Does anyone keep a handheld inflator in their toolkit for when what's at the fuel lane just won't easily reach where you need it to, if there's one at all? Any recommendations with links?
Handheld won’t fill a semi tire They have hoses that connect to the glad hand which is a good tool to have on the truck in any case There are some better and worse but here’s a link https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200682597_200682597
I'm thinking something like this AstroAI Cordless Tire Inflator Air Compressor 20V Rechargeable Battery Powered 160PSI Portable Handheld Air Pump with 12V Car Power Adapter Digital Pressure Gauge for Cars Motorcycles ACJY21LIDCYE https://a.co/d/2xMhNiq
Either the battery will die or it will overheat before you top off a low truck tire. I have one that does about 1psi a minute on car tires. You’re probably looking at 1psi every 7-10 minutes for a truck tire.
Those cheap portable ones don’t mention the cfm of the compressor. Most are well under 1 cfm at 30 psi for a car. The average truck air compressor on the engine puts out 14 cfm at 90 psi or more. The tire shops use air compressors in excess of 22 cfm at 175 psi and it still takes them several minutes to air up a tire. I would imagine a cheap portable one would take over 6 hours to fill just one truck tire that was empty.
Use your fuel points and buy one of them hoses from the truckstop. They used to be $30. Never saw a fuel island hose that couldn't be reached. Even if the vehicle had to be moved. With your own hose. You got air wherever you need it. Cuz there's nothing in the middle of nowhere.
My Ryobi handheld inflator is rated at 120psi. I filled up my camper from 35 to 45 psi. Took about 10 minutes for one tire, and after two tires it was so hot I didn't trust using it until it cooled down for fear of melting something inside. Can't imagine how long it would take to go from 90psi to 100psi, if it even can.
I’d use my own gladhand hose before I’d use truck stop air hose . I’m more confident my air dryer is removing moisture and I’m not adding water from a poorly maintained air compressor that probably doesn’t have any provision to remove water.
Half the time the fuel island air hose is jacked up anyway. If you don't want to buy a gladhand air hose then have the shop install a quick connect fitting on one of your air tanks so that you can connect the hose there and then connect an air chuck to the hose.