Blow up

I bought a jump start pack/tyre compressor from Lidi for 20 quid - and despite thinking it wouldn't last it's jump started about a dozen cars and pumped up many tyres. Of course it's rather bulky to carry around.

I reckon the one in your URL is rather pricey. A compressor only can be bought for about a tenner.

: I'm fed up with finding air machines bust at garages - is this any good? Is : there a better model?

What about a foot pump?

Ian

At one time the weights and measures types would check the airline pressure gauges at the same time as the petrol pumps.

Of course the reason they are often unreliable is the way they are treated by the customers. Dropped on the ground after use rather than being replaced on the hook. When used in a tyre fitting place where they're looked after they have a long and reliable life.

That's analogue.

And that's a problem?

D

The full size preset machines at garages work terribly IME and often give you very variable pressures. You can buy a little compressor with a proper gauge for under a tenner, and if you want a digital gauge, buy a seperate one.

It's old technology. Digital is the way to go!

There was a portable air compressor review (now deleted from its archive) in AutoExpress some time ago. The winner, Challenge, has a replacement(1), which is similar to the one in The Guardian. This model is also available from Sealey(2).

Beware if you use tyre valve extenders(3) which I do. About three months ago, I bought the Challenge Xtreme from Argos. It was returned, for the connector of the compressor (the type with a lever to grip/release the tyre valve) could not be persuaded to stay on the valve stem; it kept slipping off. The problem was that the stubs were too smooth and when there was pressure, the connector came adrift. While an assistance from Argos was helping me in the car park, a lady customer came to her car next to us and commented that she had a similar model and that worked perfectly. She was happy with hers. Incidentally, the noise from the compressor was only a moderate hum. So, if you don't use valve extenders, the Argos/Sealey/Guardian air compressor is not a bad buy.

In the end I settled for a separate digital tyre gauge and a rechargeable battery compressor which shaped like a power drill. The connector of this compressor was the same type as before with a lever. This was replaced with a 12" metal handle with an open ended nozzle, the type used in all petrol station forecourts. This and the tyre extenders work in perfect harmony. The digital meter also does not disappoint. Like all tyre gauges of the digital variety, it is very accurate showing an error range of only +/-0.5 PSI. So, if you have problem with that type of connector with a lever, the one used in forecourts is a viable alternative.

(1)

(2) (3) 2" plastic hollow stubs, 4 in a pack from Halfords, ?£4; indispensable,once you use them, you won't do without them!

Have you tried pumping one? :) It's seriously hard work! And there are four of them! I haven't tried a double cylinder one though.

> > > What about a foot pump?>> > That's analogue.>> And that's a problem?>

The double cylinder ones are *very* seriously hard work!

Nothing's for free... :-)

Chris

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Art Deco saying something like:

There's nothing much more digital than up/down, in/out, on/off depending on your preferences.

"Lin Chung" wrote in news:gejAg.86159$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe2-win.ntli.net:

Thanks for that - a more comprehensive reply hard to imagine.

M.