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tyre inflator / compressor

Hello,

I had one of those tyre inflators that plugged into your cigar socket. It was a digital model, which you could pre-program to switch off once the tyre was at the correct pressure. I can't remember the make but it was from Argos. I can't complain, I think I must have had it about 10 years then recently I switched it on but nothing happened.

I read some posts here about getting a mains compressor but I think I would like a 12v version so that I can take it everywhere the car goes. It's no good having a mains compressor in the garage if your tyre goes flat at work or on holiday.

The Autoexpress reviews seem to recommend Halfords but they recommend Halfords in almost every review, so I wonder if there is some commercial interest there?

The top inflator, in their opinion, was the Ring RAC 600. Does the "RAC" bit mean it is endorsed by the RAC or does it mean something entirely different?

I have heard of Ring light bulbs but not of any other products. Are they a good make?

Then there's the Halfords ones and Michellin, which are both circular. That seems a funny shape to me, I would have thought rectangular ones would be easier to store?

The Michellin seem ridiculously expensive. is this because they are much better quality or are we just paying for the name? Are they made by Michellin or do they just have the name put on later?

I notice both the Halfords and Michellin have screw on valves. I have never used these before. I have always had the type that you push over the valve and flip a latch. Are the screw-type better? How? Don't you loose a lot of air as you try to unscrew it?

I did a bit of a Google search and comments posted about Michellin praised it for having a deflator valve for 4x4s. I've never had a 4x4 so please could someone explain the significance of needing to defalte the tyres on one?

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen
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Probably.

I suspect that in this instance RAC means Ring Air Compressor. And if someone buys it under the impression that it's endorsed by the RAC they won't complain too much.

Just a bit. And the latch type usually leak all the time they're on, at least once they're past the first flush of youth.

Lower tyre pressures than normal are better for sand or mud.

You're welcome Steve

Reply to
shazzbat

Thanks for the fast reply. The meaning of "RAC" seemed so obvious once you told me;)

I think you are right, that it's a cleverly designed acronym to make you think it is endorsed by the RAC when it is not. IIRC Argos was selling some RAC-branded car bits the other year in bright orange. I think they may have been made by Challenge/Hilka. The Ring compressor is not in the style of these other RAC accessories and does not use the RAC logo.

But why would you need to use an inflator for this? Does it deflate to a set pressure too?

Thanks again.

Reply to
Stephen

Thus spake Stephen ( snipped-for-privacy@invalid.org) unto the assembled multitudes:

Ring make all sorts of electrical products besides bulbs, but it's mostly sockets and other wotsits that you might fit to your ring main (perhaps hence the name) around the home. I've bought a number of Ring products over the years and do not recall having any grounds for complaint. Others mileages may vary :-)

Reply to
A.Clews

You need to put them back up to normal pressure when you're done playing, and go back on the road. Or if you let out a bit too much.

You're welcome again. Steve

Reply to
shazzbat

I bought a Halfords rapid inflator mdoel a year ago, but I'm now on a third one as the first two went wrong (and the original model has been discontinued). In fact the first one I had was dead in the box. I suspect these things are not very robust. The one I have now doesn't always register the pressures properly. At least Halfords relaced them with no fuss, the second time without a receipt (well, it does say Halfords on the box). .

E.

Reply to
eastender

I have two Halfords ordinary (not rapid) inflators, both of which work fine, but can be very slow - especially on something big like a Land Rover tyre. One has a digital readout that you set to your required pressure and it cuts out when it gets there. The other has an analogue gauge (and a useful light on a lead). I "won" both in cheap cars and was surprised to find that they worked after clearly knocking around in the cars' boots for a long time.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

The two rapid models I've had will go from say 20psi to 30psi in a 16 inch

215/55 tyre in about two minutes. What alarms me more is how tyres (and all the present ones on our car are pretty new) can lose a lot of pressure quite quickly and without looking obviously flatter.

E.

Reply to
eastender

Thus spake eastender ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com) unto the assembled multitudes:

Yes I noticed this: my tyres looked 'ok' but I decided (as I hadn't checked them for several weeks) to give them a quick check, and found that they were *half* the recommended pressure. *blush*

Reply to
A.Clews

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