from less than 20 psi to 35 psi and used somewhere arround a third of a bottle. I've not used a rattle gun on mine yet but Ali Read reckon the first half was as good as his workshop compressor (50l job) but dropped of pretty quickly after than. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bathtub Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 My Quick Air 3 will put my tyres back on rims & pump my tyres from 0-30psi in about 3 mins & will run all day. My point is been there tyied it & i presume you want to keep the Range light ??? Dont bother with all that just get a good electric pump & a good battery Torque gun -my Dewalt all i take along is the gun & a spare battery & that will take of the wheel remove all the nuts & bolts on a dif & hub etc & still not use the 2nd battery . All together the pump & gun probably way about 5kg i bet that tank way 20Kgs ????? But whatever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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